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Losing weight by eating at McDonalds may be riskyMon. Jun 30, 2008 
Making the headlines in June with claims that he lost 80 pounds in six months, Chris Coleson of Virginia is finding his story has attracted comment from health experts at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). Eating lunch and dinner at McDonalds every day for 6 months, Coleson chose salads and wraps as an alternative to burgers and fries to accomplish his weight loss. American Institute for Cancer Research nutritionist Sarah Wally, RD, comments, "We applaud Mr. Coleson's resolve, and his recognition that it was time to take action. Being overweight increases risk for heart disease, stroke, hypertension and Type 2 diabetes, and a recent AICR Expert Report concluded that excess body fat is a major cause of many cancers as well." Wally goes on to say, "Mr. Coleson's weight loss was the result of extreme calorie deprivation. His reported daily intake - between 1200 and 1400 calories - was far below his body's needs. Rapid weight loss like Mr. Colson experienced is inevitable when calorie intake is cut so drastically, regardless of what - or where - you are eating. But it doesn't lead to sustainable, long-term weight loss and it can be dangerous." The AICR spokesperson says that while some of the food offered at McDonalds may be considered part of a healthy diet, crash diets like this are not the kind of behavior change that results in safe, permanent weight loss. SOURCE: American Institute for Cancer Research Turmeric may have benefit in diabetes and obesityWed. Jun 25, 2008 
Curcumin, the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant ingredient in the Asian spice turmeric, appears to decrease insulin resistance and prevents Type 2 diabetes in obese mice. Researchers also found that turmeric-fed obese mice showed significantly reduced inflammation in fat tissue and liver compared to obese mice not fed turmeric. This was associated with a small but significant decline in body weight and fat content, despite high calorie consumption. Obesity is associated with inflammation due in part to the presence of immune cells called macrophages in fat tissues throughout the body. These cells produce "cytokine" molecules that can cause inflammation in organs such as the heart, and islets of the pancreas, while also increasing insulin resistance in muscle and liver. Researchers hypothesized that by suppressing the number and activity of these cells, with turmeric or a drug with similar actions, it may be possible to reduce some of the adverse consequences of obesity. "It's too early to tell whether increasing dietary curcumin [through turmeric] intake in obese people with diabetes will show a similar benefit," says Dr. Tortoriello, one of the study authors. "Although the daily intake of curcumin one might have to consume as a primary diabetes treatment is likely impractical, it is entirely possible that lower dosages of curcumin could nicely complement our traditional therapies as a natural and safe treatment." SOURCE: Endocrine Society Flavored crystals promote weight lossWed. Jun 18, 2008 
Stimulating the sense of taste using savory or sweet crystals has the potential for helping people lose weight according to research performed by Alan Hirsch, MD, founder and neurologic director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. The crystals called "tastants," were given to overweight and obese people to sprinkle on their food during the six month study. An average of 30.5 pounds was lost by people using the tastants compared to just 2 pounds lost by people also in the study but not using the crystals. Study participants were not aware of the flavors of the tastants which were cheddar cheese, onion, horseradish, ranch dressing, taco, or parmesan for the savory crystals and cocoa, spearmint, banana, strawberry, raspberry, and malt for the sweet crystals. Hirsch theorizes that the people using tastants lost more weight because the tastants made them feel full faster and therefore eat less. However, he did not track the amount of food the subjects ate. Another possibility, he says, is that the crystals improve the taste of bland but healthy foods, such as tofu and some vegetables, causing a change toward healthier eating habits. He believes this approach works because, unlike most diets, it is not based on food restriction. Hirsch says that people can use the same techniques as in his study for enhancing their senses of smell and taste and possibly lose weight. "Sniff your food before you eat it. Chew it a lot. Choose low-calorie foods and season them," he suggests. SOURCE: Endocrine Society New thought on protein recommendationsTue. Jun 17, 2008 
Many adults in the USA, such as those who are overweight or obese and older Americans may benefit from eating up to 35 percent of their calories from protein say leading scientists in protein research. Higher protein diets have been linked with a lower risk for many health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis as well as sarcopenia, the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. The current U.S. recommendation according to the Institute of Medicine is that adults should consume between ten and 35 percent of their calories from protein. Since most Americans are consuming protein in the lower end of this range (about 13-16 percent), there is room for adding more high-quality protein to their diets while still being in the recommended range outlined as safe. SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Red wine may eventually help battle obesityMon. Jun 16, 2008 
According to one popular theory, the low rates of heart disease among French people, despite their relatively high fat diet, may be due to a compound found in red wine called resveratrol. This compound has been shown to prevent pre-fat cells from converting to mature fat cells. Pamela Fischer-Posovszky, a researcher from the University of Ulm in Germany says, "Resveratrol has anti-obesity properties by exerting its effects directly on the fat cells. Thus, resveratrol might help to prevent development of obesity or might be suited to treating obesity." While current research is promising, Fischer-Posovszky says that there is still not enough information about long-term effects of treatment with resveratrol. There is some evidence that resveratrol may stimulate the growth of human breast cancer cells possibly because it has a chemical structure similar to a phytoestrogen, an estrogen-like substance found in some plants. SOURCE: Endocrine Society Higher protein diet not associated with bone lossWed. Jun 11, 2008 
Concerns that increased calcium in the urine of people eating higher protein diets during weight loss indicates bone demineralization may be unfounded. When comparing higher-protein diets that emphasizes lean meats and low-fat dairy foods to conventional weight-loss diet based on the food-guide pyramid, researchers found that bone health declined over time with the conventional weight loss diet but remained stable with the higher protein diet. "This is an important finding because many people, especially women in mid-life, are concerned with both obesity and osteoporosis," said Ellen Evans, an associate professor of kinesiology and community health from the University of Illinois. While the researchers did note increased amounts of urinary calcium from the higher-protein diet, they attributed the source of the increased calcium to improved intestinal absorption of calcium rather than bone loss. SOURCE: Journal of Nutrition Infants of obese mothers at riskThu. Jun 05, 2008 
The death rate for infants is significantly affected by both the degree of obesity and the race of the mother. In white woman, the degree of obesity does not appear to affect infant mortality while in black women, the infant mortality rate increased with the mother's body mass index. "Even if the infant of an obese black woman survives pregnancy, labor and delivery, that baby is at greater risk of dying than a baby born to an obese white woman," says Hamisu Salihu, MD, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology at the USF College of Public Health. After analyzing over 1.4 million births from Missouri's vital records database, researchers found that the risk of neonatal deaths (within the first 27 days after birth) among newborns of obese black mothers was 20 percent greater than infants of non obese mothers and obese white mothers. Obesity remained an independent risk factor despite adjusting the obesity-related medical conditions more common in black women such as high blood pressure, diabetes and preeclampsia. SOURCE: Obstetrics & Gynecology Sugary drinks contributing to obesity in childrenMon. Jun 02, 2008 
The amount of calories children receive from sugar-sweetened beverages has increased substantially over the past ten years and there is growing evidence that this increase is contributing to obesity in children. These findings were released in a study from the Mailman School of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, and Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and are described by Y. Claire Wang, MD, ScD, as an alarming trend that should be a major concern to parents and policy makers worried about the childhood obesity epidemic. On average, teenagers receive 356 calories per day from sodas, fruit drinks and punches, and sports drinks. Researchers suggest these extra calories that are not being burned off with physical activity create an energy gap that contributes to overweight in children. To burn off 365 calories would require 3 hours of walking or an hour of jogging. While soda makes up the most commonly consumed sugar-sweetened beverage, sports drink consumption increased threefold in ten years making it the fastest growing category. Researchers also found that Black and Mexican American youth showed a more rapid increase in sugary beverage consumption during the study. According to Steven Gortmaker, PhD, one of the study authors, "Parents can be easily misled by the labels on fruit punch and sports drink bottles because they make these sugar-sweetened beverages seem essential for good health, when in fact they are nothing more than different forms of sugar water." Most consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages occurs at home with only 7 to 15 percent occurring in schools. SOURCE: Pediatrics Exercise and leptin may be losing combinationWed. May 28, 2008 
After losing favor as a potential treatment for obesity when research indicated that obese people did not respond to it, the hormone leptin is once again being studied for its weight loss properties. Attempting to discover why leptin was most effective at fat fighting in lean people, researchers at the University of Florida have found that when used in combination with a minor amount of exercise, leptin may have benefits for obese people as well. Working with normal weight and obese rats, the researchers found that while neither exercise nor leptin worked to maintain weight in rats fed a high fat diet, when used together, the rats did not gain weight. "What the act of running appears to do is allow the leptin to work again. It's a demonstration that this simple act can reverse leptin resistance," says Philip Scarpace, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacology and therapeutics in the UF College of Medicine and the senior author of the study. One finding of the study that puzzles the researchers is that overweight rats given leptin gained more weight than those that were just fed the high fat diet. "This is a startling finding. Leptin is expected to reduce body weight, not promote weight and fat gain," Scarpace said. The obese rats that were given leptin and also ran did not gain weight. "They should have been gaining weight," Scarpace said. "They don't run enough to make any difference." More research is needed to understand exactly why this combination works and whether it will have the same effect in humans. The scientists speculate that the low level of running triggered a metabolic change in the rats that cleared the way for the leptin signal to get through SOURCE: Diabetes Locust appetite may help understanding of obesityTue. May 27, 2008 
Understanding what drives locusts to gorge themselves may provide valuable insight into why so many humans are overweight or obese says Professor Stephen Simpson of the University of Sydney. Simpson's research focuses on what he refers to as the ‘protein target' that prompts locusts to continue eating until they reach a specific level of protein. If the locust's diet is high in carbohydrate and low in protein, the locust will overeat in an effort to get sufficient protein. ‘These days, energy-rich manufactured foods are everywhere. They are usually lower in protein, and have more fat and carbohydrate. So getting to your target amount of protein often means you eat too much fat and refined carbohydrates in the process,' said Professor Simpson. ‘The amount of protein we eat has remained far more constant over time than the amount of fat and carbohydrate we eat, which has increased in recent decades. This research suggests that we should be focusing more on our intake of protein and that humans may also have a protein target that, once achieved, will lead to feelings of fullness.' SOURCE: University of Sydney |
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