Weight Management

		Terry Brown, MPH, RD/LD Section Editor, Weight Management Clinical Instructor, Department of Clinical Nutrition UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

Gallstone Worries
Posted: July 2005
Source: UT Southwestern Health Watch

This week on Healthwatch, we're going to talk about weight and your health. You've probably heard a lot about the various risks associated with being overweight, including high blood pressure, diabetes and some forms of cancer. Doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center say there are other dangers associated with excess weight.

Maintaining a healthy weight may be one way to reduce your risk for developing gallstones. Gallstones can be excruciatingly painful, and they affect millions of Americans.  Dr. Jay Horton , an expert in digestive diseases at UT Southwestern, says that while there isn't a consensus on the impact of diet on gallstones, it is clear that obesity increases the risk for gallstones among all populations. Diets rich in refined sugar and saturated fats may increase the chances of developing gallstones.