Top Health News of 2010

by POPSUGAR Fitness 0

It's been a newsy year for the health and fitness crowd: the best diet, what to eat, what not to eat, and fallen athletes are just a few of the stories that grabbed our attention this year. And while it was hard to narrow down what the biggest stories of 2010 were, below are the stories that grabbed our attention and kept it as the year went on.

• Americans are getting fatter, or are we? Obesity was the hot topic of 2010. Michelle Obama continued her campaign against the country's expanding waistlines, which apparently can get smaller through the use of social media. We got excited to hear that the health epidemic that is worse than smoking may have hit its plateau, only to be letdown that obesity rates will reach 42 percent before slowing down. And now, it's not just us, the epidemic has gone global.
• Sugar and salt are just like that other white powder. This year we heard a lot about sugar and salt and how we are basically addicted to the stuff. A study compared salt to cocaine, trainer Jackie Warner thinks America's sugar addiction is out of control, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans says we better cut back on salt . . . or else.
• Goodbye HFCS, hello corn sugar! In an attempt to make folks feel a little better about high fructose corn syrup, the Corn Refiners Association lobbied the FDA to change the name to "corn sugar." We've got another two years to find out if it's successful in pulling the corn husks over our eyes.
• The Winter Olympics take on a somber tone. Before the opening ceremony was even underway, the Winter Olympics were stricken with a major tragedy: Republic of Georgia Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, died after crashing during a training run on the luge course. The crash led many to question the overall safety of the course.
• Say it ain't so, Lance. We were one of many saddened and shocked that the Lance Armstrong doping allegations might be true. The jury is still out, but the case is heating up, and it's not looking good for one of the greatest athletes that cycling has ever seen.