Time To Dispel Myths About The Purported Adverse Effects Of White Bread

The tide may be turning in the controversy over whether white bread is beneficial or detrimental  to health. A new study from a U.K. researcher takes “health campaigners and TV nutritionists” to task for “demonizing” white bread in recent years. Dr. Aine O’Connor stresses that “bread is an important source of nutrition” and “health professionals need to dispel the myths.” One such myth is that consuming bread contributes to obesity. She notes that though bread consumption in the U.K. has fallen steadily, the country has the worst obesity problem in Europe. Bread is loaded with nutrients, and though it has been high in salt, manufacturers have taken steps to cut sodium content. 

"White bread is not bad for you, experts say", The Telegraph, September 15, 2012

Nestlé Tackles The Health And Wellness Market Again With Anti-Obesity, Anti-Diabetes Foods

In an attempt to convince countries around the world that it is cheaper to prevent than treat diabetes and obesity, Nestlé SA is marketing products that target those chronic conditions. Boost shakes, for example, were formulated to help diabetes patients control blood sugar. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Nestlé’s offerings mark the third attempt to crack the health and wellness market. Success in the latest endeavor depends on whether Nestlé can convince regulators that its products are scientifically sound. The company also needs to “persuade doctors to prescribe them and show they can do something drugmakers’ offerings can’t”.

"Nestle Diversifies With Products Fighting Junk Food Ills", Bloomberg Businessweek, September 05, 2012

Study Shows That Drinking Low-Cal Cranberry Juice Reduces Blood Pressure

An eight-week placebo-controlled U.S. study of the effects of drinking diet cranberry juice has found a significant positive impact on blood pressure. Researchers measured blood pressure of study participants at the beginning, mid-point and end of the study. They found that blood pressure dropped from an average of 121/73 mmHg to 118/70 mmHg among the cranberry juice drinkers, but found no change among the placebo group. According to the researchers, cranberry juice is rich in antioxidants that have been associated with blood pressure reduction. The study was funded by Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.

"Low Calorie Cranberry Juice Lowers Blood Pressure in Healthy Adults, Study Finds", News release, presentation at the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Research 2012 Scientific Sessions, September 25, 2012

Choline-Rich Diet During Pregnancy Reduces Child’s Risk Of Later Health Problems

Pregnant women who eat eggs and meat – foods rich in the nutrient choline – decrease the risk that their children will suffer from stress-related illnesses, such as mental health problems and hypertension as they grow older, U.S. scientists find. The research found that higher-than-normal amounts of choline in the diet during pregnancy modified epigenetic markers in the fetus. The markers don’t change DNA, but they do permanently affect whether the gene will express, i.e., turn on or off. Choline affects markers that control the body’s hormonal activity, including the production of cortisol. Over-exposure to cortisol in the womb can  increase a baby’s lifelong risk of stress-related and metabolic disorders.

"Maternal choline intake alters the epigenetic state of fetal cortisol-regulating genes in humans", The FASEB Journal, September 25, 2012

Study Shows Blueberry Ingredient Reduces Blood Pressure

A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 80 adults with high cholesterol showed that a commercial form of pterostilbene, a compound found naturally in blueberries, reduces blood pressure. The U.S. study evaluated whether the ingredient – marketed as pTeroPure – improves cardiovascular health. Participants took either high (125 mg) doses of pterostilbene, low doses, pterostilbene with grape extract or a placebo twice a day for 6-8 weeks. Patients who received the high doses of pterostilbene experienced significant drops in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, compared to the placebo group.

"Clinical Trial Reveals Pterostilbene Reduces Blood Pressure in Adults", News release, presentation at the American Heart Association's 2012 Scientific Sessions on High Blood Pressure Research, September 20, 2012

Study Finds That Women Who Read Food Labels Tend To Be Thinner

A multinational study of women consumers finds that those who read food labels when shopping weighed nine pounds less than those who didn’t read labels. The study analyzed data from an  annual health survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that collected more than 25,000 observations on health, eating and shopping habits. The study also found that women read labels more often than men; smokers in general paid even less attention to food labels. "These findings imply that health education campaigns can employ nutritional labels as one of the instruments for reducing obesity," the authors write.

"The effects of nutritional labels on obesity", Agricultural Economics, September 19, 2012

DASH Diet Lowers Blood Pressure, And With Exercise It Helps Shed Pounds

A Duke University study finds that the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet  lowers blood pressure and, with aerobic exercise, it also lowers weight. The DASH diet is low in fats and cholesterol, and rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. The 144 obese, hypertensive adults in the study either adhered to the DASH diet plus exercise, the DASH diet alone, or no diet. The diet plus exercise group lost an average of 19 pounds. No weight change occurred among those who didn’t diet or dieted without exercise. Both groups on the DASH diet lowered their blood pressure. The researchers suggest that African-Americans might be more likely to adopt the diet if traditional recipes were modified to meet nutritional guidelines, rather than eliminating certain foods.

"Determinants and Consequences of Adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet in African-American and White Adults with High Blood Pressure", Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, September 19, 2012

Eating Yogurt Can Reduce Risk Of High Blood Pressure

A 15-year U.S. study of more than 2,000 volunteers who were not hypertensive at the start of the research found that yogurt-eaters were at less risk of developing high blood pressure than non-yogurt eaters. Study participants were 31 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure if at least two percent of their daily calories came from yogurt. That would amount to about one 6-oz. cup of low-fat yogurt every three days.

"Yogurt Consumption Blood Pressure and Incident Hypertension", News release, presentation at the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Research 2012 Scientific Sessions, September 19, 2012

Bypass Surgery Leads To Faster Weight Loss And Reduction In Heart Disease Risk

"Health Benefits of Gastric Bypass Surgery After 6 Years", JAMA, September 18, 2012

Add Adequate Sleep To Weight Loss Program To Get The Most Benefit

Calorie restrictions and increased physical activity are the usual prescriptions for a weight loss program. But two Canadian researchers argue that adequate sleep should be included as well. The researchers said inadequate sleep stimulates the desire to eat more and increases appetite-regulating hormones. They found that total sleep time and quality of sleep were accurate predictors of fat loss in people participating in weight loss programs. “Sleep should be included as part of the lifestyle package that traditionally has focused on diet and physical activity," they wrote.

"Adequate sleep to improve the treatment of obesity", Canadian Medical Association Journal, September 17, 2012

Malnourished African Children Did Not Gain Weight After Eating Food Supplement

African children suffering from malnutrition did not gain weight after eating energy-dense food supplements, but did show other benefits, according to a study conducted by an international non-governmental organization with Belgian and French researchers. The study investigated the effect of daily doses of a lipid-based nutrient product known as Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) on 519 children aged 6 to 36 months in Abeche, Chad, a city experiencing food shortages. The addition of RUSF to the household food rations had little effect on weight. But, compared to the 519 children in the control group, those in the RUSF group had a greater gain in height-for-age, slightly higher hemoglobin levels, and lower rates of diarrhea and fever, as reported by the child's parents.

"The Effect of Adding Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food to a General Food Distribution on Child Nutritional Status and Morbidity", PLoS Medicine, September 17, 2012

Study Finds That Vigorous Exercise Before Eating Reduces Appetite

New U.S. research finds that a vigorous exercise session that lasts 45 minutes in the morning actually reduces a person’s appetite. Researchers measured the neural activity of 35 women while they looked at photos of food – after a morning workout and with no workout. The women’s “attentional response” to the food images decreased after the workout session. "This study provides evidence that exercise not only affects energy output, but it also may affect how people respond to food cues," the researchers wrote.

"Neural Response to Pictures of Food after Exercise in Normal-Weight and Obese Women", Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, September 13, 2012