Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Low-dose estrogen therapy significantly reduced the progression of fatty buildup in the arteries leading to the heart

“We’ve shown that you can get the same reduction in coronary artery atherosclerosis with standard-dose or low-dose estrogen,” said Thomas B. Clarkson, D.V.M., one of the investigators. “It is very significant.”

10 Oct 2004

Diet high in soy could be good for the hearts and bones of premenopausal women

The results suggest that for cholesterol and bone density, the natural plant estrogens in soy may be most effective in conjunction with the body’s own estrogen – which would make it especially potent in women who haven’t reached menopause. They also point to the possibility the estrogen-soy synergy could have other benefits as well.

10 Oct 2004

Surgery for extremely obese patients may be more effective for weight reduction

A new report issued today by HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality concludes that surgery for extremely obese patients who have tried and failed to lose weight with exercise and diet may be more effective for weight reduction.

10 Oct 2004

New research tackles child obesity through the introduction of a computerized nutritional tool known

With government figures estimating 30 percent of all U.S. children are overweight or at risk for being too heavy, there is a necessity for innovative new strategies to prevent these young people from becoming overweight or obese adults.

10 Oct 2004

Africa is fighting back against vitamin and mineral deficiencies

A report released yesterday says that Africa is fighting back against vitamin and mineral deficiencies, saving millions of women and children from death and debilitation through simple, cost effective strategies such as fortifying staple foods. But millions of children can still be helped if current strategies and partnerships are extended to reach every country and every child.

8 Oct 2004

Best way to protect yourself from digestive cancers is by eating right, not taking a pill

“The bottom line is to forget the antioxidant supplement and eat lots of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables,” said William Hart, Ph.D., R.D., associate professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University. “Limit meat, high fat milk products and all other sources of fat.”

8 Oct 2004

Why the GMC is right to appeal over life prolonging treatment

The General Medical Council, Britain's regulatory body for doctors, is right to appeal against a high court ruling that its current guidance on withholding and withdrawing life prolonging treatment is unlawful, says a professor of medical ethics in this week's BMJ.

8 Oct 2004

A new guide on how to set up healthy vending machines

A new guide on how to set up healthy vending machines and make a profit in secondary schools – selling drinks such as milk, pure fruit juice and water – is launched today.

7 Oct 2004

Added sugars have little or no substantive effect on diet quality

Since the dietary guidelines are relying heavily on what we believe to be a flawed interpretation of the data by the IOM, our study is a very important analysis for the nutrition community as a whole, and particularly for nutrition policy," said Maureen Storey, director of the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy, who coauthored the study with Richard Forshee, research assistant professor at the CFNP.

7 Oct 2004

New soybean oil that reduces trans fatty acids

Bunge Limited and DuPont today announced a new soybean oil that enables food service providers and food processors to reduce or eliminate trans fatty acids in their products.

6 Oct 2004

Low-fat meals reduce effectiveness of vitamin E supplementation

Research at the University of Surrey has now shown that if a vitamin E supplement is taken with a low-fat meal, the absorption of the vitamin into the blood stream, and therefore its efficacy, is significantly reduced.

6 Oct 2004

Breastfeeding women increase sexual desire among other women

Breastfeeding women and their infants produce a substance that increases sexual desire among other women, according to research at the University of Chicago.

6 Oct 2004

Research continues to show the cardiovascular benefits of fish consumption or omega-3 fatty acids

USA-Peer-reviewed research continues to show the cardiovascular benefits of fish consumption or intake of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFAs).

5 Oct 2004

Compound derived from fruit and vegetables could be used to improve the effects of an established cancer drug

The drug, mitomycin C (MMC), is a well-known anticancer treatment used mainly against solid tumours in the bladder and lower bowel. It is activated by enzymes naturally found in the human body, but its use is limited by severe side effects at higher doses.

5 Oct 2004

New genomic, proteomic tools yield clues to exercise/diet effects on obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes

Applying the latest genomic and proteomic techniques has given researchers new clues for the interaction between exercise and diet, glucose metabolism and improvement in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.

5 Oct 2004

People with asthma can drink milk too!

Got asthma but want milk? Breathe easy, drink up and rest assured that your three daily serves of dairy foods will not trigger or exacerbate your asthma symptoms.

5 Oct 2004

National Education Association sells out to Atkins

PCRM is calling on the National Education Association and three other education organizations to provide a full financial disclosure of their controversial new contracts permitting Atkins Nutritionals to market its diet information to school children.

4 Oct 2004