Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Dietary soy isoflavones inhibit estrogen effects in the postmenopausal breast

Research in monkeys suggests that the natural plant estrogens found in soy do not increase markers of breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. In fact, they may provide a protective effect in some women. The research is reported in Cancer Research.

16 Jan 2006

Teacher supervised toothbrushing reduces dental decay in socially deprived school children

Dental decay is one of the most common preventable health problems in children living in socially deprived areas of the UK.

16 Jan 2006

Cut calories, cut portions for a younger healthier heart

According to a new study, which is the first to associate calorie restriction with delaying the onset of aging, cutting down on calories and restricting portions, really does work.

16 Jan 2006

FDA warns diet drugs contain Prozac and Librium

The FDA has issued a warning to consumers that diet pills from Brazil have been found to contain active drug ingredients which are possibly harmful.

16 Jan 2006

The sweet answer to a poor memory

Sweet tooth types out there will be delighted to learn that those sweet and sugary drinks may improve the memory.

16 Jan 2006

Hedgehog protein plays a role in regulating fat and bone

A protein that guides the early development of creatures as diverse as fruit flies and humans also plays a role in regulating fat and bone formation in adult organisms, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered.

10 Jan 2006

Anthroposophic lifestyle reduces the risk of allergic disease in children

Certain features of the anthroposophic lifestyle, such as restrictive use of antibiotics and fever antipyretics, reduce the risk of allergic disease in children, according to a new study.

10 Jan 2006

Carbohydrates improve insulin control

It is commonly believed that carbohydrates, particularly sugar, are a cause of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. However, such thinking has been challenged following the publication of a thorough appraisal of the evidence, in the latest edition of Nutrition Research Reviews.

10 Jan 2006

Diet rich in veggies lowers blood pressure

Researchers say that a diet rich in vegetables rather than meat can help to reduce blood pressure, and the more plant protein consumed the better.

10 Jan 2006

Study finds short-term lifestyle changes improve health even without major weight loss

Obese and overweight individuals suffering metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes showed significant health improvements after only three weeks of diet and moderate exercise even though the participants remained overweight.

10 Jan 2006

Fish oil shown to reduce airway inflammation caused by exercise-induced asthma

People suffering from exercise-induced asthma were able to reduce their symptoms below the threshold used to diagnose the disease by eating a diet supplemented with fish oil, according to new research findings from Indiana University reported in the January issue of the journal Chest.

10 Jan 2006

Statins not associated with reduced colorectal cancer risk

Use of cholesterol reducing drugs is not associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

8 Jan 2006

Low-fat, high-carb diet not associated with weight gain in postmenopausal women

In a clinical trial of over 48,000 post-menopausal women, a low-fat diet that includes increased consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is not associated with weight gain over an average of 7.5 years, according to a study in the January 4 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

8 Jan 2006

Link between soft drinks and esophageal cancer debunked

Carbonated soft drink consumption was previously suggested to be linked to the 350 percent increase of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus since the mid-1970s, but researchers at Yale School of Medicine report that the link is unfounded and that there may, in fact, be a decreased risk of this cancer for diet soda drinkers.

6 Jan 2006

Maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy influences the bone growth of children

Vitamin D supplementation of pregnant women could lead to longlasting reduction in osteoporotic fractures in their children, according to a study published in this week’s issue of The Lancet.

6 Jan 2006

Promising new therapy for ulcerative colitis

For people with the chronic disease ulcerative colitis, life can be limited to few social functions and trips away from home.

6 Jan 2006

Soy diet worsens heart disease in mice

Researchers from the University of Colorado have shown that mice carrying a genetic mutation that is linked to altered heart growth and function in humans, have significantly worse heart problems if fed a soy diet, when compared to mice fed a soy-free (milk protein-based) diet.

6 Jan 2006

Gulf War Syndrome more prevalent in first Persian Gulf War veterans

Comparing veterans deployed in the first Persian Gulf War and veterans deployed elsewhere at the same time has revealed veterans who served in the Persian Gulf have nearly twice the prevalence of chronic multi-symptom illness (CMI), a cluster of symptoms similar to a set of conditions often called Gulf War Syndrome.

5 Jan 2006

UCLA examines disease-versus-disease interactions

The knowledge that one disease may prevent the onset of another is not new. For example, the discovery that cowpox vaccines can prevent smallpox dates back to 1798.

5 Jan 2006

Elevated homocysteine levels may be a biomarker for increased risk of AMD

People who have elevated homocysteine in their blood, an amino acid that is a known biomarker for cardiovascular disease, may also be at an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a study in the January issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

5 Jan 2006