A bad day may drive some to overindulge in ice cream or greasy food, but could it actually be slowing down the metabolism as well? Maybe so, suggest the authors of a new study.

The obesity epidemic in America has led to disease and increased health care costs. This epidemic may be hitting some ethnic groups harder than others.

Exercise and diet both play a role in physical fitness, but does one trump the other? Perhaps so, according to the researchers behind a long-term study of obesity.

More than one-third of adults in the US are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Getting bigger around the waistline, however, can be a deadly problem.

Being obese can increase the risk for numerous health problems. Being underweight isn't healthy either; it may even raise the risk for chronic lung disease.

A family with at least one obese adult may be more likely to have an obese child. But a bigger influence may be other children in the home.

Worldwide, children are experiencing higher rates of obesity. Obesity is tied to many health risks, including heart problems and diabetes. It may also be a cause of asthma in many young people.

Type 2 diabetes is often diagnosed in overweight patients. The combination of diabetes and obesity can present a serious risk for heart disease.

Being overweight can have a wide range of effects on people's overall health, both mental and physical. And n umerous studies have shown that increased weight is associated with a decrease in sleep at night.

Serious illness does not always strike suddenly. Sometimes, it comes at the end of long road marked by other health problems. Kidney disease often is preceded by other avoidable health problems.