Calcium

For years we've been told that calcium builds strong bones. How is it possible that calcium may be CAUSING hip fractures? And, not just a few more hip fractures - 64% more hip fractures.

As usual, though when we dig a little deeper, we learn that it's not so much the calcium, but what we're not chasing it with.

When celebrities like Carnie Wilson and Star Jones started getting gastric bypass, suddenly it became the thing to do. Everyone wanted to look like a rapidly deflated balloon!

Now, gastric bypass may be a "quick fix" or a "last resort," but it comes with a price. Common side effects include hernia, infection and malnutrition, and you can add kidney stones to the list too.

A new study has found a connection between obesity in preschoolers and a greater risk for iron deficiency.

Researchers analyzed blood samples from 960 toddlers and found that “20 percent of obese toddlers have iron deficiency, compared to 7 percent of normal-weight toddlers.”

Yet another long held belief is about to be turned on its head. Researchers spent $18 million in a huge study (36,000 women aged over 50) that tests calcium supplements. In a nutshell - they found no broad benefit in preventing broken bones. The differences between the placebo group and the supplementation group were so small as to provide no conclusive outcome.

The impact of calcium on weight loss continues to be a source of contention. A recent study has compared calcium supplements with calcium from food (via Yahoo): Girls who normally consume lots of calcium in their diet have less body fat than their peers, but those who add calcium supplements to their diets do not lose fat or weight.

Even the title is pretentious.

What is the association between rich people and thinness? How the Rich Get Thin is a new book from Park Avenue doctor Jana Klauer. Apparently Dr. Klauer has a patient list including CEO's, celebrities, and other socialites at her expensive practice in New York.