Feature Channels: Health Food

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Many of the substances that humans consume on a regular basis as parts of their basic diet actually contain harmful toxins. Rice, barbecued meat and drinking water all pose threats to human health as hosts to potent toxins, carcinogens and opportunistic pathogens. In many cases, the rise in concentrations of these harmful substances is a direct result of human activity, such as the use of harmful pesticides in crops and even advances in green technology.

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Conditions encountered in the womb - when the embryo consists of only about 100 cells - can have life-long impact on health. Scientists previously assumed that this is because embryos respond to adverse conditions by programming their gene expression. Now an international team of researchers at the Leiden University Medical Center, Wageningen University and Research, Lund University, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York propose a radically different alternative. Rather than being programmed by the environment, random differences in gene expression may provide some embryos with a survival advantage, in particular when conditions are harsh. By studying DNA methylation, an important mechanism to control gene activity, the researchers found that a specific part of the DNA methylation pattern was missing among famine-exposed individuals. The findings are published in the journal Cell Reports.

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You may remember a loved one making you a bowl of chicken noodle soup whenever you were feeling under the weather as a child. Just how healthy is this culinary cure-all? BIDMC clinical dietitian Sandy Allonen, RD, weighs in.

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Patients who experience disturbances in sleep, mobility, nutrition or mood while admitted in hospital may be more likely to be readmitted within 30 days after discharge, finds a new study co-led by St. Michael’s Hospital and the University Health Network (UHN) in Canada.

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An abundance of high-sugar, high-salt foods in many American diets and obesity-related health problems such as diabetes are likely driving an increase in kidney disease cases, including in young adults, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

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New research from the University of Notre Dame suggests ways to approach this problem in elementary school cafeterias, especially for high-risk and underserved student populations.

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Millions of Americans have no idea that they have fatty liver disease. This growing problem will soon be the number one reason for liver transplantation, overtaking hepatitis C. Holiday overindulgence in alcohol and food could make the problem dramatically worse.

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A major U.S. study led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that a commonly used probiotic is not effective in improving symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting in young children with gastroenteritis.

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Eating leafy greens, dark orange and red vegetables and berry fruits, and drinking orange juice may be associated with a lower risk of memory loss over time in men, according to a study published in the November 21, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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The temptation to overindulge at Thanksgiving is immense, but before going overboard, it’s worth pausing and remembering you can eat, drink, and be merry – as well as healthy – over the holiday season.

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The study assigned a “Health Score” (5 stars = highest rate, 0 star = lowest) based on eleven criteria including health and calorie levels of meals, snack boxes and individual snacks, level of transparency (display nutrient information & ingredients), improvement and maintenance of healthy offerings, menu innovation, food and water safety and cooperation in providing this information. The survey includes health ratings, average calories per airline, comments, best bets, food offerings, costs, nutrition information (e.g., calories, and exercise equivalents.

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In recent years, more than a dozen states have passed laws limiting local governments’ ability to create food and nutrition policies and more than two dozen states previously enacted laws preventing obesity-related lawsuits against food businesses, finds a new analysis led by NYU College of Global Public Health. These laws are examples of preemption, a legal mechanism in which a higher level of government withdraws or limits the ability of a lower level of government to act on an issue.

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With U.S. life expectancy now on the decline for two consecutive years, the Bloomberg American Health Initiative is releasing a supplement to Public Health Reports, the scholarly journal of the U.S. Surgeon General. The supplement includes a series of special articles addressing five of the most complex and urgent health challenges facing the United States, specifically: addiction and overdose, violence, obesity and the food system, environmental challenges, and risks to adolescent health.

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The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and The Obesity Society have announced a three-year collaboration to develop educational, scientific and clinical materials, programs and other activities related to evidence-based treatment of obesity and weight management.

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Intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) is proven to help adults with obesity achieve meaningful weight loss. A new Penn Medicine study, published in Obesity, is the first randomized controlled evaluation of the efficacy of IBT when implemented under the CMS coverage guidelines.

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As we head toward 2019, we’ll see more nutrient-loaded, lesser-known foods; an increased ability to trace food sources and more plants on your plate.

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Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without cranberries. But how much do you know about these tart berries? The Nov. 7 Sustainable, Secure Food blog has loads of cranberry facts, ripe for your feasting table!

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Kathryn Weatherford, RD, LDN, CNSC, a registered dietitian at BIDMC, shares five food recommendations to help strengthen bones and joints.

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Elevated levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)—a compound linked with the consumption of fish, seafood and a primarily vegetarian diet—may reduce hypertension-related heart disease symptoms. New research in rats finds that low-dose treatment with TMAO reduced heart thickening (cardiac fibrosis) and markers of heart failure in an animal model of hypertension. The study is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Heart and Circulatory Physiology and was chosen as an APSselect article for November.

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A new study out of the Krembil Brain Institute, part of the Krembil Research Institute, suggests drinking coffee may protect you against developing both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

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Looking for ways to make your Thanksgiving feast more nutritious? Here are some suggestions for preparing dishes:

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A widely held and controversial myth that high-protein diets may cause kidney damage in healthy adults has been debunked by scientists at McMaster University, who examined more than two dozen studies involving hundreds of participants.

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The holidays can be extra stressful for people with diabetes. But with a little extra planning and help from family and friends, anyone can manage their diabetes at a healthy level. AADE has tips to make diabetes management during the holidays a family (and friends) affair.

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By Paul Keckley, PhD

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Something as simple as a change in diet can potentially help to increase the cancer survival rate of obese children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common childhood cancer, according to a new study by UCLA scientists.

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Comparing the properties of cold- and hot-brew coffee, researchers found similar acidity in both, but higher antioxidant levels in hot coffee.

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Researchers at the University of Georgia have found that a high-fat diet enriched with cottonseed oil drastically improved cholesterol profiles in young adult men.

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• Among patients with chronic kidney disease, individuals with pro-inflammatory diets had a higher risk of developing kidney failure. • Results from the study will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2018 October 23–October 28 at the San Diego Convention Center.

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A new study co-led by Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington found that mice who repeatedly lost and regained weight, also known as weight cycling or "yo-yo dieting," lived significantly longer than their obese counterparts -- and in some cases even lived longer than mice who lost weight and kept it off permanently.

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FSU researchers found that consuming 30 grams of protein about 30 minutes before bed appears to have a positive effect on muscle quality, metabolism and overall health. And for those who have sworn off eating at night, there is no gain in body fat.

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The Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), announced today a new plan to create a statewide network of researchers, decision-makers, and other key representatives that will give increased access to evidence-based solutions and data.

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The grant allows scientists, Navajo Nation government officials, educators and students to collaborate on a study looking at the effectiveness of the Healthy Diné Nation Act, which was signed into law in 2014.

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The inaugural $100,000 Jean Mayer Prize for Excellence in Nutrition Science & Policy was awarded by Tufts to former Sen. Tom Harkin; former USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack; Center for Science in the Public Interest; and Mission: Readiness for their work championing better nutrition for America’s youth.

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One question that scientists and fitness experts alike would love to answer is whether exercise or nutrition has a bigger positive impact on bone strength.

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Simply moving where fresh fruit and vegetables are placed in a shop can increase their sales, new research by Warwick Medical School/the University of Warwick, published by BMC Public Health, has found.

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Many of the latest popular diets make wild claims while imposing drastic changes to what you can eat.

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The Ketogenic Diet, simple caloric restriction, or the pharmaceutical rapamycin appear to improve neurovascular function and prevent cognitive decline in animal models

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BOSTON – (October 10, 2018) – Type 2 diabetes is driven by many metabolic pathways, with some pathways driven by amino acids, the molecular building blocks for proteins. Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center now have shown that one amino acid, alanine, may produce a short-term lowering of glucose levels by altering energy metabolism in the cell.

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Using a statistical technique called network meta-analysis, researchers have combined the results of dozens of studies of dietary oils to identify those with the best effect on patients' LDL cholesterol and other blood lipids.

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While exercise buffs have long used protein supplements to gain muscle, new research from McMaster University suggests one protein source in particular, whey protein, is most effective for seniors struggling to rebuild muscle lost from inactivity associated with illness or long hospital stays.

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Crop breeders are developing a biofortified wheat that could make proper nutrition easier.

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A new Food-PRICE study from researchers at Tufts and Harvard estimates that up to one million cardiovascular and diabetes events and $42 billion could be saved in healthcare costs using incentives and/or disincentives to improve food choices among participants in SNAP.

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The relationship between the gut microbiome and human health is widely accepted in the medical community. Now, new research shows that the breast gland also has a microbiome, and like the gut microbiome, it too can be affected by diet, according to scientists at Wake Forest School of Medicine.