A World Health Organization adviser is calling for the government to stop food manufacturers and distributors producing and selling unhealthy, cheap, salty junk food.
Elementary and middle school students who are given at least 25 minutes to eat lunch are more likely to choose fruits and consume more of their entrees, milk, and vegetables according to a new study released in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Childhood obesity is linked to diet habits and food environment, but gaining information about these topics from children can often be difficult. Using the Photovoice method, however, researchers from the University of Minnesota were able to engage participants and learn about the food environments and eating habits of 9- to 13-year-old children eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
University of Iowa scientists have identified the first known cause of age-related muscle weakness and atrophy (the transcription factor ATF4), as well as two natural compounds (ursolic acid, from apple peel, and tomatidine, from green tomatoes) that blunt ATF4 activity in old skeletal muscle, leading to increased strength and muscle mass.
An international team of researchers, including scientists at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech, has identified key opportunities in nutrition science to address projected gaps in food availability.
Exercise improves health in overweight and obese adults but can be hard to incorporate into a daily routine. New findings show that taking vitamin C supplements daily instead can have similar cardiovascular benefits as regular exercise in these adults.
A study measuring blood lipid levels of a diverse sample of Boston area schoolchildren found that reducing SSB intake by at least one serving a week was associated with a greater increase in HDL-cholesterol over 12 months. Higher SSB consumption was also linked to lower fruit and vegetable intake.
Sarcopenia is a natural part of aging, but it’s also a growing public health concern for older adults. That’s why an Iowa State University researcher is testing a combination of supplements and resistance training to slow or reverse the progression of sarcopenia.
The American Heart Association wants families to feel they can, and are fully equipped to, make healthy choices in the home and within their everyday activities – without throwing schedules completely off or leaving wallets empty.
A bill to improve the nutritional value of fast food restaurant meals marketed to children—like McDonald’s Happy Meals—could have a wide enough impact to reduce calories, fat, and sodium, according to a new study led by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Women who are deficient in vitamin D and have a specific high-risk genotype are 6.7 times more likely to develop AMD than women with sufficient vitamin D status and no high risk genotype.
From American Heart Association News: U.S. schools have significantly improved school nutrition practices and should continue striving to provide a quality nutrition environment for students.
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, new rules for nutrition standards for city owned vending machines went into effect when the City Attorney signed an Executive Order on July 2, 2015. This ensures that vending machines on city owned and leased properties, such as public libraries, parks, nature centers, the convention center and the Tulsa Zoo all meet recommended nutrition standards and use calorie labeling to provide patrons with healthier options as well as basic education on what is available.
Less than a month before Congress votes on whether to reauthorize a controversial program mandating healthier school lunches, a new study confirms the suspicions of school officials – many students are putting the fruits and vegetables they’re now required to take straight into the trash, consuming fewer than they did before the law took effect.
While some research suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids can protect brain health, a large clinical trial by researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that omega-3 supplements did not slow cognitive decline in older persons. With 4,000 patients followed over a five-year period, the study is one of the largest and longest of its kind. It was published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic has been on the decline amid growing concerns that the compound’s estrogen-mimicking properties may cause dangerous hormonal disruptions. Despite the reduction, BPA remains a ubiquitous substance, found in thousands of products. Cashiers who frequently handle thermal printed receipts may be exposed to higher levels of BPA than the general population. For the first time, researchers are studying this workforce segment to measure how their exposure may differ from that of the general population.
Here’s one more reason to cut down on the amount of red meat you eat. Using an animal model, researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have found that dietary iron intake, equivalent to heavy red meat consumption, suppresses leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite.
According to a new University of Iowa study, people are shopping farmers markets and joining food coops at record numbers because they enjoy knowing who grows their food. These so-called “locavores” are also driven to eat locally grown produce and meat because their commitment to do so makes them feel a part of something greater than themselves - a community that shares their passion for a healthy lifestyle and a sustainable environment.
Feeding a growing world population, especially in developing countries, will require advances in technology to support sustainable food systems and collaborations between the agriculture and food production industries, hunger relief professionals and health experts including registered dietitian nutritionists, according to two new articles in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
From a food science and technology perspective, sugar (sucrose) plays several roles when it comes to the functional properties in food. In the September issue of Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), authors from the University of Minnesota write about the functional properties of sugar and why they are often added to foods.
Regular consumption of caffeinated coffee may help prevent the return of colon cancer after treatment and improve the chances of a cure, according to a new, large study from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute that reported this striking association for the first time.
Every year falls affect approximately one in three older adults living at home, with approximately one in 10 falls resulting in serious injury. Even if an injury does not occur, the fear of falling can lead to reduced activity and a loss of independence. Research has shown that vitamin D plays a key role in maintaining muscle integrity and strength and some studies suggest vitamin D may reduce the risk of falls.
Nutritional supplements can help those who are malnourished or frail to function better and live longer, a Saint Louis University research review finds.l
A study conducted by a team of researchers, including Lisa Jaremka, assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Delaware, found a link between marital distress and poor food choices.
Dosing obese teens with vitamin D shows no benefits for their heart health or diabetes risk, and could have the unintended consequences of increasing cholesterol and fat-storing triglycerides. These are the latest findings in a series of Mayo Clinic studies in childhood obesity.
In South Africa, sweet potatoes are a traditional crop for rural families. “We realized it would be great if we could develop a local variety [of sweet potato] which has good yield, high dry mass, and desirable taste attributes, and promote it to combat vitamin A deficiency,” says researcher.
Approximately 60 percent of young people habitually skip breakfast up to four times a week, previous research has shown. Although health experts recommend breakfast as a strategy to reduce an individual’s chance of obesity, little research has examined if the actual type of breakfast consumed plays a significant role in one’s health and weight management. University of Missouri researchers compared the benefits of consuming a normal-protein breakfast to a high-protein breakfast and found the high-protein breakfast – which contained 35 grams of protein – prevented gains of body fat, reduced daily food intake and feelings of hunger, and stabilized glucose levels among overweight teens who would normally skip breakfast.
A team of researchers has validated data and found a new model for paleontologists to use to track the diet of our ancient ancestors and animals by analyzing the wear on their teeth. Dental wear is among the top techniques scientists use to reconstruct and analyze dietary patterns of human ancestors and animals. Researchers recently questioned the validity of tooth-wear analysis, however, stating that environmental elements such as grit on food was likely responsible for wear. This challenge has led paleontologists to question decades of results. This study validates the use of tooth wear for understanding diet of fossil animals.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have identified a new vitamin B3 pathway that regulates liver metabolism. The discovery provides a new opportunity to purse development of novel drug therapies to address obesity, type 2 diabetes and related metabolic diseases.
When most people think of eating disorders, they think of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. But there’s another condition that has nothing to do with concerns over weight, shape or body image, and it has been recognized in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Southern favorites like fried chicken and bacon may taste great when consumed, but they can have negative effects on heart health, according to UAB researchers.
A team led by researchers from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University estimated global intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juices, and milk across 187 countries. Variation was identified by age, sex and region, with implications for national and global nutrition policies.
A diet high in refined carbohydrates may lead to an increased risk for new-onset depression in postmenopausal women, according to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Eating a group of specific foods known as the MIND diet may slow cognitive decline among aging adults, even when the person is not at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center.
Back to school means getting back into a routine that helps students achieve success in the new school year. Start the year off on solid footing by making good nutrition part of your child’s schedule. Multiple studies have shown that good nutrition, improved hydration and proper sleep play a huge role in academic success.
During Kids Eat Right MonthTM, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics urges Congress to prioritize the health, nutrition and well-being of millions of American children by reauthorizing and strengthening child nutrition programs. Kids Eat Right Month, celebrated in August, is sponsored by the Academy, the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, and its charitable Foundation.
Picky eating among children is a common but burdensome problem that can result in poor nutrition for kids, family conflict, and frustrated parents.
Although many families see picky eating as a phase, a new study from Duke Medicine finds moderate and severe picky eating often coincides with serious childhood issues.
Scientists have shown that women may not need to “eat for two” during pregnancy because the body adapts to absorb more energy from the same amount of food. The findings may also help to explain why some women struggle to lose weight after giving birth.
Scientists from the University of Southampton have developed a molecule that acts as an exercise mimic, which could potentially help treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Approximately 30% of the population suffer from fatty liver disease, the commonest liver disease in the Western world. The disease can lead to inflammation and cirrhosis of the liver. A joint study by the University of Haifa and the Tel Aviv Medical Center has found that gym training, and not only aerobic exercises, can help reduce liver fat