Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

New study of sweetened beverages

A new study of sweetened beverages shows that cane sugar and high fructose corn syrup have similar effects on hunger, fullness, and food consumption at lunch.

11 Jul 2007

Adiponectin serves as energy-conserving signal to the brain

A fat-derived protein known for its effects on the liver and skeletal muscle might also serve as an energy-conserving signal to the brain during periods of starvation, suggests a new study in the July issue of Cell Metabolism, a publication of Cell Press.

11 Jul 2007

FDA says eating tomatoes does not decrease risk of cancer

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review has found only limited evidence for an association between eating tomatoes and a decreased risk of certain cancers, according to an article published online July 10 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

11 Jul 2007

Discovery of gallstone gene

Scientists at the University of Bonn, together with colleagues from Romania, have discovered a gene variant that significantly increases the risk of developing gallstones (Hepatology No. 46, 11 July 2007, DOI 10.1002/hep.21847).

11 Jul 2007

FDA says lycopene in tomatoes no use in fighting cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States has shot down in flames any claims that the lycopene found in tomatoes has cancer-preventing properties.

11 Jul 2007

Western diet increases breast cancer risk in Asian women

A study on the dietary habits of Chinese women has found that those who ate a Western diet increased their risk for breast cancer.

11 Jul 2007

Selenium supplements may do more harm than good

In a British trial examining the benefit of selenium supplements it has been found that in some cases the supplement can do more harm than good.

11 Jul 2007

Selenium supplements appear to increase risk of developing type 2 diabetes

A new analysis of data from a large national study found that people who took a 200 microgram selenium supplement each day for almost eight years had an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who took a placebo or dummy pill.

10 Jul 2007

Electronic health records not associated with improved quality of outpatient health care

Electronic health records have been hailed as a key element in making U.S. medical care more effective and efficient, but a new study led by a researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine shows that electronic records were not associated with improved quality of outpatient health care in 2003 and 2004.

10 Jul 2007

Vitamin D deficiency remains an under-recognized problem in children

Many otherwise healthy children and adolescents have low vitamin D levels, which may put them at risk for bone diseases such as rickets.

10 Jul 2007

Balanced diet keeps asthma away

Teenagers who forego a healthy and balanced diet may have a harder time catching their breath.

10 Jul 2007

Mexicans-Americans born in the United States are less healthy than whites

Mexicans-Americans born and raised in the United States are more likely to suffer from conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol than those who emigrate from Mexico, according to a new study from the University of Southern California.

10 Jul 2007

Low-fat, high-carbohydrate, sucrose-containing diet combined with increased exercise can be effective for slimming

New study challenges conventional thinking that high carbohydrate, low fat slimming plan should contain little or no added sugar (sucrose).

10 Jul 2007

Debate on folic acid fortification

Since the institution of nationwide folic acid fortification of enriched grains in the mid 1990s, the number of infants born in the United States and Canada with neural tube defects has declined by 20 percent to 50 percent.

10 Jul 2007

Postmenopausal Asian women who eat a Western diet at greater risk of developing breast cancer

Postmenopausal Asian women who eat a "meat-sweet" or Western diet are at greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who eat a "vegetable-soy" diet, according to a new study. The findings mark the first time an association between a Western diet and breast cancer has been identified in Asian women.

10 Jul 2007

Unhealthy teen diet increases asthma risk

According to a new study teenagers who have an unhealthy and unbalanced diet may be more prone to respiratory problems such as asthma.

10 Jul 2007

Low testosterone levels in post-menopausal women associated with heart disease

Post-menopausal women with lower levels of testosterone are more likely to suffer from heart disease. Research, published in the June edition of the European Journal of Endocrinology, shows that higher testosterone levels in post-menopausal women may have a protective effect against cardiovascular disease.

9 Jul 2007

Noninvasive ultrasound used to check health of carotid arteries

Specialists with the Strong Women's Heart Program are expanding a study that considers the effects of a statin drug on metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases women's risk for heart disease and stroke.

9 Jul 2007

A comparison of weight-control behaviors in African-American and Caucasian women

In the battle of the bulge, dieters often seek reinforcements — such as a doctor's prescription, counseling by a mental health professional, suggestions from a trainer or membership in a weight-loss support group.

9 Jul 2007

Summer is an opportunity for introducing more fruits and vegetables in children's diets

The abundance of summer's fresh produce - from farmer's markets to roadside stands - offers families the perfect opportunity to introduce the healthy habit of eating more fruits and vegetables, say UT Southwestern Medical Center clinical nutritionists.

9 Jul 2007