Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Refined carb diet increases risk of common diseases

Eating foods the body quickly converts into blood glucose - such as highly processed breakfast cereals and most white breads - leads to a greater risk of diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

9 Mar 2008

Risks of long-term hormone therapy continue to outweigh benefits

New results from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) confirm that the health risks of long-term use of combination (estrogen plus progestin) hormone therapy in healthy, postmenopausal women persist even a few years after stopping the drugs and clearly outweigh the benefits.

6 Mar 2008

Worried about your cholesterol?

You may want to schedule a few appointments with a registered dietitian, to get some sound advice about how to shape up your eating habits, according to a new national study led by University of Michigan Health System researchers.

6 Mar 2008

Parasitic flatworm schistosomiasis much more debilitating than previously thought

In a new study, published March 5 in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the researchers calculate that the impact of symptoms associated with schistosomiasis japonica is 7 to 46 times greater than current global estimates.

6 Mar 2008

New potential drug target for atherosclerosis

A nuclear receptor protein, known for controlling the ability of cells to burn fat, also exerts powerful anti-inflammatory effects in arteries, suppressing atherosclerosis in mice prone to developing the harmful plaques, according to new research by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the Harvard School of Public Health.

6 Mar 2008

Alcohol may increase blood pressure to a much greater extent than previously thought

Previous observational studies have reported that heavy alcohol intake is a risk factor for hypertension but such studies may be confounded by factors such as diet, smoking, exercise levels and socio-economic position.

6 Mar 2008

Rimonabant weight-loss drug might fight alcoholic fatty liver

The cannabinoid receptors best known for delivering the psychological effects of marijuana also explain the connection between chronic alcohol use and a buildup of fat in the liver, according to a report in the March issue of Cell Metabolism, a publication of Cell Press.

6 Mar 2008

Dietary supplement called NutraStem protects against stroke damage

A unique dietary supplement called NutraStem has been shown to have beneficial effects following experimental stroke.

6 Mar 2008

Working at a nuclear site may be bad for the heart

In a study of workers at four British nuclear sites, scientists have discovered a potential connection between exposure to radiation and heart disease.

5 Mar 2008

Broccoli and Brussels sprouts protect against bladder cancer

An international team of researchers has found that vegetables from the cabbage family, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and watercress, can protect against bladder cancer.

5 Mar 2008

Eating breakfast helps teenagers to stay slim

American scientists say teenagers who believe cutting out breakfast will help them lose weight are deluding themselves.

5 Mar 2008

Drinking black tea might help combat type 2 diabetes

In an unexpected discovery Scottish scientists have found that black tea may help combat type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease.

5 Mar 2008

Adolescents need to start the day off 'right' by eating breakfast

University of Minnesota School of Public Health Project Eating Among Teens (EAT) researchers have found further evidence to support the importance of encouraging youth to eat breakfast regularly.

4 Mar 2008

Red meat and colorectal cancer

For most Americans, meals tend to center around meat. To significantly decrease a person's risks of developing colorectal cancer, experts at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center suggest a new approach to meal planning that focuses more on fruit and vegetable dishes.

4 Mar 2008

Hypertension linked to heavy drinking

According to British researchers the relationship between heavy drinking and high blood pressure is more significant than previously thought.

4 Mar 2008

Utopia gets it right when it comes to indigenous health

A new study by Australian researchers into the health of an indigenous community has produced some interesting results.

4 Mar 2008

New genetic risk factor for coeliac disease

Scientists who last year identified a new genetic risk factor for coeliac disease, have, following continued research, discovered an additional seven gene regions implicated in causing the condition.

3 Mar 2008

Kidney stones in men

Kidney stones are very common - and painful - in men. About 3 in 20 men (1 in 20 women) in developed countries develop them at some stage.

3 Mar 2008

NIDDK releases new awareness series on diabetes, digestive diseases and kidney and urologic diseases

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has announced the release of new health information to raise awareness about diabetes, digestive diseases, and kidney and urologic diseases among people not yet diagnosed with these illnesses.

1 Mar 2008

New online information resource on bladder problems

Women with bladder control problems can learn about treatments and techniques to help them manage their condition in a new resource from the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), an information dissemination service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

1 Mar 2008