Extra padding around the tummy may seem harmless, but it could pose some long-term health risks. Luckily, taking measures to reduce belly fat could reduce these risks.

The United Health Foundation today released its annual state health rankings. The states varied widely, and some national measures of health saw slight improvements.

If you've got metabolic syndrome, you may have a raised risk for urinary tract symptoms like bladder leakage, having to urinate more often, having to get up at night to go and feeling an urgent need to go. And you may be able to fight those symptoms by losing weight.

Chocolate lovers may have one more reason to indulge their sweet tooth — chocolate may lower diabetes risk.

Maintaining a healthy weight can take some work, but it can have a big payoff. Those who can keep the pounds off may live years longer than those who are overweight or obese.

Being healthy doesn't just benefit you — it may benefit your child, too. Mothers-to-be who maintain a healthy weight may boost their child's health as well.

The Mediterranean diet — already known for its heart-health benefits — may make you live longer.

Having weight loss surgery can improve obese patients' health, but it isn't a fix-all for health problems tied to being obese. Exercise may improve these patients' overall health even more and lower their risk for diabetes.

Reducing your risk for Alzheimer’s may be as simple as enjoying a few cups of coffee each day.