Recent findings from the RAND Corporation found that people who are 100 pounds or more overweight are the fastest growing group of overweight people in the U.S, with the proportion of the “severely obese” 50 percent higher in 2005 than it had been in 2000. With an estimated 34 million Americans now classified as “obese” (weighing 20% more than their ideal weight) there is an urgent need for effective interventions.

Current research published in the International Journal of Obesity (March, 2007) show there is hope. Results from a study of over 1,000 dieters who attended a 12-week educational program offered by Health Management Resources (HMR) showed an average weight loss of 77 pounds. 25% of the group lost 100 pounds or more – for an average weight loss of 137.4 pounds. Moreover, these patients were able to maintain a significant portion of that weight loss while participating in the maintenance phase of the program. (The majority of these patients were medically supervised. For many dieters, weight loss is temporary.)

Yogadownload.com launched a new version of its online yoga studio with many new features designed to enhance the virtual yoga experience. Owner Jamie Kent created Yogadownload.com in 2006 as a way to make yoga’s benefits accessible to more people and practicing yoga inexpensive and more convenient. Anyone with an Internet connection can easily download a yoga class of their choice, often for far less than the price of a traditional yoga class.

Kent hopes to add to Yoga Download’s high-tech yet yogi-friendly appeal with the launch of the new website. Most notably, each virtual yoga class is now accompanied by a printable companion pose guide which shows the picture, name and sequence for each pose in the class. Additionally a complete pose guide section has been added highlighting many yoga poses complete with pictures, descriptions and benefits for each.