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A study by Norwegian scientists finds that a women’s weight before pregnancy, coupled with the amount of weight gain during pregnancy, are significant indicators of a baby’s birth weight and, possibly, adult weight. The researchers assessed data on pre-pregnancy and pregnancy weight for more than 58,000 women over seven years. It was found that the birth weight of the newborn child increased with increasing maternal pre-pregnant body mass index (BMI); offspring birth weight also increased with increasing weight gain of the mother during pregnancy. Every one kilogram increase in pre-pregnancy BMI increased birth weight with 22.4 g. A subsequent increase in weight gain during pregnancy of 10 kg increased birth weight with 224 g.
"Maternal pre-pregnant body mass index, maternal weight change and offspring birthweight", Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, December 13, 2011
A British study has found that restricting carbohydrate intake two days a week may be a better way to prevent breast cancer and other diseases than simply restricting calories. Researchers compared three diets over four months to determine the effect on weight loss and on blood markers of breast cancer among 115 women with a family history of breast cancer. Patients were randomly assigned to a calorie-restricted, low-carb diet for two days a week; an low-carb, high-protein, high-healthy fat diet for two days a week; or a standard calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet for seven days a week. The intermittent low-carb diet that allowed unlimited protein and fats was superior to the calorie-restricted diet for reducing weight and reducing insulin levels, a marker for breast cancer.
"Intermittent, Low-Carbohydrate Diets More Successful Than Standard Dieting, Study Finds", News release, presentation, 2011 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, December 08, 2011
A study by British researchers has found that drinking tart cherry juice twice a day leads to longer sleep time, less daytime napping and increased overall sleep efficiency. The researchers attributed the sleep benefits to the melatonin content of the pure Montmorency juice concentrate diluted in a half pint of water. The researchers, whose experiment included 20 adults, found that when participants had two daily glasses of tart cherry juice they slept 39 minutes longer, on average, and had up to a six percent increase in overall sleep efficiency (i.e., significantly less non-sleep time in bed), compared to when they drank a non-cherry, fruit cocktail.
"Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality", European Journal of Nutrition, December 08, 2011
U.S. researchers report the successful testing of two methods of curbing overeating and binge eating in the absence of hunger among obese children and their parents. Thirty-six obese 8-to-12-year olds with high levels of overeating and their parents were assigned to eight-week-long training, either in appetite awareness or cue exposure. Appetite awareness training teaches children to recognize and respond appropriately to hunger and satiety cues. Cue exposure training uses a “toolbox” of coping skills to teach children parents to resist food in front of them. Many of the children were able to reduce overeating and binge eating using the new skills and may have found a way to prevent weight gain by gaining “a sense of control over what they chose to eat.”
"Two novel treatments to reduce overeating in overweight children", Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, December 07, 2011
A study by researchers at the University of California–San Francisco has found that mastering some easy techniques for mindful eating and stress reduction can help prevent weight gain during the hectic holiday season without resorting to dieting. Twenty-four of the 47 chronically stressed, overweight and obese women were randomly assigned to mindfulness training and practice, while the other 23 served as a control group. The test group learned stress reduction techniques, how to be more aware of their eating by recognizing bodily sensations, and how to meditate silently. Those who learned best how to listen to their bodies' cues (e.g., hunger, fullness and taste satisfaction), and how to reduce stress, experienced the highest loss of abdominal fat.
"Mindfulness Intervention for Stress Eating to Reduce Cortisol and Abdominal Fat among Overweight and Obese Women", Journal of Obesity, December 07, 2011
A British study of 78 habitual chocolate eaters found that those who exercised before going to work cut their chocolate consumption by half compared to those who did not exercise. After two days of abstinence from chocolate, participants in one group entered a simulated work environment and were asked to take a brisk 15-minute walk on the treadmill and then complete either a demanding or an easy task. The other group completed the same assignments without exercising first. The key finding? “People often find it difficult to cut down on their daily treats but this study shows that by taking a short walk, they are able to regulate their intake by half."
"Brisk walking reduces ad libitum snacking in regular chocolate eaters during a workplace simulation", Appetite, December 07, 2011
A U.S. study involving 30 young patients with moderate to severe milk sensitivity showed that consuming higher doses of milk protein as a dry powder did significantly better than sublingual milk extract in treating the allergies. Giving allergic children increasing doses of liquid milk extract under the tongue has been a strategy for training the immune system to tolerate milk. However, by the end of the two-year trial, half of the patients in the study were able to take eight grams of milk protein — the equivalent of 8 ounces of liquid milk — without any sign of allergic reaction. Most children treated with the dry-milk approach could eventually drink real amounts of milk with fewer and milder reactions over two years.
"The safety and efficacy of sublingual and oral immunotherapy for milk allergy", Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, December 06, 2011
Doctors and other healthcare providers need to do a better job of informing parents when their children are overweight or obese, according to U.S. researchers who found that fewer than 25 percent of parents recalled being told their kids had a weight problem. The researchers analyzed data collected between 1999 and 2008 from 4,985 children ages 2 to 15 years old who had an abnormal body mass index. Only 22 percent of parents said a health professional had told them their child was overweight. The percentage increased from 19.4 percent in 1999 to 29.1 percent in 2007-2008. Only 58 percent of parents of very obese children recall a doctor telling them. "Parents might be more motivated to follow healthy eating and activity advice if they knew their children were overweight,” researchers said.
"Parental Recall of Doctor Communication of Weight Status: National Trends From 1999 Through 2008", Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, December 05, 2011
Childbearing-age women who regularly eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids may significantly reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, Danish population research has found. The study included 49,000 women aged 15-49 years who were interviewed or submitted questionnaires about their fish consumption and other lifestyle issues. The most common fish consumed by women in the study were cod, salmon, herring, and mackerel. Those who rarely or never ate fish had 50 percent more cardiovascular problems over eight years than those who ate fish regularly. Compared to women who ate fish high in omega-3 weekly, the risk was 90 percent higher for those who rarely or never ate fish.
"Fish, n-3 Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Diseases in Women of Reproductive Age: A Prospective Study in a Large National Cohort", Hypertension, December 05, 2011
Eating an antioxidant-rich diet reduces the risk of stroke, regardless of any previous history of cardiovascular disease, Swedish researchers have found. Eating fruits, vegetables and grains – foods rich in antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, carotenoids and flavonoids – inhibits oxidative stress and inflammation that lead to blood vessel damage. Analyzing dietary data collected from questionnaires, the researchers found that women with a history of cardiovascular disease whose antioxidant intake was the highest had a 46 percent to 57 percent lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke compared with those whose intake was lowest. Among women without a history of cardiovascular disease, those whose antioxidant intake was highest had a 17 percent lower risk of stroke than those with the lowest intake.
"Total Antioxidant Capacity of Diet and Risk of Stroke: A Population-Based Prospective Cohort of Women", Stroke, December 01, 2011
A study by Irish and Canadian researchers has confirmed that high salt intake may put people with heart disease or diabetes at increased risk of cardiovascular complications, but has also found that too little salt intake may also put these patients at risk. The study found that moderate salt intake is associated with the lowest risk of cardiovascular events. Higher intake of sodium was associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular events. And low intake was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for congestive heart failure. According to the researchers, the findings call into question current guidelines for salt intake, which recommend less than 2,300 mg a day.
"Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion and Risk of Cardiovascular Events", JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, November 23, 2011
British scientists have found that amino acids in proteins such as egg whites stimulate orexin neurons that secrete a brain stimulant (orexin/hypocretin) that seems to encourage calorie burning – preventing weight gain – while keeping people awake. The scientists compared the actions of different nutrients on orexin cells. They found that glucose blocks orexin cells, which may be a reason for after-meal sleepiness, but amino acids stop glucose from blocking orexin cells. In other words, the protein negated the effects of sugar on the cells. The findings may shed light on prior puzzling observations showing that protein meals can make people feel less calm and more alert than carbohydrate meals.
"Activation of Central Orexin/Hypocretin Neurons by Dietary Amino Acids", Neuron, November 16, 2011
Inadequate vitamin C intake among heart failure patients was associated with a greater risk of further “cardiac events,” including emergency room visits or hospitalizations due to cardiac problems, or cardiac death, a Korean/U.S. study has found. Low levels of vitamin C were associated with higher levels of high sensitivity C-Reactive protein (hsCRP) and shorter intervals without major cardiac issues or death for heart failure patients. Heart failure patients who had low vitamin C intake were 2.4 times more likely to have higher levels of hsCRP, a marker for inflammation and a risk factor for heart disease compared to those with high vitamin C intake from food.
"Low Vitamin C Levels May Raise Heart Failure Patients' Risk", News release, presentation, American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions, November 13, 2011
A European research project has found that adequate sleep and reduced TV/computer time have a significant effect on children’s weight. Children who slept less than nine hours a night were twice as likely to be overweight compared to children sleeping 11 hours; children sleeping 9-10 hours were 1.3 times more likely. Children viewing more TV consumed higher-fat and particularly higher-sugar diets, researchers found. The length of time children sleep varies significantly among European countries: children in Estonia average 9-10 hours a night, while children in Belgium average more than 11 hours. Generally, children from Southern and Eastern Europe get less sleep than children in the North. Children who get more exercise, and spend less time in front of the TV or computer are more likely to eat healthily.
"Watching Less TV, Being More Active and Sleeping More Is Linked to a Healthy Body Weight in Young Children", News release, presentation, European Nutrition Conference, October 27, 2011
Women who consume two or more sugary beverages a day are nearly four times as likely to develop high triglycerides, and are significantly more likely to increase their waist sizes and develop impaired fasting glucose levels, even without gaining weight, according to U.S. research. For the study, researchers compared middle-aged and older women who drank two or more sugar-sweetened sodas or waters to women who drank one or less daily. Most people know that drinking a lot of sugar-sweetened drinks can increase obesity and the risk for heart disease and diabetes. But the study showed that risk factors for heart disease, stroke and diabetes developed even when the women didn't gain weight. The same associations were not observed in men.
"Sugar-Sweetened Beverages May Increase Cardiovascular Risk in Women, Research Suggests", News release, presentation, American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions, January 01, 1996
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McMaster University , November 22, 2011
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