‘That Sugar Film’ is a highly informative, quirkily presented Australian documentary, which makes a case that the health fad of the past 30 years, which has demonized fats and has tended to minimize the perils of sugar may have contributed to the obesity epidemic now occurring worldwide, in a direct challenge to the hotly-contested ideas […]
How sweet it is: Artificial sweeteners in blood
A recent study by investigators at the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health measured how much artificial sweetener is absorbed into the blood stream by children and adults after drinking a can of diet soda. Results of this study are published in Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry. The team […]
Sleep loss limits fat loss
Cutting back on sleep reduces the benefits of dieting, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. When dieters in the study got a full night’s sleep, they lost the same amount of weight as when they slept less. When dieters got adequate sleep, however, more than half of the weight they lost […]
Processed foods highly correlated with obesity epidemic in the US
As food consumed in the U.S. becomes more and more processed, obesity may become more prevalent. Through reviewing overall trends in food, George Washington University (GW) researcher Leigh A. Frame, PhD, MHS, concluded that detailed recommendations to improve diet quality and overall nutrition are needed for consumers, who are prioritizing food that is cheaper and […]
GM soybean oil causes less obesity and insulin resistance but is harmful to liver function
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have tested a genetically-modified (GM) soybean oil used in restaurants and found that while it induces less obesity and insulin resistance than conventional soybean oil, its effects on diabetes and fatty liver are similar to those of conventional soybean oil. Soybean oil is the major vegetable cooking oil […]
Obesity impairs immune cell function, accelerates tumor growth
Obesity has been linked to increased risk for over a dozen different types of cancer, as well as worse prognosis and survival. Over the years, scientists have identified obesity-related processes that drive tumor growth, such as metabolic changes and chronic inflammation, but a detailed understanding of the interplay between obesity and cancer has remained elusive. […]
Why zero-calorie sweeteners can still lead to diabetes, obesity
Increased awareness of the health consequences of eating too much sugar has fueled a dramatic uptick in the consumption of zero-calorie artificial sweeteners in recent decades. However, new research finds sugar replacements can also cause health changes that are linked with diabetes and obesity, suggesting that switching from regular to diet soda may be a […]
Choosing low-fat milk over whole milk could increase your risk for health problems
A systematic review and meta-analysis of existing studies has found that children who drank whole milk had 40 per cent lower odds of being overweight or obese compared with children who consumed reduced-fat milk. The research was led by the University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital of Unity Health Toronto, and included analysis of […]
When You Eat Might Be As Important As What You Eat
During the years 1976 through 1980, 15% of U.S. adults were obese. Today, about 40% of adults are obese. Another 33% are overweight. Coinciding with this increase in weight are ever-rising rates of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and health complications caused by obesity, such as hypertension. Even Alzheimer’s disease may be partly attributable to obesity […]
How Food Preservatives May Disrupt Human Hormones And Promote Obesity
Can chemicals that are added to breakfast cereals and other everyday products make you obese? Growing evidence from animal experiments suggests the answer may be “yes.” But confirming these findings in humans has faced formidable obstacles — until now. A new study published in Nature Communications details how Cedars-Sinai investigators developed a novel platform and protocol for […]