Time, Alice Parks, July 15, 2010

Being overweight is certainly risky for your physical health, but new evidence suggests that it may carry an added mental-health burden as well.
Studies have linked overweight to a host of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and stroke, but research led by Dr. Diana Kerwin at Northwestern University now shows that extra weight may also contribute to lower cognitive performance. Culling data from the Women’s Health Initiative, a long-term, multicenter study of postmenopausal women between the ages of 65 and 79, Kerwin’s team found …

Associated Press, Lauren Neergaard, July 13, 2010
What if my blood sugar’s too high today? Is it time for my blood pressure pill? With nagging text messages or more customized two-way interactions, researchers are trying to harness the power of cell phones to help fight chronic diseases.
“I call it medical minutes,” says Dr. Richard Katz of George Washington University Hospital in the nation’s capital.
He’s testing whether inner-city diabetics, an especially hard-to-treat population, might better control their blood sugar — and thus save Medicaid dollars — by tracking their disease using Internet-connected …

The New York Times, William Neuman, July 14, 2010
According to a recent Nestlé ad campaign aimed at parents, a drink called Boost Kid Essentials was so good for children that it could keep them from getting colds and missing school.
But on Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission said the ads were deceptive and announced that Nestlé had agreed to stop making the claims.
The move was the second in two months aimed at deceptive advertising by a major food manufacturer for products meant for children. A commission official said that the agency …

New York Times, Andrew Pollack, July 15, 2010
A federal advisory committee voted narrowly against endorsing a drug vying to become the first new prescription medicine for obesity in more than a decade, signaling heightened concerns for possible health risks associated with a new generation of diet pills.
The advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration voted 10 to 6 that the safety concerns, like increased heart rate, possible birth defects and psychiatric problems, overrode the potential benefits of the drug, called Qnexa and developed by Vivus.
The meeting was closely watched …

Los Angeles Times, Chris Woolston, July 12, 2010
Uncertainty about milk aside, the USDA’s recommendations are clear-cut.
In 2005, the agency in charge of the food pyramid started recommending three cups of dairy products a day for anyone over 8, a full cup more than before. By the USDA’s standards, one cup of yogurt, one and a half ounces of hard cheese, one-third cup of shredded cheese or two cups of cottage cheese counts as a cup of dairy. So, of course, does a cup of milk.
The USDA actively promotes dairy products …