Those who do not find the time to stop and have a proper meal are more likely to increase their food intake later in the day, which could lead to weight gain and obesity.

White bread is the food most frequently consumed by Pacific Island children in Auckland and may be an important contributor to their high rate of obesity.

Ever wondered why parents pile on the pounds? A new book reveals the truth about their bad habits.

While cutting out carbs leads to more weight loss, a low-fat diet helps people lose the flab which is most damaging to health, researchers found.

Beer gut: It's right there in the name - but it seems that beer might not be as bad for the waistline as previously thought.

Australian scientists have isolated the gene behind obesity and type 2 diabetes, which could lead to a "skinny" pill to prevent the disease.

A step-by-step guide to the dramatic way a can of Diet Coke affects the body from 10 minutes after the first sip until an hour later.

Junk food advertising aimed at kids plays a part in this epidemic. "Why would the industry spend money on pester power if it didn't work?" writes Geoff Simmons. "Anyone who denies this is an idiot or a lobbyist."

An Auckland woman who posted photos of her remarkable weight loss on Instagram has hit back at commenters accusing her of "faking" it.

A leading Pacific doctor is supporting calls for island countries to consider a fat tax on junk food to tackle the ticking time bomb of obesity in the region.

Eating too much fatty food can damage nerves in the stomach that tell the brain we are full, scientists believe.

Are you a "carb craver" or "chocaholic"? We often use language associated with addiction to describe our relationships with food. But is it really possible to be addicted to certain types of food?

Scientists have discovered that obese people can imagine smells more vividly than those who are slim.

Marriage can boost your health in a number of ways but it appears there is one measure where it lets you down – your waistline.

A sugar tax is out according to Dr Jonathan Coleman who says there's no evidence it works. That's wrong, writes Dita De Boni.

In a move that has fired up parents, teachers in the UK have won the right to inspect pupils’ lunchboxes and confiscate unhealthy snacks.

An over-supply of high-energy, high-calorie foods in many countries has been today shown by New Zealand researchers as a likely driver of rising global obesity.

The kind of food Facebook is advertising to teenagers is the subject of a study being done at the University of Auckland.

Two of the nation's best chefs back the idea of a 'sugar tax' in NZ, but opinions were divided when it came to adopting Jamie's concept in their Auckland eateries.

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.

Life and Style columnist Lee Suckling tackles your modern etiquette and ethical predicaments, one reader-submitted query at a time.

Junk food kills the gut bacteria that can help keep people thin, while Belgian beer and coffee increase them, a new book by a leading academic claims.