Echoing the message of low-carb diet programs like Atkins, a U.S. nutrition expert urges elimination or severe restriction of foods containing refined or “complex” carbohydrates, the inferior carbs that are really at the root of America’s obesity problems. That doesn’t include fruits and vegetables, Tom Griesel says, “because they are truly unrefined and contain fiber … and many readily available and usable nutrients.” The inferior carbs are found instead in all sugar, particularly high fructose corn syrup, refined foods and drinks (i.e., “anything packaged), and all grain products, refined or unrefined. Consuming even small quantities of these kinds of foods cause spikes in blood sugar levels that are a real problem because they spur unhealthy insulin surges. Griesel is the co-author of the forthcoming book “TurboCharged.”

Small lifestyle changes, along with the elimination of certain foods and beverages, can lead to a healthier, longer life, say health experts from the Calorie Control Council, which represents the low-calorie and reduced-fat food and beverage industry. Reducing portions, controlling calories, increasing physical activity and adding more “color” to the plate (i.e., fruits and vegetables) can all help people avoid unhealthy weight gain. The Council predicts five weight loss and obesity trends for 2011: preventing weight gain by, for example, cutting 100 calories or adding 2,000 steps of physical activity a day; applying updated U.S. dietary guidelines to shape healthier eating patterns; introduction of more “light” products that provide hunger satisfaction – one of the hottest trends in weight management; implementation of corporate wellness programs; and increased calorie consciousness at restaurants.

A substance found in the fat of dairy foods may substantially reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, U.S. researchers have found. Nutritionists usually advise against eating a diet rich in dairy products, but scientific evidence is mounting that the substance, trans-palmitoleic acid, may be associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Researchers looked at data from 3,736 people who participated in a cardiovascular health study over 20 years. Risk factors such as blood glucose and insulin levels were measured along with levels of trans-palmitoleic acid. At the start, higher levels of trans-palmitoleic acid were associated with healthier levels of blood cholesterol and other factors. At follow up, those with higher levels of trans-palmitoleic acid had a 60 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those with lowest levels.

Researchers in the U.K. have found that folic acid doses as little as 0.2 mg a day over six months effectively lower the concentrations of the amino acid homocysteine, which has been linked to cardiovascular and neural disorders, especially in infants. The randomized study involved 101 patients with ischemic heart disease and 71 healthy volunteers. Participants received either a placebo or folic acid doses of 0.2, 0.4, or 0.8 mg a day for 26 weeks. The study found that doses higher than 0.2 mg a day are probably not necessary because they do not significantly lower homcysteine levels further. “Doses even lower than 0.2 mg a day may be effective in the longer term,” the researchers conclude. Earlier trials “probably overestimated the folic acid dose required” because the treatments didn’t last long enough.

Seventy-five percent of children surveyed by U.S. researchers consumed caffeine on a daily basis, usually in soft drinks, and the more caffeine the children consumed, the less they slept. However, even though caffeine is a diuretic, it was not linked to bedwetting. The researchers surveyed the parents of more than 200 children five to 12 years old about the types and amounts of snacks and beverages their children consumed each day. The researchers found that some children as young as five consumed the equivalent of a can of soda a day, but older children drank more caffeinated beverages. Children between the ages of eight and 12 years consumed an average of 109 mg of caffeine a day, equivalent to nearly three 12-ounce cans of soda.

A study by researchers in Norway suggests that the reason overweight or obese people have lower levels of vitamin D in their blood is because the vitamin is diverted to fat cells, where it is absorbed and prevented from circulating. A vitamin D deficiency then occurs -- leading potentially to a variety of health problems -- even when obese people take in sufficient amounts from the sun, foods or supplements. The researchers studied 1,779 patients with excess body weight, finding a correlation between higher weight and lower amounts of the hormonal form of vitamin D known as 1,25(OH)2D. That compound maintains proper calcium levels in the body, and a deficiency has been associated with cancer, multiple sclerosis, and cardiovascular disease.

Several trade associations that represent the dietary supplement industry have thrown their support behind FDA efforts to crack down on tainted products marketed as dietary supplements that contain the same active ingredients as approved drugs or other ingredients that do not qualify as dietary ingredients. The products are often promoted for weight loss, sexual enhancement, and bodybuilding and contain undeclared or deceptively labeled ingredients. The agency announced an RSS feed on its Web site to quickly warn consumers about questionable products, and created a mechanism for industry to alert the FDA about tainted products and the firms that make them. Substances found in tainted products include active ingredients in FDA-approved drugs or their analogs and other compounds, such as novel synthetic steroids. FDA enforcement procedures include warning letters, product seizures and criminal prosecutions.

In a “report card” on the progress the U.S. has made toward meeting the goals of a 2005 National Action Plan for improved public health, the National Fruit and Vegetable Association awarded several failing grades. Adult and teen fruit and vegetable consumption are unsatisfactory, for example. Advertising of low nutrition foods is decreasing, but “it has not been replaced with advertising for more nutritious foods.” According to the NFVA, the economic cost attributable to inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption grew from $29.3 billion to $56.2 billion over the last ten years, because of growing costs of treating diet-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke. The association gave an “A” grade to the new fruit and vegetable vouchers in the federal Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

According to a recent article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consuming omega-3 fatty acids doesn’t enhance weight loss for people already exercising regularly and dieting. Using an initial sample of 128 overweight individuals, but with a 27 percent withdrawal rate from the 24-week program, the research team at The Cooper Institute in Dallas, TX, found that those taking omega-3 fatty acids showed no significant difference in weight loss from those given a placebo. However, the researchers did conclude that individuals could realize other health benefits by adding regular doses of omega-3 acids to their diets.

Despite several previous claims that dairy could be unhealthy, continued scientific research shows otherwise. Multiple studies, including several from 2010, have shown no correlation between dairy products and an increased risk of heart related problems. A 2010 study from Sweden showed a 25% decline in the risk of death from cancer and heart disease when consuming more calcium than the recommended daily amount. Research in Australia supports those findings with a study that found a 69% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease in subjects consuming the highest amounts of full-fat dairy products compared with those that consumed the lowest amounts. There is also good news for people on diets as studies have shown that adequate amounts of calcium may help reduce the feeling of hunger and lead to higher weight loss.

A report from the Dietary Guidelines Alliance says that American parents aren’t particularly interested in monitoring calories consumed by their children, and think it impractical anyway, even when they know what a calorie is (many don’t). Much more important to parents is serving nutritious foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and low-fat dairy and being physically active. Seventy-four 74 percent of parents feel that there should be a balance between the amount of food and beverages consumed and the amount of physical activity. An important message to convey to parents, according to the report, is that they should become committed to “consistent physical activity” but in a fun family context so that children will learn healthy activity habits from their most important role models.

U.S. researchers report that eating rice improves overall diet quality and reduces risk for many chronic conditions and obesity, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome. Analyzing data on 5,213 rice consumers  from a 1999-2004 health and nutrition survey, the researchers found that the diets of children and adults who ate rice had higher amounts of folate and other B-vitamins, potassium, fiber and vitamin A, and less total fat, saturated fat and added sugars. “Compared with non-rice eaters, rice eaters are less likely to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome” and “are more likely to have an overall better diet quality,” the researchers concluded.

Large taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages would raise a substantial amount of money, but wouldn’t make much of an impact on obesity, a U.S./Singapore study has found. The researchers analyzed data from the 2006 Nielsen Homescan panel of people who scanned store-bought food and beverage purchases for a year. They then used computer models to predict the impact of various tax rates on sugary drinks. They determined that a 40 percent tax on sugar-sweetened drinks would raise $2.5 billion a year and lead to an average annual weight loss of 1.3 pounds. Taxes on sugary beverages “have the potential to positively influence weight outcomes, especially for middle-income households,” the researchers concluded, and “would also generate substantial revenue that could be used to fund obesity prevention programs.”

A study by New Zealand researchers warns that functional foods are being produced with increasingly high levels of milk proteins that make them “hyperallergenic” and likely to cause severe reactions in people who are allergic to milk. Consumers, regulatory authorities and the food industry all share the responsibility of preventing “inadvertent exposure,” the researchers said. Food allergies affect about six percent of children and four percent of adults. Allergic reactions can range from mild abdominal discomfort to death from anaphylaxis. Functional food companies have begun to add allergenic proteins without adequately warning consumers. The researchers found, for example, that in comparison with cow’s milk, a product known as Wh2ole contains at least three times the concentration of β−lactoglobulin, one of the main allergens in cow’s milk.

A Canadian study has found that high levels of folic acid in pregnant women can reduce birth defects, but may also be associated with adverse medical conditions such as colorectal cancer in others. For the study, researchers examined survey data on red blood cell folate concentrations in 5,248 Canadians. They found that folate deficiency is virtually nonexistent in Canada, but 40 percent showed high folate concentrations. In addition, 22 percent of women of childbearing age were below the level necessary to guard against neural tube defects. Some physicians have recommended that folic acid levels in Canada’s food supply be doubled to make sure women of childbearing age get enough of the nutrient. But, the researchers concluded that “there appears to be little rationale for doubling folic acid levels in the Canadian food supply."

A British study that analyzed national health data using a computer model found that if people ate five portions of fruit and vegetables a day while limiting dietary salt and sugar intake to recommended levels, 33,000 deaths could be prevented or delayed each year. The computer model linked consumption of food components with biological risk factors (blood pressure, serum cholesterol and obesity) and subsequent mortality from coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer using data for the years 2005 to 2007 for all four U.K. countries. Eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day would prevent 7,000 deaths a year from coronary heart disease and almost 5,000 from cancer. Sticking to the recommendations on dietary fiber would save 4,000 lives, fats 7,000 and salt 7,500.

Affiliates of Roark Capital Group have acquired well-known weight management brand, Atkins Nutritionals, for an undisclosed amount from North Castle Partners. Atkins Nutritionals has been in business since 1989 and currently sells its products in roughly 30,000 retail stores in the United States and 20 other countries. The current management team will remain in place led by CEO Monty Sharma, who also invested in the acquisition. Ezra Field, Managing Director of Roark, says the acquisition fits Roark’s strategy investing in strong consumer brands with clear market positioning and opportunities. Roark Capital Group's strategy of acquiring middle-market private companies has led to a portfolio of around 3,500 franchisees generating $5 billion worldwide with over $1.5 billion in managed equity capital.

U.S. researchers working with mice have found that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, reduced the risk of developing type 1 diabetes by about 40 percent, probably due to the compound’s anti-inflammatory activity. In the study, which used mice that spontaneously develop type-1 diabetes, one group was fed a control diet, while a second group was given a supplemental dose of EGCG in drinking water. At 32 weeks more than two-thirds of the animals in the control group had developed diabetes, while only a fourth of the EGCG group developed diabetes. The researchers suggested that EGCG probably “exerts a cytoprotective effect on human pancreatic islets exposed to the inflammatory milieu relevant to type 1 diabetes” but said further studies are needed to determine the exact mechanism before clinical trials are launched.

A meta-analysis of research found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can have antidepressant benefits. Two acids in particular—eicosapentenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)—are critical to brain function and have antidepressant properties, but EPA is especially important: subjects taking omega-3 high in EPA or a combination of EPA and DHA realized the antidepressant benefits, while those taking only DHA did not. In a separate study, the research team discovered that women consuming high levels of omega-3 were less susceptible to depression during and after pregnancy than those whose omega-3 intake was low.

Research by U.S. scientists has found that obese teenagers who ate meal replacement foods instead of regular meals lost more weight initially, but after a year were no better off than those who ate a standard low-calorie diet. One hundred thirteen obese teens were randomly assigned to one of three diet plans: a 1,300- to 1,500-calorie-a-day diet for one year; four months of meal replacements (SlimFast shakes, a prepackaged entrée, and five servings of fruits and vegetables) followed by eight months on the low-cal diet; or a whole year of meal replacements. After four months, participants who ate meal replacements had reduced their body mass index (BMI) by 6.3 percent, compared to the low-calorie group’s 3.8 percent. After a year, however, there was no significant difference in degree of weight loss among the three groups.

A study by U.S. researchers has found that when people repeatedly imagine eating a certain food, their desire to actually eat the food diminishes. The discovery reverses the old assumption that thinking about food causes you to eat more, according to the researchers. The research team ran five separate experiments testing whether mentally stimulating the consumption of a food reduces its subsequent actual consumption. In one, participants imagined repetitively inserting quarters into a laundry machine and/or eating M&M’S. All participants then ate freely from a bowl filled with M&M'S. Those who imagined eating 30 M&M'S actually ate significantly fewer M&M'S. Four other experiments confirmed the results. "These findings suggest that trying to suppress one's thoughts of desired foods to curb cravings is a fundamentally flawed strategy," a researcher said.

Researchers in Spain have determined that sunflower oil enriched with a biophenol found naturally in olive oil may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Numerous studies in animals and humans have shown that hydroxytyrosol acts as a potent antioxidant. Twenty-two healthy volunteers participated in the cross-over study involving two 3-week periods, separated by a 2-week washout period, in which volunteers consumed 10–15 g/d of either hydroxytyrosol-enriched sunflower oil (HSO) or non-enriched (control) sunflower oil. Researchers found that HSO acted as a functional food by increasing arylesterase activity and reducing oxidized LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1) levels. It did not reduce LDL or increase HDL levels, however. Nevertheless, the findings suggest the possibility that ”HSO may help prevent cardiovascular disease.”

Women whose diet is rich in garlic, onions and leeks are less likely to experience hip osteoarthritis, according to a study by British researchers. The beneficial effect apparently comes from the compound diallyl disulphide, which in lab tests  limited cartilage-damaging enzymes when introduced to human cartilage cells. The findings demonstrate the potential for using the compound to develop treatments for osteoarthritis. For the study, researchers assessed diet patterns of 1,086 healthy female twins, many of whom had no symptoms of arthritis, and examined x-ray images to determine signs of osteoarthritis. They found that women with high intakes of fruits and vegetables, particularly alliums such as garlic, showed less evidence of osteoarthritis in the hip. “Our findings throw the spotlight onto the allium family and potential disease modification via bioactive compounds,” the authors concluded.

An Australian study has found that salt taste sensitivity has little to do with whether a person enjoys or eats salty or reduced salt foods. But where the person eats the salty food can make a big difference. Researchers tested the consumption of hash browns in a lab and in a typical dining room setting, varying the salt levels for different meals from 40 mg up to 220 mg sodium/100 g. In the lab, participants preferred the saltiest hash browns. But in the dining room, participants ate the hash browns with half the sodium “with only minor decrease in liking and no effect on consumption of the food.” The researchers said the food industry could probably use their findings as they attempt to cut sodium levels in processed food.

An Austin, Texas, food business entrepreneur searching for a corn-free, low-glycemic snack has invented a flash-fried chip made from legumes. The last time Doug Foreman felt he needed to lose some weight he invented Guiltless Gourmet Baked Tortilla Chips more than 20 years ago. This time around – and again looking to shed pounds – Foreman found that beans were perfect for the low-glycemic diet, experimented with various varieties and recipes, and settled on pinto and black beans. The final chip turned out to be light, crispy, flavorful and flying-saucer-shaped, perfect for dipping. And, unlike other purported bean snacks, they contain no corn, wheat or gluten, but are high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and protein. The product, dubbed “Beanitos,” is sold in Whole Foods Market and 7-11, among others.

French researchers who tested the food choices of young children when salt, sugar and fat levels were varied found that lowering sugar or fat content did not affect selection, but lowering salt content did. The study involved 74 30-month-old day care children who were fed lunches such as green beans and pasta with varying salt and fat (butter) levels and snacks of fruit purée with different levels of sugar. Children could eat as much of the foods as they wanted. Children ate more of the green beans when the salt content was higher, but sugar or fat levels made no difference. The findings suggest that young children will eat foods with lower sugar and fat levels, which could help prevent obesity. But limiting salt, while advisable, “should be considered cautiously.”

U.S. and British researchers have found that video games might prove effective at overcoming children’s reluctance to follow a healthier lifestyle. In a randomized clinical trial involving 153 children ages 10 to 12 years, a treatment group played video games called “Escape from Diab” and “Nanoswarm: Invasion from Inner Space,” both of which are epic adventures designed to lower type 2 diabetes risk by changing diet and physical activity. The control group played online diet and physical-activity knowledge games. The children were monitored before, during and after playing games, and again after two months. According to the researchers, the children who played the video games increased their fruit and vegetable consumption by about 2/3 serving a day. But they did not drink more water, increase vigorous activity, or show body composition improvements.

A study by U.S. and Indian scientists has found that the isoflavone genistein, found in soybeans, seems to hinder the growth of breast cancer cells because it moves copper from the cells. According to the researchers, copper transporters are over-expressed in breast and other cancer cells, which accounts for the accumulation of excess copper. They acknowledged that they do not yet understand why copper concentration in tumors is increased. But they hypothesized that copper may be important for expression of ceruloplasmin, a protein that seems to stimulate production of  tumor blood vessels. “We believe that such a mechanism explains the anticancer effect of genistein and also its preferential cytotoxicity towards cancer cells,” the researchers concluded.

The market for heart-healthy foods is growing strongly and in the US is already over $7 billion. However, the FDA has sometimes criticized companies for making claims that only approved drugs can use. Trying to determine which foods actually help, researchers in Hamilton, Ontario, investigated 189 studies to find foods that provided the best evidence of helping the heart. Vegetables and nuts both showed strong evidence of helping while foods that contained trans-fatty acids and had a high glycemic index were harmful. Additional studies conducted at the University of California-Davis and Penn State University say that a tomato, particularly a canned tomato, appears to help people with high blood pressure and provides a large amount of vitamins, fiber and potassium. 

A study conducted by Solae, a soy ingredients company, among 5,300 weight managers in 11 different countries shows that consumers understand the importance of protein in helping manage hunger; it points to opportunities for producers of food protein, such as soy, to serve this growing market. Solae believes its results reinforce those from scientific research regarding protein’s ability to help weight managers through promoting satiety and boosting energy levels. Soy protein can also help reduce LDL-cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. Solae concludes by highlighting the opportunity for food manufacturers to be more flexible by focusing less on specific sources of protein and more on their content, enabling them to protein blends to meet different needs, a trend that Solae believes will develop.

French researchers have found that a combination of vitamin D from diet or supplements and from exposure to sunlight works best to protect postmenopausal women from breast cancer. The researchers analyzed data collected over ten years from 67,721 women. They found that postmenopausal women who lived in regions with the greatest exposure to sunshine and whose diets included dietary or supplemental vitamin D had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer, compared to women with high amounts of exposure to sunlight but low consumption of vitamin D. However, the researchers found no association between dietary/supplemental vitamin D alone and reduced cancer risk. They concluded that “a threshold of vitamin D exposure from both sun and diet is required to prevent breast cancer” and that threshold is difficult to reach in the less-sunny northern latitudes.

Today’s global retail kosher market brings in more than $13 billion in sales annually, and, according to Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Lubicom, includes many non-traditional foods. Sue Fishkoff, author of Kosher Nation, adds that kosher food could represent as much as one-half of the food found in a typical United States supermarket. The United States is also home to 600 of the world’s 1,000-plus kosher certification organizations (30 years ago, there were only 18 globally)—making the certification industry worth $200 million a year. At the top of the heap, Manhattan’s OU Kosher covers more than 6,000 plants worldwide. Its closest competitor—Brooklyn’s OK Kosher—certifies 20 new companies a week, and is growing at close to 15 percent per year.

A study at the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine shows that children who skip breakfast feel hungrier and less full and think they could eat more before lunch, but do not actually do so. The study compared the effects of eating and not eating breakfast on the appetite of 8- to 10-year old children and also their energy intake in the meals that followed. The 21 children who participated in two test visits were either served breakfast or not and then allowed to eat as much as they wanted during lunch. The children rated their appetite throughout the morning, while parents recorded their food intake for the rest of the day.

Chitin and chitosan (a form of chitin) are derived from crustacean shells and used in nutrition and food products, as well as biomedicine. A new report from Global Industry Analysts reviews the market for these materials, which are used in a range of products, including surgical sutures and clothes, as well as antibiotics, dietary supplements, and food for humans and pets. The report forecasts a global market of $63 billion for chitin derivatives by 2015 and a global chitosan market of over $21 billion. Benefits include cholesterol control. In the supplements market, for example, chitosan, a natural biopolymer, is an “excellent fat trapper due to its remarkable property of binding with lipids and fats.” It can also be used to help treat irritable bowel syndrome, and one derivative is glucosamine. New applications for the ingredients are awaiting FDA approval in the US. Japan already has an established market. Downside risks to the market include high production costs, a lack of quality chitosan supplies, and pollution in the production process. 

A study by John Hopkins University researchers finds that diets richer in fish and shellfish tend to slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a common vision problem that can lead to blindness if left untreated. Researchers attribute the AMD benefits to the high levels of omega 3 fatty acid found in fish. The study, which covered 2520 participants aged between 65 and 84, also found that as little as one large serving of fish per week can produce the beneficial effect.

A new study suggests that consumption of cocoa flavanols—through drinking cocoa or eating dark chocolate, for example—may have a positive effect on human gut bacteria. Flavanols, or flavan-3-ols, belong to a group of plant chemical compounds called flavonoids, known primarily for their cardiovascular and antioxidant benefits. Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and led by University of Reading’s Jeremy Spencer, PhD., this is the first study to show the prebiotic benefits of cocoa flavanols—particularly the growth of specific gut bacteria Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. These help to reduce levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), high levels of which are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

A review 43 randomized trials involving 215,633 children has found that giving vitamin A capsules to children aged six  months to five years can reduce death and some diseases. Scientists from the U.S., Pakistan and the U.K. said their findings strongly endorse the continuation of vitamin A supplementation programs that reduce the incidence of measles and diarrhea and ultimately save lives. A common problem in low and middle income countries, vitamin A deficiency can impair bodily functions, making people more susceptible to blindness, infection and early death. The researchers found that giving vitamin A capsules reduced the risk of death from any cause by 24 percent compared to placebos or the usual treatment, a rate that equates to saving the lives of almost a million children a year.

The results of a study on mice at the Department of Animal Biology in the University of Pennsylvania suggest the importance of managing stress during dieting in long-term weight maintenance. It showed that mice subjected to a 3-week reduction of calorie intake and withdrawal from a high-fat diet later engage in binge eating as a result of the stress that they experience. The observed behavior is thought to be due to the changes that happen in the brain during dieting. In the case of humans, similar changes could suggest the need to manage stress during dieting to help avoid later binge eating and ensure the diet’s long-term effectiveness. 

A study led by Dutch scientists has found that a protein called Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (Angptl4) protects animals and perhaps people whose diets are high in saturated fat from a massive inflammatory response that is potentially fatal. Deficiencies in this protective pathway in mice that ate a lot of saturated fat led to a significant swelling of the lymph nodes and death. Dietary fats are normally broken down into fatty acids that are metabolized by the enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LPL) to feed various tissues. LPL activity, however, depends on Angptl4. The findings may have implications for the three percent of humans who carry a mutation in the Angptl4 gene and “may be particularly sensitive to the proinflammatory effects of dietary saturated fat," the researchers wrote.

Diets that raise brain serotonin levels increased hair pulling and caused ulcerative dermatitis (UD) in mice, according to results of a double-blind crossover trial conducted by researchers from Purdue University’s Department of Animal Sciences. The researchers also fed the diet developed for the study, which was designed to test whether it would lower the rates of hair pulling in a mouse model of trichotillomania, to a second group of mice to determine whether behavior plays an essential role in emergence of UD. Presence of high levels of scratching behavior and low barbering before diet feeding predicted UD emergence. This shows that diet can cause the start of complex disorders without any underlying metabolic deficit.

Researchers believe that hesperidin, the major flavonoid found in orange juice can help lower blood pressure and the risks of cardiovascular disease. A study with 24 healthy but overweight men spanning three 4-week periods required subjects to drink orange juice, a control drink with hesperidin, or a control drink with a placebo.  Researchers found that the diastolic blood pressure of the subjects was lower after a 4-week regimen of orange juice or the drink with hesperidin. Orange juice also showed a significant impact on increasing the microvascular reactivity of subjects when taken with a meal.

An eating regimen that emphasizes protein but avoids high glycemic index carbohydrates has proven effective at keeping the weight off overweight people who have already shed some pounds through dieting. The study by European researchersfound that “the ideal for the prevention of weight regain” is a diet comprised of lean meats, poultry and beans, but low in starchy carbohydrates – “a modest reduction in the glycemic index.” Researchers studied 773 overweight adults from eight European countries who had already lost an average of 24 pounds on a low-fat diet for two months. Six months into the study, the group that ate a low-protein, high-carb diet regained an average of four pounds. But those who stuck to the high-protein, low-carb diet either maintained their weight or continued to lose.

A Japanese study has found that mice fed black or green tea along with a high-fat diet were less likely to gain weight and were less at risk for type 2 diabetes. For the study, one group of mice was fed a high-fat (29 percent lard) diet and the second group a normal diet. Each group was then further divided into smaller groups that were given water, black tea or green tea for 14 weeks. Consumption of the tea suppressed deposits of white adipose (fat) tissue in the animals, improved hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance, all precursors of type 2 diabetes. According to the researchers, the teas stimulated glucose uptake activities in the mice by “translocation of glucose transporter (GLUT) 4 to the plasma membrane in muscle.”

A study by Dutch scientists has found that chronic hyponatremia – low levels of sodium in the blood of older adults – may be a major cause of fractures from falls, which account for as much as half of elderly deaths from injuries. Researchers studied 5,200 adults over 55 years old for six years to confirm earlier studies that had found a link between low blood sodium levels, falls, osteoporosis and fractures. Though low sodium levels did not seem to affect the risk of osteoporosis, those who had hyponatremia, possibly from taking diuretics, had a higher rate of falls during follow-up: 24 versus 16 percent. And  the group with low sodium levels had a higher rate of fractures. “Chronic hyponatremia is not a benign condition,” researchers concluded, advising blood screening, monitoring and treatment.

Researchers from the University of Alabama discovered that, contrary to prevailing wisdom, chromium has no nutritional benefit. Results of the research, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, showed that chromium, designated by the National Academies of Science as an essential element in 1980, is not, in fact, essential. The study, which involved feeding a group of rats with a near chromium-free diet, reinforced scientists’ growing skepticism about the supposed nutritional benefits of chromium. Results, however, showed that when consumed in large doses, chromium potentially has a therapeutic effect on diabetes. For the meantime, researchers doubt the value of chromium-based nutritional supplements, which are the second best selling mineral supplement in the United States.

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have discovered the enzyme histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) causes body fat disorders and could be targeted for treatments. HDAC9 is associated with the efficient transformation of fat cells that help maintain proper lipid and glucose balances. Many problems linked to obesity, including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, stem from malfunctioning fat cells. The researchers found that when HDAC9 levels became elevated in obese mice the fat cells failed to perform normally and caused hormonal instability. Further experiments will see if removing the HDAC9 gene from obese mice helps provide any protection from obesity related problems.

As part of an “Eat Right Live Well” campaign targeting the Middle East, Nestlé has launched a major promotional effort in leading stores and outlets in the region using contests and prizes to encourage consumers to follow five steps to healthy living. The prizes offered are designed to encourage a healthier lifestyle. They include diet packages, gym memberships, Nintendo Wii Sports, Polar watches, pedometers, and BMI calculators. The five steps for healthy living are: eating a variety of foods, being active 30 minutes a day, drinking eight glasses of water a day, eating breakfast and maintaining a healthy weight. The campaign targets stores in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.