Category Archives: Diet And Food

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When it comes to managing children's obesity, cutting portion sizes and cutting carbohydrates can work equally well -- though carb control is tough for many kids, a new clinical trial finds.

Many adults have tried to win the battle of the bulge by shunning carbohydrates, especially highly refined or starchy carbs like white bread and potatoes.

But much less has been known about how those eating plans work for kids, including whether they are safe and nutritionally sound -- since low-carb diets tend to be relatively high in fat.

For the new study, researchers randomly assigned 100 obese 7- to 12-year-olds to one of three eating plans: one that followed the conventional wisdom of portion control; a low-carb diet; or a reduced glycemic load" plan that cut down on certain carbs that typically cause surges in blood sugar -- like white bread, sweets and white potatoes.

Over one year, all three plans worked equally well in controlling kids' weight gain. The difference, researchers found, was that the low-carb plan was tough to stick with.

"All of these plans can work," said lead researcher Shelley Kirk, of the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

"But the low-carbohydrate one was really challenging for kids to follow," Kirk told Reuters Health. The diet still helped control kids' weight, she said, because they followed it to an extent -- reducing carbs and calories, but not to the strict limits of the low-carb plan.

All of that, Kirk said, suggests that a modified version of low-carb could work well for at least some kids.

And the diet based on reduced glycemic load was essentially that: Certain carbs were "unrestricted" -- including fruit, vegetables low in starch and 100-percent whole grains. More limits were placed on starchy carbs, but they were still allowed.

Over one year, children in all three diet groups had similar improvements in their body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight in relation to height, after accounting for the fact that they were still growing.

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Obese kids have hard time sticking to low-carb diet

14 March 2012 Last updated at 03:39 ET

A diet high in saturated fat has been linked with a reduced sperm count.

A study of 99 men attending a US fertility clinic found those eating junk food diets had poorer sperm quality.

High intakes of omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and plant oils, were associated with higher sperm concentration.

More work is needed to confirm the findings, the researchers report in the journal Human Reproduction.

The team, led by Prof Jill Attaman from Harvard Medical School in Boston, questioned men about their diet and analysed sperm samples over the course of four years.

Compared with those eating the least fat, men with the highest fat intake had a 43% lower sperm count and 38% lower sperm concentration (number of sperm per unit volume of semen).

..it does add weight to the argument that having a good healthy diet may benefit male fertility as well as being good general health advice.

Men consuming the most omega-3 fatty acids had sperm with a more normal structure than men with the lowest intake.

Prof Attaman said: "The magnitude of the association is quite dramatic and provides further support for the health efforts to limit consumption of saturated fat given their relation with other health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease."

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Diet 'linked' to low sperm counts

Published: March. 14, 2012 at 10:16 PM

BOSTON, March 14 (UPI) -- A diet high in fat was linked to a lower total sperm count and concentration among men, making it harder for them to have children, U.S. researchers said.

Jill Attaman, who was at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School at the time of the research, said the study of 99 men found men who ate more omega-3 polyunsaturated fats -- found in fish and plant oils -- had better formed sperm than men who ate less.

The researchers questioned the men about their diet and analyzed samples of their semen from December 2006 to August 2010, measuring fatty acids in sperm and seminal plasma in one-quarter of the men.

The study participants were divided into three groups according to the amount of fats they consumed. The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, found the one-third with the highest fat intake had a 43 percent lower total sperm count and 38 percent lower sperm concentration than men in the third with the lowest fat intake.

However, researchers warned this was a small study and the findings need to be replicated by further research.

"In the meantime, if men make changes to their diets so as to reduce the amount of saturated fat they eat and increase their omega-3 intake, then this may not only improve their general health, but could improve their reproductive health too," Attaman said in a statement. "At a global level, adopting these lifestyle modifications may improve general health, as high saturated fat diets are known to be a risk factor for a range of cardiovascular diseases; but, in addition, our research suggests that it could be beneficial for reproductive health worldwide."

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High-fat diet may reduce sperm count

Toothbrush? Check. Dress shoes? Check. Your diet? That's all too easy to forget. For those whose jobs require frequent travel, a balanced diet all too often goes right out the window along with a balanced work-home life. A study published last year in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that frequent travel not only expands the waistlines of businesspeople, it can also lead to weight-related medical conditions such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, especially in those who spend at least 21 nights away from home each month. You're hardly to blame: A hectic schedule coupled with limited dining options on the road are enough to derail the most determined dieter.

But even with the odds stacked against you, there are ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on the go, says Elisabetta Politi, nutrition director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center. Planning ahead can go a long way. "If you have a plan, you're likely to do better because you're not letting your environment control you," she says. Here are a few tips to keep your regimen on track while you're on the road.

[See: Easiest Diets to Follow: in Pictures]

Pack some snacks

When packing your bags, make sure to throw in some healthy munchies. "We approach the food environment passively, and we don't do that with any other aspect of the environment," says David Katz, founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. "If it's cold, we pack warm clothes, and if it's raining, we don't just hope to stay dry. We deal with environmental changes all the time when we travel, and food is no different." Katz recommends that alongside your dress shoes and tie, you throw in some wholesome snacks--like granola or fruit--to help you curb hunger pangs while you're in transit. This will help you stay in control of what you eat. "If I get hungry, the person who's in control of my dietary destiny is me," Katz says. "Not some nincompoop who stocks the vending machine."

[See: 10 Things That Can Sabotage Your Weight Loss]

Stay on schedule

One of the most challenging feats is sticking to a regular meal schedule while traveling. Flights can get delayed or canceled, stranding you in the airport terminal with nothing but a greasy something to wolf down. Long car trips can provide no option but a rest stop. That's why having healthy snacks with you is so vital. Frequent travelers also face time changes and jet lag, which can quickly derail an otherwise perfectly timed eating schedule. According to Katz--who says this problem also plagues shift workers like nurses and security guards--it doesn't matter when you eat as long as you do so regularly. "Getting used to a new schedule is difficult, and everyone adjusts differently," he says. "If it turns out that 3 a.m. is your time for dinner, then do it. A routine really helps regulate what and how much you eat."

Stay hydrated

People often mistake thirst for hunger, says Politi. Hydrating often can help prevent overeating. The Mayo Clinic recommends that men drink roughly 13 glasses of liquids each day, while women should aim for around nine glasses. But just like your diet, your drink choices can negatively affect your weight. When the drink cart makes its way down the airplane aisle, opt for flat water instead of soda to avoid empty calories (and the tummy growls often caused by carbonation).

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Diet Tips for Business Travelers

Fatty diets may be associated with reduced semen quality, according to a study published Wednesday in the European reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction.

In a study of 99 U.S. men, researchers found an association between high total fat intake and lower total sperm count and concentration. It also found that men who ate more omega-3 fats (often found in fish and plant oils) had better formed sperm than men who ate less of these types of fats.

"At a global level, adopting these lifestyle modifications may improve general health, as high-saturated fat diets are known to be a risk factor for a range of cardiovascular diseases; but, in addition, our research suggests that it could be beneficial for reproductive health worldwide," said Dr. Jill Attaman, an Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology instructor at Harvard Medical School at the time of the research, in a statement.

"Little is known of how diet may influence male reproductive potential," researchers said in the study.

Men, with an average age of 37 years, who attended a fertility clinic were investigated between December 2006 and August 2010.

Researchers questioned them about their diet and analyzed samples of their semen. Also, 23 of the 99 men participating in the study were measured for levels of fatty acids in their sperm and seminal plasma.

Participants were divided into three groups according to the amount of unsaturated fats they consumed. Men with the third-highest fat intake had a 43 per cent lower sperm count and 38 per cent lower sperm concentration than men in the group with the lowest fat intake.

Men who consumed the most omega-3 fatty acids had slightly more sperm (1.9 per cent) that were "correctly formed" than men in the third that had the lowest intake of omega-3.

Meanwhile, researchers noted some limitations: the study size is small and needs to be replicated by further research to confirm the role of fatty diets on men's fertility, they said. Also, the use of a food frequency questionnaire might not accurately reflect men's actual diets. And only one semen sample per man was collected.

Researchers cautioned that the study can only show an association between dietary fats and semen quality and cannot show causation.

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Too much fat in men's diet could lower chances of fertility: Study

ScienceDaily (Mar. 13, 2012) Men's diets, in particular the amount and type of different fats they eat, could be associated with their semen quality according to the results of a study published online in the journal Human Reproduction.

The study of 99 men in the USA found an association between a high total fat intake and lower total sperm count and concentration. It also found that men who ate more omega-3 polyunsaturated fats (the type of fat often found in fish and plant oils) had better formed sperm than men who ate less.

However, the researchers warn that this is a small study, and its findings need to be replicated by further research in order to be sure about the role played by fats on men's fertility. Professor Jill Attaman, who was a Clinical and Research Fellow in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Instructor in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School at the time of the research* said: "In the meantime, if men make changes to their diets so as to reduce the amount of saturated fat they eat and increase their omega-3 intake, then this may not only improve their general health, but could improve their reproductive health too. At a global level, adopting these lifestyle modifications may improve general health, as high saturated fat diets are known to be a risk factor for a range of cardiovascular diseases; but, in addition, our research suggests that it could be beneficial for reproductive health worldwide."

A number of previous studies have investigated the link between body mass index (BMI) and semen quality, with mixed results. However, little is known about the potential role of dietary fats and semen quality, and so Prof Attaman and her colleagues set out to investigate it in men attending a fertility clinic.

Between December 2006 and August 2010 they questioned the men about their diet and analysed samples of their semen; they also measured levels of fatty acids in sperm and seminal plasma in 23 of the 99 men taking part.

The men were divided into three groups according to the amount of fats they consumed. Those in the third with the highest fat intake had a 43% lower total sperm count and 38% lower sperm concentration than men in the third with the lowest fat intake. "Total sperm count" is defined as the total number of sperm in the ejaculate, while "sperm concentration" is defined as the concentration of sperm (number per unit volume). The World Health Organisation provides a definition of "normal" total sperm count and concentration as follows: the total number of spermatozoa in the ejaculate should be at least 39 million; the concentration of spermatozoa should be at least 15 million per ml.

The study found that the relationship between dietary fats and semen quality was largely driven by the consumption of saturated fats. Men consuming the most saturated fats had a 35% lower total sperm count than men eating the least, and a 38% lower sperm concentration. "The magnitude of the association is quite dramatic and provides further support for the health efforts to limit consumption of saturated fat given their relation with other health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease," said Prof Attaman.

Men consuming the most omega-3 fats had slightly more sperm (1.9%) that were correctly formed than men in the third that had the lowest omega-3 intake.

Of note: 71% of all the men in the study were overweight or obese, and the health effects of this could also affect semen quality. However, the researchers made allowances for this. "We were able to isolate the independent effects of fat intake from those of obesity using statistical models," said Prof Attaman. "Notably, the frequency of overweight and obesity among men in this study does not differ much from that among men in the general population in the USA (74%)."

The study is subject to a number of limitations that could affect the results; for instance, the use of a food frequency questionnaire might not accurately reflect men's actual diets, and only one semen sample per man was collected. The authors point out that studies like theirs cannot show that dietary fats cause poor semen quality, only that there is an association between the two.

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Fatty diets may be associated with reduced semen quality

By Phylis Canion Originally published March 13, 2012 at midnight, updated March 13, 2012 at 4:05 p.m.

Like many others, I started a diet after the new year. I have tried many with little success. Can you please share with me why so many diets just don't work - or at least for me? I have tried diets from the cabbage soup diet, low fat diet, low-carb diet and banana diet to name a few, and while I may lose a little, I always seem to put the weight back on, sometimes even more weight than I lost. It is frustrating and I am at my wits end trying to figure out my next step. Is there a better diet for women? Please help me.

The bottom line is that most diets are a temporary fix for a permanent problem. In order for a diet to work, you should change your eating behaviors (i.e., chew your food properly) and lifestyle (i.e., do not eat at 9 p.m. and go to bed at 10 p.m.), reduce your stress and it should not be an on/off program.

The most effective way to begin a lifestyle change is to gradually add healthier foods, supplement with whole food daily vitamins, drink plenty of good water and incorporate exercise a few times a week.

If you want to lose weight, you will have to eat fewer calories (than you burn daily).

I recommend you choose foods that you can see yourself enjoying, yet they are still nutritious and healthy and you can continue to include those foods in your eating program, even as you age.

Do not cut your calorie intake too dramatically because if you deprive your body of the necessary calories, your body will think you are in the middle of a famine and will do its best to keep you from dying of hunger. By going into starvation mode the body lowers the metabolic rate to preserve fat and energy reserves.

The result is that the body will consume your muscles before it will start on your fat stores because muscle tissue requires the most calories. Your body is very smart and programmed to survive. Unfortunately, we are a society of instant gratification - open something up, zap the contents and hurriedly eat it.

I believe that old saying, "You are what you eat," has a clearer meaning now than ever before. The management of stress plays an integral role in dieting. Be it mental, physical or emotional, stress is not a state of mind.

Studies indicate that regular stress causes a chronic immune response, which is not conducive to weight loss. There are many ways to employ a successful diet, and some diets do work better for some than for others.

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Do You Know Nutrition: Lifestyle change will aid in weight-loss quest

The latest video in Diet Cokes Serial Designer campaign has been giving viewers the heebie-jeebies.

I dont know if it is Bernadettes (wooden supermodel puppet) heroine addicted visage or Jean Paul Gautiers molester like grin and awkward groping of her that is responsible for sparking horror within its audience.

This video could be damaging to women because it portrays models as being dumb, heavy drinking, and quick to submit. Gaultier leaves viewers feeling uneasy after he is entrusted to dress the female representation but infringes on professional boundaries by stripping the marionette of her robe and stroking her midsection.

Gaultier has just been appointed as the new creative director for Diet Coke Europe. He will be given the challenge of redesigning the bottles and cans.

Maybe I just dont get it because I am not French and do not enjoy bizarre erotic humor.

Here are some comments posted under the YouTube video:

This is absurd. Totally degrading; women are nothing like that (thank God) and it is nothing but a marketing lie to present diet coke and clothes as something that can make a woman more or less feminine. As if some sugar in water and a few stitched up pieces of cloth with a designer label on them can make one anything more than mainstream and impersonal.

This is soo bad. How exactly does it sell Diet Coke? And moreover its kinda creepy. What a dud!

Not funny and much too late

Absolute craaaap..

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Jean Paul Gaultier Diet Coke Video Exploits Women

In addition to sore, swollen breasts and irritability, many women with PMS experience bloating and insatiable cravings. In fact, more than 150 symptoms have been identified, including paranoia, guilt, memory loss, anger, depression and headaches. Fortunately, PMS is a manageable and treatable condition. Here are some dietary and lifestyle changes that may ease the symptoms.

Get calcium

Studies have found that adequate calcium intake, 1,200 to 1,500 mg daily (about three to four servings of high-calcium foods), reduces both physical and psychological symptoms of PMS, such as mood swings, depression and cramps. Choose calcium-rich dairy products, such as skim milk, yogurt or low-fat cheese. Not a dairy lover? Try soymilk, almonds, kale, tofu, canned salmon with bones, broccoli, spinach and canned or dried beans.

Magnesium

"Oral magnesium, 360 mg daily, from the 15th day of the menstrual cycle to the onset of menses, significantly improved premenstrual pain and negative affect," says Dr. Jennifer Milosavljevic,in OB/GYN at Women's Health Services at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Sources of magnesium include nuts, wheat germ, green leafy vegetables and bananas.

Good fat

According to Anne VanBeber, chair of the department of nutritional sciences at Texas Christian University, research shows that having the proper fat in your diet could influence PMS. "Fats that promote production of the 1- and 3-series of prostaglandins help to decrease inflammatory responses, decrease pain and dilate blood vessels." The diet should be rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This can be accomplished by eating walnuts, flax seed and flax oil, cold-water fish and sea vegetables such as kelp.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E, 400 units per day, may be minimally effective for PMS according to a 1987 study published in Reproductive Health. Another recent study by researchers at Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, also appearing in Reproductive Health, hypothesizes that a combination of vitamin E and essential fatty acids decreases PMS symptoms.

Wheat germ and nuts are good sources of vitamin E. Other sources include vegetable oils, such as safflower oil, and whole-grain cereals and breads.

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Diet detective: Tips for easing the 150 or so symptoms of PMS

Prostate cancer is the 4th most common type of cancer worldwidehowever, the incidence of the disease varies geographically.

The United States has one of the highest rates of prostate cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 240,000 men are diagnosed with the disease every year, which translates into more than 2 million prostate cancer survivors currently living in the U.S.

Asian countries, on the other hand, have significantly lower rates of prostate cancer.

The difference in the rates of cancer in the U.S. and Asian countries are due to a number of factors, including screening, genetics and environmental influences.

Epidemiologic studies have tried to isolate the impact of genetics and environment by examining the incidence of prostate cancer between men of Chinese descent living in either China or the U.S.

Interestingly, those living in the U.S. had a ten-fold higher incidence of cancer. Similar studies have found identical trends in Japanese men, which suggests a significant role of environment in the onset of the disease.

Diet is one factor which has been presumed to pay a key role in reducing the disease rate in Asian countries. In particular, it has been hypothesized that the high intake of soy in these countries may be responsible for the lower risk of prostate cancer.

Soy is a unique dietary source of isoflavones, such as genistein and daidzein. These compounds act like the hormone estrogen in humans and have been found to inhibit tumor cell growth.

Genistein, in particular, has been targeted as a potent anti-cancer compound. In cell culture studies, researchers have shown that genistein inhibits prostate cancer cell growth and also induces cellular death. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that genistein enhances the ability of radiation to kill prostate cancer cells.

Similarly, rodents fed a diet high in soy were less likely to develop tumors and those that did develop prostate cancer, tended to have less aggressive disease. Specifically, these findings were attributed to a substantial increase in apoptosis, cell death, and decrease in tumor vessel development.

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High soy diet reduces risk of prostate cancer