Jamie Oliver is to slap a "sugar tax" on all sweet drinks served in his restaurants as a protest at the British Government's refusal to introduce one.

Trans fats lurk in lots of New Zealand foods and we need to follow the US' lead and phase out the nasty fat, says local health expert Lee-Anne Wann.

Being obese could actually improve the chances of survival after a heart attack because excess fat appears to fight heart disease, a study has shown.

Living next to a busy road could increase the risk of obesity, the first research into the effects of noise pollution on waistlines has found.

A broad range of public health experts concerned about New Zealand's growing obesity rates want a clampdown on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children.

Editorial: Force-feeding has never been a feature of the humble dairy, yet suddenly it finds itself in the business of public health.

Student Tom Spector explains how he became a McDonald's regular, and why his diet might help to cure obesity.

Research has established that, over time, we learn to associate the flavour of a food with its energy content. This learning is important because it comes to determine how and what we eat.

People who switched from driving to work to using public transport, cycling or walking lost significant amounts of weight, a study has found.

Taking vitamin D supplements has been found to aid weight loss in obese and overweight people, Italian researchers have found.

In the face of a soaring global epidemic of type 2 diabetes and obesity, the food industry is at last on the back foot.

A gym has been scolded for running an ad mocking fat people.

In a new attempt to control New Zealand's obesity epidemic, severely overweight patients will have a stomach drain installed through which they pump out excess food.

Excessive sugar and carbohydrates are behind the obesity crisis rather than physical inactivity, claim three experts in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Scientists call for a new style of bespoke treatment rather than a "one size fits all" approach to tackling the epidemic.

Burger King says it will stop selling toys with its kids meals and will cease advertising to children on television.

Could therapeutic fasting be a solution to many lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cancer? The director of a renowned German clinic is convinced of it. Liz Hunt reports.

Scientists believe the gene Plexin D1 tells fat to gather around the middle, rather than the bottom and thighs.

Daily and occasional diet soft drinkers gained nearly three times as much belly fat as non-drinkers, after they ruled out other factors such as age, exercise and smoking.

Kiwis need to carve about six teaspoons of sugar out of our daily diets if we're to meet new international suggestions for avoiding obesity and rotten teeth.

Natural alternatives to sugar sweeteners exist, but even they have pitfalls if consumed in excess. We are hard-wired to love sweets.

Hundreds of babies are being born clinically obese in the UK every year - including some weighing more than a stone.

Stevia-sweetened fizzy drink Pepsi Next will hit our shelves next week, a month ahead of rival Coke Life - but will the new products do any good?

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman is looking at introducing a Health Target to control child obesity.

How can you know what you need to maintain your energy balance? There are two options: the mathematical approach and the instinctive approach.

Kiwi scientists have found a curious new way to combat obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in an antioxidant linked to Chinese medicine.

If you've ever exercised to lose weight, there's a good chance the following thought has crossed your mind: "I worked out so hard. I deserve a treat!"

More than a third of Kiwis believe fizzy and other sugary drinks should be taxed. Does NZ need a sugary drinks tax? Vote here and leave a comment.

Australian scientists may have discovered a way to shed fat by teaching our bodies how to burn it off.