Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

First large study to examine age, gender and sibling history on stroke risk

If your brother or sister had a stroke, you may be at least 60 percent more likely to have one too, according to research reported in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.

11 Apr 2012

Rate of childhood obesity triples in 30 years

Nearly 18 percent of U.S. school-aged children and adolescents are obese, as the rate of childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity puts children at greater risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and other illnesses, and of suffering severe obesity as adults.

11 Apr 2012

Reducing iron levels in blood plasma may protect brain from changes related to AD

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is now the sixth leading cause of death among Americans, affecting nearly 1 in 8 people over the age of 65. There is currently no treatment that alters the course of this disease. However, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that changes in the way the body handles iron and other metals like copper and zinc may start years before the onset of AD symptoms. A new study shows that reducing iron levels in blood plasma may protect the brain from changes related to AD.

11 Apr 2012

Genes and obesity link found in kids

The team of researchers used genome-wide association techniques and found that several genetic variants associated with adult obesity are also active in childhood obesity, according to Struan Grant of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and colleagues. The analysis found two new genetic variants that had not been previously associated with obesity, Grant and colleagues reported online in Nature Genetics. The findings show that “there is indeed a genetic signature of childhood obesity,” Grant said. “It's not purely lifestyle.”

10 Apr 2012

Fish oil not as beneficial for the heart as thought: Study

Fish oil, a combination of omega-3 fatty acids that has attracted much research on its effects on heart health. So far, the evidence has been inconclusive -- some studies have found fish oil has been major in preventing heart attacks, strokes and sudden cardiac death, while others have found fish oil has no benefits at all.

10 Apr 2012

PEHS School-based Health Center to celebrate 10th anniversary this week

The School-based Health Center at Proviso East High School will celebrate its 10th anniversary this week. Faculty and students at Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON) opened the health center a decade ago to educate teens about health and to provide primary health care, mental health and nutrition services to keep young people well, so they can succeed in school.

10 Apr 2012

Neutra to initiate new round of clinical trials on Pure Plus Weight Loss formula

Neutra Corp., an emerging provider of nutraceutical products, announced today that it's gearing up to start a new round of clinical trials on the company's Pure Plus Weight Loss formula, which now includes new ingredients raspberry ketone and African mango.

10 Apr 2012

Large proportion of obese Americans can and do lose weight, say researchers

Contrary to popular perception, a large proportion of obese Americans can and do lose weight, say researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. What's more, they say, the old tried and true methods of eating less fat and exercising are some of the most effective paths to weight loss success.

10 Apr 2012

Studies determine how geographic location affects physical health

The neighborhoods in which children and adolescents live and spend their time play a role in whether or not they eat a healthy diet, get enough exercise or become obese, concludes a collection of studies in a special theme issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

10 Apr 2012

U.S. children would need to eliminate an average of 64 excess calories per day to prevent obesity

In order for the nation to achieve goals set by the federal government for reducing obesity rates by 2020, children in the United States would need to eliminate an average of 64 excess calories per day, researchers calculated in a study published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

10 Apr 2012

Study finds successful weight loss strategies for obese people

A third of Americans are now obese, and up to 70% of them are trying to lose weight. In a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers from Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston have found in a nationally representative sample that obese dieters who said they ate less fat, exercised more, and used prescription weight loss medications were more likely to lose weight.

10 Apr 2012

Affiliate of Sun Capital acquires CornerStone

Sun Capital Partners, Inc., a leading private investment firm specializing in leveraged buyouts and investments in market-leading companies, today announced that an affiliate has acquired CornerStone Research & Development, Inc., a leading global contract manufacturer of top-branded vitamins and dietary supplements, from Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc.

10 Apr 2012

CEO Roundtable on Cancer accredits Allegeant

The CEO Roundtable on Cancer recently accredited health management company Allegeant, LLC, of Baltimore, Maryland with the CEO Cancer Gold Standard recognizing the staffing company's efforts to reduce the risk of cancer for their employees and covered family members by promoting healthy lifestyle choices, encouraging early detection through cancer screenings and ensuring access to quality treatment.

10 Apr 2012

Fatty acids fight cancer spread

Tiny agents found in omega-3 could potentially be used to block the path of primary cancer tumors, preventing the advance to secondary stage cancers according to pharmacy researchers at the University of Sydney.

9 Apr 2012

Berries may reduce Parkinson’s disease risk in men: Study

A new study has found that men who regularly consume foods rich in flavonoids, such as berries, apples, certain vegetables, tea and red wine, may significantly reduce their risk for developing Parkinson's disease. The study was published in the journal Neurology this week. It added that there was no such effect among women.

9 Apr 2012

New text messaging program to manage diabetes

D.C. Chartered Health Plan, Inc., the oldest Medicaid managed care organization in the District of Columbia, is launching a new text messaging program for 50 of its members to help them better manage diabetes, which requires regular care to avoid costly complications.

9 Apr 2012

A step closer to correcting unhealthy gene mutations with diet

Scientists have moved a step closer to correcting some unhealthy gene mutations with diet, according to a new research report appearing in the April 2012 issue of the journal GENETICS.

9 Apr 2012

Heart cells starved of nutrients less likely to be damaged during ischemia, reperfusion

Heart cells starved of nutrients are less likely to be damaged during periods of decreased blood flow and sudden influxes of blood, known as ischemia and reperfusion, and are also less likely to get out of synch with their cellular neighbors, the damaging phenomenon called arrhythmia.

9 Apr 2012

Senator Lugar's Farm Bill will deepen nutrition problem in Illinois

Republican Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana reintroduced legislation last month to cut $40 billion from federal farming support and federal nutrition assistance funding, which could eliminate food stamps for 74,000 already hungry Illinois residents, including 15,000 in Chicago.

7 Apr 2012

Free brain health screenings at Sam's Club

Everyone forgets sometimes. A certain degree of memory problems are a common part of aging. There is a difference, however, between changes in memory and memory loss from Alzheimer's disease. One in eight adults over the age of 65 is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and 20 percent of the elderly population suffers from some form of dementia. If detected early, some memory loss can be manageable by taking simple steps to improve brain function.

7 Apr 2012