Sex Videos

Top 13 Best Natural Breasts in the World vs Fakes

2008-09-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

Giant Breasts Make Their Debut | Girls | SPIKE.com

Best Hot Dance Ever

2008-09-07T13:44:00.000-07:00

This is better then, pink Floyd,NIN, TOOL, TYPE O NEGATIVE, THE FLOWER OF LIFE,BIG TITTED LEMON'S, MEN WITH TINNY WINERS,ROB ZOMbie, horror moive...etc... the creators of this should be but on a pedestal and given a golden watch and suck off 37 times by the count and big bird..

SEX! HOT DRUNK GIRL GETS PUMPED! Over 18 only

2008-09-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

Best Trish Stratus Sexy Videos And Pics

2008-09-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

Patricia Anne Stratigias(born December 18, 1975, pronounced ), better known as Trish Stratus, is a former fitness model, former professional wrestler and television personality from Canada.
After beginning her career as a fitness model, Stratus began working for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which was later renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), in March 2000. Early in her career, she was involved in sexually themed angles.

US OPEN GIRLFRIEND RODDICK : Carrie Milbank

2008-08-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

Tennis Week: What's Love Got To Do With It? - For more funny movies, click here

US OPEN GIRLFRIEND NADAL : Xisca

2008-08-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

Rafael and Xisca - Free videos are just a click away

Olympics Sexies Girls: Norway Handball Team

2008-08-23T15:48:00.000-07:00

OG Quiz with Gro Hammerseng and Ane Horpestad (Eng Sub) - More amazing videos are a click away

Sexy Beach Volleyball Girls Olympic Games Beijing 2008

2008-08-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

Sexy Beach Volleyball Girls Olympic Games Beijing 2008 - The funniest bloopers are right here

Olympics Sexies Videos: Tia Hellebaut Wins High Jump Gold Medal

2008-08-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

Hellebaut wins high jump event - Awesome video clips here

最佳乳腺癌的中国女孩

2008-08-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

Fernanda Goeth The Sexy Babe - Watch the best video clips here

How To Be a Sexy Chinese Artist

2008-08-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

A Sexy Chinese Artist - The best home videos are here

Miss Maxim : Ivett Venczuk

2008-08-14T04:26:00.000-07:00

Olympic Sexies Girls: Yelena Isinbayeva

2008-08-14T04:05:00.000-07:00

Yelena Isinbaeva Gaz De France - Gl Stuttgart - 2007 - video powered by Metacafe

Maria Sharapova In Sexy Bikini

2008-08-13T05:13:00.000-07:00

Maria Sharapova In A Swimsuit - Click here for funny video clips

Eva Mendes in Calvin Klein Video Without Censorship

2008-08-12T00:19:00.000-07:00

Eva Mendes - Secret Obsession by Calvin Klein [banned in US]
by hotcelebs

Psychology of Porn & Sex Fetish, Origin; Japan Panty Fetish

2008-08-11T13:27:00.000-07:00

She Opens A Beer With A Boob !

2008-08-10T08:42:00.001-07:00

Boob Talent!! - Funny bloopers are a click away

Jessica Alba ASS !!!

2008-08-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

Sexy Jessica Alba - The most popular videos are here

Sexy ASS Vida Guerra

2008-08-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

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Sexy Girl Playing !

2008-08-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

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Sexy Pamela Anderson

2008-08-05T14:07:00.000-07:00

Sexy Pamela Anderson - Baywatch Clip - Watch the best video clips here

Beer To Girl

2008-08-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

Beer To Girl - Great Ads - Funny video clips are a click away

Gorgeous Colombian Celebrity Sofia Vergara

2008-08-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous Colombian Celebrity Sofia Vergara - More amazing videos are a click away

These Butts Are Made For Walking !

2008-08-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

These Butts Are Made For Walking - Click here for the funniest movie of the week

18 age teen girl - Best Ass Ever !

2008-07-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

It is impossible to have that boobs ! (This video may not be suitable for minors)

2008-07-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Top Russian Sexy Fitness Babes All Wanted to See

2008-07-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

New Sexy Fitness DVD Trailer Volume 1 - Watch more free videos

The Most Irresponsible Big Boobs Fitness

2008-07-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

Sexy Muscle Girl Lisa Bickels Topless

2008-07-14T16:38:00.000-07:00

The Hottest Clip Ever !

2008-07-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

Super Sexy Fitness Model Jamie Eason

2008-07-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

Bikini Contest - Funny Video

2008-05-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

BIKINI CONTEST

Playmate Picht Video

2008-05-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

Medieval Strip Tease - Video

2008-05-21T03:06:00.000-07:00

Medieval Strip Tease

Teens Shaking Booty

2008-05-20T19:11:00.001-07:00

Two Teens Shaking Booty

I´ve Never Seen A Woman Strip This Way !

2008-05-19T03:15:00.000-07:00

Never seen a woman strip this way...

The Perfect and Hot Female Body - Video

2008-05-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

Jen -The Perfect and Hot Female Body

Brazilian Bikini Contest

2008-05-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

Brazilian Bikini Contest

Carolina Ardohain (Pampita ) Hot Soccer Team

2008-05-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

Carolina Ardohain Beautiful Latina

Mary Basks in the Hot Vegas Sunshine

2008-05-16T11:31:00.000-07:00

Mary Basks in the Hot Vegas Sunshine

Happy Weekend from Playboy Centerfold Hiromi Oshima

2008-05-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Holidays from Playboy centerfold Hiromi Oshima

South Beach Fitness Festival

2008-05-16T11:24:00.000-07:00

Female Fitness Models Video Sexy

CClaudia : Sexiest Fitness Videos

2008-05-13T12:48:00.000-07:00

CClaudia - Fitness in Gym in Tenerife

CClaudia - Salsa Dancing on Pool in Tenerife

CClaudia - walking at pool site

CClaudia - Golfplay in Teneife - HOT !!

Sexy Fitness Video : Kissable Tummy

2008-05-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

Susana Spears is back with another SpearsFever.com sexy fitness break. In this episode she shows you how to improve your sexy life by working your abs.

Canada ´s Food Guide

2008-04-28T04:09:00.000-07:00

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Breast Cancer: A Role For Trans Fatty Acids?

2008-04-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

Two groups from INSERM and Institut Gustave Roussy collaborated to conduct an epidemiologic study on a cohort of French women members of the Mutuelle generale de l'Education nationale (E3N). The scientists showed that the risk of breast cancer was doubled in women having higher serum levels of trans fatty acids. The trans fatty acids studied are those from industrial sources (processed foods, processed bread, processed pastries, cakes, potato chips

Unlike Asian countries, where the protective effect of omega-3 fatty acids from fish on breast cancer risk was clearly demonstrated, a protective effect against breast cancer was not found in this study.

These results are published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

The E3N cohort is the French part of EPIC, a large European study coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and involving 500 000 Europeans in 10 countries.

The unhealthy effects of trans fatty acids on cardiovascular risk have been well established since the early 1990s, yet their impact on breast cancer risk remained to be elucidated. The teams of scientists from INSERM and Institut Gustave Roussy sought to evaluate the role of various types of fatty acids on breast cancer development, using blood samples collected between 1995 and 1998, amongst 25 000 of the 100 000 women followed up within the E3N study.

In order to assess the health effects of human diet, scientists assayed various biomarkers of diet in the blood, and particularly fatty acid levels. Data on 363 women diagnosed with breast cancer after blood sampling were analysed. Their serum fatty acid levels were then compared with those of breast cancer-free women controls. Two controls were matched to each breast cancer case, for a total of 702 women.

Near-doubling of risk

The analysis of trans and cis fatty acids showed that breast cancer risk increases with the increase in trans fatty acid level, reflecting processed food consumption. These results show that women with elevated serum levels of trans fatty acid have almost twice the risk of developing breast cancer, compared to women with the lowest levels. "At this stage, we can only recommend limiting the consumption of processed foods, the source of industrially-produced trans fatty acid. Particularly, industrial processes generating trans fatty acids (partially hydrogenated vegetable oils) still in use should be curbed, as this has been undertaken in Denmark for a few years. As far as regulations on labeling of processed products, the content in trans fatty acids should be clearly indicated", the report concluded.

Protective effect of omega-3 fatty acids for breast cancer not universal

Also, the authors of the study confirmed the results of other studies conducted in North American and European countries concerning the absence of association between omega-3 fatty acid serum levels, for which the main dietary source is the intake of fish, and risk of breast cancer. While a protective effect of omega-3 fatty acids on breast cancer risk was clearly demonstrated in Asian countries, where fish consumption is much higher than in Europe or in North America, this protective effect could not be measured in this highly-powered French study, probably due to considerably lower per-capita consumption of fish.

In industrialised countries, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. According to the authors of the study, among the risk factors that may lend themselves to primary prevention, diet shows strong potential, as a single but consistent change in dietary habits could lower the risk of breast cancer, subject to clear identification of responsible nutrients. Among those, dietary lipids could play a major role. Further analysis from the EPIC study will therefore test the hypothesis of a role for trans fatty acids in carcinogenesis in a population with wide variations in the intake of those fatty acids, among other lipids.

The E3n Study

E3N, an epidemiologic study conducted on women members of the MGEN (French National Education workers complementary medical insurance scheme) led by Dr Françoise Clavel-Cahpelon (INSERM-Gustave Roussy), is a prospective cohort study of about 100 000 volunteer French women born between 1925 and 1950, and followed up since 1990.

Data on their lifestyle factors (diet, hormonal treatments, etc.) and their health status were collected by self-administered questionnaire every other year since 1990. These data were complemented by biological measurements, obtained for 25 000 volunteers, from a blood specimen taken for later analysis (case-control studies nested within the cohort). E3N gives primary consideration to breast and colorectal cancers, due to their high incidence rates.

Source

Serum trans-monounsaturated fatty acids are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in the E3N-EPIC Study.
V. Chajès; A. C.M. Thiébaut; M. Rotival; E. Gauthier ; V. Maillard; M.C. Boutron-Ruault; V. Joulin; G. M. Lenoir ; F. Clavel-Chapelon.
Am. J. Epidemiol. 2008 (DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwn069)

Alcohol And Genetic Factors Linked To Breast Cancer Risk

2008-04-15T05:50:00.000-07:00

US scientists have discovered two genes that play a role in the metabolism of alcohol are linked with increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women who drink.

The study was presented yesterday in San Diego, California, at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The research leaders were Dr Peter Shields, professor of medicine and oncology based at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington DC, and Dr Jo Freudenheim, chair of social and preventive medicine at the State University of New York in Buffalo.

The research showed that variations in two genes, ADH1B and ADH1C, that code for an enzyme that breaks down alcohol, were linked with increased risk of breast cancer among women who drink.

Research instructor of cancer genetics and epidemiology at Lombardi, and lead author of the study, Dr Catalin Marian said:

"The higher their alcohol consumption, the higher their risk."

The researchers examined DNA information from 991 women aged 35 to 79 residing in two western New York counties between 1996 and 2001 who had histologically confirmed primary stage breast cancer. These were matched by 1,698 randomly selected healthy participants according to age, race and county of residence.

All participants were taking part in a population-based case-control study called the Western New York Exposure and Breast Cancer (WEB) Study, conducted by Freudenheim.

The results showed that increased breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women was linked to variations in DNA sequences in two genes: ADH1B (sequence rs1042026) and ADH1C (sequence rs1614972).

Among postmenopausal women with the ADH1B (sequence rs1042026) gene variant, the risk of breast cancer for the alcohol drinkers was nearly double that of the abstainers.

Among women with the ADH1C (sequence rs1614972) gene variant, there was a protective effect against breast cancer risk that varied inversely with the amount of alcohol: the more alcohol a woman with this gene variant consumed, the less protection offered, and the higher the risk of breast cancer. (Conversely, this could be viewed as the protection conferred by the gene appeared to get stronger as alcohol consumption dropped).

Marian warned that more research was needed to confirm and replicate the findings before any firm conclusions could be drawn. This study merely suggests that the variants are linked with increased breast cancer risk, it does not suggest they cause it biologically.

Variations in the two genes will impact alcohol metabolism because they are involved in that process, explained Marian, but she was cautious to point out this may not be the whole story:

"We have to keep in mind that the gene sequence variations we observed are not located directly in coding regions, but they may be associated and inherited together with other variations that have this effect on the enzyme function."

According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2008 there will be over 180,000 new cases of breast cancer among women and nearly 2,000 among men, while over 40,000 women and nearly 500 men will die of the disease

Dietary Oil May Need Help In Avoiding Side Effects Of Weight Loss

2008-04-11T04:10:00.000-07:00

An oil made of natural fatty acids that is sometimes used as a weight-loss supplement may need to be paired with hormones or other substances to prevent health problems that can follow rapid weight loss, a new study suggests.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a compound naturally found in some meat and dairy products, can reduce body fat in some studies in humans. But a recent study in mice found that the hormone leptin adds an element of protection against side effects that can accompany fat loss with CLA.

Without leptin, fat loss occurs in mice eating a diet containing CLA, but the mice also become insulin resistant. When mice are fed CLA and given leptin, the same fat loss occurs but insulin resistance does not develop.

So though leptin is not essential to the fat loss, it has important protective effects to maintain insulin sensitivity, said Martha Belury, lead author of the study and associate professor of human nutrition at Ohio State University.

"Fat loss is not dependent on leptin but if we didn't have leptin, CLA could have some short-term effects on insulin resistance," Belury said.

The study appears in a recent issue of the Journal of Lipid Research.

CLA is an essential fatty acid found naturally in trace amounts primarily in beef, lamb and milk. Synthetic forms of CLA are marketed as supplements that help reduce body fat.

But continuing research shows that there are consequences associated with the loss of fat. Because fat in the body is energy, it has to go somewhere if it is not burned away by metabolism. When CLA is driving fat out of fat tissue, the fat tends to end up in the liver or in muscles. If that fat can't be used, insulin resistance results. So Belury and colleagues are trying to find out precisely how CLA works to reduce body fat and how to prevent any associated side effects.

"You can reduce body fat, which is a good thing for a person trying to avoid diabetes. But if that body fat is lost too rapidly, the fat has to go somewhere else and in mice, it creates insulin resistance," Belury said. Sometimes, insulin resistance can lead to Type 2 diabetes.

In the animal study, Belury and colleagues tested the effects of leptin by using mice genetically engineered so they have no leptin in their bodies. These mice consume a lot of food and their metabolism is disrupted, so they tend to be quite overweight and are called fatty mice.

"Our thinking was that if you lower body fat, you also lower leptin levels. So if we have a mouse that has no leptin, what does CLA do then?" Belury said.

To create controls for comparison, the researchers gave leptin back to some of the fatty mice. Then they fed regular diets or diets containing CLA to all of the mice to observe the effects of CLA and regular diets with and without leptin present.

Finding that CLA diets can result in weight loss with or without leptin was a new finding. But more significant to understanding the mechanism, the study showed that insulin sensitivity was restored when CLA was fed with leptin present.

That finding answers just one of many questions about possible side effects associated with CLA-induced loss of body fat. The role of fat tissue in regulating metabolism is complex. It stores energy in the form of fat and also produces hormones essential to the metabolism, or burning, of the fat tissue.

In addition to continuing animal studies on CLA's interaction with hormones and other conditions associated with metabolism, Belury is leading parallel human clinical trials on the effects of CLA. So far, the research has shown that CLA can reduce body fat in postmenopausal women with Type 2 diabetes. Another trial is investigating whether CLA can suppress weight gain in people who are gaining weight because of a drug they take for diabetes management.

"People can safely take CLA, but we don't know the most effective dose for weight loss and how long people should take it. We think there are probably some subpopulations that shouldn't take it, but we don't know for sure yet," she said.

Belury conducted the study with former Ohio State nutrition graduate students Angela Wendel, now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina; Aparna Purushotham, now with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; and Li-Fen Liu, now a postdoc at Stanford University.

The work was supported by funds from the Carol S. Kennedy professorship, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, College of Human Ecology scholarships, the Natural Health Research Institute Scholarship for Diabetes, the American Oil Chemists' Society, and the J. Parker and Kathryn Webb Dinius Fellowship.

Exploring Infant Feeding And The Development Of Obesity

2008-04-11T04:08:00.000-07:00

A symposium at the American Society for Nutrition's annual meeting at Experimental Biology was held in which noted scientists discussed new infant feeding studies that used methodology such as randomized clinical trials (involving breastfeeding promotion) as well as sibling pairs analysis. These studies may offer new insights into possible associations between infant feeding and health outcomes such as obesity.

The symposium, "Infant Feeding and the Development of Obesity: What Does the Science Tell Us?" sponsored by the International Formula Council (IFC)* and chaired by Linda Adair, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, brought together international experts in the field of infant nutrition to present their recent findings.

Featured researchers included David Barker, M.D., Ph.D., professor of clinical epidemiology at the University of Southampton, UK and professor of Cardiovascular in the Department of Medicine at the Oregon Health and Science University, whose soon-to-be published study examines breastfeeding in a large group of sibling pairs that were followed into their late 60s.

"This type of study design controls for maternal factors," according to Dr. Barker. "Differences in the long-term effects of breast and bottle feeding may reflect differences in the mothers rather than the effects of feeding itself." Maternal factors include maternal health status, maternal care-giving, mother-child interactions or other health-related behaviors of the mother that may interfere with determining the association of infant feeding and health outcomes and the strength of any possible associations.

Other study designs such as the randomized clinical trial on breastfeeding and health outcomes in infants in Belarus recently conducted by Michael Kramer, M.D., a pediatrician and perinatal epidemiologist at McGill University in Montreal, provide evidence that research design can have a significant impact on infant feeding study results. In a randomized infant feeding clinical trial, known as the gold standard in research, infants would be randomly assigned to be breastfed or formula-fed; however, such trials are generally not feasible in infant feeding research, since most mothers determine their infant's feeding method. Dr. Kramer randomly assigned hospitals to implement breastfeeding promotion practices and standard care. He found that despite the substantial increase in prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding among mothers receiving the intervention, there were no differences between their children (n= 7,108 subjects) and the children of mothers from the control hospitals (n= 6,781 subjects), that did not implement breastfeeding promotion practices, on several measures of adiposity at 6.5 years of age.

These findings challenge the concept that breastfeeding reduces the risk of obesity in childhood, as some other studies have found. Speaking of the strength of his study design and the fact that other studies due to their design may have been prone to inherent bias, Dr. Kramer noted, "Previously reported beneficial effects on these outcomes (measurements of obesity) may be the result of uncontrolled confounding and selection bias." The study performed by Dr. Kramer represents the largest randomized trial done to date in the area of human lactation.

Other researchers at the symposium presented the outcomes of more traditional epidemiologic studies that were based on observational designs and thus had limitations such as not being able to control subjects' behavior. Beth Mayer-Davis, Ph.D., R.D., professor of nutrition and diabetes researcher at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discussed findings from her research on infant feeding and diabetes in ethnic groups in a United States population. In her observational study of less than 300 subjects, mothers of children with diabetes were asked to recall if and for how long they breastfed their infant. Dr. Mayer-Davis reported that breastfeeding appeared to reduce the risk for development of type 2 diabetes in youth, possibly mediated in part by weight status in childhood.

Nancy Butte, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics at the Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, discussed early infant feeding practices and effects on obesity. Dr. Butte presented her work from the VIVA LA FAMILIA study, an observational study with a cohort of 1,030 Hispanic children. Dr. Butte noted that although breastfeeding appeared to have a small protective effect against childhood obesity, other genetic and environmental factors "far supersede infant feeding practices as risk factors for childhood obesity."

Weight Loss Drug Rimonabant May Not Slow Progression Of Heart Disease

2008-04-02T00:52:00.000-07:00

According to a recent study published in JAMA, a clinical trial testing how well the anti-obesity medication rimonabant slowed the development of coronary artery disease in patients with abdominal obesity and pre-existing coronary disease resulted in mixed conclusions. Called STRADIVARIUS (the Strategy to Reduce Atherosclerosis Development Involving Administration of Rimonabant - The Intravascular Ultrasound Study), the trial was conducted by Steven E. Nissen, M.D. (Cleveland Clinic) and several STRADIVARIUS investigators.

Nissen and colleagues write that, "Abdominal obesity, even in the absence of type 2 diabetes, is associated with a constellation of metabolic and physiological abnormalities that amplify the risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease." Some examples of metabolic syndrome are high triglyceride levels, low HDL (good) cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels.

Atherosclerotic disease is more commonly known as "hardening" of the arteries, and it occurs when the inner walls of the arteries accumulate plaque deposits. Abdominal obesity is a fundamental cause of atherosclerotic disease, but currently there are few treatment options available for the condition. The drug rimonabant, a selective cannabinoid type 1 receptor antagonist, is one possible treatment option. Lacking the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the drug is only available in other countries.

To compare rimonabant against placebo, the researchers designed a randomized, double-blinded clinical trial that included 839 patients at 112 centers in North America, Europe, and Australia selected from December 2004 to December 2005. For 18 to 20 months after random assignment, participants received either 20 mg daily of rimonabant or a matching placebo. Part of the selection process maintained that patients were eligible only if they needed coronary angiography for medical reasons. After randomization, participants scheduled clinic visits at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. The STRADIVARIUS researchers were chiefly concerned with the change in the percent atheroma volume (PAV) and secondarily concerned with the change in normalized total atheroma volume (TAV). Both PAV and TAV indicate how much plaque has built-up on the inner lining of an artery. These markers of atherosclerotic progression were measured by ultrasonographic coronary imaging.

"In the rimonabant vs. placebo groups, PAV increased 0.25 percent vs. 0.51 percent, respectively, and TAV decreased -2.2mm³ vs. an increase of 0.88mm³," write the researchers. "Rimonabant-treated patients had a larger reduction in body weight (-4.3kg [-9.5 lbs.] vs. -0.5 kg [-1.1 lbs.]) and greater decrease in waist circumference (-4.5 cm [-1.77 inches] vs. -1.0 cm [- 0.39 inches]). In the rimonabant vs. placebo groups, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased 5.8mg/dL (22.4 percent) vs. 1.8mg/dL (6.9 percent) and median (midpoint) triglyceride levels decreased -24.8 mg/dL (20.5 percent) vs. -8.9 mg/dL (6.2 percent)."

The investigators also found, however, that changes in the level of "bad" cholesterol (LDL-C) and changes in blood pressure were not significantly different between groups. "Psychiatric adverse effects were more common in the rimonabant group (43.4 percent vs. 28.4 percent)," with anxiety and depression being the most commonly reported adverse side effects.

In the authors' words: "Administration of rimonabant, 20mg, daily for 18 months did not significantly reduce the rate of progression of coronary disease for the primary IVUS (intravascular ultrasound) end point, the change in PAV." Although, "The secondary endpoint, change in TAV, showed a statistically significant treatment effect favoring rimonabant."

"Because the current study failed to achieve a statistically significant effect for the primary efficacy measure, additional studies will be required to further define the role of rimonabant in the treatment of abdominally obese patients with coronary disease and metabolic risk factors," the authors conclude.

An accompanying editorial by John S. Rumsfeld, M.D., Ph.D. (Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Department of Medicine at the University of Colorado) and Brahmajee K. Nallamothu, M.D., M.P.H. (Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Department of Medicine, University of Michigan) notes that the STRADIVARIUS trial is critical to understanding the effectiveness and safety of rimonabant.

"This drug is clearly efficacious for weight loss, underscoring its promise as a therapeutic option for obesity. However, despite improvements in metabolic parameters, STRADIVARIUS demonstrated no efficacy of rimonabant for coronary artery disease progression while it simultaneously heightened concern about its safety profile," write Rumsfeld and Nallamothu.

They conclude: "The hopes for rimonabant ultimately may be realized if the drug is shown to have a favorable effect on mortality and cardiovascular events. In that case, clinicians will be grateful for a new weapon in the fight against the obesity epidemic but will have to remain vigilant for trade-offs in quality of life, an outcome of equal importance to survival and certainly more important than any surrogate measure."

Effect of Rimonabant on Progression of Atherosclerosis in Patients With Abdominal Obesity and Coronary Artery Disease: The STRADIVARIUS Randomized Controlled Trial
Steven E. Nissen; Stephen J. Nicholls; Kathy Wolski; Josep Rodés-Cabau; Christopher P. Cannon; John E. Deanfield; Jean-Pierre Després; John J. P. Kastelein; Steven R. Steinhubl; Samir Kapadia; Muhammad Yasin; Witold Ruzyllo; Christophe Gaudin; Bernard Job; Bo Hu; Deepak L. Bhatt; A. Michael Lincoff; E. Murat Tuzcu;
JAMA (2008). 299[13]:1547-1560.

Are You What You Eat? New Study Of Body Weight Change Says Maybe Not

2008-03-30T04:44:00.000-07:00

f identical twins eat and exercise equally, must they have the same body weight? By analyzing the fundamental equations of body weight change, NIH investigators Carson Chow and Kevin Hall find that identical twins with identical lifestyles can have different body weights and different amounts of body fat.

The study, published March 28th in the open-access journal PLoS Computational Biology, uses a branch of mathematics called dynamical systems theory to demonstrate that a class of model equations has an infinite number of body weight solutions, even if the food intake and energy expenditure rates are identical. However, the work also shows that another class of models directly refutes this, predicting that food intake and energy expenditure rates uniquely determine body weight. Existing data are insufficient to tell which is closer to reality, since both models can make the same predictions for a given alteration of food intake or energy expenditure.

Given the ongoing obesity epidemic, Drs. Chow and Hall are interested in what factors determine human body weight and its stability. Of particular importance is whether a treatment for obesity would have to be administered repeatedly over a lifetime or could be given only until a target body weight is reached. As a particular example, the study considers whether weight lost from a liposuction procedure is permanent. For the class of equations with an infinite number of body weight solutions, fat removal through liposuction could lead to permanent results. However, the opposing models predict that the body would eventually return to its original weight.

Chow and Hall note that neither class of models accounts for the many variables affecting how much a person tends to eat, an important factor determining bodyweight. Nevertheless, for any food intake rate this latest research suggests that an individual may have an infinite number of possible body weights. The study outlines the mathematical conditions underlying this possibility and suggests how future experiments could determine if it is true.

"The Dynamics of Human Body Weight Change"
Chow CC, Hall KD (2008)
PLoS Comput Biol 4(3): e1000045. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000045

Keeping In Good Shape In Old Age Is Harder For Women Than Men

2008-03-30T04:42:00.000-07:00

Women over the age of 65 years have a more difficult time preserving muscle than their male counterparts, which probable impacts their ability to stay as strong and fit, according to new research published on March 26, 2008 in the open-access journal PLoS ONE.

Muscle maintenance is very important in reducing the risk of falls in the elderly, one of the major causes of premature death. After the age of 50, people lose up to 0.4% of their muscle mass every year. This makes them less mobile, more at risk for fracture, and more at risk for potentially life threatening falls.

Of elderly people who suffer a serious fall, one half die within to years. But, it is thought that the number of falls can be curtailed if muscle mass is maintained. This would keep knees and hips more properly supported and strong.

Until now, no differences had been found between men and women in muscle protein synthesis, the process the body uses to build muscle. However, recently, it has been found that the female body's response to food and exercise declines in the mid- to late-60s. Women are at a higher risk for muscle loss because they already tend to have less muscle and more fat than men in early and middle age, so when they reach their 50s and 60s, they are already closer to becoming frail.

Now, scientists have shown for the first time that it is actually more difficult for women to replace naturally lost muscle as they get older, and this difficulty is linked to a key difference in the way men's and women's bodies react to food.

Experts at the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri, USA, and at The University of Nottingham, UK, funded by the US National Institutes of Health, studied 29 men and women aged 65-80 years old who were in good health. They examined the ability to respond to food meant to build muscle mass. It was found that post-menopausal women were less able to respond to this food than men, who were able to store protein in the muscle.

The scientists attribute this change to hormonal adjustments that occur with menopause. Specifically, the suspicion falls on estrogen, which is already known to be necessary in both women and men to help maintain bone mass. According to the researchers, these findings corroborate other preliminary results indicating that women are less able to repsond to build muscle after resistance exercise, such as lifting weights in the gym. Younger men and women, who have not reached menopause, do not seem to show any discrepancy in muscle mass potential.

Regarding this finding, Michael Rennie, Professor of Clinical Physiology at The University of Nottingham, said: "Nobody has ever discovered any mechanistic differences between men and women in muscle loss before. This is a significant finding for the maintenance of better health in old age and reducing demands on the National Health Service."

There is advice for older women to help combat this degeneration. These new results underscore the importance of a diet sufficient in protein, including foods such as eggs, fish, chicken, and lean red meat, as well as resistance exercise.

"Rather than eating more, older people should focus on eating a higher proportion of protein in their everyday diet. In conjunction with resistance exercise, this should help to reduce the loss of muscle mass over time. There is also a case for the beneficial hormonal effect of limited HRT, although this has to be balanced against the other risks associated with such treatment," continues Rennie.

About the Contributing Universities

Washington University School of Medicine is ranked in the US's Top 5 Medical Schools and the World's Top 35 universities by the U.S. News & World Report and the Times Higher (THES) World University Ranking.

The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 70 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and Times Higher (THES) World University Rankings. It provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain's "only truly global university", it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation - School of Pharmacy).

Its students are much in demand from 'blue-chip' employers. Winners of Students in Free Enterprise for three years in succession, and current holder of UK Graduate of the Year, they are accomplished artists, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators and fundraisers. Nottingham graduates consistently excel in business, the media, the arts and sport. Undergraduate and postgraduate degree completion rates are amongst the highest in the United Kingdom

4,000 Women Attempt New World Record at 2008 Lady of America/Ladies Workout Express Ab Crunch Challenge

2008-03-29T04:02:00.000-07:00

Women Get a Six Pack While Giving Back Through Fitness Fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital(R)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Four thousand women across the country will "feel the burn" as they crunch their abs for one hour straight during the Ab Crunch Challenge taking place tomorrow (Saturday), March 29. More than 200 local Lady of America, Ladies Workout Express and Workout Express gyms will host the fitness challenge, with a goal to raise $1 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and make history by creating a new Guinness Record for the most abdominal crunches done in one hour by a group.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Protect the Spinal Cord, Heart, Brain and Eyes

2008-03-29T03:55:00.000-07:00

DENVER, March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Long-chain (seafood) omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) continue to prove their value in heart, brain and eye health, according to recent research summarized in the March 2008 Fats of Life and PUFA Newsletter electronic publications. Groundbreaking studies also show that omega-3s may improve recovery from spinal cord injury and dry eye syndrome.

The effect of fish oil consumption on arterial elasticity, which allows for more rapid blood flow, was examined in China in overweight patients with high blood pressure. Participants who took 900 mg of seafood omega-3s daily for eight weeks had a 21% increase in arterial elasticity.

"While blood pressure did not change in these participants, their arterial elasticity significantly improved," said Editor Joyce Nettleton, D.Sc. "This observation suggests another way in which these omega-3s protect heart health."

A US study reported that marine omega-3s prevented atrial fibrillation- uncontrolled rapid trembling -- from developing in animals with fast heartbeats. By increasing the heart's recovery time, the omega-3s prevented abnormal rhythms from becoming established.

Investigators in the Netherlands recently examined the relationship between children's omega-3 status at birth, which depends on the mother's omega-3 intake during pregnancy, and their motor development at age seven. Those with the highest levels of the omega-3 DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) at birth had significantly higher total motor scores than children born with less DHA.

"This means that a mother's consumption of seafood omega-3s during pregnancy is important for her child's later motor development," Nettleton said.

Two other studies covered by the e-newsletters report improvement in mental disorders with dietary seafood omega-3s. Treating substance abuse patients with these omega-3s, mainly EPA (eicosapen-taenoic acid), for example, resulted in significantly lower scores for anxiety and anger. In adults diagnosed with neuroticism, researchers found the condition was related to low blood levels of EPA.

Groundbreaking animal research suggests that human treatment with DHA within the first hour after a spinal cord injury could be effective in limiting the extent and spread of damage. Also included in the e-newsletters is a report of significantly reduced inflammation and corneal damage in dry eye syndrome with eye drops containing the plant omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid.

The quarterly Fats of Life and PUFA Newsletter, sponsored by DSM Nutritional Products, are at http://www.fatsoflife.com/ and by complimentary subscription.

Source: Fats of Life

CONTACT: Angela Dansby of Fats of Life, +1-773-697-7686,
angela@fatsoflife.com

Web site: http://www.fatsoflife.com/

Best Funny Video :Mariko Takahashi's Fitness

2008-03-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

Why Can Grapefruit Interfere With Some Medications?

2008-03-19T02:30:00.000-07:00

People are discouraged from consuming grapefruits or grapefruit juice while taking certain medications because they can affect the way the medications are metabolized. Now scientists are closer to understanding why this dangerous interaction occurs. Johns Hopkins Health Alerts reports on the latest research.

New York, NY (PRWEB) March 13, 2008 --Johns Hopkins Health Alerts' recent Prescription Drug Health Alert reported on new research regarding the reason why grapefruit juice can potentially cause a dangerous interaction with certain of the medications you take.

FOOD AND DRUG INTERACTIONS

Certain foods and drinks don't mix well with certain medications. For example, grapefruits or grapefruit juice may interact badly with a number of medications, because natural grapefruit contains a substance that affects the activity of an enzyme in the intestines and liver that processes these medications. This could result in a dangerous increase in the level of the drug in your blood.

Another potentially dangerous interaction is between the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin and generic brands) and vitamin K. The vitamin, present in many multivitamins and supplements, neutralizes or reduces the effect of the medication warfarin. This raises the risk of a blood clot, which the warfarin is intended to prevent.

GRAPEFRUIT AND DRUG INTERACTIONS

Now scientists have identified the specific chemical in grapefruit juice responsible for many drug-food interactions, according to an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Volume 83, page 1097).

Previous research implicated a family of chemical compounds called furanocoumarins (FCs) as the culprit in grapefruit juice. To confirm this suspicion, the scientists created FC-free grapefruit juice and compared its effects with those of whole grapefruit juice or orange juice (the control group in the study).

GRAPEFRUIT AND DRUG INTERACTION STUDY

Eighteen study volunteers drank 8 oz of whole or FC-free juice along with a dose of felodipine (Plendil), a blood pressure medication.

The blood concentration of Plendil was nearly THREE times higher when people took it with 8 ounces of whole grapefruit juice, compared with blood levels after subjects took it with the FC-free grapefruit juice or orange juice (the control group in the study).

This means that the blood level of Plendil was higher when taken with whole grapefruit juice, potentially causing dangerously low blood pressure.

The researchers said their finding could assist in the study of other drug-food interactions.

Grapefruit has also been known to diminish the absorption of some drugs in the body. So always follow the guidelines given on your medications with regard to food and drug interactions.

One further note: In reference to the control group in the study, regular orange juice was found to be safe to drink with Plendil. However, you may want to avoid Seville oranges in juice or marmalade, as they are the only type of oranges to contain furanocoumarins.

You can learn more about the latest research on prescription drugs in the annual Johns Hopkins Prescription Drug White Paper:
The Johns Hopkins White Paper: Prescription Drugs

Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician.

http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com

Daycare Program To Prevent Obesity Benefits Preschoolers

2008-03-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

A preschool-based intervention program helped prevent early trends toward obesity and instilled healthy eating habits in multi-ethnic 2- to 5-year-olds, according to a report presented at the American Heart Association's Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism.

"Nobody would dispute that we are experiencing an epidemic of obesity in this country," said Ruby Natale, Ph.D., Psy.D., author of the study and assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Fla. "Children as young as 7 years old are experiencing health consequences of being overweight, suggesting that intervention must occur as early as possible and involve the entire family.

"Inner-city minority children spend many hours of the day in preschool, making it a significant influence in many aspects of their lives. Children depend on their parents for nutrition and physical activity choices at this age, so the home environment must be accounted for as well."

Natale and colleagues studied 2- to 5-year-old children from ethnically diverse, low-income families in eight subsidized childcare centers in Miami Dade County, Fla. The intervention group received a six-month home- and school-based obesity prevention program with two tiers.

The classroom-based (tier one) program included menu modifications and education:

* The menu promoted water as the primary beverage for staff and children; offered only skim or 1 percent milk; limited juices and other sweetened beverages; and incorporated fruits and vegetables in snacks as much as possible.

* Classroom teachers were educated weekly about how to incorporate nutrition and physical activity curriculums and how to better understand and overcome children's cognitive, cultural and environmental barriers to implementing a healthy low-fat, high-fiber diet.

The family-based (tier two) program reinforced what the children learned at childcare, including:

* Monthly parent dinners to educate parents about food labels, the food guide pyramid and portion sizes.

* Newsletters focusing on topics such as picky eaters, healthy cooking tips, healthy fast food options and recipes for healthy snacks.

* At-home activities such as sampling different vegetables and various types of lower-fat milks.

Comparing data from the intervention group to a control group of children, researchers found that intervention is an effective obesity prevention strategy.

"While 68.4 percent of children were at normal weight at the start of the study, this increased to 73 percent at follow-up," said Sarah E. Messiah, Ph.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study and research assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Clinical Research, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. "Also, the percentage of children who were at risk for overweight decreased from 16 percent to 12 percent."

From the beginning to the end of the intervention, children changed the amounts and types of foods they ate. Those at two intervention sites ate less junk food, more fresh fruits and vegetables, and drank less juice and more 1 percent milk compared to those at control sites.

Specifically, on average in the intervention groups:

* Chip consumption decreased from daily to no consumption.

* Cookie consumption decreased 50 percent.

* Fresh fruit and vegetable consumption increased 25 percent.

* Juice consumption decreased 50 percent and was replaced with a 20 percent increase in water consumption.

* One percent milk consumption increased 20 percent.

"In the control sites, cake and cookie consumption actually increased 35 percent and 75 percent, respectively, while average fresh fruit and water consumption decreased," Messiah said. "We are hoping that our study will impact policy around the country leading to healthier standards for meals served at childcare centers. If we are successful in improving attitudes toward nutrition and physical activity in early childhood, we can potentially influence adult behavior and begin to hope that the public health epidemic of obesity can be ended."

----------------------------
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
----------------------------

Other co-authors are: Lee Sanders, M.D.; Gabriela Lopez-Mitnik, M.A.; and Jennifer Barth, Ph.D.

Children's Trust of Miami Dade funded the study.

Statements and conclusions of abstract authors that are presented at American Heart Association/American Stroke Association scientific meetings are solely those of the abstract authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The associations make no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability.

Source: Karen Astle
American Heart Association

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Display An Anti-Inflammatory Response To The Vegan Diet

2008-03-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who eat a gluten-free vegan diet could be better protected against heart attacks and stroke. RA is a major risk factor for these cardiovascular diseases, but a gluten-free vegan diet was shown to lower cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and oxidizedLDL (OxLDL), as well as raising the levels of natural antibodies against the damaging compounds in the body that cause symptoms of the chronic inflammatory disease rheumatoid arthritis, such as phosphorylcholine. These findings are reported in the open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy.

The idea that we can influence our health by changing our eating habits has become a fashionable idea among lifestyle and consumer magazines. There is evidence that dietary changes can bring about health benefits but specific results are not widespread.

Now, Johan Frostegard of the Rheumatology Unit at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm and colleagues divided sixty-six RA patients randomly into two groups. They randomly assigned 38 of the volunteers to eat a gluten-free vegan diet, and the other 28 a well-balanced but non-vegan diet for one year. They analysed the levels of fatty, lipid molecules in blood samples using routine analytical methods at regular periods. They also measured oxLDL and anti-phosphorylcholine (antiPC) factor at the beginning of the experiment, at 3 months and again at 12 months.

The researchers found that the gluten-free vegan diet not only reduced LDL and oxLDL levels and raised antiPC antibodies but lowered the body-mass index (BMI) of the volunteers in that group. Levels of other fatty molecules, including triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) stayed the same. In contrast, none of the indicators differed significantly for the control groups on the conventional healthy diet.

AntiPC antibodies are studied within CVDIMMUNE, an European consortium led by Dr Frostegard with the hypothesis that such antibodies can protect against cardiovascular disease and can be used as diagnostic and therapeutic factors.

Frostegard and colleagues have now shown that diet could be used to improve the long-term health of people with rheumatoid arthritis. They concede that a bigger study group will be needed to discern which particular aspects of the diet help the most.

Diet And Colorectal Cancer Risk

2008-03-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

According to Heinz-Josef Lenz, M.D., professor of medicine, Keck School of Medicine, USC and the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, diet may have a major impact on people's risk of developing cancer. Colorectal cancer is the third most-common cause of cancer-related death in men and women in the nation.

The most important risk factor is red meat, particularly beef, he says. The countries with the highest beef consumption are the ones with the highest colon cancer risk. White meat such as chicken and pork don¹t seem to be associated with colon cancer risk.

Alcohol consumption is another major risk factor, particularly for women, Lenz notes. To reduce risk, people should limit themselves to one glass of wine per day.

Avoiding alcohol and decreasing intake of red meat can decrease your risk of colon cancer significantly, he says.

People should have rich sources of calcium intake, such as dairy products, daily. It is also important to include fiber-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables and reduce intake of fatty foods. One of the most powerful ways to reduce colon cancer development is vitamin D and calcium.

With easy adjustments in your diet, supplements such as calcium and modest exercise you can reduce your risk of colon cancer by more than 50 percent,² says Lenz.

For more information on colorectal cancer, visit Dr. Lenz¹s blog at www.revolutionhealth.com/pages/colon-cancer

deCODE Obesity Study Sheds Light on How Genetics Affects Risk and Onset of Common Diseases

2008-03-17T03:51:00.000-07:00

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a paper published online today in the journal Nature, a team of deCODE scientists detail a major mechanism through which genetic factors contribute to major public health problems. In its work on the inherited components of dozens of common diseases, deCODE has discovered gene variants that significantly affect individual susceptibility or protection against disease. In the common forms of these conditions -- such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases -- deCODE has previously shown that genetic variants confer increased or decreased risk by upregulating or downregulating the activity of major biological pathways. As a result, these variants place individuals on a spectrum of risk, with most of the population clustered at roughly average risk and a smaller number of people at either significantly higher or lower risk.

In today's paper, the deCODE team and collaborators from Merck demonstrate one of the principal ways in which the activity of biological pathways is functionally perturbed in a quintessentially complex condition: obesity. Through analysis of adipose tissue from some 1700 Icelandic participants in obesity research cohorts, the deCODE team showed in data derived from primary human tissue that variations in gene expression -- in the up-regulation or downregulation of how genes are translated into proteins -- have a major impact on several parameters of clinical obesity. The deCODE team then used its unique resources for genome-wide linkage and association analysis to demonstrate that variability in gene expression, like overall risk for disease, has a significant inherited component that can be linked to specific versions of genetic markers. The paper, "Genetics of gene expression and its effect on disease," is published today on Nature's website, www.nature.com, and will appear in a subsequent print edition of the journal.

"One of the observations we have made in our work on the isolation of disease genes is that the genetic risk of common diseases is often conferred by variations in the sequence of the genome that affect expression of genes. Hence, one of the ways to approach the study of common diseases is through the analysis of gene expression. This paper provides a substantial contribution towards the understanding of gene expression in man and one example of how it can be used to expand our knowledge of one disease, namely obesity," said Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE.

Secrets For Healthy Eating With Rachael Ray

2008-03-15T03:55:00.000-07:00

Stacey Antine, MS, RD and founder of HealthBarn(R) USA was honored today on The Rachael Ray Show as part of Ray's Incredible People & Healthy Eating series sponsored by The American Egg Board (www.rachaelrayshow.com/incrediblepeople/). Antine joins an all-star team of people recognized for their important contributions to helping communities lead healthier lives at the grass roots level.

"It's gratifying to be recognized by Rachael Ray's Incredible People & Healthy Eating series," said Stacey Antine, founder and CEO, HealthBarn USA, Inc. "We've seen first-hand how HealthBarn USA, the leader in proven, hands-on healthy-lifestyle education for children and families, can transform children's eating habits benefiting the whole family."

Antine went on to say that "We empower children with fundamental knowledge about healthy food and nutrition. We've found that when kids take part in growing and preparing a variety of different vegetables and other natural foods, they start asking their parents to serve more veggies and fruits at home."

Moreover, by teaching thousands of children ages 3-15, and their families, over the past three years to grow, cook, and taste a variety of fresh, seasonal foods and dishes, Antine and her team of nutritionists have identified secrets to getting children to eat vegetables. Here are some tips she shared with Rachael Ray on today's show:

-- Be a Role Model: Kids eat vegetables, often it's parents who don't;
-- Listen to Kids Opinions: If a vegetable or food gets rejected at the
table, ask why? At HealthBarn USA, we learn directly from the children
what works and what doesn't;
-- Use Positive Language: YUK! is a four letter word at HealthBarn USA.
Kids give the thumbs up or down only after trying new foods;
-- Be Creative with Food Preparation and Presentation: Kids love to cook
and eat hands-on recipes, e.g. add bell peppers to the typical
scrambled egg breakfast, wrap it up, and it becomes an exciting
breakfast burrito -- watch their faces light up;
-- Go Fresh: Serve a variety of raw seasonal vegetables because they
taste better all-natural before being altered in the cooking process.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a growing body of research shows that fruits and vegetables are critical to promoting good health. "The key to our success lies in HealthBarn USA's healthy-lifestyle philosophy rooted in common sense and fun for the whole family," said Antine. "There's a lot of focus on obesity, diabetes, and chronic disease among children and adults; but what's different about HealthBarn USA is that we are helping children and their parents learn how to read labels to make better food choices and to cook simple, nutritious and delicious meals for the whole family. Taking time to eat together as a family completes the HealthBarn picture."

HealthBarn USA, located at Abma's Farm, Wyckoff, NJ, developed the hands- on innovative curricula in conjunction with Rutgers Cooperative Extension and its esteemed advisory board. The core concept is to educate children, ages 3- 15, and their families through year-round farm programs, summer camp, and school assemblies and workshops. Information on the programs including the one-of-a-kind recipe book -- a "must-have" for parents 'in the know' -- can be obtained online at www.healthbarnusa.com.

CONTACT: Julie Meyer, RD
201-891-2066
press@healthbarnusa.com

Source: HealthBarn USA

Contact: Julie Meyer, RD, of HealthBarn USA, +1-201-891-2066,
press@healthbarnusa.com

Web site: http://www.healthbarnusa.com/
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/incrediblepeople/

More Vitamin D In Childhood Cut Risk Of Adult Diabetes?

2008-03-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

Researchers claim that vitamin D supplements in early childhood could prevent the development of Type 1 diabetes in later life.

The research showed that children given additional vitamin D were around 30 per cent less likely to develop Type 1 diabetes compared with those not given the supplement.

It suggested that the higher and more regular the dose, the lower the likelihood of developing the disease.

Potential to prevent Type 1 diabetes

Dr Victoria King, Research Manager of leading health charity, Diabetes UK, said: "This study suggests that taking vitamin D in childhood has the potential to prevent the development of Type 1 diabetes.

"However, much more research, in particular controlled trials which compares the results when one group of people are given vitamin D supplements and one group is not, are needed before we can confirm a concrete association between vitamin D and Type 1 diabetes."

The results come from the analysis of five separate studies published previously.

Tooth Erosion Caused By Popular Energy Drinks

2008-03-13T04:06:00.000-07:00

For more than 10 years, energy drinks in the United States have been on the rise, promising consumers more "oomph" in their day. In fact, it is estimated that the energy drink market will hit $10 billion by 2010. While that may be great news for energy drink companies, it could mean a different story for the oral health of consumers who sometimes daily rely on these drinks for that extra boost.

Previous scientific research findings have helped to warn consumers that the pH (potential of hydrogen) levels in beverages such as soda could lead to tooth erosion, the breakdown of tooth structure caused by the effect of acid on the teeth that leads to decay. The studies revealed that, whether diet or regular, ice tea or root beer, the acidity level in popular beverages that consumers drink every day contributes to the erosion of enamel.

However, in a recent study of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer reviewed journal, the pH level of soft drinks isn't the only factor that causes dental erosion. A beverage's "buffering capacity," or the ability to neutralize acid, plays a significant role in the cause of dental erosion.

The study examined the acidity levels of five popular beverages on the market. The results proved that popular "high energy" and sports drinks had the highest mean buffering capacity, resulting in the strongest potential for erosion of enamel.

According to the study, the popularity of energy drinks is on the rise, especially among adolescents and young adults. Their permanent teeth are more susceptible to attack from the acids found in soft drinks, due to the porous quality of their immature tooth enamel. As a result, there is high potential for erosion among this age demographic to increase.

In fact, Raymond Martin, DDS, MAGD, AGD spokesperson, says he treats more patients in their teens to 20s for tooth erosion. "They drink a great deal more sodas, sports drinks, and energy drinks," he says. "The results, if not treated early and if extensive, can lead to very severe dental issues that would require full mouth rehabilitation to correct," says Dr. Martin.

Drink responsibly for your oral health:

* Use a straw positioned at the back of the mouth so that the liquid avoids the teeth

* Rinse the mouth with water after drinking acidic beverages

* Limit the intake of sodas, sports drinks and energy drinks

Personal Counseling And Web-Based Strategies Show Modest Success For Sustaining Weight Loss, According

2008-03-13T03:53:00.000-07:00

Adults who lost weight in a six-month program were able to keep at least some of the weight off for 2.5 years with the help of brief monthly personal counseling, according to a new study from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. A Web-based intervention also helped participants keep the weight off for two years, but the benefit waned during the last six months of the trial.

The results of the Weight Loss Maintenance Trial, the largest and longest duration trial to test different weight-loss maintenance strategies, are published in the March 12, 2008, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Results will also be presented at the American Heart Association's Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism Council Meeting on March 12 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"Maintaining a healthy weight is a key tenet of every heart disease prevention plan. We have well-tested techniques for successful weight loss, but preventing weight re-gain is especially challenging. This study provides insight into best practices for practical interventions that can help adults keep the weight off and therefore lower their risks for heart disease and other conditions," said Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., director, NHLBI.

The study initially enrolled 1,685 overweight or obese adults with high blood pressure or high cholesterol or both. Of those, 1,032 lost an average of 18.7 pounds during an initial six-month weight loss intervention involving 20 weekly group-counseling sessions which emphasized a heart-healthy dietary pattern and three hours per week of physical activity. They were then randomly assigned to one of three strategies for weight loss maintenance: monthly personal counseling on diet and physical activity, a Web-based intervention with the same advice, and self-direction, where participants received minimal further intervention from study staff.

At the end of the study, participants receiving personal counseling retained an average weight loss of 9.2 pounds, compared to an average of 7.3 pounds for those using the Web-based intervention and 6.4 pounds for those in the self-directed group.

Personal counseling sessions were brief and mainly by telephone. The Web site was developed to provide the same advice as personal counseling. Both interventions were designed to be practical to implement in a variety of settings.

"Most people in the study regained at least some of the weight they initially lost. However, both the personal counseling and the Web-based program modestly alleviated weight re-gain for up to two years, with the personal counseling ultimately proving to be the most beneficial by the end of the 2.5 year study," said Laura Svetkey, M.D, a professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center, and the study's lead author.

Maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of heart disease prevention. Weight loss is shown to lower blood pressure, lower LDL "bad" cholesterol, and help prevent type 2 diabetes. Each 2.2 pounds of weight loss can lower blood pressure by one point and can lower the risk of developing diabetes by 16 percent in high-risk adults.

"The relatively long-term, 24-month success of the Web-based intervention shows promise particularly because of the potential to reach a large number of adults at a relative low cost per person," said Catherine Loria, Ph.D., program officer at NHLBI, and a study co-author. "We need to continue working to improve both interventions so that they are more effective and can be implemented widely."

Approximately 38 percent of participants were African-American and 37 percent of participants were men.

Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) plans, conducts, and supports research related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases; and sleep disorders. The Institute also administers national health education campaigns on women and heart disease, healthy weight for children, and other topics. NHLBI press releases and other materials are available online at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov.

Some Diet Risk Perceptions

2008-03-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

How good are we at judging what's risky to our health?

Some of our perceptions of risks in our diet fly in the face of science, according to a new survey by the Food Standards Agency. The survey investigated how consumers perceive the risks associated with various food issues in comparison to the scientific evidence.

Survey results

Bird flu - 90% of people would be concerned about eating chicken from a factory contaminated with bird flu. In reality, there's no scientific evidence to show that the food chain has a role in the contraction of bird flu in humans. People can't catch bird flu through eating properly cooked chicken.

Raw milk - nearly a quarter of people, and particularly those aged over 66, thought that there is a very low risk, or no risk at all, from drinking raw (unpasteurised) milk. The science, however, says that raw milk cannot be guaranteed free from germs, even when produced under the best possible hygiene conditions. A study carried out in 1995-96 showed that 60% of samples tested were contaminated with faecal matter. Another study in 1996-97 also showed that 4% of raw milk contained harmful bacteria that could make people ill. Vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the very young and pregnant women are particularly at risk.

Genetically Modified (GM) food - 65% of people were concerned about the safety of consuming GM food. The scientific evidence tells us that the GM foods currently available are as safe as their non-GM counterparts, and pose no additional risk to the consumer. There is general agreement that foods containing GM material need to be labelled to allow consumers to make a choice.

Trust - people are more likely to trust the advice of a friend or a family member on health issues than scientists, even independent scientists.

The survey did, however, show that there is now little concern about the safety of eating beef. There was good awareness of the risks associated with eating too much salt and of the food safety dangers of eating old leftovers.

GACS meeting

The survey was conducted for the launch of the first meeting of the independent General Advisory Committee on Science (GACS) chaired by leading scientist Professor Colin Blakemore, on Tuesday 11 March. GACS will be holding an open panel debate in the afternoon to look at the question 'Should we trust what scientists say about food?'. Panellists will include the Guardian's 'Bad Science' columnist Ben Goldacre.

Prof Colin Blakemore said: 'This survey is just a snapshot of people's opinions about food and risk but it prompts some interesting questions about how and why we judge some food to be risky. The good news is that people are clearly more aware of the impact of some risks to their health - particularly too much salt in their diet and some food safety issues. However, it also seems to show people are more likely to listen to advice about risk from friends than from scientists. It's clear that scientists need to communicate reliable evidence in a way that everyone can understand and to find constructive ways of engaging with the public on areas of concern. It's a challenge that the Food Standards Agency will have to rise to.'

Notes

The overall purpose of the General Advisory Committee on Science (GACS) is to offer independent challenge and advice on how the Food Standards Agency (FSA) collects and uses scientific evidence. The membership of the committee includes 13 expert members and two lay members.

The FSA survey was designed to assess:

- the level of risk consumers associate with various activities, particularly looking at food related issues
- who consumers would trust to tell them about the risk associated with each activity

A series of questions were placed on the RSGB Omnibus survey, which interviewed a representative (in terms of gender, age, and working status) sample of 2,019 UK adults (aged 16+) between the 20 and 24 February 2008. Data was weighted at the analysis stage to ensure that the sample was demographically representative.

Eating chicken from factory contaminated with bird flu

- 90% associated risk with this activity (73% associated high risk with this activity)
- The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) Avian (Bird) Influenza Risk Assessment considered this issue in May 2007.

Drinking raw (unpasteurised) milk

- 22% considered this to be no or negligible concern
- Older consumers (particular those aged over 66) were more likely to think there is no/negligible risk (28%)
- 1995-1996 Research by ADAS on behalf of the Department of Health. 1996-1997 Research by Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS). Information on both surveys in paragraph 7-9 of FSA Board Paper.
- Further information also available from FSA Board discussion paper, executive summary, March 2002.

Consuming genetically modified (GM) food

- 65% of people associated risk with this activity
- The Board of the Food Standards Agency stated in June 2000 that it was satisfied that the safety assessment procedures for GM foods were sufficiently robust and rigorous to ensure that approved GM foods were as safe as their non-GM counterparts, and posed no additional risk to the consumer. For more information see the FSA Board Paper.

Eating meat leftovers three days after cooking

- 88% of people associated a risk with this activity
- If you're reheating leftover meat, or other food, always make sure it's piping hot all the way through before you eat it. And don't reheat more than once. Ideally, try to use leftovers within 48 hours. For more information see the Eatwell website.

Eating beef

- 63% of people considered this to be no or negligible concern
- The number of BSE cases in Great Britain has declined from a peak of over 36,000 in 1992 to 53 cases in 2007. Further information is available on the Defra website.

Eating too much salt

- 89% of people associated a risk with this activity
- Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease and stroke and twice as likely to die from these conditions than people who have normal blood pressure levels. High blood pressure contributes to 170,000 deaths in England alone every year. The current, daily average salt consumption of people in the UK is 9g. The Government health recommendation is that people should aim to eat no more than 6g of salt per day. More information on salt can be found on the Agency's Salt website.

For more information on the GACS panel debate go to:

- http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2008/feb/debate

Trust

In the survey consumers were asked 'Who would you trust to tell which of the activities posed the most risk to health?'

Percentage of people rating the person/organisation they would trust as their first, second or third choice:

- health professional (such as a doctor) 81%
- someone close to you 48%
- independent scientist 42%
- the Government 21%
- the media 16%
- a charity 13%
- health insurance company 10%
- supermarkets 7%

Food Standards Agency

Broccoli May Help Boost The Aging Immune System

2008-03-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

Eat your broccoli! That's the advice from UCLA researchers who have found that a chemical in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may hold a key to restoring the body's immunity, which declines as we age.

Published in this week's online edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the study findings show that sulforaphane, a chemical in broccoli, switches on a set of antioxidant genes and enzymes in specific immune cells, which then combat the injurious effects of molecules known as free radicals that can damage cells and lead to disease.

Free radicals are byproducts of normal body processes, such as the metabolic conversion of food into energy, and can also enter the body through small particles present in polluted air. A supercharged form of oxygen, these molecules can cause oxidative tissue damage, leading to disease for example, triggering the inflammation process that causes clogged arteries. Oxidative damage to body tissues and organs is thought to be one of the major causes of aging.

"The mysteries of aging have always intrigued man," said Dr. Andre Nel, the study's principal investigator and chief of nanomedicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "While we have known for some time that free radicals are important in aging, most of the past attention has focused on the mechanisms that produce free radicals rather than addressing the pathways used by the body to suppress their production."

A dynamic equilibrium exists in the body between the mechanisms that lead to increased free radical production and those antioxidant pathways that help combat free radicals.

"Our study contributes to the growing understanding of the importance of these antioxidant defense pathways that the body uses to fight free radicals," said Nel, a practicing clinical allergist and immunologist at the Geffen School. "Insight into these processes points to ways in which we may be able to alleviate the effects of aging."

The delicate balance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant forces in the body could determine the outcome of many disease processes that are associated with aging, including cardiovascular disease, degenerative joint diseases and diabetes, as well as the decline in efficiency of the immune system's ability to protect against infectious agents.

"As we age, the ability of the immune system to fight disease and infections and protect against cancer wears down as a result of the impact of oxygen radicals on the immune system," Nel said.

According to the UCLA study, the ability of aged tissues to reinvigorate their antioxidant defense can play an important role in reversing much of the negative impact of free radicals on the immune system. However, until this current study, the extent to which antioxidant defense can impact the aging process in the immune system was not properly understood.

"Our defense against oxidative stress damage may determine at what rate we age, how it will manifest and how to interfere in those processes," Nel said. "In particular, our study shows that a chemical present in broccoli is capable of stimulating a wide range of antioxidant defense pathways and may be able to interfere with the age-related decline in immune function."

The UCLA team not only found that the direct administration of sulforaphane in broccoli reversed the decline in cellular immune function in old mice, but they witnessed similar results when they took individual immune cells from old mice, treated those cells with the chemical outside the body and then placed the treated cells back into a recipient animal.

In particular, the scientists discovered that dendritic cells, which introduce infectious agents and foreign substances to the immune system, were particularly effective in restoring immune function in aged animals when treated with sulforaphane.

"We found that treating older mice with sulforaphane increased the immune response to the level of younger mice," said Hyon-Jeen Kim, first author and research scientist at the Geffen School.

To investigate how the chemical in broccoli increased the immune system's response, the UCLA group confirmed that sulforaphane interacts with a protein called Nrf2, which serves as a master regulator of the body's overall antioxidant response and is capable of switching on hundreds of antioxidant and rejuvenating genes and enzymes.

Nel said that the chemistry leading to activation of this gene-regulation pathway could be a platform for drug discovery and vaccine development to boost the decline of immune function in elderly people.

"This is a radical new way of thinking in how to increase the immune function of elderly people to possibly protect against viral infections and cancer," Nel said. "We may have uncovered a new mechanism by which to boost vaccine responses by using a nutrient chemical to impact oxidant stress pathways in the immune system."

Kim said that although there is a decline in Nrf2 activity with aging, this pathway remains accessible to chemicals like sulforaphane that are capable of restoring some of the ravages of aging by boosting antioxidant pathways.

The next step is further study to see how these findings would translate to humans.

"Dietary antioxidants have been shown to have important effects on immune function, and with further study, we may be adding broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables to that list," Nel said.

For now, Nel suggests including these vegetables as part of a healthy diet.

Nel said that these findings offer a window into how the immune system ages.

"We may find that combating free radicals is only part of the answer. It may prove to be a more multifaceted process and interplay between pro- and antioxidant forces," he said.

The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging, the UCLA Claude D. Pepper Older Adults Independence Center, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Other study authors included Berenice Barajas and Dr. Meiying Wang.

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences
924 Westwood Blvd., Ste. 350
Los Angeles, CA 90095
United States
http://www.ucla.edu

Higher Antioxidant Properties In Torrefacto-Roasted Coffee

2008-03-09T07:06:00.000-07:00

Torrefacto-roasted coffee has higher antioxidant properties than natural roast, according to the dissertation defended by a biologist of the University of Navarra, Isabel López Galilea. She has emphasized in her study that the addition of sugar during the roasting process increases the development of compounds with high antioxidant activity.

The researcher of Department of Food Sciences, Physiology and Toxicology of the University of Navarra analyzed eleven varieties of commercial coffee for her study, which was entitled "The Influence of Torrefacto Roasting on the Principal Components of Coffee and its Antioxidant and Pro-oxidant Capacity."

As this scientist of the School of Sciences emphasized, numerous studies have shown the benefits of this drink. In particular, it is considered to be one of the best sources for antioxidants in the diet; these substances help to protect us against free radicals, which are a cause of premature aging and certain diseases. Coffee has an antioxidant capacity which is ten times higher than other drinks, such as red wine and tea.

The antioxidant capacity varies according to the preparation method

In order to carry out this research, Isabel López analyzed the coffee consumption habits of the inhabitants of Navarra, via 300 surveys. The results showed that Navarrans consume an average of 125 ml of coffee per day, with consumption slightly higher among women. In addition, they primarily consume ground coffee resulting from a mixture of natural roast and torrefacto-roast coffees, and the coffee is generally prepared with Italian or mocha coffee makers, followed by the filter, espresso and pump methods.

After confirming the increased antioxidant capacity of ground coffees roasted using the torrefacto process, she showed how these properties were present in the brewed coffee, which is the typical form of coffee consumption. In regard to the different preparation methods, she discovered that espresso machines produce a drink with the highest antioxidant capacity, more than coffee produced by the Italian, filter and pump methods. These properties may be due to the greater content of 'brown compounds' [compuestos pardos] developed during the roasting process, as well as to polyphenic compounds and caffeine.

In addition, she demonstrated that both the compounds contained in coffee as well as its aroma are affected by the type of roast and the system of extraction; nevertheless, this is a topic that will require further study in order to identify results under varying conditions. In her study, Dr. López identified 34 volatile compounds with high aromatic impact on coffee drinks, and new aromatic compounds were detected, such as octanol, which produces an intense orange aroma.

Vegetables And Decreased Risk Of Breast Cancer

2008-03-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

When your mother told you to eat your vegetables it appears that maternal wisdom had a scientific basis. Researchers with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and the Shanghai Cancer Institute in China have discovered a possible link between a diet rich in certain vegetables and a decreased risk for breast cancer. The study appears in the March issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Corresponding author Jay Fowke, Ph.D., assistant professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt-Ingram, said 3,035 women diagnosed with breast cancer were identified through the Shanghai Cancer Registry. They were closely matched with 3,037 women randomly chosen from the general population there. The women filled out questionnaires about their diet, including consumption of cruciferous vegetables like Chinese cabbage, bok choi and turnips. Americans typically eat more broccoli, kale and cauliflower in the cruciferous vegetable family.

"Cruciferous vegetables contain some compounds that may have a cancer-inhibitory effect," explained Fowke. "Here we were able to identify a group of women who seem to particularly benefit from a high intake of these vegetables."

While there was only a small positive relationship between a diet high in these vegetables and a reduction in breast cancer risk for the overall study population, there was a striking risk reduction 50 percent among women with a certain genetic profile. Researchers identified three forms of the GSTP1 genotype among the cancer patients: Ille/Ile, Ile/Val and Val/Val.

"Women who consumed more of these cruciferous vegetables and who also had the Val/Val genetic polymorphism had a lower breast cancer risk. So we cautiously interpreted this as diet being a factor that may reduce the impact of genetic susceptibility in overall breast cancer risk," said Fowke.

The Vanderbilt-Ingram researchers focused on cruciferous vegetables because they contain two chemicals called isothiocyanates and indole-3-carbinol which may affect carcinogenesis by triggering cell death or by shifting estrogen metabolism. Studies by other researchers have suggested cruciferous vegetables may reduce the risk of lung, stomach, colorectal and bladder cancers.

"We have known for some time that certain foods, like soy foods, appear to interfere with the development of breast cancer because they contain plant estrogens," said Fowke. "The protective effect from cruciferous vegetables in this study was certainly suggestive of a risk reduction, but researchers need to replicate this finding in other studies."

Scientists were able to isolate the specific genetic profile linked with a positive dietary impact because the women in the study submitted DNA through blood and cheek cell samples. Wei Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt-Ingram is the principal investigator for the Shanghai Breast Cancer study.

"The Shanghai Breast Cancer Study is one of the largest and most comprehensive epidemiological studies conducted to date for this common cancer," according to Zheng. "We have published over 100 research papers in this study addressing a large range of significant issues related to the etiology and survival of breast cancer. The results reported by Dr. Fowke may have significant implications in breast cancer prevention."

While women in this study answered questionnaires about their diets, researchers want to measure more precisely the intake of cruciferous vegetables. To aid in future studies they are collecting urine samples which contain biomarkers for the beneficial chemicals.

Authors for this paper include: Sang-Ah Lee, Wei Lu, Chuangzhong Ye, Ying Zheng, Qiuyin Cai, Kai Gu, Yu-Tang Gao, Xiao-ou Shu and Wei Zheng.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center
D-3237A Medical Center North
Nashville, TN 37232-2390
United States
http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu

Supplement Containing Blueberry And Green Tea Protects Against Stroke Damage

2008-03-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

A unique dietary supplement called NutraStem ® has been shown to have beneficial effects following experimental stroke. A nutritional supplement product, NutraStem also known as NT-020, is a proprietary formulation of blueberry, green tea, vitamin D3 and carnosine extracts - a combination of nutritional ingredients thought to be potent in protecting against brain damage.

"Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause for disability in the U.S. with two of every 1,000 adults experiencing their firsts stroke in any given year," said Cesar V. Borlongan, PhD, of the Medical College of Georgia, lead author of a study that tested NT-020 post stroke effects in animal models. "We explored how increasing the nutritive diet through NT-020 supplementation might render a therapeutically potent neurogenesis following stroke."

NutraStem was developed by Natura Therapeutics, Inc., based in Tampa, Florida and founded by neuroscientists from the University of South Florida.. NutraStem was designed to encourage the proliferation of adult stem cells, which have the potential to develop into most tissues and bone cells in the body and have the capacity to migrate toward problem or damaged areas.

A study, conducted jointly by scientists at the University of South Florida College of Medicine (Tampa) and the Medical College of Georgia (Augusta), examined two groups of laboratory animals in a double-blind procedure. One group received the dietary supplement for two weeks prior to undergoing surgical stroke. The second group did not receive the dietary supplement. Results, published online in the high-impact journal REJUVENATION RESEARCH), showed that the group receiving NutraStem had greatly reduced neural damage in the brain and demonstrated significantly reduced motor deficits.

"The numbers of new neurons found in the damaged brain of the treated rats was significantly higher," said co-author Paula Bickford, PhD, of the University of South Florida College of Medicine and co-founder of Natura Therapeutics, Inc. "An important feature of our results is that the combination of agents used was 100 times more potent than previously published study results that examined each of the individual ingredients used by themselves."

Co-author Cyndy D. Sanberg, PhD, of Natura Therapeutics, Inc., noted that while eliminating detrimental calories has been found to be protective against stroke by reducing oxidative stress, the nutritive diet of NutraStem could enhance and augment that approach.

"Our study found robust neuroprotective effects of the NT-020 formula," said Borlongan. "Two weeks of NutraStem therapy lessened stroke-induced behavioral deficits, reduced stroke-induced infarcts and promoted the birth of new neurons. Our results provide a critical advance in the scientific and clinical arena by demonstrating the advantage of a multi-agent over a single agent regimen."

Low-Fat Diets More Likely To Reduce Risk Of Heart Disease Than Low-Carb Diets

2008-03-04T02:56:00.000-08:00

Low-fat diets are more effective in preserving and promoting a healthy cardiovascular system than low-carbohydrate, Atkins'-like diets, according to a new study by researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

The study, published in the February edition of the scientific journal Hypertension, was led by David D. Gutterman, M.D., Northwestern Mutual Professor of Cardiology, professor of medicine and physiology, and senior associate dean of research at the Medical College. Shane Phillips, M.D., a former Cardiology faculty member at the Medical College, and now assistant professor in the department of physical therapy at the University of Illinois - Chicago, was the lead author.

Public awareness of the "obesity epidemic" has resulted in various dietary weight loss strategies. In America, it is estimated that 45 percent of women and 30 percent of men diet to lose weight.

"The nutrient-specific effects of these diets on cardiovascular health are largely unknown," says Dr. Gutterman.

"Low-carbohydrate diets are significantly higher in total grams of fat, protein, dietary cholesterol and saturated fats than are low-fat diets. While a low-carbohydrate diet may result in weight loss and improvement in blood pressure, similar to a low-fat diet, the higher fat content is ultimately more detrimental to heart health than is the low-fat diet suggested by the American Heart Association," points out Dr. Phillips.

"The higher fat content of a low-carbohydrate diet may put dieters at an increased risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) because low-carbohydrate diets often reduce protection of the endothelium, the thin layer of cells that line the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The reduced production from the endothelium of nitric oxide, a specific chemical, puts the vessel at higher risk of abnormal thickening, greater clotting potential, and cholesterol deposition, all part of the atherosclerosis process," says Dr. Gutterman.

Over a six-week period, the researchers found reduced flow-mediated dilation in the arm artery in participants who were on the low-carbohydrate diet. Reduced flow-mediated dilation, as measured in this study, is an early indicator of cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, flow-mediated dilation improved significantly in participants on the low-fat diet suggesting a healthier artery which is less prone to developing atherosclerosis.

"We observed a reduction in brachial artery flow-mediated dilation after six weeks of weight loss on a low-carbohydrate, Atkins'-style diet," Dr. Gutterman says.

Low-carbohydrate diets were also found to have significantly less daily folic acid than low-fat diets. Folic acid is thought to be helpful in reducing the likeliness of heart disease. This protective effect results from the antioxidant property of folic acid and its ability to lower levels of homocysteine, a naturally occurring amino acid that can be dangerous at elevated levels.

The low-carbohydrate diet provided 20 grams of carbohydrates daily and was supplemented with protein and fat content according to the Atkins' diet recommendations. The low-fat diet provided 30 percent of the calories as fat, and was modeled after the American Heart Association's recommendations.

"The composition of diet may be as important as the degree of weight loss in determining the effect of dietary interventions on vascular health," Dr. Gutterman notes.

Twenty participants between the ages of 18 to 50 with a body mass index ranging from 29 to 39 were monitored for the study, and the type of diet was randomly assigned to participants. Weight loss, flow-mediated dilation, blood pressure and insulin and glucose levels in the participants were measured every two weeks for the six-week study.

Daily Breakfast Eating Linked To Lower BMI Among Teens

2008-03-04T02:34:00.000-08:00

US researchers have found that teenagers who ate breakfast every day were more likely to have a healthier diet, exercise regularly and have a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) five years later compared to same age counterparts who skipped breakfast.

The study is the work of epidemiologists working on the University of Minnesota School of Public Health Project Eating Among Teens (EAT) at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and is published in the March online issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Body Mass Index is the ratio of a person's weight in kilos to their height in metres squared.

Cross sectional studies looking at teenagers of different ages have already linked skipping breakfast with higher BMI, but there have been few studies that follow groups of children as they get older.

Study author Dr Mark Pereira said this study makes an important contribution in this less examined area because of its duration and size.

"The dose-response findings between breakfast frequency and obesity risk, even after taking into account physical activity and other dietary factors, suggests that eating breakfast may have important effects on overall diet and obesity risk, but experimental studies are needed to confirm these observations," said Pereira.

The past 20 years have seen a doubling in American childhood obesity rates, and for teens the rate has nearly tripled.

57 per cent of adolescent girls and 33 per cent of adolescent boys frequently use unhealthy approaches to control weight, and the researchers said estimates show between 12 and 24 per cent of children and teenagers regularly skip breakfast. And the number who do so goes up with age.

The researchers examined the link between breakfast eating frequency and change in body weight after 5 years in 2,216 teenagers.

Project EAT (Eating Among Teens) was a 5-year longitudinal study that looked at teenagers' eating patterns and weight concerns.

Participants completed questionnaires during 1998 and 1999 (first round) and then again during 2003 and 2004 (second round, five years later).

Using statistical linear regression analysis the researchers explored the link between how often the teenagers had breakfast and their change in BMI. The figures were adjusted for age, race, physical activity, socio-economic group, their BMI in round 1, and other diet and weight factors at the start of the study.

The results showed that:

* At the start of the study, the teenagers who ate breakfast more frequently were more likely to be white, physically active, have the highest carbohydrate and fibre intake, and have higher socio-economic status.

* On the other hand, the teenagers who ate breakfast less frequently were the ones who were most likely to smoke, drink alcohol, and use dieting and other ways to control their weight.

* Cross sectional analyses of data taken at the start and at the end of the study showed that the link between less frequent breakfast eating and higher BMI was mostly independent of all the potential confounders.

* Factors related to weight, such as concerns, behaviours and pressures, did not explain the link between breakfast eating and BMI.

* Prospective analyses (where the group is followed), showed that frequency of breakfast eating was inversely linked with BMI in a dose-response pattern.

Pereira and colleagues concluded that these findings:

"Support the importance of promoting regular breakfast consumption among adolescents."

"Future studies should further examine the role of breakfast habits among youth who are particularly concerned about their weight," they added.

They also pointed out that because the study was not an experimental design, they cannot say that skipping breakfast caused the higher BMI. An experimental study would have to be done to establish a causal link, they said.

However, principal investigator of Project EAT, Dr Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, said this study confirmed the importance of helping teenagers learn to start the day "right" by eating breakfast. Although they may think:

" That skipping breakfast seems like a good way to save on calories, findings suggest the opposite," she said.

"Eating a healthy breakfast may help adolescents avoid overeating later in the day and disrupt unhealthy eating patterns, such as not eating early in the day and eating a lot late in the evening," explained Neumark-Sztainer.

"Breakfast Eating and Weight Change in a 5-Year Prospective Analysis of Adolescents: Project EAT (Eating Among Teens)."
Maureen T. Timlin, Mark A. Pereira, Mary Story, and Dianne Neumark-Sztainer.
Pediatrics 2008; 121: e638-e645.
March 2008, Volume 121, Issue 3.

Tighter Tummies: A New Way To Combat Weight Gain

2008-03-04T02:33:00.001-08:00

Two cell proteins that relax the gut and help accommodate a big meal have been identified by UCL (University College London) scientists. The proteins could offer a future drug target against weight gain, by preventing the stomach from expanding.

In a paper published in this month's issue of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Dr Brian King and Dr Andrea Townsend-Nicholson explored the molecular basis of relaxations of the gut. In the study, the authors identified two protein receptors - P2Y1 and P2Y11 - involved in fast and slow relaxations of the gut. These proteins were identified in the guinea pig, but are also present in the human gut, and thus offer the potential as a future target for drug treatment. Further research by the UCL team will focus on the human isoform of the P2Y11 protein receptor.

Dr Brian King of the UCL Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology says: "The mechanisms we have identified are important to the normal workings of the stomach - a hollow organ which actively relaxes to help accommodate the size of your meal. The human stomach has a 'resting' internal volume of 75 millilitres but, by relaxing its muscular wall, can expand to an internal volume of two litres or more - a 25-fold increase in the volume it can accept. This expansion is controlled by nerves inside the stomach wall and these nerves release molecules that stimulate the P2Y1 and P2Y11 receptor proteins embedded in muscle cells in the gut wall.

"The mechanism of slow relaxation of the stomach might represent a future drug target in the fight to control weight gain and reverse obesity. We are looking to identify drugs that would block the P2Y11 receptor and, therefore, prevent slow relaxation of the stomach. As a result of blocking the P2Y11-based mechanism, meal size would be smaller, offering the person a better chance of regulating their food intake.

"This would be a brand new approach to weight control. At present, the most successful way to help obese patients lose weight is gastric banding or stomach stapling, both of which reduce the maximum volume of the stomach. But these are also tricky surgical procedures, not without attendant risks. A pill that could replace this surgery, yet have the same effect, might be a useful alternative."

'Involvement of P2Y1 and P2Y11 Purinoceptors in Parasympathetic Inhibition of Colonic Smooth Muscle' is published in the March edition of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (Volume 324 (Issue 3), 1055-1063).

Is Red Bull a Health Risk ?

2008-02-28T10:21:00.000-08:00

Red Bull is a drink which is sold by Red Bull, GmbH, Austria. It is the brand name of the drink, which originated in Thailand and was adjusted to suit the European (Austrian) palate. According to the manufacturers, Red Bull is aimed at people wanting to combat mental and physical fatigue.
A 250 ml (8.3 fl. oz) can contains -

-- 21.5 g sucrose
Table sugar

-- 5.25 g of glucose
A 'simple' sugar.

-- 50 mg of inositol
A type of sugar which has a different chemical structure to glucose. It is a basic part of cell membranes - crucial in brain, nerve and muscle function. It comes from plants and can be commonly found in many foods. It is currently being studied for potential cancer prevention.

-- 1000 mg of taurine
Also known as 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, or sulfonic acid, it is an organic acid. It is a major ingredient of bile. It is also present in small amounts in living tissues of humans and most animals. Cats cannot synthesize taurine - it is essential for the health of a cat. Taurine deficiency will cause irreversible blindness in cats, as well as tooth decay and hair loss - plus some other negative health conditions. Studies have not convincingly shown taurine to be an energy booster when added to drinks.

-- 600 mg of glucuronolactone
A naturally occurring chemical compound produced by the human liver during glucose metabolism. It is a crucial component for nearly all our connective tissues. It is commonly found in plant gums. It is added to drinks because it is said to boost the consumer's energy.

-- 20 mg of Niacin
A type of Vitamin B that increases blood HDL levels (good cholesterol)

-- 5 mg of Vitamin B6
Also known as pyridoxine, we need it for the synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine, and for myelin formation. People who suffer from pyridoxine deficiency have problems with their peripheral nerves, skin, mucous membranes and their blood cell system. The central nervous system of children with pyridoxine deficiency is affected. The number of people with mild pyridoxine deficiency is surprisingly higher than most of us realize.

-- 5 mg of Pantothenic Acid
Also called Vitamin B5. It is water-soluble - the body can't store it. If the body can't use all of the vitamin, the excess leaves the body through the urine. It must be replaced every day. As well as being essential for growth, it helps the body break down and use food (metabolism).

-- 0.005 mg of Vitamin B12
Also called cobalamin. We need it to make red blood cells and DNA - it is also used to keep nerves healthy. It is commonly given to cancer patients, along with folate, to help reduce the side-effects of cancer treatment with antimetabolites (type of drugs).

-- 80 mg of caffeine
It is the same compound as guaranine which is found in guarana, theine which is found in tea, and mateine which is found in mate. Caffeine is a mild diuretic (a substance which increases the amount of urine you pass - it makes you shed more water/liquid). Caffeine acts as a psychoactive stimulant drug. In humans caffeine can restore alertness temporarily. It is commonly found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks. It is the most popular psychoactive substance on earth.

Sugar-free Red Bull has no sucrose or glucose, and has aspartame and acesulfame potassium instead.

The makers of Red Bull say it is made so that it tastes of mixed berried. In 2006 over 3 billion cans of Red Bull were sold around the world, generating sales of 2.6 billion Euros.

A 250 ml can of Red Bull has about the same amount of caffeine as one would find in a 250 ml cup of coffee - about double what you would consume if you had a 330 ml can of Coke.

Some countries, such as France, have banned the sale of Red Bull, mainly because of its taurine and caffeine content and its popularity with young teenagers. Norway, Uruguay, Denmark and Iceland do not allow the sale of Red Bull.

Is Red Bull a Health Risk?

Red Bull is a controversial product. People either love or hate the taste, defend it faithfully or attack it furiously. Most studies have not shown that Red Bull is a serious hazard to health. However, as it can raise some people's heart rate and blood pressure some health care professionals advise those with heart conditions and hypertension to be careful.

Red Bull is very popular with young people. It is commonly mixed with vodka to make a cocktail. Some young people can consume excessive amounts of Red Bull and require medical attention.

Two weeks ago a 15-year-old boy suffered heart palpitations in Darlington, UK, after a Red Bull binge, according to paramedics. He had consumed eight cans in one sitting and had to be taken to the Memorial Hospital, Darlington on February 14th, 2008.

A Brazilian study found that those who mix Red Bull with alcohol may be drunker than they think they are - the energy drink may mask the alcohol effect.

Americans Believe Whole Grains Are Healthiest Foods, Decision Analyst Study Shows

2008-02-26T11:49:00.001-08:00

What foods and beverages do people in the United States think of as offering the greatest health benefits? Whole grains (59.5%) top the list, followed closely by broccoli (57.6%), bananas (56.9%), oatmeal (56.1%), green tea (55.1%), garlic (54.6%), spinach (54.6%), and carrots (52.4%). Participants in the survey were asked, "Which of the following foods and beverages provide additional health benefits beyond basic nutritional needs?" The answer list contained 70 foods and beverages commonly thought of as healthful, as well as some that might not be perceived as healthful. This data comes from the Health and Nutrition Strategist™, a major ongoing study to track nutritional and health trends, based on 4,000 interviews per year conducted by Decision Analyst, a leading international marketing research and marketing consulting firm.

The least healthful products were "spirits," defined as bourbon, vodka, rum, and scotch. Only 3.4% of participants identified "spirits" as healthy. Also at the bottom was beer, believed to be healthy by only 5.3% of respondents.

Methodology

Decision Analyst's Health and Nutrition Strategist™ survey is conducted online using its American Consumer Opinion® panel (http://www.acop.com). The survey is based on a nationally representative, statistically balanced sample of 4,087 American adults, conducted on a continuous basis each year. The margin of error is less than 2 percentage points. The Health and Nutrition Strategist™ is a massive, integrated knowledge base of food and beverage consumption, restaurant usage, health habits, and nutritional trends.

About Decision Analyst

Decision Analyst , based in Dallas-Fort Worth, is a leading international marketing research and marketing consulting firm specializing in advertising testing, strategy research, new product development, and advanced modeling for marketing decision optimization. The 30-year-old firm delivers competitive advantage to clients throughout the world in the consumer packaged goods, telecommunications, retail, high technology, medical and pharmaceutical, utilities, and e-commerce industries. In addition, Decision Analyst owns and operates the American Consumer Opinion® online panel, which has more than seven million participants and is one of the largest such panels in the world.

Safer Food Made Easy With New FSA DVD, UK

2008-02-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

Caterers and food retailers will have extra help from in achieving the right standards in food hygiene and giving extra confidence to their customers.The Food Standards Agency, the UK's food regulator, has produced a new DVD for food businesses that aims to provide an additional route for accessing up-to-date guidance on safe methods for food preparation, handling and storage.

The DVD complements information packs already being used by thousands of small businesses under the Agency's 'Safer food, better business' programme (SFBB). It is aimed at managers, food handlers, trainers, and local authorities and is free of charge.

In order to be accessible to the widest range of businesses, the DVD has voiceovers available in 16 different languages. It also uses video scenes of realistic situations in small catering and retail businesses to demonstrate SFBB in action.

David Statham, Director of Consumer Protection and Enforcement at the Food Standards Agency, said: 'The DVD will prove to be an invaluable addition to the Safer food, better business material already available to help businesses implement a food safety management system and train their staff. It will build upon the overwhelming success of Safer food, better business in improving food safety and minimising red tape burdens on small catering and retail businesses.'
v SFBB was developed specifically for the UK's smaller food businesses to help them comply with new food safety management procedures, which had originally been developed for large manufacturers. SFBB helps managers adapt good practice to their own business, and keeps record keeping simple by encouraging the use of a simple diary.

An online version of the DVD is currently being developed and will be available through the link below. In addition to the DVD, the Agency will be launching an SFBB supplement for care homes later in the year and a new childminders pack.

Notes

For more information on Safer food, better business see the link below.

Recent FSA evaluation of the success of Safer food, better business shows that:

- 72% of businesses with a food safety management system (FSMS) said that the FSMS had changed at least one area of food safety management within their business
- 81% were using the FSMS for training their staff
- 70% said it improved effectiveness of their business and 45% said that it had increased profitability
- 87% said it helped them manage their business

This Is Not The Right Way To Use Treadmill

2008-02-24T13:26:00.000-08:00

New physical fitness game product called Wii Fit for U.S

2008-02-20T23:58:00.000-08:00

The Wii Fit, which will debut on May 19, will come with a weight-and-motion sensing device called the Wii Balance Board, the company said in a statement

Nintendo is also planning to launch a new online service in the U.S. in May called WiiWare that will allow game publishers to distribute new titles over the Internet directly to users, instead of on discs.

Early WiiWare games will come from developers such as Square Enix, famous for the role-playing game franchise "Final Fantasy."

Obesity Linked To Several Cancers

2008-02-19T04:36:00.000-08:00

The risk of many different kinds of cancers, both common and less common, has been linked to an increased body mass index (BMI.) This risk can vary between sexes and ethnic groups, depending on the type of cancer, as published in the February 16, 2008 issue of The Lancet.

Increased bodyweight is ever more recognised as a risk factor for many common cancers. This can be seen in overweight patients (BMI of 25-29.2 kg/m2) as well as obese patients (BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more.) To examine this, Dr. Andrew Renehan, of the University of Manchester and Christie Hospital of the NHS
Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, and colleagues performed a meta-analysis, combining 221 datasets including 282,137 cases from previous studies.

They determined the risk of cancer associated with a 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI. This appeared to increase the risk of specific types of cancers in gender specific situations:

In men, the risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma was increased by 52 percent, thyroid cancer by 33 percent, and colon and kidney cancers each by 24 percent.
In women, the risk of endometrial cancer was increased by 59 percent, gallbladder cancer by 59 percent, oesophageal adenocarcinoma by 51 percent and kidney cancer by 34 percent.
In men, weaker but significant increases in risk were associated with rectal cancer and malignant melanoma.
In women, weaker but significant increases in risk were associated with postmenopausal breast, pancreatic, thyroid, and colon cancers.
In both sexes, weaker but significant increases in risk were associated with leukaemia, multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The association for colon cancer was stronger in men than in women (24 percent versus 9 percent.) When studies from North America, from Europe and Australia, and from the Asia-Pacific region were compared, similar associations were found. However, studies from the Asia-Pacific region showed a stronger association between the increased BMI and both premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancers. These findings echo those reported last year by the World Cancer Research Fund as well as those published in November 2007 by the UK Million Women's study team.

The authors conclude with a summary of their results and future directions for research. "Increased BMI is associated with increased risk of common and less common malignancies. For some cancer types, associations differ between sexes and populations of different ethnic origins. These epidemiological observations should inform the exploration of biological mechanisms that link obesity with cancer."

Dr Susanna Larsson and Professor Alicja Wolk, Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, commented in an accompanying piece: "The number of deaths per year attributable to obesity is about 30 000 in the UK and ten times that in the USA, where obesity has been estimated to have overtaken smoking in 2005 as the main preventable cause of illness and premature death."

They conclude: "Efforts will be needed to increase education on diet and physical activity, train health professionals, restrict advertisements of high-calorie and low-nutrient foods, limit access to unhealthy foods in schools and workplaces, levy taxes on sugary drinks and other foods high in calories, fat, or sugar, lower the prices of health foods, and promote physical activity in schools and workplaces. National cancer plans should include all these factors to reduce obesity, and thus decrease cancer incidence and increase survival."

Body-mass index and incidence of cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies
Andrew G Renehan, Margaret Tyson, Matthias Egger, Richard F Heller, Marcel Zwahlen
The Lancet, Vol 371, February 16, 2008

Timea Majorova DVD

2008-02-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

Get an inside look of Timea`s life

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Alzheimer's cure' from fruit ?

2008-02-16T08:31:00.001-08:00

"'Alzheimer's cure' from fruit", read the headline in The Sun. "Fruit in the daily diet can stave off Alzheimer's and Parkinson's", the newspaper adds. The Daily Mail said, "extracts from apples, oranges and bananas were found to reduce the damage the illnesses do to neurons - nerve cells in the brain and spine".

The newspaper story is based on a laboratory study where researchers added extracts from unpeeled apples, oranges and bananas to rat cells, to see if they protected the cells from dying when they were exposed to a toxic chemical. Although the study did find that the extracts protected some of the cells from dying, this doesn't mean that eating these fruits would have similar effects on human nerve cells in the brain. Furthermore, this study does not look at how eating fruit would stop or slow a complex process such as the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Although the results of this study cannot make direct links between the benefits of eating fruit and Alzheimer's disease, there is a large body of evidence showing that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is beneficial in keeping healthy and avoiding disease.

Where did the story come from?

Professor Chang Yong Lee and colleagues from Cornell University and universities in Korea carried out this research. The study was funded by the Research Promotion Programme at Gyeongsang National University, and the Technology Development Programme for Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Republic of Korea. It was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal: Journal of Food Science.

What kind of scientific study was this?

This was an experimental laboratory study looking at the effects of extracts from certain fruits on cells taken from a type of rat tumour. These cells are known to develop into neurons (nerves) when grown in specific conditions in the laboratory.

The researchers grew the rat cells in a dish, then treated them with a toxic chemical - hydrogen peroxide - for two hours. They then looked at how many cells died using a dye that changes colour in the presence of living cells. Exposing the cells to hydrogen peroxide was designed to mimic the process of "oxidative stress", which is thought to play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers then repeated the experiment, but first they treated the cells for 10 minutes with different concentrations of compounds extracted from apples (unpeeled), bananas and oranges. Some cells were left untreated (a negative control) and some cells were treated with quercetin (a positive control), which is a chemical antioxidant found in some fruits and vegetables, including apples. In order to confirm the results, the researchers carried out a similar experiment but used two different ways of checking if the cells had died. These methods looked at whether the membrane surrounding the cell had remained intact or if it had been damaged by the hydrogen peroxide.

What were the results of the study?

The researchers found that treating the cells with fruit extracts before they were exposed to hydrogen peroxide reduced the proportion of cells that died. The higher the concentration of the compound used, the greater the protective effect. The apple extract had the greatest effect, followed by banana and then orange. The results were similar with all three methods that the researchers used.

What interpretations did the researchers draw from these results?

The researchers concluded that eating fresh apples, bananas, oranges and other fruit "may" protect nerves against damage and reduce risk of disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

What does the NHS Knowledge Service make of this study?

This study assesses the protective effects of certain extracts from fruits on rat cells in the laboratory, when the cells are treated in a way that might represent the damage they sustain in diseases such as Alzheimer's. As it's not yet clear that this method of incubating rat nerve cells with hydrogen peroxide mimics any natural processes in the human brain, it's not possible to say from this study what effects eating fruit as part of a healthy diet might have on a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's. A diet rich in fruit and vegetables is already known to be beneficial in keeping healthy and avoiding disease.

Links to the headlines

'Alzheimer's cure' from fruit. The Sun, February 11 2008

An apple a day... How eating fruit could prevent Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Daily Mail, February 11 2008

Links to the science

Effects of Banana, Orange, and Apple on Oxidative Stress-Induced Neurotoxicity in PC12 Cells.
Heo HJ, Choi SJ, Choi S-G, et al.
J Food Sci 2008; Jan 24

Calculates Snacks To Help Kids Make Healthy Choices

2008-02-16T08:19:00.000-08:00

Before letting your kids go to the movies or play video games, you probably check the rating to make sure it's appropriate for them. So why not do the same thing for the snacks they eat? It's estimated that 1 of every 3 children is now overweight in this country* and some experts say snacking on the wrong types of food is a big part of the problem. Now, making better snack choices is as easy as checking its rating.

Top Ten Healthy Vending Snacks

1. Clif Organic Z Bar
2. NutriPals Snack Bars, PediaSure, Peanut Butter Chocolate or Strawberry Yogurt
3. Oatmeal To Go, Apple Cinnamon for Kids
4. Pria Complete Nutrition Bar, Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisp
5. Solo Low Glycemic Nutrition Bar, Chocolate Charger or Mint Mania
6. Fig Newtons, 100% Whole Grain
7. Fruit Crisp Bites, Apple Crisp or Strawberry
8. Instant Quaker Oatmeal Express Cups, Cinnamon Roll, Golden Brown Sugar, Vanilla Cinnamon
9. Life Cereal, Single Serve Cup
10. Quaker Breakfast Cookie, Chocolate Chip

SNACKWISE CALCULATOR

Black Raspberries Protect Against Cancer

2008-02-16T08:17:00.000-08:00

It usually starts as reflux, but for 700 thousand Americans, it turns into something called Barrett's Esophagus.* Now the black raspberry may be one of the weapons Barrett's Esophagus patients have to stay strong and prevent the condition from turning into a deadly cancer.

For more than 10 years, Danny Harris has struggled with heartburn after he eats. He learned his reflux has turned into something more serious - a condition called Barrett's Esophagus. He also learned an interesting thing happened when he ate black raspberries.

"I really didn't have any flare-ups or episodes after I had taken the berries," says Harris.

Danny was part of a new study, led by a research team at Ohio State University's Comprehensive Cancer Center. For six months he and other Barrett's Esophagus patients drank a black raspberry powder and water mix. Turns out, the fruit helped many patients reverse the negative impact of the reflux acid. Nearly 4 in 10 saw a boost in a protective enzyme and 6 in 10 saw a decline in oxidative stress, which can cause cell damage.

"If we can feed something in the diet that may help us protect against these injurious agents, then that may potentially impact progression of this disease," says Laura Kresty, PhD at Ohio State University's Comprehensive Cancer Center.

That's important because 1 in 10 people with Barrett's Esophagus develops a deadly cancer of the esophagus. Researchers believe the fruit's combination of nutrients gives it super healing power.

"They're really strong antioxidants. They're also a good source of multi-vitamins and minerals," says Kresty.

A larger study is likely the next step to see if black raspberries yield more positive results for patients with Barrett's Esophagus.

New Drug in Study To Celiac Disease

2008-02-16T07:40:00.000-08:00

Alvine Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of autoimmune and gastrointestinal diseases, announced that the first study subject was dosed in a Phase 1 clinical trial of its lead clinical candidate ALV003 which is in development for the treatment of patients with celiac disease. ALV003 is an orally administered combination of two proteases engineered to detoxify gluten.

Approximately 36 subjects are planned for enrollment in the Phase 1, single-blind, placebo controlled, dose-escalation clinical trial to be conducted in the United States. Both healthy human volunteers and subjects with celiac disease are expected to be dosed in this trial.

"We are very excited to begin our clinical program evaluating ALV003 for the treatment of celiac disease," said Dr. Abhay Joshi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alvine.

The October 25, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine discusses gluten detoxification as an approach to treating celiac disease. Authors Peter H.R. Green, M.D. and Christophe Cellier, M.D., Ph.D. state in the article: "There is considerable interest in the development of nondietary therapies that might either replace or supplement the rigorous gluten-free diet. Currently, the most attractive alternative involves the use of recombinant enzymes that digest the toxic gliadin fractions in the stomach or the upper small intestine."

About ALV003

ALV003 is an orally administered combination of two proteases engineered to digest gluten. It targets the glutamine and proline residues that are common in gluten. ALV003 consists of a glutamine-specific cysteine protease (EP-B2) and a proline specific prolyl endopeptidase (PEP). The proposed mechanism of action of ALV003 is to digest gluten into non-immunotoxic fragments.

About Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is the most common hereditary autoimmune disease with prevalence as high as 1% in the U.S. and E.U. Celiac disease is triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. Gluten is a protein found naturally in wheat, rye, and barley, and is one of the most common food additives in the human diet. Patients with celiac disease mount an immune response to gluten and gluten fragments, resulting in systemic immune mediated damage in the gut and other organs. Gluten ingestion can be associated with symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, constipation and rash. Complications of celiac disease can include osteoporosis, anemia, dermatitis, weight loss, diabetes, central nervous system conditions, other autoimmune diseases and malignancies. There are currently no approved pharmaceutical therapies for celiac disease. The only available treatment for individuals diagnosed with celiac disease is a life-long adherence to a strict gluten-free diet which is difficult to follow. There is a high unmet medical need for celiac disease therapies.

About Alvine

Alvine Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is a privately held biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing therapeutics for autoimmune/gastrointestinal diseases. Alvine's lead product candidate, ALV003, is a combination protease engineered to digest gluten. It is being developed to treat patients with celiac disease.

Sedentary lifestyle reduced the chances of living to 90 from 54 to 44 per cent !

2008-02-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

Two US studies have suggested that it's never too late to make a difference to one's odds of living longer. One study showed that having a healthy lifestyle in early elderly years was linked to greater odds of living to 90 in men, and a second study showed that although some people live to be over 100 by avoiding certain diseases, others do live with them to this age without becoming disabled.

Both studies are published in the 11th February issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

While research on twins has shown that genes play a part in how long we are likely to live, nearly three quarters of the odds of living to a ripe old age of 90 or more, is down to "modifiable factors", or things we can change, wrote researchers in one of the articles.

In the first study, Dr Laurel B Yates of Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, and colleagues examined records on 2,357 men of average age 72 when they became participants in the Physician's Health Study between 1981 and 1984.

The records included a range of demographic and health data such as height, blood pressure, weight, how often they took exercise, and cholesterol levels. The men also completed questionnaires twice in the first year and then once every following year until 2006. This asked them about their health, habits and ability to carry out every day tasks.

The results showed that:

* 970 men lived to be 90 or more (41 per cent).

* Several "modifiable" factors about their biology and behaviour were linked with survival for this group.

* Smoking, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure appeared significantly to reduce the odds of living to 90 or more.

* On the other hand, vigorous exercise, "substantially improved it".

* Also, men who lived to 90 and beyond had better physical function, mental wellbeing and rated themselves as healthier in late life than the men who died younger.

* Smoking, obesity and having a sedentary lifestyle were also significantly linked to poorer functional status in elderly years.

Yates and colleagues estimated that a 70 year old man who did not smoke, was of normal weight, had no diabetes, exercised two to four times a week, and had normal blood pressure had a 54 per cent chance of living to be 90 years old.

But, if he had any "adverse" risk factors, his chances of living to 90 were reduced, depending on what they were. Thus each factor would reduce the 54 per cent to the following amount:

* Sedentary lifestyle reduced the chances of living to 90 from 54 to 44 per cent.
* High blood pressure reduced it to 36 per cent.
* Obesity, 26 per cent.
* Smoking, 22 per cent.
* Three factors together, such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity and diabetes, 14 per cent.
* Five factors, 4 per cent.

The authors concluded that:

"Although the impact of certain midlife mortality [death] risks in elderly years is controversial, our study suggests that many remain important, at least among men."

They therefore recommended that:

"Healthy lifestyle and risk management should be continued in elderly years to reduce mortality and disability."

For the second study, Dr Dellara F. Terry of the Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, and colleagues, examined data on 523 women and 216 men age 97 or older. The data came from questions the participants had answered in a telephone interview or mailed questionnaire about their health and medical history and their ability to function.

Dellara and colleagues put them into groups according to gender and the age at which they developed diseases normally linked to aging, such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), dementia, hypertension, osteoporosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, diabetes and heart disease. Those who developed these diseases at the age of 85 or more were called "delayers", and those who developed the diseases before they reached the age of 85 were called "survivors".

The results showed that:

* 32 per cent of the participants were survivors and 68 per cent were delayers.

* Centenarians who had developed heart disease and/or high blood pressure before they got to 85 showed similar levels of function as those who delayed illness until 85 or later.

* Levels of function were described as "independent" in men and "requires minimal assistance" in women.

* Though fewer men than women live to a an extremely old age, the men in this study who did so appeared to have better mental and physical function than the women.

Speculating on their results, the authors suggested that "men must be in excellent health and/or functionally independent to achieve such extreme old age." But women, they said, "may be better physically and socially adept at living with chronic and often disabling health conditions".

The researchers concluded that the timing of illness in centenarians may explain the "various ways in which people can survive to extreme old age".

"Determining the mechanisms that facilitate the delay or escape of disability in the face of clinically evident age- and mortality-associated morbidities merits further investigation," they added.

In an accompanying editorial, Dr William J. Hall, of the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, New York, wrote that the 85s and over is the fastest growing group of older Americans. They will need regular medical care, he added:

"The challenge to current health care providers is to become adept at caring for present and future centenarians with only the beginnings of concrete evidence-based research."

"Our ability to adapt to this challenge may be a prime determinant in shaping the nature of primary care practice in this country," wrote Hall.

The Latest Findings From The Health Survey For England In : Cardiovascular disease - Diabetes - Blood Pressure - Obesity - And Diet

2008-02-04T03:37:00.000-08:00

More people are taking recommended levels of physical activity and eating the recommended five daily portions of fruit and vegetables, according to the latest Health Survey for England. But they still remain a minority of the population. At the same time, there has been an increase in the number of people consuming more than the recommended intake of fats. What's more, there have been increases in diabetes, obesity (including among children) and cardiovascular disease.

"While it is encouraging that there are signs people are beginning to improve their lifestyles - eating more fruit and vegetables, exercising more, smoking less - many serious health conditions continue to increase, and we need to do more to reduce risks of heart disease," said Rachel Craig, Research Director of the Health Survey for England at NatCen.

The survey also looks at childhood overweight and obesity, which are linked with numerous long-term and immediate health risks. Around three in ten children aged 2-15 are either overweight or obese (31% of boys and 29% of girls). 17% of boys aged 2-15 are obese, and 15% of girls. While there have been fluctuations from year to year, overall increases in the average 'body mass index' (BMI) are evident for each age group since 1995. Average BMI increased by 0.7 kg/m2 for boys and 0.6 kg/m2 for girls.

"Marked inequalities in lifestyle and in health continue to exist in England. The lower your income, the more likely you are to smoke or be obese, and the less likely to eat sufficient fruit and vegetables or be active enough. So not surprisingly, people with lower incomes also have worse health, with more people reporting heart disease or stroke, and having diabetes or untreated high blood pressure," said Dr Jennifer Mindell of University College London, who leads the UCL team working on the Health Survey.

Health researchers from the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and UCL (University College London) have conducted a comprehensive national survey, interviewing and testing thousands of people, on behalf of the Information Centre, part of the NHS. Key findings from the annual Health Survey for England 2006, which is published today, include:

Cardiovascular disease

Around one in seven adults have some form of cardiovascular disease (14% of men and 13% of women). While heart disease is uncommon in those aged under 35, as many as 44% of men and 37% of women aged 75 and over suffer from some cardiovascular condition.

These conditions include heart attack, stroke and angina as well as other conditions such as heart murmur or abnormal heart rhythm. Heart attack, angina and stroke are more prevalent among men than women.
Since the Health Survey for England started recording data about cardiovascular disease in 1994, levels have increased, mainly among those aged 75 and over. While this disease is a major health burden, increasingly effective detection and treatment mean that death rates from cardiovascular disease in England have been falling - although it remains the main cause of death.

Diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity

Accompanying the increase in cardiovascular disease, there has been an increase in diabetes and obesity. 31% of men and 28% of women have high blood pressure, and around one in 20 have diabetes. Again, both of these conditions are much more common among older adults (65 and over). Cases of diabetes diagnosed by a doctor have more than doubled since 1994.

The proportion of people with high blood pressure has decreased among both men and women in more recent years (between 2003 and 2006). This includes fewer people with untreated high blood pressure. At the same time, there has been an increase in the proportion of people being treated successfully so that their blood pressure is controlled.

Levels of obesity continue to rise. 67% of men and 56% of women are either overweight or obese, based on BMI. This includes 24% of both men and women who are obese (compared with 14% of men and 17% of women in 1994). 41% of women and 32% of men have raised waist circumference, another measure of obesity.

Recent guidance from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) indicates that there are increased health risks for people with a high waist measurement, especially if they are overweight or obese, and the survey shows that more than half of men and women are at increased risk according to these criteria.

Physical activity, diet, and smoking and drinking

Many of the risk factors for heart disease are known, and lifestyle behaviour can influence the chances of developing it. The Health Survey for England report looks at physical activity, diet, smoking and drinking among the population:

- Only a minority of adults meet the Chief Medical Officer's recommendations for physical activity of five or more sessions of at least 30 minutes of moderate activity per week (40% of men, 28% of women). But this has increased since 1997, up from 32% of men and 21% of women, with people spending more time walking and taking part in sport and exercise.

- More people are eating the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, up five percentage points since 2004, from 23% to 28% among men and from 27% to 32% among women. But there has also been a marked increase in the proportion of men and women consuming more than the recommended fat intake since 2003: from 6% to 14% of men, and from 3% to 7% of women.

- 24% of men and 21% of women report smoking cigarettes (they were surveyed before the ban on smoking in public places came into force). Cigarette smoking has decreased between 1993 and 2006, falling from 28% to 24% among men, and from 26% to 21% among women.

- Exposure to other people's smoke is also higher among men than women: an average of 6 hours a week for men and 4.5 hours a week for women. This has fallen since 1998.

- There has been little change in drinking behaviour since 1998. According to a revised method of calculating units of alcohol drunk in the last week, 41% of men and 33% of women drank more than the recommended amounts (more than four units for men and more than three units for women) on at least one day in the last week.

Notes

Summary and full copies of the Health Survey for England 2006 can be obtained from http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/HSE06CVDandriskfactors, or by contacting NatCen's Press Officer using the details below.

The sixteenth annual Health Survey for England was conducted by health researchers from the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at UCL (University College London). The survey is funded and published by the Information Centre for health and social care.

A unique source of health information, the Health Survey for England is the most comprehensive heath survey undertaken in England, covering adults and children living in Britain's leading independent social research institute private households. It is designed to inform national health policy and stimulate research by providing accurate and detailed data about the health needs of the general population.

More than 14,000 adults and more than 7,000 children agreed to be interviewed and tested for the 2006 survey. It focused particularly on cardiovascular disease and the health and lifestyle risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease. The survey also looked at obesity and health risk factors among children.

National Centre for Social Research

Families Could Spend Less And Eat A Healthier Diet

2008-02-04T03:28:00.000-08:00

Although food prices rose 4.8% last year, eating nutritiously is still well within reach of the American family, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics. Analysis done by USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) indicates that families could, in fact, spend even less on food than what they currently spend and eat a healthier more nutritious diet.

USDA's Low-Cost Food Plan shows what a family on a budget can spend on food and still achieve a nutritious diet that meets current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For December 2007, USDA estimates the cost of the Low-Cost Food Plan for a family of four (a couple ages 20 to 50 with two children ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 11) to be $167.70 per week. This compares to the $189.00 per week that the average four person household spent on food last year.

Families could spend less and eat a healthier diet. This is supported by a comparison of the foods in the Low-Cost Food Plan to what people are actually eating. The Low-Cost Food Plan contains more fruits, vegetables, and milk products than people are currently eating and less sweets and sugars.

"Eating healthier does not have to cost more and can even cost some families less," says CNPP Executive Director Dr. Brian Wansink. The United States continues to have the safest, most abundant, healthiest, and least expensive food in the world. As a percentage of household expenditures, Americans spend approximately 13 percent of their disposable income on food which includes food consumed both in and outside the home.

Anti-Obesity Prescriptions Pass The Million Mark

2008-02-04T03:13:00.000-08:00

More than a million prescriptions for anti-obesity drugs are dispensed to patients each year at an annual cost of £47.5 million, according to the NHS Information Centre for health and social care (IC).

The number of prescriptions is more than eight times of that handed out nine years ago, and two drugs - orlistat (Xenical) and sibutramine (Reductil) - make up the bulk of the prescriptions issued by GPs in England.

Sibutramine works by altering chemical messages to the brain that control feelings about food, and orlistat prevents some fat absorption.

The NHS also said that more than one in five men and nearly one in four women are now at very high risk of developing health problems, based on waist circumference and body mass index (BMI).

Exercise and healthy diet

Libby Dowling, Care Advisor at Diabetes UK, said: "People should not look to taking a pill to solve their weight problems.

"Anti-obesity drugs can help manage weight problems but should only be used as a last resort. In the first instance, Diabetes UK recommends a healthy diet and regular physical activity to manage weight and reduce serious conditions linked to obesity such as diabetes and heart disease."

The NHS report comes a week after the Government launched a £372m strategy to aimed at cutting levels of obesity in England.

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2008-02-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

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2008-02-01T13:59:00.000-08:00

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Coronary Heart Disease Patients Continue Poor Diets

2008-01-31T13:30:00.000-08:00

More than 13 million Americans have survived a heart attack or have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease (CHD), the number one cause of death in the United States. In addition to medications, lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and exercise, are known to reduce the risk for subsequent cardiac events. Despite this evidence, a high proportion of heart attack survivors do not follow their doctor's advice to adhere to a healthy diet, according to researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS).

Many studies have centered on determining dietary risk factors for developing CHD, but few investigations have studied the diets of CHD patients following diagnosis. In "Dietary Quality 1 Year after Diagnosis of Coronary Heart Disease," published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers measured the diet quality of 555 CHD patients one year after a diagnostic coronary angiography. Using the Alternative Health Eating Index (AHEI) to assess diet quality, they found that a high proportion of those patients had not made the necessary improvements to their diets to help reduce the risk of a secondary CHD event. Proven to be a strong predictor of CHD, the AHEI is a measure that isolates dietary components that are most strongly linked to CHD risk reduction.

"This study found that CHD patients' diets had not improved in the year after being diagnosed," said Yunsheng Ma, MD, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine and one of the study's lead authors. "We know that a healthy diet is one of the most important components of a healthy lifestyle, especially for patients following a cardiac event, and yet patients are not acting on this knowledge."

To determine the quality of CHD patients' diets, Dr. Ma and colleagues collected data from a 24-hour dietary recall one year after the participants' CHD diagnoses. The dietary recall is an assessment tool administered by a dietitian, who interacts with the patient to examine the patient's entire food intake from a 24-hour period, including complete food descriptions, preparation and amount. Prior to the recall, patients were given food models that identified different foods and serving sizes, to improve recall and estimation. Nutrient scores were computed, and the AHEI was then calculated to determine dietary quality, which included intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts and soy, ratio of white to red meat, cereal fiber, trans-fat, ratio of polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat, and alcohol.

Of a maximum 80 points - which indicates the healthiest diet - the average AHEI score was 30.8, with individual scores ranging between 5.1 and 69.8. The mean AHEI score was poorer than scores reported for samples of healthy individuals from the Health Professional's Follow-up Study and the Nurses' Health Study. In a previous study by Ma and colleagues, the AHEI of several popular weight loss plans was calculated; the highest scoring diet was the Ornish Diet (AHEI = 64.6) and lowest scoring diet was the Atkins diet (AHEI= 42.3). The fact that one year after a coronary event patients with known CHD still have lower AHEI scores than these popular diets may be indicative of the complex issues of effecting and sustaining behavioral change and the confusion patients may face in navigating through dietary recommendations. When examining AHEI components, only 12.4 percent of the participants met the optimal daily consumption of vegetables and 7.8 percent for fruit. Only 8 percent of the patients met the cereal fiber recommendation, and 5.2 percent of the participants limited their trans-fat intake to 0.5 percent of total calories or less. "In addition, nearly 11 percent of calories were from saturated fat (less than 7 percent is recommended), while total fiber was only 16.8 grams per day (25 grams or more per day is recommended).".

The researchers evaluated the association of each patient's diet in relation to his or her sociodemographic and clinical standings and found that low dietary quality was associated with smoking, lower educational levels, obesity, high-fat intake and a lower calorie intake. On average, smokers scored six units lower than non-smokers; participants with education beyond high school scored three units higher than participants with a high school education; and obese participants scored four units lower than normal weight or overweight participants.

"An overwhelming number of CHD patients, roughly 80 percent, do not attend cardiac rehabilitation programs, which instruct CHD patients about proper diet and exercise," said Ira Ockene, MD, the David and Barbara Milliken Professor of Preventive Cardiology and professor of medicine at UMMS and cardiologist at UMass Memorial Medical Center. "Changing one's eating habits is a long-term process, and optimal care should include cardiac rehabilitation and appointments with dietitians, which can build upon the patient's initial foundations to improve his or her diet and overall health."

According to study co-author and UMass Memorial Medical Center registered dietitian Barbara Olendzki, RD, MPH, an assistant professor of medicine at UMMS, "Physicians and health care providers should consider placing more of an emphasis on dietary counseling, along with exercise, for CHD patients. Nutrition counseling and patient dietary changes can lead to significant improvements in subsequent CHD risk and better quality of life."

Dr. Ma agreed and suggested that, "It is important for physicians to refer CHD patients to the cardiac rehabilitation programs and encourage attendance. Future studies should be conducted and directed toward integrating nutrition education materials in cardiac rehabilitation programs. Nutrition education can have a significant impact on a patient's overall dietary quality and body-weight control and on subsequent cardiac events and mortality."

The Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease May Be Reduced By Fruit Consumption

2008-01-31T13:28:00.001-08:00

Apples, bananas, and oranges are the most common fruits in both Western and Asian diets, and are important sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A new study in the Journal of Food Science explores the additional health benefits of these fruits and reveals they also protect against neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's Disease.

Researchers at Cornell University investigated the effects of apple, banana, and orange extracts on neuron cells and found that the phenolic phytochemicals of the fruits prevented neurotoxicity on the cells.

Among the three fruits, apples contained the highest content of protective antioxidants, followed by bananas then oranges.

The authors concluded "[their] study demonstrated that antioxidants in the major fresh fruits consumed in the United States and Korea protected neuronal cells from oxidative stress….Additional consumption of fresh fruits such as apple, banana, and orange may be beneficial to improve effects in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's."

Anastasiya Kozlovskaya - Ms. Fitness Competitor

2008-01-31T02:02:00.000-08:00

Anastasiya Kozlovskaya

Eating Chocolate Could Lead To Weaker Bones

2008-01-30T02:55:00.000-08:00

"Eating chocolate could lead to weaker bones," reported the Daily Express today. The Daily Telegraph also covered a new study that has shown that women who ate chocolate every day had less dense bones than those who ate it less than once a week. The Daily Mail quotes the lead researcher as saying, "These findings could have important implications for prevention of osteoporotic fracture."

The research behind this claim is a cross-sectional study, which by virtue of its design, cannot prove that chocolate consumption causes low bone density in women. Other diet, lifestyle, or environmental factors could have caused the decreased bone density. This finding was also only in women over 70 and so cannot apply to younger women or men. Studies with more robust designs would be needed to confirm this association.

Where did the story come from?

Dr Jonathan Hodgson and colleagues from the Royal Perth Hospital Unit carried out the research. The study was supported by a research grant from Healthway Health Promotion Foundation of Western Australia and from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. The study was published in the : American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

What kind of scientific study was this?

The study was a cross-sectional study of Australian women aged over 70 who had participated in a five-year randomised controlled trial of calcium supplementation to prevent osteoporotic fractures. For this latest publication, the authors looked at the data available on women's chocolate consumption and bone density measurements at the end of the original study (i.e. at five years).

Although 1,460 women were included in the original study, only 1,001 were included in this cross-sectional study. This was primarily because the researchers excluded women who were not able to walk. The women's chocolate intake and overall diet (including beverages) was assessed through a questionnaire. Bone density and strength measurements were made using three different imaging techniques (ultrasound, computed tomography, X-ray absorptiometry) at three different body sites (the heel, the shin and the hip).

The researchers then used statistical methods to explore whether there was a link between total chocolate intake (including solid chocolate and "chocolate containing beverages") and bone density and strength. In their analysis, they took into account other factors that may affect this relationship, including age, BMI, smoking status, physical activity, and other dietary factors.

What were the results of the study?

Increased chocolate consumption was associated with lower mean bone density at all the measured sites. When the researchers took into account other factors, such as age, BMI and lifestyle, that could potentially affect this relationship, they found that some of these relationships (e.g. when bone density and strength were measured in the shin) were no longer significant.

What interpretations did the researchers draw from these results?

The researchers conclude that this is the first study to investigate the relationship between chocolate intake and bone structural measurements. They say that although further studies are needed to confirm the findings, their study raises concerns that frequent chocolate consumption may increase the risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture.

What does the NHS Knowledge Service make of this study?

This study has weaknesses that are due to the nature of the study design. The authors themselves say that "additional cross-sectional and longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these observations".

- Although the study took into account the effects of some factors that could influence the association, there are likely to be others that were not considered. On this point, the researchers say that it is possible that chocolate is a surrogate for some other factor (diet, lifestyle, or environmental) which was not considered or was measured inadequately and therefore chocolate may not be responsible for the observed relation.

- The researchers excluded about 200 women who were not able to walk. This would have introduced a bias if those women had different patterns of chocolate intake and bone density than those who were included. - The consumption of solid chocolate and "chocolate containing beverages" was combined in their measure of chocolate intake. The study then was not only about "eating" chocolate as the papers have imply.

- The researchers analysed chocolate consumption at one time point (at five years). Although the researchers assessed the persistence of chocolate intake (by comparing intake at year one and year five), they did not use this figure in their analyses. They also did not assess this for "chocolate containing beverages".

- The study was in women aged over 70 and the findings will not apply to younger women (premenopausal or not) or to men.

Until prospective studies confirm a harmful link between chocolate consumption and bone health, women should not be unduly concerned by the results of this study. Because of its high fat and sugar content, chocolate should be consumed in sensible amounts.

Tuna Sushi Mercury Levels Alarmingly High

2008-01-30T02:44:00.000-08:00

If you consume just six pieces of tuna sushi per week your mercury blood levels could easily exceed US government safety limits, according to a recent study carried out by The New York Times which examined 20 shops and restaurants in Manhattan, New York.

In fact, The New York Times (NYT) reports that levels in five of the outlets were so high that authorities might be legally forced take the fish off the market. Michael Gochfeld, Professor of Environmental and Occupational Medicine at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Jersey, told the NYT that mercury levels found in these restaurant samples were such that a human should not consume a sushi tuna meal more than once every 21 days.

Mercury levels in the tuna sushi at these outlets were significantly higher than that found in regular canned tuna. The researchers report that most of the tuna at these shops and restaurants is bluefin tuna. Bluefin tuna usually has higher mercury levels than other types of tuna.

Drew Neiporent, a managing partner of Nobu Next Door, one of the outlets found to have high tuna sushi mercury levels said he was "startled" at the findings. He added that anything which may pose a hazard to his customers' health should be taken off the menu immediately.

Should We Be Concerned About Mercury in Fish?

Swordfish and shark are sought after in many restaurants, especially when grilled or broiled. Some people are concerned that large predatory fish, the ones at the top of the food chain, may have high levels of methyl mercury - in some cases levels higher than the 1 part per million limit for human consumption which is recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Scientists who work for the FDA and are responsible for seafood safety say that these large predatory fish are safe, as long as you don't eat them too frequently - not more than once a week.

According to Mike Bolger, Ph.D., FDA, about 2,700 to 6,000 tons of mercury are released into the atmosphere each year naturally by degassing from the Earth's crust and oceans. Add to this up to 3,000 tons which are released naturally into the atmosphere are a result of mankind's activities, such as burning household and industrial waste.

Methyl mercury binds tightly to the proteins in fish tissue, including muscle. Cooking does not significantly bring down methyl mercury levels in fish. Most fishes contain trace amounts of methyl mercury. Those found in/near areas where there is industrial mercury pollution can have significantly higher mercury levels.

Fortunately, most fishes rarely have levels of mercury that could pose a hazard to human health if they are consumed. The larger the fish, or the higher up it is in the food chain, the higher its mercury levels are likely to be, say experts. This does not mean larger fishes have dangerous levels of mercury, it just means they are more likely to have higher mercury levels than smaller fishes.

Ms Fitness Competitor - Else Lautala (VIDEO)

2008-01-28T15:17:00.000-08:00

Country : Finland
Born: 04.04.1979
Height: 167cm / 5´6
Weight: 53kg / 122lb
Size: 36 (xs)
Shoe: 37 1/2 (US 5 1/2)
Motto: Keep smiling!

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons Addresses Concerns Regarding BOTOX Treatments

2008-01-28T02:47:00.000-08:00

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) addressed concerns regarding the use of botulinum toxin products and adverse events following a recent petition from a consumer group.

On January 23, Public Citizen requested the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implement labeling changes and a written communication to physicians.

More than one million people have been treated with BOTOX Cosmetic. Complications and adverse events from BOTOX Cosmetic treatments are rare.

"As patient advocates, plastic surgeons are primarily concerned about the safety of our patients," said Richard A. D'Amico, MD, ASPS president. "We have a keen interest and expertise in informing patients about intended use of the product and risks and benefits."

ASPS believes that the safety issues identified in the petition are currently addressed in the manufacturer labeling with detailed information and guidance, including approved indications, contraindications, warnings, drug interactions, precautions, and reported adverse event information.

The ASPS works closely with the FDA on a range of issues and strongly supports existing labeling requirements agreed to between the manufacturers and the FDA.

Almost all drugs and devices have adverse events and complications associated with them. It is important for physicians to have a proper medical history of patients prior to them receiving any treatment. Patients should be fully informed and educated about risks and benefits.

ASPS will continue to work closely with the FDA and manufacturers on an ongoing basis regarding physician and patient education.

For referrals to ASPS Member Surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, visit http://www.plasticsurgery.org where you can also learn more about cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. With more than 6,000 members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises 90 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Lack Of Standard Definition Of Risk Factors For Metabolic Syndrome Makes Measuring The Problem Difficult

2008-01-28T02:40:00.000-08:00

About nine percent of teenagers may have metabolic syndrome, a clustering of risk factors that put them on the path toward heart disease and diabetes in adulthood. This shocking statistic represents some of the first concentrated efforts to define and measure metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents - a necessary starting point for combating the problem, but one that has proven even trickier in youth than it has been in adults.

With the number of obese children in the United States rising at an alarming rate, pediatricians, family practitioners and researchers are concerned about what it means to for children's future health. The U.S. cholesterol guidelines have defined the metabolic syndrome for adults who have a cluster of risk factors, including increased waist circumference (central adiposity), hypertension (or elevated blood pressure), low HDL cholesterol, elevated triglycerides and an elevated fasting glucose. Even though these same components can be found in children, they have not been developed into a universal definition or diagnosis. In fact, they have only recently gained attention with the first publication on the syndrome by Stephen Cook, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, in 2003, which was based on national data from 1988 to 1994.

In the summer of 2006, a handful of national experts were convened by the National Institutes of Health with a task to define the metabolic syndrome for children and adolescents. The Pediatric Metabolic Syndrome Working Group (PMSWG) chose to tackle this problem affecting overweight and obese youth, tapping Cook to participate. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Institutes of Health Office of Rare Diseases sponsored the conference.

As part of the committee, Cook performed a study, published with a collection of reports from the working group in February's Journal of Pediatrics, which analyzes how many teens in the U.S. could be considered to have the metabolic syndrome based on four different definitions of it.

Based on the most recently available data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2002, the study shows that the definition Cook developed in Rochester (a waist circumference at or above the 90th percentile for age and sex; blood pressure at or above the 90th percentile; a high triglyceride level at or above 110 mg/dL; a low HDL cholesterol level at or below 40 mg/dL; and an impaired glucose metabolism at or above 100 mg/dL), reveals that 2.9 million teens - 9.4 percent of teens overall, and over a third of obese teens - meet the definition of the metabolic syndrome.

The original work by Cook and colleagues published in 2003 showed only 4 percent of teens meet this definition and that the increased prevalence is driven by the rise in obesity.

Using two other well-reported definitions with more stringent cut points, the study also reports rates as low as 2 percent (or 600,000 teens); using analyses that apply the U.S. adult definitions, it reported rates of 1.8 million teens - 5.8 percent of all teens, and 25 percent of obese teens.

"Even if there is no consensus on a pediatric-specific definition, the fact that 1 in 4 obese teens meet the adult definition for this clustering of cardiovascular disease risk factors is enough of a concern," said Cook, who is a pediatrician and adult-internist at Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong. "Many longitudinal studies have shown that adults with this definition are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dying prematurely from heart disease."

While one goal of the committee was to define the metabolic syndrome in pediatric populations, the bigger picture was to recognize the importance of obesity on cardiovascular risk for pediatric populations.

"We are not saying that adolescents who meet a definition for metabolic syndrome are going to develop diabetes or have a heart attack in the next few years, but some of the longitudinal studies presented at this meeting showed they were at very high risk for developing diabetes or heart disease in their 30s," Cook said. "When you consider all the success we've had with lowering the death rate from heart disease for middle aged and older adults, it's really disheartening to see actual data showing heart disease going up in young adults."

Cook said there have been advances in technology, pharmaceuticals and tremendous public health victories seen with reductions in tobacco use and exposure, so the increased rates in cardiovascular risk factors in young adults must be considered "the first wave of severe consequences of the modern obesity epidemic."

Fitness Competitor: Sharon Bruneau

2008-01-27T02:17:00.000-08:00

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