Brain atrophy, also called cerebral atrophy, can develop when there is loss of grey matter (brain cells) or white matter (brain cell connections).  Brain atrophy causes shrinkage of the brain and an overall reduction in brain size.  Brain atrophy is more common with increasing age and several medical conditions such as epilepsy, strokes, Alzheimer’s dementia, […]

It is estimated that one out of every three people in the United States is overweight, and two out of every three is obese.  This trend toward overweight and obesity is not confined to America, and the world in general has seen an increase in the problem.  Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, […]

Mild cognitive impairment is the decline of mental function that goes beyond what would be expected based upon the age and education of an individual. This type of cognitive decline does not interfere with the regular activities of daily living. Mild cognitive impairment is usually diagnosed when there is evidence of memory impairment, preservation of […]

Obesity continues to be an increasingly prevalent problem throughout the world.  It is predicted that the obesity epidemic will continue to worsen unless major interventions are implemented.  In the United States, it is estimated that one third of the population is obese while two thirds of the population is overweight, based upon body mass index.  […]

Childhood obesity has become much more prevalent in today’s society.  The rate of childhood obesity has more than tripled since the early 1970s.  Since obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, we have also witnessed the rate of childhood type 2 diabetes increase as well.  Childhood obesity is also associated with several other disorder […]

Obtaining the proper duration and quality of sleep is important for the normal functioning of the human body and mind.  Sleep is well known to be integral in the function of the central nervous system and influences memory formation and the learning process.  Less intuitively, sleep has been found to impact several metabolic states.  Epidemiological […]

Obesity can be thought of as an imbalance of energy metabolism in which excess energy is stored in fat cells.  Along with the imbalance in energy metabolism, there are other metabolic abnormalities that are associated with obesity.  Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome.  In addition, obesity can be associated […]

Obesity has become a problem in the United States and around the world.  The number of people that are overweight and obese has steadily increased since the middle of the 20th century.  Prior to this, obesity was rarely seen and almost never caused health problems. The world’s population has continued to grow as a result […]

Physical activity and regular exercise have many health benefits including physical fitness, increased cardiovascular endurance, and improved muscle and bone strength.  Regular exercise also contributes to a more restful night’s sleep, and has been shown to decrease stress hormones in the body.  In addition, regular exercise has been shown to delay the onset of chronic […]

Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation, which has been shown to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and other obesity related disorders.  Chronic inflammation is increasingly being recognized as contributing to the development of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke.  Chronic inflammation results in vascular injury and accelerates the atherosclerotic process which […]