Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Experimental Parkinson's therapy may have robust weight-loss effect

A growth factor used in clinical experiments to rescue dying brain cells in Parkinson patients may cause unwanted weight loss if delivered to specific areas of the brain, according to University of Florida researchers in the March online edition of Molecular Therapy.

24 Mar 2009

Childhood soy consumption may reduce breast cancer among Asian women

American women who ate higher amounts of soy during childhood had a 58 percent reduced risk of breast cancer, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention , a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

24 Mar 2009

Diabetics on high-fiber diets might need extra calcium

The amount of calcium your body absorbs might depend, in part, on the amount of dietary fiber you consume.

24 Mar 2009

Ethnic minorities more likely than whites to develop type 2 diabetes regardless of weight

Native Hawaiians, Hispanics, blacks and Japanese-Americans are significantly more likely than whites to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes regardless of weight, even though the disease is closely linked with obesity, according to a recent study in Ethnicity and Disease, Reuters Health reports. The findings suggest that genetics might play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

24 Mar 2009

Anti-microbial catheter to cut infection risk for dialysis patients

Medical experts at The University of Nottingham have shown that an innovative anti-microbial catheter could vastly improve treatment and the quality of life for many community-based dialysis patients.

24 Mar 2009

Diabetics on high-fiber diets might need extra calcium

The amount of calcium your body absorbs might depend, in part, on the amount of dietary fiber you consume.

24 Mar 2009

Review of probiotics in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

A review by researchers at Northwestern University (Chicago, IL.) and University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) of the utility of probiotics in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) found that Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 was the only probiotic strain out of 13 different individual strains or preparations reviewed to significantly improve symptoms of IBS, including abdominal pain, bloating and bowel movement difficulty.

23 Mar 2009

Increasing number of Americans have insufficient levels of vitamin D

Average blood levels of vitamin D appear to have decreased in the United States between 1994 and 2004, according to a report in the March 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 Mar 2009

High triglyceride levels common, often untreated among Americans

High concentrations of blood fats known as triglycerides are common in the United States, according to a report in the March 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 Mar 2009

Red and processed meat linked to greater risk of death from all causes

Individuals who eat more red meat and processed meat appear to have a modestly increased risk of death from all causes and also from cancer or heart disease over a 10-year period, according to a report in the March 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 Mar 2009

Coenzyme rare to bacteria critical to Mycobacterium tuberculosis survival

Coenzyme F420, a small molecule that helps certain enzymes transfer electrons, is found in microorganisms known as methane-producing archaea, some of which thrive in extreme environments.

23 Mar 2009

Garden peas may help fight high blood pressure, kidney disease

Researchers in Canada are reporting that proteins found in a common garden pea show promise as a natural food additive or new dietary supplement for fighting high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

22 Mar 2009

Focus on treating malnutrition in cancer patients, researchers say

Cancer patients who are malnourished experience significantly greater levels of psychological distress than those who are more adequately nourished, according to new results reported at the European Society for Medical Oncology's Symposium on Cancer and Nutrition (Zurich, 20-21 March 2009).

22 Mar 2009

Nationwide alert on tainted weight loss products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expanding, for the second time, its nationwide alert to consumers about tainted weight loss products containing

22 Mar 2009

One in five children have eczema

Elimination diets can only help children who have food sensitivity

22 Mar 2009

Metabolism and aging linked to circadian rhythm

All animals, including humans, have an internal 24-hour clock or circadian rhythm that creates a daily oscillation of body temperature, brain activity, hormone production and metabolism.

20 Mar 2009

Discovery of gene that plays key role in process of converting dietary carbohydrates to fat

In a new study, they disabled this gene in mice, which consequently had lower levels of body fat than their normal counterparts, despite being fed the equivalent of an 'all-you-can-eat' pasta buffet.

20 Mar 2009

Longer bouts of exercise help prevent childhood obesity

Children who exercise in bouts of activity lasting five minutes or longer are less likely to become obese than those whose activity levels are more sporadic and typically last less than five minutes each, Queen's University researchers have discovered.

20 Mar 2009

Barriers to diabetes care include restaurants and high-risk lifestyles

Eating out, lack of social support and high-risk lifestyles are just some of the barriers that stop patients with type 2 diabetes from controlling their condition, according to a research review that covered 8,900 patients and 4,550 healthcare providers from 28 countries.

20 Mar 2009

Millions could benefit from statins to prevent heart attacks, strokes

Millions more patients could benefit from taking statins, drugs typically used to prevent heart attacks and strokes, than current prescribing guidelines suggest, Johns Hopkins doctors report in a new study.

19 Mar 2009