Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Where you live influences risk of heart attack or stroke

Sure you think about diet and exercise as key to heart disease prevention. But what about the neighborhood you live in?

18 Feb 2007

Everyday plastics and pesticides may influence obesity

Obesity is generally discussed in terms of caloric intake (how much a person eats) and energy output (how much a person exercises).

18 Feb 2007

Watercress shows anti-cancer potential

Eating watercress daily can significantly reduce DNA damage to blood cells, which is considered to be an important trigger in the development of cancer, University of Ulster scientists revealed.

18 Feb 2007

Study shows PanK2 enzyme within mitochondria is triggered by the first step in fatty acid breakdown

Just as homes have smoke detectors, cells have an enzyme that responds to a buildup of fatty acids by triggering the production of a key molecule in the biochemical pathway that breaks them down, according to investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. This provides the cell energy while reducing the chance that excess fatty acids will accumulate.

15 Feb 2007

New oral blood thinner

A new oral blood thinner is being compared to an old standby to see if it works as well and is easier to manage long term, researchers say.

13 Feb 2007

Cravings for chocolate increased by dieting

Those planning to break New Year's dieting resolutions with a feast of chocolate on Valentine's Day, should think again, according to researchers at the University of Hertfordshire.

13 Feb 2007

Indicators for risk of heart disease are higher in passive smokers

Exposure to second-hand smoke at work, home or elsewhere results in a disproportionate rise in markers that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, University of Nottingham researchers have found.

12 Feb 2007

Siestas good for your heart!

Siestas could be the latest way of avoiding stress and protecting the heart from disease.

12 Feb 2007

Type-2 diabetes genes identified

The most important genes associated with a risk of developing type-2 diabetes have been identified, scientists report today in a new study.

11 Feb 2007

Folate and vitamin B12 preserve cognitive function among seniors

Folate and vitamin B12, two important nutrients for the development of healthy nerves and blood cells, may work together to protect cognitive function among seniors, reports a new epidemiological study from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (USDA HNRCA).

11 Feb 2007

Are we as fit as the people of ancient Greece?

We may not be as fit as the people of ancient Athens, despite all that modern diet and training can provide, according to research by University of Leeds exercise physiologist, Dr Harry Rossiter.

11 Feb 2007

Approval of orlistat capsules over-the-counter

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved orlistat capsules as an over-the-counter (OTC) weight loss aid for overweight adults.

7 Feb 2007

The skin is alive ... with a zoo of bugs!

According to a new study, the largest organ in our body, the skin, is home to a virtual zoo of bacteria some of which are have never been seen before.

7 Feb 2007

Combined effects of aging and obesity epidemic results in bigger body size among the elderly

When it comes to body fat, today's older adults face a double whammy, according to new research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues. Up until age 80, older adults not only gain fat as they age -- but because of the obesity epidemic -- they actually begin their older years fatter.

7 Feb 2007

Minority women less aware of heart disease than white women

U.S. minority women are less aware than white women of their risk for heart problems and stroke, although they are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the January/February issue of the Journal of Women's Health, Reuters reports.

7 Feb 2007

Maximising energy for sporting performance

Athletes in training for the London Marathon could improve their performance significantly by giving more thought to what they eat and drink, according to researchers at the University of Hertfordshire.

6 Feb 2007

Multivitamin/mineral supplements and chronic disease prevention

Some one hundred years after the first vitamin was named, what is known about them has not translated into beneficial, standardized recommendations for public health, says Irwin Rosenberg, MD, University Professor, and director of the Nutrition and Neurocognition Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University.

6 Feb 2007

Selenium reduces prostate cancer risk in men taking extra vitamin E

A new study is suggesting that for certain groups of men a high dietary intake of selenium may reduce their risk of prostate cancer.

6 Feb 2007

Gambian President claims three day HIV/AIDS cure

Leading South African HIV/AIDS experts are shocked and dismayed by a claim by Gambian President Yahya Jammeh that he can cure AIDS in three days.

6 Feb 2007

High blood pressure in pregnancy may lead to heart disease

Women who develop high blood pressure during pregnancy are more likely to develop increased coronary calcification later in life than those who maintained a normal blood pressure, researchers said in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

6 Feb 2007