For obese patients with diabetes, surgery that promotes weight loss may improve blood glucose levels, blood pressure and cholesterol, but the long-term results are debatable.

While losing weight through exercise and eating healthy can help people control diabetes, gastric bypass surgery can offer dramatic results for those with mild or moderate obesity.

Mom’s and dad’s habits, decisions and finances generally influence their offspring’s future. Childhood obesity, which is especially high among blacks and Latinos, also is a problem often shaped by parental choice and circumstance.

Women who were abused while growing up may have a higher tendency for addictive relationships with food. This tendency could explain higher rates of obesity in abused women.

Bariatric surgery brings the benefit of extraordinary weight loss, but it also carries some health hazards. One risk is blood clots, which may be avoided through various methods, some more effective than others.

Patients who have obstructive sleep apnea are at higher risk for a range of health concerns. If the patient is obese, one way to improve symptoms of sleep apnea may be to lose weight.

One health concern of parents today is child obesity. Knowing what children are at risk for being overweight can help parents discuss their concerns with their pediatrician.

Most moms urge kids to finish what they are served. But good intentions might not always translate into good outcomes. 

Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption have been linked to the development of throat cancer. Frequent heartburn also has been added to that list of potential culprits in the disease.

Some fast food retailers openly list the calorie content of their menu items. And young people are among those giving a glance to those potentially fat-fighting figures.