Sadly, this may prove a controversial finding, but it turns out that one of the best and most reliable ways to lose weight is to...cut calories. Shocking, I know.
Meanwhile, in other health news, it turns out that yearly check-ups are overrated, and probably useless. The American College of Physicians is now recommending that "instead of an annual physical, healthy adults should undergo a much-streamlined exam that's focused on prevention every one to five years depending on a person's age, sex and medical profile." And some of what we're getting can even be harmful. Chest X-Rays are effective in detecting lung cancer, but not in decreasing mortality. And rectal exams are not effective as screening tools for prostate or rectal cancer, but do have certain, uh, downsides.