Nutrition is the fuel that keeps people alive. But around the world, people's health and even life expectancies are suffering due to either poor nourishment because of a lack of resources, or obesity caused by overeating and a lack of education regarding healthy eating.

This is according to a new study from the University of Waterloo, which has suggested that the instinct to diet may be driven by underlying impulses that are not necessarily healthy, and that young girls should think twice before making efforts to intentionally shed weight.

For this research, the behaviour of 3,300 high school girls in Ontario was assessed, revealing that teenagers who were actively dieting at the time of the study were more likely to engage in one or more other risky behaviours three years later.

This is according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, US, and other institutions.
 

Diabetes during pregnancy occurs when the level of blood sugar is too high. The condition increases the risk for preterm birth and the need for cesarean delivery, among other complications.
 

The research, carried out by the American Heart Association and FIGO National Member Society the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, emphasises the benefits of collaborative care between OB/GYN specialists and cardiologists.

Since heart disease and stroke are still the leading causes of death in women, the advisory points out the role OB/GYNs can play in helping women reduce their risk, as roughly 90 per cent of women have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Pre-eclampsia may permanently alter women’s blood vessels, leaving them with an increased lifetime risk of heart disease, according to new research by Pennsylvania State University, US.

The researchers compared women who had healthy pregnancies with those that experienced pre-eclampsia, which is when blood vessels around the uterus constrict during pregnancy and result in high blood pressure, kidney damage, swelling and headaches.

Rates of obesity between men and women have been largely comparable in recent years, but females have now surged ahead to around 40 per cent, compared to 35 per cent of males.

The figures, which were obtained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and were published in two articles published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, are largely based on a small government survey considered the best measure of the country's obesity problem.

Adult women who started puberty earlier are more likely to be obese, according to new research from Imperial College London, UK.

The researchers said their findings strengthen the existing evidence of a link between the onset of puberty and a woman's body mass in adulthood.

Previous studies have established a link between obesity and puberty, with increased bodyweight known to be a risk factor for girls starting puberty earlier.