With the public health crisis known as obesity reaching emergency proportions in the United States, the public spotlight is turning on the makers of the highly processed, high-calorie junk foods that help to fuel the growing calamity.

In a recent study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 32 percent of children were overweight but not obese, 16 percent were obese, and 11 percent were extremely obese. (Read more about 10 Dark Secrets of the Food Industry)

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Instead of getting on a fad diet, only to crash and burn a few weeks later, it's best to eat wholesome, natural foods in five or so small meals a day, according to anti-aging expert Dr. Maoshing Ni.

Dr. Mao, as the doctor of Chinese medicine and author of the best-selling book Secrets of Longevity is known, says a good weight-loss diet includes lean proteins, such as chicken breast; legumes, such as split peas and lentils; and whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Fad diets, he says, almost inevitably deny a person some important nutrients, leading to cravings all too often cause the dieter to regain his weight - and perhaps even more. He advocates eating the following as part of a sensible weight-loss program: (Read more about Five Foods to Slim By)

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Sixty-six percent of Americans are overweight, and 32 percent are obese, so many citizens have now gotten serious about losing weight. But many times a dieter or exerciser can hit a weight-loss plateau that's seemingly impossible to get beyond.

Therefore, here follows seven areas to focus on to flank excess weight and, hopefully, lead to big improvements in health. (Read more about Seven Breakthrough Strategies for Weight Loss)

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Human fat can be healthy or sick - healthy in lean people and sick in obese. And a new research effort shows sick fat cells can produce proteins that contribute to type 2 diabetes.

The study, performed by researchers at Temple University, discovered that fat cells in obese people bear a great deal of stress in a cellular component called the endoplasmic reticulum, which is the cells' protein factory. The stress, says lead researcher Dr. Guenther Boden, apparently produces proteins connected with insulin resistance, a major contributor to obesity-related diabetes. In particular, 19 proteins were more abundant in obese people's fat cells than lean people's, including three that were related to a specific endoplasmic reticulum stress-related response. (Read more about How Obesity Abets Type 2 Diabetes)

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Exercise may not halt the aging process, but mounting evidence suggests people who stay active can slow its effects. The latest issue of Mayo Clinic Women's Healthsource offers 8 benefits to regular exercise.

It Provides Energy: Feeling tired and lethargic is largely a result of being inactive. Endurance exercises like walking, swimming, jogging, biking, and rowing improves stamina and energy. Even after a few weeks in a walking program, people have more energy for activities.

It Improves Mental Health: There's considerable evidence that regular physical activity can help reduce stress, manage mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety, improve sleep quality, boost mood, and enhance the overall feeling of well-being. (Read more about 8 Ways Exercise Keeps You Young and Healthy)

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In America, it is estimated that 45 percent of women and 30 percent of men diet to lose weight. A recent study, published in the scientific journal Hypertension and led by David Gutterman has found low-carbohydrate diets to be significantly higher in total grams of fat, protein, dietary cholesterol and saturated fats than low-fat diets. Dr. Gutterman states, "While a low-carb diet may result in weight loss and an improvement in blood pressure, the higher fat content is ultimately more detrimental to heart health than the low-fat diet suggested by the American Heart Association." (Read more about For Heart Health Low-Fat Better Than Low-Carb Diets)

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Dr. Valentin Fuster discusses the 6 causes or risk factors behind coronary artery disease. There are two physical risk factors: high blood pressure and size of the waist (or abdominal obesity). There are two chemical risk factors: cholesterol levels in the blood and blood glucose (diabetes). And finally, there are two lifestyle risk factors: smoking and exercise. (Read more about What Are the Risk Factors of Coronary Artery Disease?)

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The idea behind artificial sweeteners is simple: add the flavor of sugar without the calories of sugar. Sounds great, right? Well, a recent study now finds that eating artificial sweeteners could make people put on more weight when compared to normal sugar. Researchers conducted experiments on lab rats who were placed into two groups. One group was given yogurt sweetened with glucose, or the equivalent to table sugar. The other group was given yogurt sweetened with zero-calorie saccharin. The rats that had the saccharin-sweetened yogurt consumed more calories, put on more weight, gained more body fat, and did not cut back on their calorie consumption in the long term. (Read more about Artificial Sweeteners Could Contribute to Weight Gain)

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A recent report by health provider BUPA has found that people's worries are damaging their health by causing sleepless nights, loss of sex drive, and erratic eating habits. The 2007 Worry Report demonstrates that almost one in five people constantly worry about numerous things, and more than half feel they worry more now than five years ago. Half of the people surveyed this year, which is 6% more than in 2006, claimed they were more worried about their health and their family's health than about other concerning issues such as climate change or terrorist attacks. The survey finds that almost three quarters of people worry, but around 19% admit to worrying all the time or about a number of things. (Read more about Worried Sick? There Might Be Some Truth There)

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A recent study from Penn State has found that American children are drinking insufficient amounts of milk and the dairy they are choosing to consume are very high in fat. The study examined a children's daily dairy intake and compared it with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid dairy recommendations. The findings revealed that only 2 to 3 year olds met the MyPyramid dairy recommendations. It was also observed that most children choose to eat more of the highest fat varieties of cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and dairy based toppings. (Read more about American Children Are Not Consuming Enough Milk)

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