Women find it harder to suppress their hunger and hence have difficulty LOSING WEIGHT, according to new research that may help explain their higher obesity rates.

US researchers quizzed 13 men and women about their favourite foods - which ranged from pizza to cinnamon buns and chocolate cake - and they were then asked to fast overnight.

The next day the hungry test subjects underwent brain scans while being presented with their favourite foods.

They also used a technique called cognitive inhibition, which they had been taught, in a bid to suppress thoughts of hunger and eating.

While both men and women said the technique decreased their hunger, the scans showed only the men’s brain activity actually decreased.

“Even though the women said they were less hungry when trying to inhibit their response to the food, their brains were still firing away in the regions that control the drive to eat,” says Gene-Jack Wang of Brookhaven National Laboratory.

“There is something going on in the female … the signal is so much different.”
This could explain why women do not find it easy to lose weight. There are no easy one-off solutions like fad diets, best diet pills and liposuction to weight loss. Having said that, there are simple and scientific approaches to fast, easy weight loss. However, one still needs to be disciplined and take a holistic approach to Weight Loss.

Technorati Tags: diet, weight loss

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A report on “Booming Global Obesity Drug Market”, Research and Markets states that the prevalence of obesity is increasing globally at alarming rates. Obesity drugs market has shown a radical growth in recent times but in contrast, the market for weight loss drugs has failed to match this growth. By 2012, it’s expected that more than two billion people will be overweight and 600 million will be obese, representing immense opportunities for both the markets.

The market for weight loss drugs is characterized by numerous failures. A number of drugs have failed to get approval, some have been recalled, and those that have entered the market either suffer from serious side effects or have just failed to give the desired weight loss results consumers expected from them. Refusal of healthcare authorities to grant reimbursement to these drugs has also impeded the growth.

One of the most recent examples can be taken from Sanofi’s Acomplia; the drug was hailed as multibillion blockbuster before it was launched. But Acomplia, like most of its predecessors, failed to have a sufficient benefit to risk ratio and was taken off the market just two and a half years after its launch.

The future of the obesity drugs market, however, may not be so gloomy. This is because the market has high unmet demand, and any drug that manages to provide a high benefit to risk ratio can easily achieve blockbuster status. Moreover, despite some of its recent failures, the obesity drugs pipeline is rich and a large number of drugs are in phase-III and late phase-II trials. If some of these drugs manage to reach the market and posses a strong efficacy and safety profile, they can quickly become billion-dollar blockbusters.

Country-wise, the US is presently the biggest market for weight loss drugs with around 68% of its population either overweight or obese. The US is followed by the UK and other European countries. In future, emerging economies such as China, Russia, India and Brazil are also expected to become a huge market for weight loss products. With China’s obesity and overweight levels touching 665-670 million in 2015, the country will emerge as the most potential weight loss market.

Technorati Tags: health, weight loss

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Just about anyplace you go, you can see expanding waistlines. Stand in front of a mirror and ask yourself if you need to lose some weight? There is no question that losing weight can be difficult. It is much easier to eat whatever you want and not worry about getting exercise. After all, it’s no big deal. It is only a couple of pounds. Many of us feel that way, but read on to learn a few more things that go along with being overweight. Obesity is at epidemic levels in the United States, and with the spread of Western culture it is fast becoming a global problem. It is estimated that over 300 million people are overweight, worldwide; and that number is rising. The good news is there are ways to take the weight off, and start to reduce the world’s waistline.
Being overweight is not just unattractive; it is also hazardous to your health. Awareness of these health issues can help in understanding why it is important to maintain a healthy weight. After all, if you know what being overweight can do to your health, then you have more reasons to maintain an ideal weight

Here are nine major diseases, and one irreversible condition, that are caused or exacerbated by being overweight:

1. Diabetes

2. Stroke

3. Complications in pregnancy

4. Arthritis

5. Fatty liver disease

6. Hypertension (high blood pressure)

7. Heart disease

8. Gout

9. Cancer

10. DEATH

There are many other conditions which are related to obesity, but this list makes the point. Death is a big one. Nobody wants to die and be remembered for being fat. The reality is it takes just as much work to eat garbage as it does to eat healthy. Yet, so many people have conditioned themselves to think eating garbage is more enjoyable. Compare the enjoyment of eating a bag of potato chips to suffering anything on the list above, and you will feel your mindset changing.

The above list focuses on physical conditions, but losing weight has positive psychological effects, as well. Self-esteem and self-image go hand in hand. You will notice positive changes in how you (and others) think about yourself.

Losing weight goes a long way in aiding the prevention and control of these diseases. Apart from quitting smoking, losing weight is the best thing you can do to improve your overall health. This article is not designed to scare you, but rather to make you aware of some of the other concerns associated with being overweight. Knowing this could be the motivation you need to start towards your ideal weight.

About the Author
Michael Oksa is the co-author of “121 Tips To Help You Lose Weight And Keep It Off”. He believes in helping people achieve their weight loss goals and provides these tips free of charge at www.how-to-diet.net

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