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Recent studies associating the consumption of red and processed meat with a higher risk of colon cancer should be taken with a grain of salt, according to a paper published by 23 scientists. Much of the data were collected from studies in which animals ate large amounts of red meat without a balance of vegetables, fiber, milk or other sources of calcium. These other foods, cooperating with the bacteria that live in the gut, may actually protect the gut from cancer. Meat contains nutritionally beneficial compounds that are not carcinogenic, the researchers concluded, but when consumed in very high amounts may result in an imbalanced diet and thereby increase the risk of developing [colorectal cancer].”
"The role of red and processed meat in colorectal cancer development: A review, based on findings from a workshop.", Meat Science, March 06, 2014
A U.S. study that tracked the dietary patterns of more than 6,000 Americans over 50 for 20 years found that eating an animal-protein-rich diet during middle age puts people at four times the risk of dying or cancer than eating a low-protein diet. That puts protein eating in the same risk category as smoking, the researchers said. Moreover, middle-aged people who eat a lot of animal protein – including meat, milk and cheese – are also more likely in general to die an early death. Protein eaters were 74 percent more likely to die of any cause within the study period than their low protein counterparts. They were also several times more likely to die of diabetes, the study found. The researchers concluded that what's good for a person earlier in life may be damaging at a later stage.
"Low Protein Intake Is Associated with a Major Reduction in IGF-1, Cancer, and Overall Mortality in the 65 and Younger but Not Older Population. ", Cell Metabolism, March 06, 2014
New U.K. research adds to the growing evidence of the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Scientists found that high levels of omega-3 DHA fatty acids in algae and seafood are also linked to improved sleep. The study involved 362 healthy seven- to nine-year olds who were all struggling readers. About 40 percent of the kids were reported – via parental questionnaires – to have regular sleep disturbances. For the study, these children were monitored nightly with wrist sensors. Those who received daily omega-3 supplements slept nearly an hour longer than those taking a placebo, and had seven fewer waking episodes per night. “Alarmingly low levels” of omega-3s in the blood of children could be related to poor sleep and, in turn, behavior and learning and learning problems, the researchers concluded.
"Fatty acids and sleep in UK children: Subjective and pilot objective sleep results from the DOLAB study – a randomized controlled trial. ", Journal of Sleep Research, March 06, 2014
Sticking to a Japanese-style diet that includes lots of fish would help American men reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a multinational study led by U.S. scientists. They followed 300 American and Japanese men for five years, noting their consumption of omega-3-rich oily fish and monitoring factors like cigarette smoking, cholesterol levels, alcohol consumption, diabetes rates and blood pressure. After adjusting for those factors, the U.S. men had three times the incidence of coronary artery calcification as the Japanese men. Significantly, the levels of marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids in the blood were more than 100 percent higher in the Japanese than in the white men.
" Long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and incidence rate of coronary artery calcification in Japanese men in Japan and white men in the USA: population based prospective cohort study. ", Heart, March 04, 2014
An American researcher who analyzed study data from the last 60 years says saturated fats are not to blame for the steady rise of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Instead, he says, look to refined carbohydrates because diets low in saturated fats do not prevent heart disease, contrary to flawed research from the 1950s. Dr. James DiNicolantonio advises those who have experienced a heart attack to not replace saturated fats with refined carbs or omega 6 fatty acids like those found in processed corn or safflower oils. Instead, the best diet for heart health is one rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and low in refined carbohydrates, sugars and processed foods. He urges "a public health campaign”, like the anti-saturated fat campaign, that admits “we got it wrong," he says.
"The cardiometabolic consequences of replacing saturated fats with carbohydrates or -6 polyunsaturated fats: Do the dietary guidelines have it wrong? ", Open Heart, March 04, 2014
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Cell Metabolism, March 01, 2014
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