If we just exercised every day for 20 minutes, we would lose weight. Weight loss is just a matter of willpower. Going back to eating like the olden days will make us lose weight.

But scientists don't often agree with these views, according to a Frontline report by the New York Times .

In fact, scientists say many of the so-called facts about obesity amount to speculation or oversimplification of the medical evidence. For example, diet and exercise do matter, but these environmental influences alone do not determine an individual’s weight. Body composition also is dictated by DNA and monitored by the brain.

And we never ate as well as we thought, even back in the old days.

Check out the full article and see what myths you've fallen prey to.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Pramlintide, sold in the United States under the trade name Symlin, is a synthetic version of a natural hormone called amylin that slows down gastric emptying, thereby increasing the sensation of satiety and reducing food intake.

Dr. Christian Weyer, the senior investigator on the current study, told Reuters Health that the results "are the most robust clinical proof-of-concept reported to date for the anti-obesity potential of a satiogenic peptide hormone."

About 31 percent of the pramlintide treatment group achieved a weight loss of 5 percent or more, compared to only 2 percent of placebo patients. The study was published in the August 2007 edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Obesity rates continued to climb in 31 states last year, and no state showed a decline, according to the Trust for America's Health, a research group that focuses on disease prevention.

Mississippi became the first state to crack the 30 percent barrier for adults considered to be obese. Colorado continued its reign as the leanest state in the nation with an obesity rate projected at 17.6 percent.

New York has adult obesity rates of 21.7 percent, ranking it the 36th heaviest in the nation.

To read the full report and check out each state's ranking, go to Healthyamericans.org.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

According to the Washington Post, research, involving 20,000 obese people in the United States and Sweden, found those who underwent surgery had about a 30 to 40 percent lower risk of dying over the next seven to 10 years compared with those who went without the operations.

The question as to whether intentional weight loss improves life span has been answered," wrote George Bray of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge in a commentary accompanying the studies in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "The answer appears to be a resounding yes."

Now, if I can just get my insurance to pay for it ...

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Rachel Abramowitz writes that actresses are succumbing to the pressure to be thinner and thinner, and may be influencing young girls to follow suit.

The sad part is that men get many more roles than these women, no matter how thin they are. But since they are judged so much on their looks, they feel they have to be thin.

Check out the story and see what you think.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

After a personal crisis in May, I becaome totally out of control, eating with abandon. But reality set in when some of my clothes no longer fit. And now fall is coming. Shoot, today it feels like it is already here. I have got to get back into my fall clothes. Ya'll know I am not trying to buy new stuff in fatter sizes.

So what's my solution? Fasting.

It was all my brother's idea. He said he wanted to abstain from meals for spiritual reasons. And I agreed, but to be honest, I had to get some fat off my behind. Problem was, I couldn't go cold turkey with no food for two weeks. His mixture of honey, lemons, limes and distilled water didn't help. I was starving!

So I improvised. I decided to keep my coffee and the mixture, but just eat one meal a day. So far, it's gone pretty well. I've lost seven pounds in the last week. And I haven't been too cranky....I don't think.

Hopefully, I can get back into those black pants before too long...

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

In my weight loss surgery dreams, lap-band procedures always win out over gastric bypass. The band is less invasive and offers a smaller window of recovery time.

But don't take my word for it alone. The LA. Daily News recently ran a story on the procedure. Check it out and see what you think.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

I've discussed holiday diet tips before (see Hungering for holiday help ), but Diet Detective Charles Stuart Platkin has recently compiled a Vacation Diet Check Sheet.

Check it out and print it out before you hit the beach.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

A writer for the Belfast Telegraph did just that when he decided to battle his middle-age spread. He chose to follow the diet of our forebearers -- based on lean meats, seafood, fresh fruits, and fresh vegetables.

That's it, no sugars, grains, starchy veggies or dairy products. With an even stricter approach than low-carbing, dieters cannot even indulge in cheese or peanuts. Read his story and for more about the diet, check out ThePaleoDiet.com and PaleoDiet.com - The Paleolithic Diet Page.

Some take it even further with a total meat diet. I don't think I could go there, that's too much for even me.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

MIT's Media Lab is doing research to find out, working with a robotic weight-loss assistant. Read all about it on CNN's Crave Blog. And watch a video of the robot.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Bonnie Kim Taylor had a session with Marc Carlin, a consulting hypnotist. Check out her experience and see if you think it will work for you.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

If so, "The Adultery Diet" might be for you. The New York Daily News took a look at the book and spoke with author Eva Cassady.

The story follows a Manhattan mother who has piled on the pounds. She can't find the motivation to lose weight until she comes in contact with her college ex-boyfriend.

Check out the full article and see what you think.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

The FTC alleged that Xenadrine EFX was advertised with false and unsubstantiated weight-loss claims, and its settlement with the marketers of Xenadrine EFX included money for consumer refunds.

The refund is good through Sept. 15 and the amount will depend on the number of consumers who request refunds.

Consumers who bought Xenadrine EFX between February 1, 2002, and May 22, 2006, and were not satisfied with their purchase can request a refund either by downloading a claim form at www.XenadrineEFXsettlement.com or by calling 1-800-560-6435 to receive a claim form by mail.

I understand the panicked reach for quick weight loss, but this case is even more proof that there is no magic pill.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Research reported in Evolution and Human Behavior found that some people suffer abuse because being too fat is mistaken by the brain for a sign of disease, according to a story in The Independent.

The team say the immune system can be triggered into action at the sight of obesity because it doesn't like the look of what it sees, and associates it with infection.

"Antipathy toward obese people is a powerful and pervasive prejudice in many contemporary populations. Our results reveal, for the first time, that this prejudice may be rooted in multiple, independent mechanisms. They provide the first evidence that obesity serves as a cue for pathogen infection,'' say the University of British Columbia researchers.

The report has sparked new debate on fat discrimination. Check out the fiery discussion on AOL's That's Fit blog.

I am definitely feeling conflicted about the study. On the one hand, there may be some truth to it. But on the other, I don't want to see bias against the larger among us to be excused.

So what do you think? Do you buy the study's findings?

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

In it, Star finally admits her "medical intervention" was gastric bypass surgery she underwent in 2003. The former View co-host says her insecurities kept her from owning up to the surgery, despite a frenzy of speculation.

Her article talks about her food issues and how she made the decision to have surgery. Even more importantly, she shares the pyschological healing she went through after the operation.

Check out the full story and see what you think. And while you're at it, take a peek at Glamour's fitness tools and
calorie math of healthier alternatives.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com