Women who gorge on junk food while pregnant could raise the risk of their offspring developing irreversible health problems such as obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes in adult life, according to new research.

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College here carried out their study involving rats but scientists believe it also applies to humans. Rats that ate a diet rich in fat, sugar and salt while pregnant were more likely to give birth to offspring that had the tendency to over-eat and had a preference for junk food when compared to the offspring of rats given regular feed

A woman who wanted to lose weight died after taking banned slimming pills that she bought over the internet.

Selena Walrond, 26, died five days after she started taking DNP, a drug that increases metabolic rate to burn calories and make bodybuilders and athletes lose weight more quickly. DNP is also used as a pesticide

A new implantable medical device called VBLOCTM vagal blocking therapy is the latest answer to gastric bypass surgery and other weight loss measures.

Developed in collaboration with Mayo Clinic researchers, the device helped patients lose an average of nearly 15 percent of their excess weight

The controversial anti-obestity drug rimonabant, marketed as Acomplia, has been approved for National Health Service (NHS) use in the England and Wales. The National Institute for Healthcare and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has approved use of this diet drug in people who are clinically obese or people who are seriously overweight with complications such as diabetes.

The drug, made by Sanofi-Aventis, is approved for sale in Britain and elsewhere in the European Union but was rejected by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel in June 2007 because of concerns the drug increases the risk of depression and suicidal thoughts

Eating a big breakfast consisting of high carbohydrates and protein the first thing in morning and then following a low-carb, low-calorie diet the rest of the day helps maintain a healthy weight loss, the authors of a new study recommend.

Researchers from the Hospital de Clinicas in Caracas, Venezuela say eating a big breakfast packed with protein and carbohydrates helps cut cravings for sweet or starchy foods, as well as boosting the metabolism. Breakfast has long been touted as the most important meal of the day, particularly for those who want to lose weight