When body mass index is high, so is the likelihood of heart attack or stroke. Obesity, however, isn’t just an older person’s problem. The threat extends to individuals who are much younger.

Much debate has centered on how much soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages might be contributing to obesity. Among children, the calories are adding up.

Overweight or obese people undergoing a lung transplant may have increased risk for complications. Lung donors that smoked can hurt the odds too, but don’t refuse their lungs so quickly.

Among smokers, a common reason to not quit is the fear of gaining weight. While weight gain is a serious concern, continuing to smoke is a greater concern.

When it comes to feeding your baby, it's hard to beat breast milk. A mother's milk provides a baby all the nutrients needed and is linked to various beneficial health outcomes later in life.

For obese individuals who have had trouble losing weight, gastric bypass surgery may be an effective option. For those who also have diabetes, the surgery may come with an added bonus—stopping diabetes.

Women are supposed to gain weight during a healthy pregnancy. But weighing too much at the start or gaining too much weight during pregnancy may increase certain risks.

Child obesity happens for many different reasons. These include TV time, diet, physical activity, genetics and other issues. Changing some of these may help reduce risk of obesity.

Keeping a healthy body weight is important for the heart and joints. Losing weight may also be important for healthy kidneys.

Being overweight can be a burden for an expectant mother. When it comes to labor and delivery, that extra weight can cause certain complications for both the mother and child.