The Checkup: 83 Percent of Men to be Overweight, Obese by 2020

And at 72 percent, women are right behind them.

Photograph from Digital Vision

• A Northwestern University professor did some number crunching last week, and found that if Americans stay on their current path, 83 percent of men and 72 percent of women will be overweight or obese by 2020—just nine years from now. Mark Huffman, who teaches preventive medicine and cardiology at Northwestern, presented his findings at the American Heart Association’s annual scientific meeting last week. Not surprisingly, he also projected a rise in diabetes cases, a condition that often goes hand-in-hand with weight issues. NPR has more over here.

• The Food and Drug Administration made waves last week when it revoked approval for a popular drug called Avastin in treating breast cancer. The government agency, which made the announcement Friday, said it found no evidence that the drug prolonged the lives of breast-cancer patients and that the dangerous side effects outweighed positive outcomes. Avastin, which has been shown to be effective for colon cancer, may still be administered to treat breast cancer, but the Associated Press reports that the FDA’s announcement may influence whether insurers choose to cover such treatment.

• 6ABC reports that two runners in yesterday’s Philadelphia Marathon collapsed near 22nd Street and the Ben Franklin Parkway—where the start/finish line was—and were taken to the hospital after responders found no vital signs. The runners were 21 and 30 years old. The initial report is here.