Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Researchers identify common gene variant linked to high blood pressure

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have identified a common gene variant that appears to influence people's risk of developing high blood pressure, according to the results of a study being published online Dec. 29, 2008 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

30 Dec 2008

Moderate drinking lowers risk of Alzheimer's and cognitive decline

Moderate drinkers often have lower risks of Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive loss, according to researchers who reviewed 44 studies.

30 Dec 2008

Diet high in inorganic phosphates increases risk of lung cancer

New research in an animal model suggests that a diet high in inorganic phosphates, which are found in a variety of processed foods including meats, cheeses, beverages, and bakery products, might speed growth of lung cancer tumors and may even contribute to the development of those tumors in individuals predisposed to the disease.

30 Dec 2008

High-fat diet can disrupt our biological clock

Indulgence in a high-fat diet can not only lead to overweight because of excessive calorie intake, but also can affect the balance of circadian rhythms - everyone's 24-hour biological clock, Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers have shown.

29 Dec 2008

Barcode chip enables cheaper, faster blood testing

A new barcode chip developed by a multi-institutional team of investigators promises to revolutionize diagnostic medical testing. In less than 10 minutes and using just a pinprick's worth of blood, the chip can measure the concentrations of dozens of proteins, including those that herald the presence of diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

29 Dec 2008

Measuring nanoparticle behavior in the body using MRI

One of the key steps in the development of any drug or imaging agent intended for human use is measurement of the adsorption, metabolism, and excretion of the drug.

29 Dec 2008

Well balanced diet improves blood glucose tolerance and blood lipid levels

A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association ( JAMA ) on 16 December 2008 has found that those with type 2 diabetes who had a diet high in low-glycemic foods such as nuts, beans and lentils had greater improvement in glycemic control and risk factors for coronary heart disease than those on a diet with an emphasis on high-cereal fibre.

21 Dec 2008

Updated guidelines for irritable bowel syndrome

Although irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common disease diagnosed by gastroenterologists, it's also one of the most misunderstood.

18 Dec 2008

Compound from olive-skin pomace protects against colon-cancer

Researchers from the University of Granada and the University of Barcelona have shown that treatment with maslinic acid, a triterpenoid compound isolated from olive-skin pomace, results in a significant inhibition of cell proliferation and causes apoptotic death in colon-cancer cells.

18 Dec 2008

Women double fruit and vegetable intakes with switch to Mediterranean diet

In a new study led by the University of Michigan Health System, women more than doubled their fruit and vegetable intakes and dramatically increased their consumption of "good" fats when they were counseled by registered dietitians and provided with a list of guidelines on the amount of certain foods they should eat each day.

17 Dec 2008

Policymakers, the media and the public should use 20 specific health indicators

Policymakers, the media, and the public should focus on 20 specific health indicators as "yardsticks" to measure the overall health and well-being of Americans, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

17 Dec 2008

Breakthrough on type 1 diabetes development

Finnish scientists have reported a breakthrough in the attempts to understand the development of type 1 diabetes.

17 Dec 2008

Lean muscle mass may help obese patients battle cancer

Lean muscle-mass may give even obese people an advantage in battling cancer, a University of Alberta study shows.

17 Dec 2008

Restaurant workers and carpenters have highest risks for oesophagal cancer

A new study led by Spanish researchers has revealed that exposure to certain substances may increase the risk of cancer of the oesophagus.

17 Dec 2008

Dieting may help reduce the risk of gum disease, mostly in men

For men, especially older men, dieting may help reduce the risk of gum disease more than for women, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and other institutions.

17 Dec 2008

Preventing food allergies in children - a change of strategy?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States in 2007 around 3 million children under 18 had food allergies - a rise of 18% since 1997.

17 Dec 2008

Report looks at dangers of drinking raw milk

With disease outbreaks linked to unpasteurized milk rising in the United States, a review published in the January 1, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases examines the dangers of drinking raw milk.

16 Dec 2008

Study to examine how breastfeeding impacts cost of healthcare for very low birth weight babies

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded nearly $3 million to support Rush University Medical Center's study analyzing how human breast milk impacts the health outcomes and health care cost savings for very low birth weight infants – babies less than 1500 grams.

16 Dec 2008

Multi-faceted strategy improves nutritional support for ICU patients, but not outcomes

A strategy to change practice in intensive care units was effective in implementing earlier nutritional support for critically ill patients, but the change did not result in a reduced risk of death or reduced length of stay in the ICU, according to a study in the December 17 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

16 Dec 2008

Low-glycemic foods better for glycemic control than high-fiber

Persons with type 2 diabetes who had a diet high in low-glycemic foods such as nuts, beans and lentils had greater improvement in glycemic control and risk factors for coronary heart disease than persons on a diet with an emphasis on high-cereal fiber, according to a study in the December 17 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

16 Dec 2008