Are you convinced that your muffin top isn't hurting anyone, so there's no need to lose it? Think again. A new study shows that packing on extra pounds is bad for your baby - even if you're not pregnant yet.

The number of strokes experienced by Americans is declining, but substantial heart health improvements are still needed as larger, higher calorie meals become more popular and obesity continues to rise.

As the rates of obesity and diabetes continue to rise in the United States, so do the rates of complications related to these conditions. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is one of these complications.

It can be exhausting to work an irregular schedule with both night and day shifts. An irregular schedule also may raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Getting your heart into better shape isn't just about losing weight. Improving your fitness level even without weight loss reduces your risk of dying.

Women may be able to lower their risk of stroke just by changing what they eat -- even if they have a history of heart disease. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which are high in antioxidants, appear to offer positive heart benefits.

For young Americans, the gap in levels of health care has increased substantially. If you were born in the United States after 1980, the health disparity may have grown like never before.

If you develop diabetes, you have to start taking even better care of your heart than before. Drinking a certain type of yogurt may be one way to protect against your increased risk of heart disease.

Eating lots of refined carbohydrates - which are found in foods like white bread and sugary drinks - can increase your risk of diabetes. Changing your diet may lower your risk, but a little alcohol might do the same.

Diabetes affects many parts of the body, including the heart. So, how should you protect the health of your heart if you have diabetes? The answer may lie in what you eat.