Generally, metabolism is not well understood. The short explanation is that metabolism is what every living organism uses to process food intake and convert it into fuel and energy for the body to use as required. With today's alarming increase in both adult and childhood obesity, we need to acknowledge and pay attention to the fact that it is the metabolic process which influences and determines how our bodies lose or gain weight.
A variety of factors, such as age, diet, physical activity and genes dictate your metabolic rate. For this reason, metabolism will vary from person to person. While one person loses weight easily, another will find it difficult. Education is the key to making the most out of the hand you've been dealt.
We hear a lot about how to increase metabolism. A faster metabolism means your body will convert food into energy faster. When we say there are certain foods that boost metabolism, we suppose it means that they will help our bodies naturally produce energy faster. The good news is that there are certain steps we can take toward raising metabolism in our quest to manage our weight and well being.
Here you'll find a series of articles to help inform you and provide ideas and guidance about how metabolism functions throughout our bodies and ways in which to make life changes in order to help metabolism work to your advantage. A selection of pertinent articles is posted below.
Tips In Raising Metabolism Metabolism is an important process that involves the conversion of food into fuel or energy, which your body uses for body functions or repairs.
How To Treat Low Metabolism Parents and adults often wonder how it is that children and teenagers can often eat large amounts of food, yet still remain thin.
More Kids Now Extremely Obese
(HealthDay)
HealthDay - THURSDAY, March 18 (HealthDay News) -- The obesity epidemic is
hitting children harder than ever, with 7.3 percent of boys and 5.5
percent of girls classified as extremely obese in a California study,
researchers from Kaiser Permanente report.
U.S. child obesity problem worse than thought
(Reuters)
Reuters - Extreme obesity among American children is much worse than previously believed, putting them at greater risk of serious health problems as they age, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.
Supplement may slow overweight kids' fat gain
(Reuters)
Reuters - Supplements containing the dietary fat conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may help overweight kids curb the amount of fat they gain over time, a small study suggests.
AP - First lady Michelle Obama says her fight against childhood obesity isn't about appearance but about whether kids have enough energy to be productive at school.
2 Drugs Fail to Prevent Diabetes in the Overweight
(HealthDay)
HealthDay - SUNDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Hopes that two available drugs
could help prevent diabetes and the problems it causes in overweight
people with poor sugar metabolism have been dashed by a major
international study.
Health Tip: What's Behind Childhood Obesity
(HealthDay)
HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Obesity is a major problem in the United
States, and children are no exception. Today's kids are spending more
hours watching TV, sitting at the computer or playing video games, and
less time being active.
Obese Colon Cancer Survivors Face Poorer Prognosis
(HealthDay)
HealthDay - TUESDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Colon cancer survivors who
are moderately or severely obese face tougher survival odds following
treatment compared with their normal-weight peers, a new study
reveals.
AFP - New York leaders are pressing for a so-called fat tax on the soft drinks industry, saying that sweet beverages are responsible for an upsurge of obesity across the United States.