Junk Food News and Research

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BUSM researchers identify new therapeutic target for treating compulsive binge eating

A new therapeutic target for the treatment of compulsive binge eating has been identified by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine.

6 Oct 2016

New 'value harnessing' approach could help reduce unhealthy eating habits among adolescents

It's no secret that the adolescent years can be challenging: young teens have a heightened sensitivity to perceived injustice and react against authority. And their newfound social conscience and desire for autonomy can motivate many of their decisions - even food choices.

13 Sep 2016

Young children think in sophisticated ways about subtle social cues at mealtime, study suggests

At the dinner table, babies do a lot more than play with their sippy cups, new research suggests.

2 Sep 2016

Dieting, exercise or combination of both equally effective in improving cardiovascular health

Which works better to improve the cardiovascular health of those who are overweight - dieting, exercise or a combination of both? A Saint Louis University study finds it doesn't matter which strategy you choose - it's the resulting weight loss that is the protective secret sauce.

25 Aug 2016

Western-style diet impairs memory inhibition leading to dietary excess

Obesity may ultimately be a disease of the brain, involving a progressive deterioration of various cognitive processes that influence eating.

12 Jul 2016

Unhealthy food and beverage marketing ads influence dietary preference in children

Ads for unhealthy foods and beverages high in sugar or salt have an immediate and significant impact on children and lead to harmful diets, according to research from McMaster University.

6 Jul 2016

Drexel researchers develop computer game and mobile app to help people lose weight

Can a computer game train your brain to resist sweets? That's the question Drexel University researchers hope to answer with one of two new studies launching this month. They have developed a computer game and smartphone app to help people control unhealthy eating habits and ultimately lose weight.

30 Jun 2016

Children’s nutrition linked to surrounding food environment

Dr. Jason Gilliland, a Scientist at Children's Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute and Director of the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory at Western University, is combining health research with geography to understand the connection between children's nutrition and their local neighbourhoods.

21 Jun 2016

Scientists develop new tool to overcome major hurdle for personalized medicine

Scientists from EPFL and ETHZ have developed a powerful tool for exploring and determining the inherent biological differences between individuals, which overcomes a major hurdle for personalized medicine.

13 Jun 2016

McGill researchers discover role of folliculin protein in regulating activity of fat cells

Researchers have uncovered a new molecular pathway for stimulating the body to burn fat - a discovery that could help fight obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

17 May 2016

Could oral supplements affect teenage behavior? An interview with Prof. Stein and Dr Tammam

We wanted to see whether supplementing the diet of disadvantaged adolescents with the omega 3 polyunsaturated acids, EPA & DHA, vitamins and minerals over a school term might improve their antisocial behaviour, which usually gets worse during a term.

12 May 2016

Subtle incentives can influence healthy food choices

Healthy eating habits are more important than ever, with advocates calling for fast-food restaurants, schools and food providers to promote the sale of salads and vegetables as alternatives to burgers and fries. According to new Cornell University research, the most effective strategy for influencing such healthy food choices is not calorie counts and reduced prices, but rather more subtle incentives that reward healthy eating behavior.

29 Apr 2016

New report finds 'double burden of malnutrition’ in South East Asia

A joint report from UNICEF, WHO and ASEAN has shed new light on the nutrition situation of children across South East Asia. The report finds that several ASEAN countries are facing simultaneous crises of over and undernutrition, with some children overweight while their peers suffer from stunting and wasting.

29 Mar 2016

VeggiEAT project aims to promote healthy eating, encourage more vegetable consumption

A collaborative team from Bournemouth University, led by nutrition expert Professor Heather Hartwell, are hoping to change our eating habits, championing vegetable consumption through a Europe-wide research project called VeggiEAT.

19 Mar 2016

Is the global diet getting sweeter? An interview with Professor Barry Popkin

In the past, caloric sweeteners simply referred to cane sugar or beet sugar. However, over time we've created hundreds of different sugars that are all providing calories of the same amount, about four calories for every gram of the sugar. Some examples include corn syrups and more processed sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup.

10 Mar 2016

Mississippi Department of Education voted to adopt Smart Snack standards

The Mississippi Department of Education voted on Thursday, February 18, 2016 to adopt Smart Snack standards, ensuring all public school students have healthy options beyond what is provided in the School Meal Program.

27 Feb 2016

Weekend junk food binges bad for your gut health

Yo-yoing between eating well during the week and bingeing on junk food over the weekend is likely to be just as bad for your gut health as a consistent diet of junk, new UNSW research suggests.

21 Jan 2016

Sugar tax cuts sugary drinks sales by 12% in Mexico

A 10% tax on sugar-sweetened drinks in Mexico has been associated with a 12% cut in sales just one year after its implementation, according to a study published in The BMJ. The sugar tax was also associated with a 4% increase in the purchase of untaxed beverages.

7 Jan 2016

Research identifies liver pathway that contributes to negative effects of high-fat, high-cholesterol junk food diet

It's no secret that a high-fat, high-cholesterol "junk food" diet has been linked to major health problems, including high blood cholesterol and the buildup of plaques in the arteries, known as atherosclerosis.

13 Nov 2015

Sedentary activity, inadequate intake of healthier foods can lead to obesity

Indulgences like sodas and junk foods have long been blamed as the prime culprits responsible for worrying obesity trends across the United States.

6 Nov 2015