Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Physical activity and diet program in doctor's office may be effective for obese people

A physical activity and diet program implemented by health educators working in a doctor's office may be a more effective way to get obese people to lose abdominal fat than advice from a doctor alone, according to a study from Queen's University.

29 Feb 2012

No link between gestational weight gain and cognitive performance of children

A child's cognitive development is not generally impacted by how much weight his or her mother gained during pregnancy, according to a study from Nationwide Children's Hospital. This is the first study to use methods controlling for the widest range of confounding factors when directly examining the association between gestational weight gain and childhood cognition.

29 Feb 2012

Tips for people to ensure heart health

There's not just one way to ensure heart health. Instead, it takes a multifaceted approach that includes regular exercise, a balanced diet and other elements. But regardless of age, it is relatively easy to take steps that will contribute to heart - and overall - health.

29 Feb 2012

SWHR, NAMS encourage women to understand benefits and risks of hormone therapy

Hormone therapy (HT) remains the most effective treatment available for menopausal hot flashes and night sweats. The Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) and The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) encourage women to understand the benefits and risks of hormone therapy in order to decide if this therapy is right for them.

29 Feb 2012

NIH award to help MU students become more culturally competent and effective physicians

It is estimated that half of all deaths in the United States are linked to behavioral and social factors such as smoking, diet and physical inactivity. Despite these causal links, of the $2 trillion spent annually on health care in the U.S., only 5 percent of that is devoted to addressing behavioral and social risk factors.

29 Feb 2012

Low levels of omega-3 in blood ‘ups’ risk of dementia and brain aging: Study

Researchers looked at 1,575 adults who averaged 67 years old and had no signs of dementia and had not had a stroke. They were given MRI brain scans and a battery of tests to measure memory and thinking abilities; they also had blood drawn to check the level of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or omega-3 fatty acids in their red blood cells. Those with the lowest levels of omega-3s showed signs of accelerated aging. They had lower brain volume, indicating shrinkage comparable to two additional years of aging. Compared with those with the highest blood levels of omega-3s, they scored lower on cognitive tests measuring such things as memory, problem solving, abstract thinking and multi-tasking.

28 Feb 2012

Active video games do not increase exercise in kids

Active video games have been promoted to help kids be more physically active. But a new study finds that having active video games in the home may not translate into more exercise.

28 Feb 2012

Behavioral intervention appears to reduce WC among obese patients

A physical activity and diet program implemented by health educators in physician offices appears to be associated with modest reductions in waist circumference among obese patients, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

28 Feb 2012

Diets low in omega-3 fatty acids linked with memory problems

A diet lacking in omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients commonly found in fish, may cause your brain to age faster and lose some of its memory and thinking abilities, according to a study published in the February 28, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Feb 2012

Hearing loss may increase risk of falls

Hearing loss has been linked with a variety of medical, social and cognitive ills, including dementia. However, a new study led by a Johns Hopkins researcher suggests that hearing loss may also be a risk factor for another huge public health problem: falls.

27 Feb 2012

TAK-875 as effective as glimepiride in treating type 2 diabetes

TAK-875, a new treatment for type 2 diabetes, improves blood sugar control and is equally effective as glimepiride, but has a significantly lower risk of creating a dangerous drop in blood sugar, called hypoglycemia, according to a new study.

27 Feb 2012

Anorexia on the rise among kids and anti-obesity campaigns blamed

According to Dr Jane Morris, chairwoman of the Scottish Eating Disorder Interest Group, healthy eating drives are causing anorexia in children. She said children were obsessing about their diet because of drives to combat obesity.

27 Feb 2012

Greater patient and healthcare provider dialogue needed for morning sickness

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) is the most common medical condition in pregnancy, affecting an estimated 70 to 85% of all pregnant women. Yet in a recent national survey of more than 350 nurse practitioners (NPs), only 40% of their patients reported experiencing NVP in the last 12 months, pointing to the need for greater patient and healthcare provider dialogue about the condition.

27 Feb 2012

Collaborative study of physical activity patterns, eating habits in colorectal cancer patients

The five hospitals of Meridian Health, a System Partner of The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ), have joined forces with CINJ in offering a clinical research study that examines physical activity patterns and eating habits in colorectal cancer patients who have recently finished treatment.

27 Feb 2012

New drug improves glycaemic control with minimum risk of hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetics

27 Feb 2012

CINJ experts available to discuss importance of healthy diet and its role in cancer prevention

March is National Nutrition Month. "Get Your Plate in Shape" is the national theme for this year's month-long reminder that good nutrition is essential for your heath. Throughout the month, experts from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) will be available to discuss the importance of a healthy diet and its role in cancer prevention.

27 Feb 2012

The Lancet publishes Takeda's TAK-875 Phase 2 data on type 2 diabetes

Phase 2 clinical data of an investigational type 2 diabetes therapy, TAK-875 of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, were published online first in The Lancet.

27 Feb 2012

Rosemary aroma may improve cognitive performance

Hailed since ancient times for its medicinal properties, we still have a lot to learn about the effects of rosemary. Now researchers writing in Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, published by SAGE, have shown for the first time that blood levels of a rosemary oil component correlate with improved cognitive performance.

26 Feb 2012

Citrus fruits may keep stroke at bay for women

In the study published last Thursday in Stroke, a journal of the American Heart Association, researchers analyzed the flavonoid intake of 69,622 women from the U.S.-based Nurses’ Health Study, which has followed nurses since 1976 to assess risk factors for cardiovascular disease and cancer. The total flavonoid intake of the 69,622 women was calculated after they completed food intake questionnaires collected every four years using a U.S. Department of Agriculture database. They found that during 14 years of follow up surveys beginning in 1990, 1,803 incidents of strokes were confirmed from the women.

26 Feb 2012

FDA panel votes in favor of earlier rejected anti-obesity drug Qnexa

Qnexa took a step closer to approval on Wednesday, when outside advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted 20-to-2 in favor of approval. The panel also recommended the company conduct a study to scrutinize even more closely any risk of heart problems. That study may be required after the drug is approved. Should the FDA ask for further data on heart risks before any approval, it would delay Qnexa's launch further.

26 Feb 2012