Feature Channels: Weight Loss

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How exercise affects heart health.

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Whether you’ve already made a New Year’s resolution, or want to make a healthy lifestyle change, Saint Louis University family physicians suggests five ways you can do to break the cycle of broken resolutions and improve your health once and for all.

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Exercise is key to preventing heart disease, but many people think they don't have time for it. For American Heart Month, two UNC Health Care experts explain why exercise matters and share creative tips for working it into tight schedules.

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Are Americans in denial about their eating habits? Today, two out of three Americans are overweight or obese, and by 2030 that figure will balloon to nearly nine out of 10. Yet in a new national survey, three-quarters of respondents (74%) said they have a healthy personal relationship with food—revealing a clear disconnect between how we think and how we act when it comes to eating. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, the maker of alli®, sponsored the survey to better understand America’s unhealthy relationship with food and develop solutions to help people change the way they eat.

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When your New Year’s resolution to lose weight crumbles as fast as the cookie touching your lips, it’s time to admit that diets don’t work. More successful is a holistic approach to losing weight that lets you feel good about feeding your body the nourishment it craves.

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The current economic climate has impacted every aspect of our lives, even our health. Many turn to fast food or unhealthy selections because it seems to be easier on the wallet. But it is possible to make healthy food choices on a budget.

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A Tufts University study analyzes the calorie content of 18 side dishes and entrees from national sit-down chain restaurants, 11 side dishes and entrees from national fast food restaurants and 10 frozen meals purchased from supermarkets. Researchers compared their results to the calorie content information provided to the public by the restaurants and food companies.

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Achy knees and joints caused by arthritis are not reasons to stop exercising. Regular, modest exercise improves joint stability and strengthens muscles.

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Adding 30 minutes of daily physical activity should top your list of New Year’s resolutions for a healthier 2010, says Peter Brubaker, professor of health and exercise science at Wake Forest University. Regular daily exercise is the most important step toward a healthier lifestyle, Brubaker says.

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South Dakota State University researchers used the Native American spiritual concept of the Medicine Wheel to help bring positive changes for American Indian diabetics.

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Research to create high-fiber, high-protein flour from dried distillers grain gives use for ethanol by-products while it combats world hunger.

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The Nintendo Wii Fit many people are considering as Christmas gifts may be great entertainment, but a recent study indicates the console has little effect on family fitness.

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University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center dietitians offer tips to help you enjoy the holiday season while keeping a balanced and healthy diet.

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Many young children in child care centers are not getting as much active playtime as they should, according to new research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A study published in the December 2009 issue of the journal Pediatrics found only 13.7 percent of child care centers in North Carolina offered 120 minutes of active playtime during the school day.

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As the healthcare reform debate continues, legislators and businesspeople alike might be surprised to learn that Americans are looking not only to government but also to business to improve our nation’s health, even beyond employee wellness efforts. People are more likely to purchase from, recommend, and invest in companies that act on health issues—creating a compelling case for businesses to step up their efforts.

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Adults who used an electronic lock-out system to reduce their television time by half did not change their calorie intake but did expend more energy over a three-week period, according to a report in the December 14/28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

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Men who have been treated for colorectal cancer can reduce their risk of dying from the disease by engaging in regular exercise, according to a new study by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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1) Three MET-hours of physical activity a week reduced overall death rates; 2) Vigorous exercise five hours a week reduced cancer-specific death rates.

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Spice up your diet with powerhouse holiday foods, suggests a member of the Saint Louis University nutrition and dietetics faculty.

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In early January, couch potatoes across the country will be walking into fitness centers, resolving to get fit in 2010. These newbies will have a lot more success achieving their goals if they know what to ask, look for, and do on that first visit. Adrian Shepard, assistant director of recreation-fitness for Butler University, offers tips for people to consider their first day at a fitness center.

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It seems like a no-brainer, and it is: Take the junk food out of school vending machines and cafeterias, and kids will eat less junk food, according to a new study.

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When you eat may be just as vital to your health as what you eat, found researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Their experiments in mice revealed that the daily waxing and waning of thousands of genes in the liver—the body’s metabolic clearinghouse—is mostly controlled by food intake and not by the body’s circadian clock as conventional wisdom had it.

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Men who regularly take part in moderate-to-heavy intensity exercise such as jogging, tennis or swimming may be less likely to have a stroke than people who get no exercise or only light exercise, such as walking, golfing, or bowling, according to a study published in the November 24, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Leading medical and nutrition groups, as well as some of the nation’s harshest food industry critics agree that high fructose corn syrup, a natural sweetener made from corn, is nutritionally the same as sugar. However, new research by the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) shows that marketing tactics used by many food companies to promote their products may confuse and mislead consumers.

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Strength training exercises using dumbbells reduced pain and improved function of the trapezius muscle of women office workers suffering trapezius myalgia. The results are the latest findings from an ongoing Danish study aimed at reducing repetitive strain injury caused by office work.

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Healthy, older adults free of heart disease need not fear that bouts of rapid, irregular heartbeats brought on by vigorous exercise might increase short- or long-term risk of dying or having a heart attack, according to a report by heart experts at Johns Hopkins and the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA).

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Walnuts, almonds, pistachios -- almost any kind of nut -- pack a lot of nutrition into a small shell. The November issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource covers why nuts are a good addition to a heart-healthy diet.

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Passing gas -- flatulence -- is normal and happens to everyone. The November issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource offers tips to reduce gas.

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The University of Illinois at Chicago has received a two-year, $1.2 million federal grant to develop a new method to identify the contents of botanical dietary supplements and how they work.

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UC San Diego Medical Center recently launched a website dedicated to offering families and the medical community valuable information about the best way to provide human milk to premature and underweight infants.

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After one year, a low-calorie, low-fat diet appears more beneficial to dieters’ mood than a low-carbohydrate plan with the same number of calories, according to a report in the November 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

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Hoping to keep the flu at bay? A strong immune system helps. Enjoying the bounty of colorful fruits and vegetables available right now can be an important step toward supporting your family’s immune system this cold/flu season. A new study, America’s Phytonutrient Report, found eight in 10 Americans are missing out on the health benefits of fruits and veggies.

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A diet high in fructose increases the risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension), according to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego, California. The findings suggest that cutting back on processed foods and beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may help prevent hypertension.

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Individuals who consume a diet high in sodium or artificially sweetened drinks are more likely to experience a decline in kidney function, according to two papers being presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s annual meeting in San Diego, California.

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Grocery shoppers in a new study report that a one to 100-point food rating system would help them choose what goes into their carts.

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A study conducted by exercise physiologists in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Human Studies finds that as little as 80 minutes a week of aerobic or resistance training helps not only to prevent weight gain, but also to inhibit a regain of harmful visceral fat one year after weight loss.

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Men and women become gradually less fit with age, with declines accelerating after age 45, according to a report in the October 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. However, maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI), not smoking and being physically active are associated with higher fitness levels throughout adult life.

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Live healthy and forget dieting.

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Ryerson University expert offers tips on managing your weight during the holiday season.

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Survive a long day at the mall with these healthy food court picks. Top 5 picks by HealthCastle.com's dietitians.

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Yeonhwa Park, the only food scientist on the national committee reviewing school lunch and breakfast nutrition standards, brought special expertise in reducing sodium and increasing whole grains in school meals at an affordable price. Reducing sodium over 10 years is worth a try, she says.

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While it is a well-known fact that most Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables, a new report shows the color of fruits and veggies eaten can be as important as the quantity. Eight in 10 Americans are missing out on the health benefits of a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, resulting in a phytonutrient gap with potential health consequences, according to America’s Phytonutrient Report released today.

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Getting off the couch could lead to a longer life for kidney disease patients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that, as in the general population, exercise has significant health benefits for individuals with kidney dysfunction.

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Nutrition scientists at UMass Amherst have identified the molecular pathway by which foods rich in soy bioactive compounds, or isoflavones, to lower diabetes and heart disease risk. Soy foods can lower cholesterol, decrease blood glucose levels and improve glucose tolerance in people with diabetes.

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This study, appearing in Cell, provides details of a causal relationship between diet and mitochondrial function. It also provides the first genome-wide study of how proteins are translated under dietary restriction in any organism. Flies fed a low protein diet live longer because their mitochondria function better. The molecular mechanisms involved are conserved among many species – making the research relevant for human aging and diseases such as obesity, cancer and diabetes.

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Canadian Institutes of Health Research experts discuss the impact of poverty on health (September 29).

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Color plays a crucial role in the way consumers taste and perceive the food they eat. In the October 2009 issue of Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, an article discusses the rooted history of food coloring and looks into the future of the food industry’s move toward all-natural food coloring.

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There is new evidence that depression, obesity and alcohol abuse or dependency are interrelated conditions among young adult women but not men.

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Critical care experts at Johns Hopkins are reporting initial success in boosting recovery and combating muscle wasting among critically ill, mostly bed-bound patients using any one of a trio of mild physical therapy exercises during their stays in the intensive care unit (ICU).

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World-renowned health and fitness expert, Dr. Kenneth Cooper who coined the term "aerobics,” will speak at INShape Indiana on Sept. 29 where he's expected to tell Hoosier lawmakers they're not doing enough to keep Hoosier children fit and healthy.