The Alli diet pill is still here, but is there a better alternative in the near future? First, let’s take a short trip down the memory lane.

Before the Alli diet pill, do you remember olestra and the mainstreaming of that unfortunate term anal leakage? Well, olestra is mostly gone, but unfortunately, the science behind it is still in use. The obesity drug orlistat (brand names Xenical and its over-the-counter equivalent, Alli) prevents the body from absorbing fat, which is then excreted undigested, hence the Alli oops.

But even if you use the Alli diet pill, weight loss tends to be minor, and the side effects – fecal incontinence, oily stool – can be thoroughly unpleasant. So what the solution? More drastic approaches include gastric-bypass surgery, but even that requires a change in lifestyle to have a lasting benefit.

The tomorrow’s Alli diet pill Several drug companies are trying to modify treatments for diabetes and addiction that have incidental weight-loss benefits. Obesity researcher Steve Bloom, a professor at Imperial College London, is heading up research into a hormone called pancreatic peptide, which signals the brain that the body is full.

The goal of this research is to mimic the body’s response to being full, perhaps through an injectable therapy or even an appetite-destroying gum.

The future equivalent of the Alli diet pill Hopefully, they will come up with something way better than the Alli diet pill. For example, scientists recently found a genetic link to obesity and may one day be able to predict future fatness and try to prevent it by altering those very genes.

Short of that, laboratory studies have shown that manipulating a phosphatase enzyme can prevent mice from putting on weight regardless of the fat content of their diet.

The bottom line: The Alli diet pill sucks big time and the future obesity treatments do not seem to be any better. Okay, maybe just a little better, if they can make them work, but I think it is safe to assume that for the foreseeable future, the best weight-loss tool will remain, you guessed it, a balanced diet and moderate exercise. [via]

When did you first discover you had skin cancer? The first one happened right after my dad died. I was 19 or 20. I have moles all over my body. I used to get them checked all the time – my mother’s really attentive and will always tell me to do it.

That’s how my doctors discovered them. They were on my back; I had a really big one. It was very stressful.

Were you scared at any point? There was a mole that I had on my breast that was scary because I had to get it removed. They put me to sleep, and I had to go to a plastic surgeon. They didn’t know how deep it had spread. I was warned that I could wake up with one boob. I said, “Take ‘em both off! I’ll get new ones!” [laughs] That was an experience, waking up and wondering what I was going to look like. But obviously it was fine.

How has this affected your attitude toward your health and well-being? You just have to know your body. Girls are better at being in tune with their bodies and being like, “This doesn’t feel right. Let me go to the doctor.” But just because people know what’s right and wrong [for their health], it doesn’t mean they always do it.

Since struggling with skin cancer, has your diet changed? I really have not changed my diet. I have just made wiser choices. And I try to eat more of the fruits and vegetables that I already liked. The only thing I have added is vitamins. I never took vitamins until my first operation.

What would you tell people who lay out without protecting their skin? Skin cancer is quite common. You should take every precaution to prevent it. Anyone can get it. It doesn’t matter if you are fair or have naturally darker skin. You can still get skin cancer.

How do you stay in shape? By boxing three days a week and going to the gym two other days to do cardio and weights. I have lost weight [11 pounds since May 1]. I am not where I want to be yet, but I will get there soon! I still want to be more toned and lose a few more pounds. I want to lose weight and feel sexy for myself.

Are you self-conscious about your body? Of course I get self-conscious. Who doesn’t? But I don’t let it bother me that much. I try not to focus on that stuff. [via]

Continued from What Is Sodium Nitrite?

Does sodium nitrite cause cancer? It is up for debate, but it was found that sodium nitrite, combined with high heat, produces a cancer-causing compound.

When researchers found a way to prevent that compound from forming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed guidelines, which it believes, along with the Food and Drug Administration, makes the use of nitrites safe.

Some organizations, including the American Cancer Society, are not quite so sure. Sodium nitrite tends to be found in processed foods that have limited nutritional value. With that in mind, you can go ahead and have that hot dog or a slice or two of bacon, but some stores carry nitrite-free versions of the same products.

What kind of people discuss global food crisis over an 18-course meal? Oh, that’s right, certain world leader do that during an annual G8 summit in Japan.

How farked up is that?

At least the menu looks mostly nutritious, no corn syrup there. “Milk-fed lamb flavored with herbs and mustard, and roast lamb flavored with cepes and black truffle” is something I would go with.

But who came up with candied fruits and vegetables? Candied vegetables? That sounds disgusting! And what is up with the vinegar jelly? Is it a new take on the notorious vinegar shots? I can already see neatly packaged vinegar jelly cups with weight loss claims on them. Let’s hope it does not spread in Hollywood as the new way to lose weight.

And corn and caviar? That is an interesting pairing, I guess, but foie gras is curiously missing from the menu. What is the matter, is there a global shortage of foie gras? Now, that would be tragic. [via]

Anne Hathaway’s weight loss is estimated to be around 25 pounds. The 5′8″ Hathaway has gone from an estimated 150 pounds to 125 pounds, sparking concern about her physical and emotional state following her split from her boyfriend of four years, Raffaello Follieri.

Anne Hathaway’s weight loss is a bit puzzling. She is naturally a size 4 to 6 and was always determined not to conform to skinny Hollywood expectations and hated having to starve herself to play a budding fashionista in 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada.

“I was 10 pounds underweight and I didn’t look good,” she says. “It was starting to get scary.” For her latest movie, she wanted a womanly body with curves. “I didn’t want to lose any weight for Get Smart,” she says. Anne stayed fit while filming last summer, but her body has since lost most of its muscle tone.

What is behind Anne Hathaway’s weight loss? Although Anne denies having eating issues – “I have a lot of food sensitivities,” she says. “I know it sounds like code for ‘I’m anorexic,’ but I’m lactose intolerant and can’t eat spicy or fried foods,” says Anne.

Let’s hope Anne will gain some weight back soon! “I’d rather be strong than skinny,” she says. [via]

Ditch jelly beans for berries Packed with antioxidants and plenty of fiber, a 74-calorie cup of blueberries and raspberries is more filling and a lot healthier than 100-calorie serving of 25 jelly beans.

Pick the almonds out of the mix It looks healthy, but one cup of trail mix has a whopping 693 calories. Substitute with 14 almonds (98 calories) and a 72-calorie apple. [via L&F]

Jonah Hill’s weight loss effort has just begun, but he is making progress. Sure, he gets belly laughs playing the pudgy best friend in comedies like Superbad. But Hill is so eager to graduate to leading roles that he is considering gastric bypass surgery, says an insider.

Jonah Hill’s weight loss “Jonah’s been trying to lose weight the old-fashioned way with hard work and diet, but it’s been difficult,” says an insider. “He can’t control his portion sizes and his cravings. He’ll eat something healthy like a chicken breast, but he’ll eat five of them. He’s getting desperate.” [source: Star]

Yes and no.

Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, brings extensive medical experience to The Magnesium Miracle, focusing on the importance of this underappreciated mineral.

Armed with diversified knowledge on allied fields of medicine and an impressive number of scientific studies, in The Magnesium Miracle, Dr. Dean outlines the ways our bodies need magnesium and stresses the importance of having other nutrients in the body pair up with this mineral to promote optimal health.

She argues that with magnesium, you can lower the risk of heart disease, prevent stroke, treat diabetes, and improve mood and memory.

The bottom line: I think the “miracle” of magnesium is overblown a little. There is no magnesium miracle, yes, it is an important mineral, and yes you can improve your health by making sure that your diet contains foods that are rich in magnesium, but do you need to take magnesium supplements?

If your blood tests show that you have a magnesium deficiency, you need to discuss this with your doctor. Other than that, load up on spinach instead of taking magnesium supplements. [via Taste for Life]

The ad for My Weight Loss Coach DS says the following:

“My Weight Loss Coach is a new game that helps you lose weight by encouraging you to adopt healthier habits. It was developed by a nutritionist and includes great tips that are easy to incorporate into your everyday life. Tips like flexing your stomach muscles every time you walk through a doorway.

The game comes with a pedometer that records the steps you take and helps you stay on track with your goals. At the end of the day, just plug the pedometer into your Nintendo DS system to see how you’re doing. And it’s more affordable than diet programs and gym memberships! So as you trim down, your wallet will stay its plump old self.

My Weight Loss Coach. It’s an easy, almost too easy, path to a healthier you.”

So what do you think, can My Weight Loss Coach DS really help you lose weight? True, it is cheaper than a gym membership, but does it really replace the gym? I do not think so. And yes, it is also true that it is cheaper than diet programs, but it does not cost any extra money to eat right.

The bottom line: Playing My Weight Loss Coach DS is better than not engaging in any form of physical activity at all. I am afraid, however, that some people might think that it replaces a good diet and exercise program, which is obviously false.

Marc Anthony’s weight loss is, well, shocking. Marc Anthony is not just skinny, he is scary skinny and looks emaciated.

The 5’7” Anthony looks painfully skinny and some estimate his current weight to be around 110 pounds. A man of his age and height should be around 150 pounds. So he seems to be around 40 pounds underweight. That’s just crazy!

What can explain Marc Anthony’s weight Loss? “He’s been under a lot of pressure lately. He’s a father of twins, he has a lot of commitments, and he’s working hard. When Marc is stressed, he doesn’t eat,” says an insider. “He stays up late writing songs and is the type of person who gets caught up in something and forgets to eat,” says a friend.

Forgets to eat? How can you forget to eat? That’s like saying he forgets to breathe. I am not buying it. Something else is going on here.

Why Marc Anthony is skinny Marc, who admits he has a “love-hate relationship with food,” has always struggled to keep the pounds on. “When he was going through the breakup with [first wife] Dayanara Torres, he lost weight,” says the pal.

Okay, he has always been skinny, but this time he went a little too far. Jennifer Lopez should be ashamed and needs to start feeding him well. Pronto! [via]