Junk food could be addictive and stimulate cravings in much the same way as an illicit drug, a brain scanning study shows.

Obesity is contributing to the growing rate of caesarean section births in New Zealand.

Children are being tricked into unhealthy food choices by marketers who make misleading nutritional claims and use celebrities to endorse their products, according to research by an anti-obesity action group.

The 5:2 fasting diet is the publishing sensation of the year and has catapulted former fashion editor Mimi Spencer to new realms of success. She explains the how and why to Richard Godwin.

New Zealand adults are on average the second heaviest among 50 countries, a health list reveals - prompting warnings of a looming medical crisis for some Kiwis.

Women battling the bulge may be fighting more than just sweet temptation, according to new research showing a fat gene could be to blame.

Pacific health experts are calling for a quota on the amount of fatty food exported to the Pacific Islands, where heart disease, diabetes and obesity are the norm.

Being overweight and drinking alcohol dramatically increases the risk of developing fatty liver disease, according to a study presented at the International Liver Congress.

Scientists are starting to unravel the mystery of moreishness - why some snacks seem impossible to eat in small amounts.

Kelly Osbourne is still critical of her body despite losing about weight.

Forcing the hefty to pay more is not only an indignity, it's manifestly unfair.

In a unique natural experiment, researchers have observed how a nation that lost an average of 5kg per head over five years contributed to a halving of the death rate.

Genes play major role in deciding whether we're a couch potato or active bunny, a new study shows.

The rise in the number of overweight children in Western countries may be as much to do with their genes as their diet and exercise levels.

The world's first airline to charge passengers by weight - rather than a normal fare structure - says the policy helps raise obesity awareness and improve public health.

Obesity may be caused by an imbalance of gases in the body, rather than over-eating or a lack of exercise, researchers claim.

Being a fussy eater could be in your genes, new research suggests.

A health expert says new research on the dangers of sitting should be a wake-up call - and trading in your office chair for a pricey ergonomic model is unlikely to help.

Slimmers turning to low-fat foods could be piling on the pounds.

Researchers have a controversial explanation for rising obesity levels in women - they are not doing enough housework.

Carl's Jr operator Andy Puzder says he is proud to bring good quality food and service to poorer areas - and at 63 he still eats plenty of his firm's burgers.

Nearly one in five New Zealanders over the age of 15 have a blood disorder that precedes Type 2 diabetes, a finding described as "alarming" by experts.

Manufacturers' measurements do not take into account the caloric value of fibre.

The battle against the bulge should start while you're still a toddler, according to an obesity study in Auckland which has spanned nearly two decades.

Children's sport would be almost non-existent without support from multinational fast food companies, an academic says.

This week in America, one of the contenders most likely to be the 2016 Republican presidential candidate defiantly ate a doughnut on late night television; it was a glazed and jelly-filled two-fingered salute to his critics.

A study into sports sponsorship has found a third of food and beverage companies sponsoring sport in New Zealand could be classified as unhealthy.

One expert fears the voluntary system may be dominated by Australian food industry pressure for even unhealthy foods to get a star.