By Deborah Kotz, Globe Staff

Consumers who purchased Skechers Shape-ups or other toning shoes made by the company will be eligible for a partial refund from a $40 million settlement that the company made with the Federal Trade Commission and 42 states with class action lawsuits. The settlement is being finalized Wednesday in a federal court in the Northern District of Ohio, according to the FTC.

By Deborah Kotz, Globe Staff

Another over-the-counter weight-loss supplement has come under the scrutiny of the US Food and Drug Administration, with some experts, including a Harvard Medical School researcher, calling for an all-out ban on the compound called DMAA. What are the risks of this supplement -- that some refer to as the new ephedra -- used for weight loss and muscle-boosting?

By Deborah Kotz, Globe Staff

Some studies I just want to believe -- like the one claiming that chocolate helps you lose weight. Being an avid jogger, I smiled broadly when I read about a new study making headlines that found my running habit will add 5.6 years to my life. If I were a man, my life expectancy would increase by 6.2 years. Sounded good to me, until I looked a little further at the study details.