Scientists from the University of Nottingham have discovered that
drinking a cup of coffee can stimulate 'brown fat', the body's own
fat-fighting defenses, which could be the key to tackling obesity and
diabetes.
The pioneering study, published today in the journal Scientific Reports,
is one of the first to be carried out in humans to find components
which could have a direct effect on 'brown fat' functions, an important
part of the human body which plays a key role in how quickly we can burn
calories as energy.
Brown adipose tissue (BAT), also known as brown fat, is one of two
types of fat found in humans and other mammals. Initially only
attributed to babies and hibernating mammals, it was discovered in
recent years that adults can have brown fat too. Its main function is to
generate body heat by burning calories (opposed to white fat, which is a
result of storing excess calories).
People with a lower body mass index (BMI) therefore have a higher amount of brown fat.
Professor Michael Symonds, from the School of Medicine at the
University of Nottingham who co-directed the study said: "Brown fat
works in a different way to other fat in your body and produces heat by
burning sugar and fat, often in response to cold. Increasing its
activity improves blood sugar control as well as improving blood lipid
levels and the extra calories burnt help with weight loss. However,
until now, no one has found an acceptable way to stimulate its activity
in humans.
"This is the first study in humans to show that something like a cup
of coffee can have a direct effect on our brown fat functions. The
potential implications of our results are pretty big, as obesity is a
major health concern for society and we also have a growing diabetes
epidemic and brown fat could potentially be part of the solution in
tackling them."
The team started with a series of stem cell studies to see if
caffeine would stimulate brown fat. Once they had found the right dose,
they then moved on to humans to see if the results were similar.
The team used a thermal imaging technique, which they'd previously
pioneered, to trace the body's brown fat reserves. The non-invasive
technique helps the team to locate brown fat and assess its capacity to
produce heat.
"From our previous work, we knew that brown fat is mainly located in
the neck region, so we were able to image someone straight after they
had a drink to see if the brown fat got hotter," said Professor Symonds.
"The results were positive and we now need to ascertain that
caffeine as one of the ingredients in the coffee is acting as the
stimulus or if there's another component helping with the activation of
brown fat. We are currently looking at caffeine supplements to test
whether the effect is similar.
Once we have confirmed which component is responsible for this,
it could potentially be used as part of a weight management regime or as
part of glucose regulation programme to help prevent diabetes."
IMAGE: A new study has found that variability in
night-to-night sleep time and reduced sleep quality adversely affect the
ability of older adults to recall information about past events.
view more
Credit: Georgia Tech
A new study has found that variability in night-to-night sleep time
and reduced sleep quality adversely affect the ability of older adults
to recall information about past events. The study also found unexpected
racial differences in the type of sleep patterns tied to lower memory
performance across both younger and older African American research
participants.
Although further investigation will be needed to confirm the results
of the pilot study, the findings could help open up a new area of
research aimed at understanding the potential connection between poor
sleep and the memory declines associated with aging. And the study,
which included 50 Atlanta-area adults, also underscores the importance
of sleep in maintaining good cognitive functioning.
"The night-to-night variability in the older study participants had a
major impact on their performance in tests aimed at evaluating episodic
memory," said Audrey Duarte, an associate professor in Georgia Tech's
School of Psychology and principal investigator in the Memory and Aging
Lab. "The association between sleep and memory has been known, but this
study's novelty is showing that the connection is particularly evident
for older adults and black participants, regardless of age."
The research, supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, was reported June 4 in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. It is believed to be the first study of the relationship between sleep and memory with both age and racial differences.
Duarte and Emily Hokett, a Ph.D. student in the School of
Psychology, recruited 81 volunteers from the Atlanta area. The
volunteers were evaluated carefully to screen out those who had mild
cognitive impairment or other potentially confounding factors. Younger
adults were recruited in the age range of 18 to 37 years, while older
adults were recruited in the range from 56 to 76 years. Ultimately, 50
adults were selected for the study.
"We wanted to look at lifestyle factors to see how people sleep
normally, and how their sleep patterns change over time," Hokett
explained. "We wanted to know how sleep affected memory performance -
how well they remembered things and how well their brains functioned
depending on how well they slept."
The participants were given accelerometers worn on their wrists to
measure sleep duration and quality over a period of seven nights. Though
they did not measure brain waves, the devices allowed sleep
measurements to be done in the participants' own homes. The researchers
sought to provide a more realistic measurement than testing done in
sleep labs, which typically lasts just one night.
Participants were asked to visit a Georgia Tech laboratory for a
memory test that measured electroencephalography (EEG) brain wave
activity as they attempted to recall word pairs that had been shown to
them earlier. Not surprisingly, better performance correlated with
better sleep in most of the older adults.
But Duarte and Hokett were surprised that the relationship between
poor sleep and memory-related brain activity extended to both older and
younger black participants - some of whom were college students. To
understand the potential causes of the poor sleep, they administered a
standardized questionnaire designed to measure stress levels in those
participants.
"The main factor that correlated with poor sleep quality in black
participants was race-related stress," said Hokett. "When participants
had higher values on that measure of stress, they would also have
greater sleep fragmentation, on average. We found a very significant
relationship here."
The study found that black adults slept for 36 minutes less than
other adults, which translated into a 12% decrease in memory-related
brain activity. On an average night, black adults in the study spent 15
minutes more time awake after falling asleep than did other
participants.
The study also found significant variation among subjects in each
age group. "Some of our 70-year-old subjects looked like our 20-year-old
students," Duarte said. "There are many factors that contribute to
individual differences."
In future research, Duarte and Hokett hope to expand their study to a
larger group of participants, to study the relationship between sleep
and memory in other underrepresented minorities, and to explore whether
variations in sleep patterns could predict a person's likelihood of
experiencing diseases such as Alzheimer's.
The study's takeaway message may be that regular sleep is important at any age for the best cognitive performance.
"You can imagine that many people, students among them, may have
variable sleep patterns based on staying up late to study and sleeping
in on weekends to catch up," Duarte said. "This data shows that may not
be the greatest strategy for optimizing memory ability."
Yet improvements in sleep may be one area where people concerned
about cognitive impairment may have an opportunity to make improvements.
"In understanding normative aging, lifestyle factors are a good area
to target because they are potentially factors we can control," said
Duarte. "It's been known for decades that important things are happening
while you sleep with regard to memory consolidation and strengthening
of memories. Because we knew that sleep quality typically declines in
normal aging, this was a prime target for study."
We all treasure our vacation time and look forward to that time when we can get away from work. With the arrival of summer comes the prime vacation season and along with it one more reasons to appreciate our vacation time: the value to our heart health. While there has been much anecdotal evidence about the benefits of taking a vacation from work, a new study by Syracuse University professors Bryce Hruska and Brooks Gump and other researchers reveals the benefits of a vacation for our heart health. "What we found is that people who vacation more frequently in the past 12 months have... more »
People who worked long hours had a higher risk of stroke, especially if they worked those hours for 10 years or more, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal *Stroke*. Researchers reviewed data from CONSTANCES, a French population-based study group started in 2012, for information on age (18-69), sex, smoking and work hours derived from questionnaires from 143,592 participants. Cardiovascular risk factors and previous stroke occurrences were noted from separate medical interviews. Researchers found: - overall 1,224 of the participants, suffered str... more »
A global study looking at the role that iron plays in 900 diseases has uncovered the impact of both low and high iron levels - and the news is mixed. People with high iron levels are not only protected against anaemia but are also less likely to have high cholesterol, according to an international study led by Imperial College London, the University of South Australia (UniSA) and University of Ioannina. In a paper published today in *PLOS Medicine*, researchers used genetic and clinical data from approximately 500,000 people in the UK Biobank, looking at the role of iron status and... more »
------------------------------ As automation advances, predictions of a jobless future have some fearing unrest from mass unemployment, while others imagine a more contented work-free society. Aside from economic factors, paid employment brings other benefits -- often psychological -- such as self-esteem and social inclusion. Now, researchers at the universities of Cambridge and Salford have set out to define a recommended "dosage" of work for optimal wellbeing. They examined how changes in working hours were linked to mental health and life satisfaction in over 70,000 UK residents b... more »
A new study, by researchers at Queen's University Belfast, analysed a large cohort of over 469,000 people in the UK, investigated the association between oral health conditions and the risk of a number of gastrointestinal cancers, including liver, colon, rectum and pancreatic cancer. Models were applied to estimate the relationship between cancer risk and self-reported oral health conditions, such as painful or bleeding gums, mouth ulcers and loose teeth. Whilst no significant associations were observed on the risk of the majority gastrointestinal cancers and poor oral health, a su... more »
Vaccinating babies against a virus that causes childhood "stomach flu" greatly reduces their chance of getting so sick that they need hospital care, a new study shows. But the study also reveals a surprise: Getting fully vaccinated against rotavirus in the first months of life is associated with a lower risk of developing Type 1 diabetes later on. As a group, children who received all recommended doses of rotavirus vaccine had a 33 percent lower risk than unvaccinated children of getting diagnosed with type 1 diabetes -- a lifelong disease with no known prevention strategies or c... more »
Spending at least two hours a week in nature may be a crucial threshold for promoting health and wellbeing, according to a new large-scale study. Research led by the University of Exeter, published in *Scientific Reports* and funded by NIHR, found that people who spend at least 120 minutes in nature a week are significantly more likely to report good health and higher psychological wellbeing than those who don't visit nature at all during an average week. However, no such benefits were found for people who visited natural settings such as town parks, woodlands, country parks and be... more »
Good heart and lung (cardiorespiratory) fitness in middle age is associated with a lower long term risk of chronic lung disease (COPD), suggests Danish research published online in the journal *Thorax*. Physical activity that boosts fitness should be encouraged "to delay development, progression and death from COPD," conclude the researchers. COPD, short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is an umbrella term for respiratory conditions that narrow the airways, such as bronchitis and emphysema. Smoking is the main risk factor for COPD, which the Wo...
Your blood pressure does not drop during a sauna visit - it rises, as well as your heart rate. This increase is even comparable to the effect of a short, moderate workout. This is the result of a new study conducted by researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the Medical Center Berlin (MCB). For their study, the researchers placed their participants both in a sauna and on a bicycle ergometer. Contrary to the previous assumption, blood pressure does not drop during a sauna session - it rises. And this increase is even comparable to the increase caused by a s... more »
Physical fitness is associated with a number of key health outcomes, including heart disease, cognition, mortality, and an overall feeling of well-being. A new study from Singapore now links physical performance with mental health and emotions, suggesting that weak upper and lower body fitness can cause more serious depression and anxiety in midlife women. Results are published online today in *Menopause*, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). Although several studies have previously linked depression in midlife women with self-reported low physical activity, ... more »
Postural sway is an independent risk factor for bone fractures in postmenopausal women, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. Women with the highest postural sway had a two times higher fracture risk compared to women with the lowest postural sway. In addition, a combination of high postural sway and low bone mineral density was associated with a five times higher overall fracture risk and an 11 times higher osteoporotic fracture risk. The results were published in *Journal of Bone and Mineral R... more
Adequate intake of protein is associated with a reduced risk of frailty and prefrailty in older women, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. Adequate protein intake was defined as at least 1.1 g per kg of body weight. The findings were published in *European Journal of Nutrition*. Frailty is a multidimensional condition common in older adults, and those affected are at an elevated risk of dependence and mobility loss, fall, fracture, multimorbidity and mortality. Evidence shows a strong link between frailty and malnutrition,... more »
Low levels of circulating vitamin K are linked to increased risk of mobility limitation and disability in older adults, identifying a new factor to consider for maintaining mobility and independence in older age, according to a study led by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. The study, published online in May in advance of print in the *Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences*, is the first to evaluate the association between biomarkers of vitamin K status and the onset of mobility limitation and disability in older ad... more »
Over a quarter of adults aged 50+ are deficient in vitamin D according to researchers from Trinity College Dublin who announced their findings today (Thursday, June 13th). Over half (57%) had inadequate serum vitamin D levels, of which 26% were classed as vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D has a known role in bone health, with growing evidence for beneficial effects on muscle strength and other non-skeletal outcomes. The study was recently published in the international, peer-reviewed journal *Nutrients*. Better understanding of factors that contribute to vitamin D deficiency is needed... more »
In a search for clues to what may delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease, Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists report that smarter, more educated people aren't protected from the disease, but do get a cognitive "head start" that may keep their minds functioning better temporarily. Put another way, the investigators say, those who start out with greater cognitive reserve -- a baseline of higher mental functioning -- may have more they can afford to lose before Alzheimer's disease symptoms begin to interfere with their daily lives compared with those who don't have as much schooling or pa... more »
If you're wondering why you entered menopause earlier or later than other women, blame your mother. That's because numerous studies have confirmed the role of genetics in determining a woman's age at menopause. A new study not only reconfirms this association but additionally suggests a link to familial longevity. Results are published online today in *Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS)*. The age of menopause is clinically defined as one year after the final menstrual period and is, on average, about 52 years. However, every year thousands of wome... more »
Physical fitness is associated with a number of key health outcomes, including heart disease, cognition, mortality, and an overall feeling of well-being. A new study from Singapore now links physical performance with mental health and emotions, suggesting that weak upper and lower body fitness can cause more serious depression and anxiety in midlife women. Results are published online today in *Menopause*, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). Although several studies have previously linked depression in midlife women with self-reported low physical activity, ... more »
Just as a computer requires code to work, our bodies are regulated by molecular "programs" that are written early in life and then have to do their job properly for a lifetime. But do they? It's a question that has intrigued researchers for years. Claes Wahlestedt, M.D., Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and associate dean for therapeutic innovation at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is senior author of a new study -- Longevity Related Molecular Pathways Are Subject to Midlife 'Switch' in Humans -- published today in *Aging Cell*. Working with... more »
In a *Journal of Internal Medicine* study that followed older adults with prediabetes for 12 years, most remained stable or reverted to normal blood sugar levels, and only one-third developed diabetes or died. Among 918 individuals aged 60 years and older with prediabetes, 204 (22%) reverted to normal blood sugar levels, 119 (13%) developed diabetes, and 215 (23%) died. Lower systolic blood pressure, absence of heart diseases, and weight loss were linked with a higher likelihood of reverting from prediabetes to normal blood sugar levels, while obesity accelerated its progression to... more »
Treatment with gabapentinoids - a group of drugs used for epilepsy, nerve pain and anxiety disorders - is associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviour, unintentional overdose, injuries, and road traffic incidents, finds a study from Sweden published by *The BMJ* today. Prescriptions have risen steeply in recent years, and gabapentinoids are among the top 15 drugs globally in terms of revenue. The risks are strongest among 15 to 24 year-olds, prompting the researchers to suggest that treatment guidelines for young people should be reviewed. Previous studies have linked gabap... more »
Vitamin D and estrogen have already shown well-documented results in improving bone health in women. A new study from China suggests that this same combination could help prevent metabolic syndrome, a constellation of conditions that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in postmenopausal women. Results are published online today in *Menopause*, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). Metabolic syndrome has emerged as a major public health concern, affecting 30% to 60% of postmenopausal women worldwide. The progression of abdominal obesity and... more »
Over a quarter of adults aged 50+ are deficient in vitamin D according to researchers from Trinity College Dublin who announced their findings today (Thursday, June 13th). Over half (57%) had inadequate serum vitamin D levels, of which 26% were classed as vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D has a known role in bone health, with growing evidence for beneficial effects on muscle strength and other non-skeletal outcomes. The study was recently published in the international, peer-reviewed journal *Nutrients*. Better understanding of factors that contribute to vitamin D deficiency is needed... more »
Depression is a common and serious problem for older adults. Some 15 to 20 percent of people aged 65 and older who live independently deal with symptoms of major depressive disorder. For residents of nursing homes, the rates of depression may be as high as 50 percent. For some people, medication is an effective part of treatment for depression. However, when considering whether to prescribe antidepressant medication for older adults, healthcare providers must weigh the safety risks these medications pose against the often modest benefits they can provide compared to other options. F... more »
*Many prenatal supplements contain too much folic acid* Consuming folic acid prior to pregnancy helps prevent birth defects. But a new study found most prenatal supplements were labeled as containing more folic acid than the current recommended daily intake. The study also revealed different agencies and scientific bodies provide conflicting messaging around the optimal intake of folic acid (from supplements) and folate (from food) during pregnancy. *Prenatal vitamins often have nutrient content higher than labeled* Chemical analysis of the contents of 24 prenatal multivitamins repr... more »
------------------------------ When it comes to buying probiotics, many product labels do not give consumers enough information to make an informed decision, according to a research team led by Georgetown University Medical Center. In their study, published in the *Journal of General Internal Medicine*, investigators found that of 93 different bottles of probiotics purchased from four large national probiotic retailers in the Washington, DC area, only 33 (35%) could be linked to medical efficacy as supported by clinical evidence. The researchers point out that the other 65% of produc... more »
*Key takeaways: * - Compared with vitamins, dietary supplements sold for weight loss, muscle building, and energy were associated with nearly three times the risk of severe medical events in children and young adults. - Efforts aimed at reducing access and consumption of these types of dietary supplements, implementing proactive enforcement of regulations, and providing clear warnings at the point of purchase are needed. Consumption of dietary supplements sold for weight loss, muscle building, and energy was associated with increased risk for severe medical ... more »
Many Americans get less than the recommended amount of sleep, and many do not consume the recommended amounts of important vitamins and minerals. A new study suggests the two factors may be connected. The research is based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Compared with people who got more than seven hours of sleep per night--the amount the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for adults--scientists found that people who got fewer than seven hours of sleep per night on ave... more »
A simple tweak to the sleeping patterns of 'night owls' - people with extreme late sleeping and waking habits - could lead to significant improvements in sleep/wake timings, improved performance in the mornings, better eating habits and a decrease in depression and stress. New international research by the Universities of Birmingham and Surrey in the UK, and Monash University in Australia, showed that, over a three-week period, it was possible to shift the circadian rhythm of 'night owls' using non-pharmacological and practical interventions. The study, published in *Sleep Medicin... more »
Sleeping with a television or light on in the room may be a risk factor for gaining weight or developing obesity, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health. The research, which was published online June 10 in JAMA Internal Medicine, is the first to find an association between any exposure to artificial light at night while sleeping and weight gain in women. The results suggest that cutting off lights at bedtime could reduce women’s chances of becoming obese. The research team used questionnaire data from 43,722 women in the Sister Study, a cohort study that exami... more »
Increasing severity of sleep-disordered breathing and sleep disruption are associated with epigenetic age acceleration, according to preliminary results of a new study. Results show that each standard deviation increase in the apnea-hypopnea index, a measure of sleep-disordered breathing severity, was associated with the equivalent of 215 days of biological age acceleration. Similarly, each standard deviation increase in the arousal index, a measure of sleep disruption, was associated with the equivalent of 321 days of age acceleration. "People's biological age might not be the sam... more »
Preliminary results from a new study suggest that there is a dose-response relationship between insufficient sleep and mental health symptoms in collegiate students, including varsity athletes. Results show that in adjusted models, insufficient sleep was associated with all mental health variables, and a dose-response relationship resulted when insufficient sleep was treated as categorical. With every additional night of insufficient sleep, the risk of experiencing mental health symptoms increased on average by more than 20% - including an increased risk of 21% for depressed mood,... more »
A new study has found that not sticking to a regular bedtime and wakeup schedule--and getting different amounts of sleep each night--can put a person at higher risk for obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, high blood sugar and other metabolic disorders. In fact, for every hour of variability in time to bed and time asleep, a person may have up to a 27% greater chance of experiencing a metabolic abnormality. The results of the study, which was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, appear today in the journal *D... more »
Increasing sleep duration may help reduce cardiometabolic risk--or the risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders-- in individuals who do not get enough sleep, according to an analysis of all published studies on the topic. The *Journal of Sleep Research* analysis, which was led by researchers at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, included seven studies that aimed to increase sleep duration in adults by any sleep extension intervention. These studies had a combined number of 138 participants who were either healthy, healthy short-sleeping, overweight short-sleeping, or p... more »
New research indicates that for treating insomnia, stimulus control therapy (which reassociates the bed with sleepiness instead of arousal) and sleep restriction therapy are effective, and it is best to use them individually rather than together. The *Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing* study, which included 517 individuals with chronic insomnia, also found that a strategy focused only on sleep education and hygiene was minimally effective.
A low-carb diet may have benefits for people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes even if they don't lose any weight, a new study suggests. Researchers at The Ohio State University wanted to know what happens to obese people with metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes, when they eat a diet low in carbohydrates but don't shed any pounds. They found that more than half of study participants no longer met the criteria for metabolic syndrome immediately following a four-week low-carb diet. The new study included 16 men and women with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of factors that a... more »
[image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *Researchers at UCF have dentified the molecular changes that happen when neuro stem cells are exposed to high levels of an acid commonly found in processed foods. view more Credit: University of Central Florida With the number of children diagnosed with autism on the rise, the need to find what causes the disorder becomes more urgent every day. UCF researchers are now a step closer to showing the link between the food pregnant women consume and the effects on a fetus' developing brain. Drs. Saleh Naser, Latifa Abdelli and UCF undergraduate research assistant ... more »
A new study in the *Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics*, published by Elsevier, found that the amount of processed meat consumed by Americans has remained unchanged in the past 18 years, nor has their intake of fish/shellfish increased. In addition, one quarter of US adults are still eating more unprocessed red meat than the recommended level, and less than 15 percent meet the guidelines for fish/shellfish consumption. On a positive note, Americans are eating less beef and more chicken than they did 18 years ago, and in fact, for the first time, consumption of poultry... more »
Eating a plant-based diet may be an effective treatment for Crohn's disease, according to a case study published in the journal *Nutrients*. The case study followed a man in his late 20s who had been diagnosed with Crohn's disease after experiencing fatigue, bloating, episodic severe abdominal pain, nausea, and occasional ulcers for several years. His condition did not reach remission after more than a year of intravenous treatment. During his second year of treatment, the patient removed all animal products and processed foods from his diet for a 40-day religious observation and e... more »
------------------------------ ------------------------------ If the fatty fish we eat were free of environmental pollutants, it would reduce our risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, the pollutants in the fish have the opposite effect and appears to eliminate the protective effect from fatty fish intake. This has been shown by researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, using innovative methods that could be used to address several questions about food and health in future studies. Research on the effect of fish consumption on diabetes risk has produced contr... more »
------------------------------ Eating two or more weekly servings of yogurt may help to lower the risk of developing the abnormal growths (adenomas) which precede the development of bowel cancer -- at least in men -- finds research published online in the journal *Gut*. The observed associations were strongest for adenomas that are highly likely to become cancerous, and for those located in the colon rather than in the rectum, the findings indicate. Previously published research has suggested that eating a lot of yogurt might lower the risk of bowel cancer by changing the type and vo... more »
Food neophobia, or fear of new foods, may lead to poorer dietary quality, increase the risk factors associated with chronic diseases, and thus increase the risk of developing lifestyle diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. These are some of the findings of a study conducted by the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare, the University of Helsinki, and the University of Tartu in Estonia. Food neophobia is an eating behaviour trait in which a person refuses to taste and eat food items or foods they are not familiar with. The study examined the in... more »
A research team led by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) Prof. Iris Shai has published a significant long-term study on the impact of Mediterranean and low-carb diets and exercise, measuring their impact with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to map body fat. In the study, "The Beneficial Effects of Mediterranean Diet Over Low-fat Diet May Be Mediated by Decreasing Hepatic Fat Content," published in the *Journal of Hepatology*, researchers conducted full-body MRI scans of 278 obese subjects, mapping their fat deposits before, during and after the 18-month trial per... more »
Increasing red meat intake, particularly processed red meat, is associated with a heightened risk of death, suggests a large US study published in *The BMJ* today. However, reducing red meat intake while increasing healthy protein sources, such as eggs and fish, whole grains and vegetables over time may lower the risk, the researchers say. High intake of red meat, such as beef, pork and lamb, has been previously linked with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancers, and premature death. But little is known about how changes in red meat intake... more »
[image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *This is a percentage of cardiovascular deaths (cardiovascular disease mortality) attributable to suboptimal vegetable intake (less than 400 grams per day) in countries around the world. view more Credit: Global Dietary Database 2010/Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University Baltimore (June 8, 2019) - Preliminary findings from a new study reveal that inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption may account for millions of deaths from heart disease and strokes each year. The study estimated that roughly 1 in 7 cardiovascular deaths could ... more »
*Junk food associated with poorer academic achievement* An analysis of more than 850 elementary school children found those who reported higher consumption of snack foods and sugar-sweetened beverages scored lower on standardized academic tests, on average, than children who consumed less of these foods. While unhealthful diets were not linked to lower cognitive test scores, the findings suggest policies to improve children's diets could help kids do better in school, researchers say. *Hydration associated with better brain functioning* Epidemiological data suggests many children ... more »
Caffeine and L-theanine, substances found in tea leaves, are known to improve sustained attention in healthy adults. In a new study examining the effects of these substances in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), researchers found five boys with ADHD showed better sustained attention, improved cognitive performance and decreased impulsivity when taking caffeine and L-theanine supplements together compared to a placebo. However, impulsivity increased when either substance was administered alone.
A study of more than 4,000 Koreans adds evidence that drinking coffee may lower the risk for developing type 2 diabetes and reveals that a genetic factor could be involved. The researchers found both Korean men and women who drank at least one cup of black coffee a day were less likely to develop prediabetes or type 2 diabetes than those who drank no coffee. The association between drinking coffee and lowered risk for type 2 diabetes was strongest for Koreans with a genetic variation known as rs2074356, which was recently found to be linked with habitual coffee consumption
*Fewer new diabetes cases seen in people who eat more plant-based foods * In a study of 2,717 young adults in the U.S. with long-term follow-up, people who increased the amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and vegetable oils in their diet over 20 years had a 60 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those with a small decrease in plant foods. The findings suggest that long-term shifts toward a more plant-centered diet could help prevent diabetes. *Large study points to importance of vitamins B2 and B6* Findings from a study examining three large cohorts of U.... more »
Many Americans get less than the recommended amount of sleep, and many do not consume the recommended amounts of important vitamins and minerals. A new study suggests the two factors may be connected. The research is based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Compared with people who got more than seven hours of sleep per night--the amount the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for adults--scientists found that people who got fewer than seven hours of sleep per night on ave... more »
*What is the cost of cancers associated with poor diet?* A new analysis reveals that over 5 years, cancers attributable to unhealthy eating among U.S. adults resulted in direct medical costs of $6.9 billion (2015 dollars). Nearly 70 percent of this cost is due to colorectal cancer attributable to poor diet. The calculations are based on the estimated number of cancers cases attributed to not eating enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy, and eating more processed meats, red meats and sugar-sweetened beverages. Given the substantial economic burden of diet-attributable ca... more »
*How will new added-sugar nutrition labeling affect cancer cases?* A new modeling study estimates that, based on changes in consumer behavior, the soon-to-be-i
[image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *This is a percentage of cardiovascular deaths (cardiovascular disease mortality) attributable to suboptimal vegetable intake (less than 400 grams per day) in countries around the world. view more Credit: Global Dietary Database 2010/Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University Baltimore (June 8, 2019) - Preliminary findings from a new study reveal that inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption may account for millions of deaths from heart disease and strokes each year. The study estimated that roughly 1 in 7 cardiovascular deaths could ... more »
*Junk food associated with poorer academic achievement* An analysis of more than 850 elementary school children found those who reported higher consumption of snack foods and sugar-sweetened beverages scored lower on standardized academic tests, on average, than children who consumed less of these foods. While unhealthful diets were not linked to lower cognitive test scores, the findings suggest policies to improve children's diets could help kids do better in school, researchers say. *Hydration associated with better brain functioning* Epidemiological data suggests many children ... more »
Caffeine and L-theanine, substances found in tea leaves, are known to improve sustained attention in healthy adults. In a new study examining the effects of these substances in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), researchers found five boys with ADHD showed better sustained attention, improved cognitive performance and decreased impulsivity when taking caffeine and L-theanine supplements together compared to a placebo. However, impulsivity increased when either substance was administered alone.
A study of more than 4,000 Koreans adds evidence that drinking coffee may lower the risk for developing type 2 diabetes and reveals that a genetic factor could be involved. The researchers found both Korean men and women who drank at least one cup of black coffee a day were less likely to develop prediabetes or type 2 diabetes than those who drank no coffee. The association between drinking coffee and lowered risk for type 2 diabetes was strongest for Koreans with a genetic variation known as rs2074356, which was recently found to be linked with habitual coffee consumption
*Fewer new diabetes cases seen in people who eat more plant-based foods * In a study of 2,717 young adults in the U.S. with long-term follow-up, people who increased the amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and vegetable oils in their diet over 20 years had a 60 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those with a small decrease in plant foods. The findings suggest that long-term shifts toward a more plant-centered diet could help prevent diabetes. *Large study points to importance of vitamins B2 and B6* Findings from a study examining three large cohorts of U.... more »
Many Americans get less than the recommended amount of sleep, and many do not consume the recommended amounts of important vitamins and minerals. A new study suggests the two factors may be connected. The research is based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Compared with people who got more than seven hours of sleep per night--the amount the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for adults--scientists found that people who got fewer than seven hours of sleep per night on ave... more »
*What is the cost of cancers associated with poor diet?* A new analysis reveals that over 5 years, cancers attributable to unhealthy eating among U.S. adults resulted in direct medical costs of $6.9 billion (2015 dollars). Nearly 70 percent of this cost is due to colorectal cancer attributable to poor diet. The calculations are based on the estimated number of cancers cases attributed to not eating enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy, and eating more processed meats, red meats and sugar-sweetened beverages. Given the substantial economic burden of diet-attributable ca... more »
*How will new added-sugar nutrition labeling affect cancer cases?* A new modeling study estimates that, based on changes in consumer behavior, the soon-to-be-implemented added-sugar labeling on all U.S. packaged foods could prevent 35,500 new obesity-related cancer cases and 16,700 cancer deaths over a lifetime in the U.S. The policy would also save an estimated $1.4 billion in direct medical costs. After taking into consideration additional savings from patient time and productivity loss as well as policy implementation costs from both the government and industry, the policy would... more »
*Evidence that eating well before pregnancy lowers risk of preeclampsia* While scientists aren't sure what causes the dangerous pregnancy complication preeclampsia, or how to prevent it, a new study suggests diet plays a role. Among more than 20,000 pregnancies, researchers found women who followed a healthier diet before getting pregnant were significantly less likely to develop preeclampsia. Diet quality was assessed based on adherence to the American Heart Association dietary recommendations and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern. *New insights on ... more »
*Evidence that eating well before pregnancy lowers risk of preeclampsia* While scientists aren't sure what causes the dangerous pregnancy complication preeclampsia, or how to prevent it, a new study suggests diet plays a role. Among more than 20,000 pregnancies, researchers found women who followed a healthier diet before getting pregnant were significantly less likely to develop preeclampsia. Diet quality was assessed based on adherence to the American Heart Association dietary recommendations and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern. *New insights on ... more »
Summertime is often filled with outdoor parties and food trucks, meaning you're spending more time standing up and eating. But if you want to actually enjoy your meal, researchers say you're better off finding a seat. A new study published in the *Journal of Consumer Research* finds posture impacts taste perception, with food tasting better when you're sitting down. Lead author Dipayan Biswas, PhD, professor of marketing at the University of South Florida, is an expert in cross-modal effects and looked specifically at how the vestibular sense, which is responsible for balance, post... more »
In a study published in *Food Science & Nutrition*, drinking unsalted tomato juice lowered blood pressure and LDL cholesterol in Japanese adults at risk of cardiovascular disease. In the study, 184 male and 297 female participants were provided with as much unsalted tomato juice as they wanted throughout one year. At the end of the study, blood pressure in 94 participants with untreated prehypertension or hypertension dropped significantly: systolic blood pressure lowered from an average of 141.2 to 137.0 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure lowered from an average of 83.3 to 80.9 mmH... more »
