Feature Channels: Nutrition

• share
• favorite_border

Consumers tend to view full-service restaurants as providing healthier, higher quality food than fast-food restaurants, but some studies have found much higher calorie, fat, and sodium levels in food at full-service restaurants. Researchers from Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania studied more than 2,600 menu items served at full-service restaurant chains operating in Philadelphia and concluded that foods served at full-service restaurant chains are high in calories, saturated fat, and sodium, and that standard definitions are needed for ‘‘healthy choice’’ tags and for entrees targeted to vulnerable age groups.

• share
• favorite_border

New findings show that many Americans are at risk for high blood pressure because of too much sodium in our diets — and the risk is especially high for children.

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

New research by Vanderbilt marketing professor Kelly Haws found that consumers may be just as willing to buy healthy food if they feel they’re still getting a "supersize" deal.

• share
• favorite_border

A multicountry ecological study based on cancer incidence rates for 157 countries in 2008 found that animal product consumption was as important a risk factor for cancer as smoking. Alcohol consumption and sweeteners were less important.

• share
• favorite_border

Wayne State University and Health Enhancement Products, Inc. (OTC.BB:HEPI.OB – News), announces the publication of a scientific article in the Journal of Nutrition & Metabolism, “ProAlgaZyme sub-fraction improves the lipoprotein profile of hypercholesterolemic hamsters, while inhibiting production of betaine, carnitine, and choline metabolites.”

• share
• favorite_border

Children can eat a favorite fast-food meal and still cut calories, according to a recent Cornell University study of a popular fast-food meal. In 2012, McDonald’s made changes to its Happy Meal to improve the nutritional quality of the popular children’s meal. In a recent study, Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab researchers Brian Wansink and Andrew Hanks analyzed more than 230,0000 transactions from 30 representative McDonald’s restaurants to document whether the change led to more healthful meal selections.

• share
• favorite_border

Study shows that eating plenty of tomatoes and tomato-based products, even for a short period, helped protect at-risk postmenopausal women

• share
• favorite_border

LifeBridge Health & Fitness launches a nutrition counseling program that doesn't just talk the talk, but walks participants into the grocery store to show them how to shop for healthy food and then walks them into their homes to teach them how to cook delicious and nutritious meals.

• share
• favorite_border

A new university community garden provides ample opportunity for students to learn about health and nutrition.

• share
• favorite_border

The Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a study on December 5, providing clear evidence that well-designed nutrition education programs can lead to healthier food choices by participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

• share
• favorite_border

A tomato-rich diet may help protect at-risk postmenopausal women from breast cancer, according to new research accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

• share
• favorite_border

Nutrition education improves fruit, vegetable and low-fat dairy consumption among low-income children and the elderly, according to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed). The results support the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ commitment to nutrition education programs, many of which are directed by registered dietitian nutritionists and Academy members.

• share
• favorite_border

There will be no crying involved in a new test for vitamin deficiencies in infants. Instead of drawing blood, health care workers will gently sample a tear.

• share
• favorite_border

While dietary supplements can help some people meet their nutrition needs, eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods is the best way for most people to obtain the nutrients they need to be healthy and reduce their risk of chronic disease, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

The nutritional value of food and drinks advertised on children’s television programs is worse than food shown in ads during general air time, according to new study.

• share
• favorite_border

Each new year brings family pledges of adopting a healthier and more active lifestyle. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages parents to help their kids learn to make healthier food choices and engage in regular physical activity by being a good role model.

• share
• favorite_border

In today’s fast-paced society consumers are looking for many different ways to de-stress, relax and slow down. In the December issue of Food Technology magazine published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Contributing Editor Linda Milo Ohr writes about several ingredients and beverages that may have a calming effect when consumed.

• share
• favorite_border

National nutrition survey shows consumers may not understand what is meant by "sugary" drinks.

• share
• favorite_border

Parents receiving academic report cards throughout the school year is commonplace, but a new Cornell University study shows that for healthier nutrition, parents should opt to receive a nutrition report card, too. “This pilot study underscores that a nutrition report card is feasible and efficient… Although the results are preliminary, they suggest that [nutrition report cards] may be helpful in nudging children toward more healthy, less expensive options … at little cost to the school district,” according to Cornell behavioral economists Brian Wansink and David Just.

• share
• favorite_border

Common breast cancer treatments target tumors by blocking or reducing the levels of estrogen in the body. These treatments may be rendered ineffective in patients with high cholesterol, where tumors can rely on the estrogen-mimicking molecule 27HC as an alternative fuel source.

• share
• favorite_border

Pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant can make use of the holiday season to adjust their diets and reduce the risk of gestational diabetes, according to researchers at the University of Adelaide's Robinson Institute.

• share
• favorite_border

A roundup of predicted food trends for the coming year, with expert contact information attached.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists who fed a cocktail of key amino acids to mice improved sleep disturbances caused by brain injuries. The findings suggest a potential dietary treatment for millions of people affected by traumatic brain injury.

• share
• favorite_border

With a raised public consciousness, American University joined the national conversation through the development of a Center for Food Studies. Launched by Jeffrey Kaplan, professor of biology, the interdisciplinary center coordinates collaborative research, programs and more than a dozen academic courses. The program draws on AU faculty and students who carry out research on the social, political, and economic aspects of food.

• share
• favorite_border

Research findings suggest there may be a simple way to reduce the risk of breast cancer by keeping cholesterol in check, either with statins or a healthy diet. Additionally, for women who have breast cancer and high cholesterol, taking statins may delay or prevent resistance to endocrine therapies such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors.

• share
• favorite_border

The widely used no-calorie sweetener, aspartame, has been deemed safe for consumption at current levels by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which conducted one of the most comprehensive risk assessments ever undertaken.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers at the Duke Cancer Institute have found that a byproduct of cholesterol functions like the hormone estrogen, fueling the growth and spread of the most common types of breast cancers.

• share
• favorite_border

Mothers get all the attention. But a study led by McGill researcher Sarah Kimmins suggests that the father’s diet before conception may play an equally important role in the health of their offspring. It also raises concerns about the long-term effects of current Western diets and of food insecurity.

• share
• favorite_border

In mice with a rodent form of multiple sclerosis (MS), vitamin D appears to block damage-causing immune cells from migrating to the central nervous system, offering a potential explanation for why the so-called “sunshine vitamin” may prevent or ease symptoms of the neurodegenerative disease, according to results of a study at Johns Hopkins.

• share
• favorite_border

Well-designed nutrition education programs can lead to healthier food choices among low-income families who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to a study conducted by Altarum Institute and RTI International.

• share
• favorite_border

Controlled, lab studies of grape seed extract (GSE) show anti-cancer activity without toxicity to healthy cells

• share
• favorite_border

Young people who mix alcohol with a caffeinated energy drink drank more heavily and reported more negative consequences of drinking than those who just drank alcohol, finds a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

• share
• favorite_border

For many households of Mexican descent in the United States, the days following Thanksgiving aren’t only about wrapping gifts but also about wrapping tamales.

• share
• favorite_border

Hopkins Nursing-led study finds that when compared with other neighborhoods and without regard to income, predominantly black neighborhoods have the most limited access to supermarkets and to the healthier foods such markets sell.

• share
• favorite_border

Vitamin D decreases pain in women with type 2 diabetes and depression, according to a study conducted at Loyola University Chicago. These findings were presented at an Oct. 24, 2013 research conference at Loyola’s Health Sciences Campus.

• share
• favorite_border

A new study led by University of Kentucky researchers suggests that a diet low in vitamin D causes damage to the brain.

• share
• favorite_border

“The cells of the body can do without it because they use asparagine provided through diet. Asparagine, however, is not well transported to the brain via the blood-brain barrier,” said senior co-author of the study Dr. Jacques Michaud, who found that brain cells depend on the local synthesis of asparagine to function properly.

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

In the largest study of its kind, people who ate a daily handful of nuts were 20 percent less likely to die from any cause over a 30-year period than were those who didn’t consume nuts, say scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Harvard School of Public Health

• share
• favorite_border

Add colorful fruits and vegetables to make Thanksgiving dinner healthier and lighter, a Saint Louis University assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics suggests.

• share
• favorite_border

It’s no surprise that labels are becoming the “go to” place when people have questions about how food is produced. But new Cornell University research finds that consumers crave more information, especially for the potentially harmful ingredients that aren’t included in the product.

• share
• favorite_border

Men with prostate cancer who ate a low-fat diet and took fish oil supplements had lower levels of pro-inflammatory substances in their blood and a lower cell cycle progression score, a measure used to predict cancer recurrence, than men who ate a typical Western diet, UCLA researchers found.

• share
• favorite_border

The reality of existing insurance coverage precludes effective implementation of four newly released cardiovascular guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The Academy supports the new guidelines and urges public and private insurance carriers to follow the recommendations so that Americans will have access to health care they deserve.

• share
• favorite_border

. In the past, SNAP has been shown to reduce poverty among the poorest Americans and generate economic activity. However, according to a new study from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, SNAP benefits alone may not be enough to provide its beneficiaries with the long-term food security or dietary quality they need.

• share
• favorite_border

Satiety, lean protein, low carb and fat burning are four buzzwords that are commonly associated with weight management. In the November issue of Food Technology magazine published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Contributing Editor Linda Milo Ohr writes about 12 foods and ingredients that are tipping the scales towards better health.

• share
• favorite_border

New research has uncovered an underutilized berry that could be the new super fruit, the buffaloberry. A new study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), found that buffaloberries contain large amounts of lycopene and a related acidic compound, methyl-lycopenoate, which are important antioxidants and nutrients beneficial for human health.

• share
• favorite_border

UCLA researchers report that tiny amounts of a specific type of lipid in the small intestine may play a greater role than previously thought in generating the high cholesterol levels and inflammation that lead to clogged arteries. The team also found they could reduce the negative effects of these lipids in mice by feeding the animals a new genetically engineered tomato being developed at UCLA that is designed to mimic HDL (“good”) cholesterol. The study, in the December issue of the Journal of Lipid Research with an accompanying editorial, focused on a group of lipids found in the small intestine called unsaturated lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs).