Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Pistachios may decrease a person's cardiovascular disease risk

A handful of pistachios may lower cholesterol and provide the antioxidants usually found in leafy green vegetables and brightly colored fruit, according to a team of researchers.

1 May 2007

Macadamia nuts can reduce cardiovascular disease risks

Incorporating macadamia nuts into a heart healthy diet can reduce cardiovascular disease risks according to Penn State researchers.

1 May 2007

Nanoparticles found near plaque-filled arteries

Scientific evidence increasingly links arterial calcification to the presence of nanosized particles so small that some scientists question whether a nanoparticle can live and, if so, play a viable role in causing disease.

1 May 2007

Helping eating for kids

Two years ago, Jenny O'Dea set herself a tough challenge: to persuade her one-year old daughter, Katherine, to eat a salty, black olive. The little girl took a small bite, Jenny and her husband cheered and applauded loudly, and Katherine grinned and ate the whole thing.

30 Apr 2007

Major new cancer research study

The American Cancer Society is launching a major new cancer research study that may be the ,last best chance, to do large-scale population research in the United States to discover the genetic and environmental factors that cause and prevent cancer.

30 Apr 2007

Green tea may help prevent bone destruction in arthritis

In rheumatoid arthritis, a person's own immune system attacks the joints by activating the synovial tissue that lines the body's movable joints, causing inflammation, swelling, pain and eventually erosion of the bone and cartilage and deformation of the joint.

30 Apr 2007

Exercise pill switches on master regulator that controls the ability of cells to burn fat

By giving ordinary adult mice a drug - a synthetic designed to mimic fat - Salk Institute scientist Dr. Ronald M. Evans is now able to chemically switch on PPAR-d, the master regulator that controls the ability of cells to burn fat.

30 Apr 2007

New drug as effective at fat burning as a good work out at the gym

A scientist in the U.S. has developed a pill which has the same calorie-burning effect as a good work out at the gym.

30 Apr 2007

When it comes to food scares, dare we trust the FDA?

In an attempt to reassure the public on food safety standards a joint statement has been issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that the latest food scare over contaminated animal feed has not affected the human food supply.

29 Apr 2007

New genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes

In the most comprehensive look at genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes to date, a U.S.-Finnish team, working in close collaboration with two other groups, has identified at least four new genetic variants associated with increased risk of diabetes and confirmed existence of another six.

27 Apr 2007

Genetic differences may explain why many Asian women who never smoked develop lung cancer

Analysis of three genetic mechanisms that cause non-small cell lung cancer might explain why East Asians respond better than other ethnic groups to a certain type of chemotherapy, a team led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers has found.

27 Apr 2007

Digesting protein may be a hidden problem for some

Protein metabolism presents some serious waste management challenges for the body.

27 Apr 2007

Schools in the U.S. to lead the way in healthy eating

It was concern regarding the increasing obesity, especially amongst young people, which prompted Congress to ask the Institute of Medicine to develop a set of standards for foods that should be on sale in schools.

26 Apr 2007

Report calls for more dairy foods at school

The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine released a report recommending nutrition standards be established for "competitive" foods in the school environment, such as a la carte cafeteria items, vending machines and school stores.

26 Apr 2007

microRNAs can function as tumor suppressors

University of Virginia researchers have discovered that microRNAs, a form of genetic material, can function as tumor suppressors in laboratory studies.

26 Apr 2007

If we could make diet soda taste better, it would be a big step in fighting the obesity epidemic

University of Illinois researchers Soo-Yeun Lee and Shelly Schmidt are trying to solve a mystery: Why doesn't diet soda taste more like regular soda? Can a well-trained panel of "taste testers" pinpoint the exact problem? And can food scientists do anything to fix it?

26 Apr 2007

Menstrual link to obesity

Women who begin their menstrual periods before they are 11 years old are more likely to have children who also start puberty early and are more overweight than the children of mums who mature later.

26 Apr 2007

How your food is cooked may be as important to your health as the food itself

Researchers now know more about a new class of toxins that might soon become as important a risk factor for heart disease and metabolic disorders as trans fats.

25 Apr 2007

Succimer therapy improves balance and movement in lead-exposed children

University of Cincinnati (UC) environmental health researchers say a therapy commonly used to remove dangerously high levels of lead from the body may also improve muscle functions associated with postural balance and movement in lead-exposed children.

25 Apr 2007

Steam, boil, stew for food preparation

How your food is cooked may be as important to your health as the food itself. Researchers now know more about a new class of toxins that might soon become as important a risk factor for heart disease and metabolic disorders as trans fats.

25 Apr 2007