Weight loss surgery carried out on obese people increased by 40% last year, according to new figures.

The NHS performed 2,724 cases in 2007/08 of "bariatric surgery", which includes stomach stapling, gastric bypasses and sleeve gastrectomy, according to a report from the NHS Information Centre.

Overall hospital admissions for obesity also increased, up 30% from the previous year to 5,018.

From 2006 to 2007 the number of NHS prescriptions dispensed on the NHS to treat obesity increased by 16% to 1.23 million.

Drugs commonly prescribed for weight-loss include Sibutramine, which alters chemical messages to the brain controlling feelings and thoughts about food, and Orlistat, which prevents fat absorption in the intestine.

F ebruary is American Heart Month, so why not take the time to stay young and healthy at heart?

"Every two minutes, someone in the U.S. dies of sudden cardiac arrest because of risk factors like a previous heart attack, heart disease, diabetes, smoking or obesity," says Dr. Vince Mosesso, the medical director of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association.

Andrew Burrill says the worst moment occurred last year in his high school cafeteria. Heading for a table, his tray laden with an extra portion of his favorite school lunch, Andrew was intercepted by a teacher who loudly asked, "Are you sure you should have gotten doubles?" Andrew, who at the time was nearly 5-foot-4 and weighed 260 pounds, burst into tears.

Ontario is investing $75 million to significantly boost its capacity to perform bariatric surgery and reduce the number of patients who must be sent to the U. S. for the weight-loss operation, Health Minister David Caplan announced Monday.

Caplan said the expansion program will mean a 500 per cent increase in gastric bypass surgeries within the province, raising the number of patients who will receive the operation to 1,470 in 2011-12 from 244 this year.

The province is creating four centres of excellence for bariatric treatment, at St. Joseph's Health-Care Hamilton, Humber River Regional Hospital in Toronto, Guelph General Hospital and the Ottawa Hospital.

There may be a reason teenagers eat more burgers and fries than fruits and vegetables: their parents.

In a new policy brief released today by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, researchers found that adolescents are more likely to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day if their parents do. Contrarily, teens whose parents eat fast food or drink soda are more likely to do the same.