By Gabrielle Lipton

Walter Willett will speak at the Global Landscapes Forum New York on 28 September 2019. Learn how to join the event here.

In 2000, Walter Willett toppled the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food pyramid. The triangular diagram showing the recommended portion size of each food group had been hung in classrooms, grocery stores and homes all over the U.S. and beyond since it was released in 1992.

But Willetts decades of research had proven it wrong, and so he rebuilt it. Exercise and weight control formed his bottom-tier foundation rather than bread and pasta; red meat, butter and refined grains were brought up to the top alongside salt and sweets. Certain fats were highly recommended throughout, staring down the low-fat fad of the time with scientific evidence.

His breakout research, which began shaping his pyramid and paving his way to become one of the worlds five most-cited scientists, was leading the second phase of the Nurses Health Study (NHS), which illuminated groundbreaking correlations between diet and disease. First created in 1976, the studys questionnaire has since been continually developed by Willett and other doctors and scientists, documenting the food and lifestyle habits of more than 200,000 men and women.

Today, the NHS stands as one of the most comprehensive health studies ever conducted. The findings of its third phase, specially focused on the later-life effects of adolescent diet and dietary links to breast cancer, are still to come.

From his desk at the Harvard School of Public Health, where he is now a professor after serving more than 25 years as chair of the schools nutrition department, Willett still knows how to make a splash. He has penned novels like 2011s bestselling Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy and been the face of headline-making reports like last years EAT-Lancet, which outlined the complete overhaul of the food system needed to feed a projected world population of 10 billion in 2050 without destroying the planet in the process.

Here, he tells Landscape News about his career and its inadvertent controversies, which continue to make the world healthier for all.

In the early stages of your career, little research had yet been done about the links between diet and disease. What made you curious to start researching this topic?

One of the reasons that little research had been done was that many leaders in nutrition thought they knew the answers (e.g., avoid eggs and fat in general), but when I looked for the evidence, I realized there was very little. I was working as an internal medicine physician at that time and was mostly caring for people with conditions I couldnt cure, such as diabetes, heart disease and many cancers. I wanted to learn what caused these conditions and how to prevent them. For this reason, I went back to school to get a degree in epidemiology and then connected this with nutrition.

You spent time living in Tanzania during medical school. What did that experience teach you about diet and food systems?

My work in Tanzania impressed me with the powerful effect of our environment on health and disease. Mainly, I was dealing with issues of poor sanitation and environmentally-related diseases like malaria. Coronary heart disease, on the other hand, was almost nonexistent.

The NHS rose you to academic fame. How did you develop the design of the questionnaires used in that study, which you still use in various forms today?

Before going to Tanzania, I used a simple food frequency questionnaire while in medical school to conduct a survey in the Potawatomi Native American community in the upper peninsula of Michigan. I was impressed that we could gather much information that way. In my doctoral degree program at Harvard, I worked on an analysis of smoking and heart disease in the NHS and realized that this could be an ideal population in which we could collect dietary data, because the participants were already being followed for incidence of cancers and cardiovascular diseases.

Through a series of pilot studies, I identified about 60 foods that were the major contributors to intake of the key nutrients in which we were interested, and then administered the questionnaire to the 121,000 women in the main study. By using optical scanning methods [to input data via scanning systems], we were able to double the size of the questionnaire and continue updating it to align with food supply and diet trends every four years.

Most importantly, we have conducted a series of validation studies comparing our standardized questionnaires with detailed weighed diet records and biomarkers and have documented sufficient validity to provide informative data on diet and long-term health. Of course, any assessment of diet will never be perfect, and we have also developed statistical methods to take measurement errors into account.

When you were researching fats, it was evident that your findings would be controversial. Were you scared to make a splash with your research?

Yes, I knew our findings would be controversial. When we published our early results, it was believed that all fats were bad, and there was nothing different about trans fat. Through the NHS, we found that women who had the most trans fats in their diets had a 50 percent higher chance of developing coronary heart disease. I didnt feel scared about publishing the results but knew that there would be pushback. Having been quite involved in anti-war efforts during the Vietnam War era was good preparation.

How do the links between climate change and diet affect your research and recommendations?

I have been aware that our dietary choices can affect greenhouse gas production and climate change for quite a while. What has changed is the realization that climate change is greatly accelerating. Several decades ago, it appeared that these changes would be seen over several hundred years. However, the rapidity of change has made this an urgent issue, so Ive been spending more time on this, working with earth science colleagues. This has made it possible to look simultaneously at both the human and planetary health impacts of different dietary scenarios.

The report from the EAT-Lancet Commission, which you co-chair, received global attention when it was published last year. How did that feel?

We hoped it would get attention, so that was good. Of course we knew there would be backlash from the beef folks. Some of that is helpful, as it increases attention. The recommendations were made to be global. The dietary targets include ranges, and there is also much flexibility because of the opportunities for substitutions, so this is readily adaptable to many different cultures and food supplies.

What are some of the biggest mysteries you still want to solve?

Some of the greatest questions about diet and health are related to the ends of the life cycle. For example, how does adolescent diet affect our health later in life? We are starting to get some answers to this. One enigma is that being lean as a child is a strong risk factor for breast cancer for the rest of a womans life, and we dont know why.

And at the other end, we still need to understand more about how diet can help preserve cognitive function.

In general, diet and lifestyle factors that prevent cardiovascular disease will help reduce cognitive decline. However, we are seeing evidence that some specific fruits and vegetables can be particularly important, and we are actively working on learning more. I am optimistic that dietary factors can play an important role in delaying cognitive decline.

A version of this post was previously published on news.globallandscapesforum.org and is republished here with a Creative Commons License.

Have you read the original anthology that was the catalyst for The Good Men Project? Buy here: The Good Men Project: Real Stories from the Front Lines of Modern Manhood

All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.

Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.

Photo credit: istockphoto

Read the original post:
Thought for Food: Walter Willett on Diet for Personal and Planetary Health - The Good Men Project

Extra-virgin olive oil, a major component of the Mediterranean diet, is rich in cell-protecting antioxidants and known for its multiple health benefits. Previous studies in mice showed that extra-virgin olive oil preserves memory and protects the brain against Alzheimers disease. In the new animal study, a team of researchers from Temple University and the Sapienza University of Rome shows that a family of related neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies which are characterized by the gradual buildup of an abnormal form of a protein called tau in the brain can be added to the list. The study is the first to suggest that extra-virgin olive oil can defend against a specific type of mental decline linked to tauopathy known as frontotemporal dementia.

Mice receiving extra-virgin olive oil displayed improved memory and cognition which was associated with increased basal synaptic activity and short-term plasticity; this effect was accompanied by an upregulation of complexin 1, a key presynaptic protein; moreover, extra-virgin olive oil treatment resulted in a significant reduction of tau oligomers and phosphorylated tau at specific epitopes. Image credit: Skica911.

Extra-virgin olive oil has been a part of the human diet for a very long time and has many benefits for health, for reasons that we do not yet fully understand, said Professor Domenico Pratic, director of the Alzheimers Center at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

The realization that extra-virgin olive oil can protect the brain against different forms of dementia gives us an opportunity to learn more about the mechanisms through which it acts to support brain health.

In a previous work using a mouse model in which animals were destined to develop Alzheimers disease, Professor Pratic and colleagues showed that extra-virgin olive oil supplied in the diet protected young mice from memory and learning impairment as they aged.

Most notably, when the researchers looked at brain tissue from mice fed extra-virgin olive oil, they did not see features typical of cognitive decline, particularly amyloid plaques sticky proteins that gum up communication pathways between neurons in the brain. Rather, the animals brains looked normal.

The new study shows that the same is true in the case of mice engineered to develop tauopathy.

In these mice, normal tau protein turns defective and accumulates in the brain, forming harmful tau deposits, also called tangles. Tau deposits, similar to amyloid plaques in Alzheimers disease, block neuron communication and thereby impair thinking and memory, resulting in frontotemporal dementia.

Tau mice were put on a diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil at a young age, comparable to about age 30 or 40 in humans.

Six months later, when mice were the equivalent of age 60 in humans, tauopathy-prone animals experienced a 60% reduction in damaging tau deposits, compared to littermates that were not fed extra-virgin olive oil.

Animals on extra-virgin olive oil-rich diet also performed better on memory and learning tests than animals deprived of the olive oil.

When the scientists examined brain tissue from extra-virgin olive oil-fed mice, they found that improved brain function was likely facilitated by healthier synapse function, which in turn was associated with greater-than-normal levels of a protein known as complexin-1. Complexin-1 is known to play a critical role in maintaining healthy synapses.

The team now plans to explore what happens when extra-virgin olive oil is fed to older animals that have begun to develop tau deposits and signs of cognitive decline, which more closely reflects the clinical scenario in humans.

We are particularly interested in knowing whether extra-virgin olive oil can reverse tau damage and ultimately treat tauopathy in older mice, Professor Pratic said.

The findings were published in the journal Aging Cell.

_____

Elisabetta Lauretti et al. Extra virgin olive oil improves synaptic activity, shortterm plasticity, memory, and neuropathology in a tauopathy model. Aging Cell, published online November 24, 2019; doi: 10.1111/acel.13076

Read the original post:
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil-Rich Diet Protects Mice from Multiple Forms of Dementia | Medicine, Nutrition - Sci-News.com

Most people know weight loss can be achieved by eating less and moving more. After losing a few pounds, dieters will often want to tone up and build visible muscles. Burning belly fat is no easy task but combining both cardio and abs exercises can give the best results and help slimmers see definition.

While a healthy diet is definitely important for weight loss, regular exercise will speed up the results.

To tone up the midriff and see definition, dieters will need to do more than just sit ups.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mays Al-Ali, nutritionist and yoga teacher at HealthyMays.com, explained the best exercises for slimmers.

By performing five ab exercises, slimmers can start to slim down their waistline.

READ MORE:Chloe Madeley fitness: How does she stay in shape? Diet and workout plan revealed

Plank pose

Mays said: This one is a burner for sure. Start with a one minute hold. See if you can hold longer than one minute.

Plank pose is an all over body toner, but it works the core hard. Repeat three times.

Side plank

If you want strong obliques, this is the pose youll want to hold as you lift those hips high to the sky. Place your palm on the ground for more advanced or resting on the forearm for a little easier, stack both feet on top of each other with straight legs and lift the hips up and hold for one minute.

DON'T MISS

Need more of a challenge? Lift the top leg up in the air. Even more of a challenge? Hold the big toe of the top leg out to the sky. Hold, as long as you can. Switch sides. Repeat three times on each side for maximum ab burn.

Navasana / boat pose

Lie on the ground - keep that chest lifted and shoulders away from the ears, Mays explained.

Take a nice big inhale, and as you exhale, toes and face come away from the ground so the body can hover right above. Hold for a slow count of five working up to 10, then release.

Legs up

Hold this restorative posture long enough and you will be screaming for mercy. Make sure the lower back is pressed into the ground and the legs are together.

Begin with feet flexed, slowly lower legs halfway, point the toes and lift the legs back to the sky. Try and work your way up to 50.

Yoga bicycle

Mays said: Lie on back with both legs bent in the air at the knees. Extend the left leg and point toes, keep right knee bent.

Touch left elbow to right knee whilst twisting through the midsection. Then reverse, extend right leg and point toes, keep left knee bent and touch right elbow to left knee whilst twisting through midsection.

Suck the belly in and exhale as you twist. Count to 50 as you move from one side to the other and work up to 100.

Ab exercises will create definition but it is also important to add cardio exercises to burn belly fat.

So, what is the best fat-burning exercise?

Mays said: Its no secret that squats are the key to a nice butt. Add a jump for even more cardio burn.

Just be careful because improper squat posture can cause some lower back issues. Start with your feet slightly further than shoulder width apart.

Bend down keeping the spine straight until your thighs are parallel with the floor. As youre coming up, add the jump. Land on the balls of your feet.

Viola! If the jump is too much on the lower back then just squat without the jump.

With the jump do three sets of 10 working up to 20 and without the jump do three sets of 20, working up to 30.

Excerpt from:
Weight loss: This easy plan will help you burn belly fat according to personal trainer - Express

Susanna Reid is a journalist and broadcaster who has made changes in her diet plan to slim down. The presenter managed to shed an impressive 1st 7lb by cutting certain things out of her diet. What did she eat?

The presenter was first prompted to change her life after a doctors visit raised health concerns.

Susanna started making small changes to her lifestyle which included cutting back on alcohol.

Speaking to Prima Magazine, she said: Ive lost a stone-and-a-half and I feel fantastic.

"This time last year, I went to the doctor with a skin problem and he told me I could do with losing some weight.

READ MORE: Can you lose weight in two days? Diet plan review

It turned out I was at the upper end of my BMI and, I have to admit, Id been feeling a little heavy for a while.

By removing alcohol from her diet plan, Susanna noticed the weight started to fall off.

Drinking alcohol has been shown to slow down weight loss for many slimmers, according to Healthline.com.

Alcohol also plays a large role in weight management, the website stated.

DON'T MISS

Anyone looking to drop those final stubborn pounds may want to consider skipping their evening glass of wine.

Alcoholic drinks are often referred to as empty calories. This means that they provide your body with calories but contain very little nutrients.

Opening up about her new slim frame, Susanna revealed another bad habit she ditched to become healthier.

The presenter explained she cut back on snacking in a bid to reduce the number of calories she consumed.

Speaking on ITV show, Lorraine, she said: It can creep up without you noticing, and what I did was cut out snacking.

I found waking up so early in the morning, and you're in a sort of energy deficit and all your body can think of is to have toast and biscuits. And you can pile it on really quickly.

As well as controlling how much she would snack, Susanna would go to the gym to burn extra calories.

She added: I'd stopped going for a while because it gave me an excuse to over-snack. But the good feeling of doing exercise is unbeatable.

Last year, Susanna publicly made another change in her diet after taking the advice of professional boxer, Tyson Fury.

He told her to reduce her calorie intake by ditching milk from her coffee during an interview on Good Morning Britain.

The boxer later appeared back on the morning show and Susannas co-star, Piers Morgan, explained how helpful his advice was.

He said: She's lost two stone Tyson. After your little pep talk, Susanna's wasting away!"

Susanna added: You suggested that I eliminate, well take away, milk from my coffee so now it's black coffee only. Thank you very much for that tip!"

See the rest here:
Susanna Reid weight loss: GMB host cut one thing from diet plan to shed 1st 7lb - Express

Organizations such as The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), The International Society for Sports Nutrition (ISSN) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have defined guidelines for athletes [35,36,37]. As these few existing recommendations for mainly high-performance athletes were only partially applicable to this study collective, the nutrient intake was compared with intake recommendations of the D-A-CH for the general population. However, the D-A-CH does not specify any certain reference values for ambitious recreational athletes [33].

In general, recreational athletes can be supplied with all micronutrients through a balanced mixed diet. But, it is unknown whether a vegetarian and especially vegan diet can provide all the important nutrients for athletes.

The type, duration and intensity of sport determines the energy requirements. The ISSN recommends an energy intake from 7.510.0MJ (18002400kcal) for athletes with general physical activity levels of 3040min three to four times a week [35]. In order to assess the energy demand, the ACSM recommends various options (e.g. based on the daily recommended intake, the basal metabolic rate and a factor of physical activity or metabolic equivalents) [37]. The IOC refers to the fat-free mass (3045kcal/kg FFM/day) [38]. Our subjects trained an average of three times a week for about 60min, which corresponds to an estimated physical activity level value of about 1.7 (sedentary work and recreationally active) [33]. More than half of each group did not reach the recommended energy intake, which is not uncommon in endurance athletes [39]. There were no differences among the groups, which agrees with the results of Lynch and colleagues, who compared 35 vegetarian athletes with 35 omnivores [26].

Carbohydrates are the most important sources of energy and many endurance athletes strive to consume carbohydrates to benefit from full glycogen stores [40]. Depending on the intensity and type of training or competition, gender, and external influences, an absolute amount of 37g/kg BW is recommended for people with general physical activity of about 3060min/day 34 times a week up to about 1 hour a day [35,36,37]. Thus, participants in the present study achieved the recommendations for carbohydrate intake [35,36,37]. Similar to previous studies with non-athletes [41,42,43,44], the VEG group had the highest intake of carbohydrates (55.2, 51.459.0 EN%) compared to OMN (46.7, 43.649.8 EN%; pOMN-VEG=0.002) and LOV (49.4, 45.553.3 EN%; n.s. compared to VEG), which can be explained by the increased intake of potatoes and fruit, since the intake of whole-grain and cereal products, pastries and sweets were similar for all groups.

The protein needs of athletes have been widely discussed [45,46,47]. The three societies recommend a range of 1.22.0g/kg BW for most exercising individuals (including general fitness [35]) [35,36,37]. According to the IOC and ACSM, the recommended amount also applies to vegetarians. The average protein intake of all three groups was within the reference range. In addition to absolute protein intake, it is important to consider the quality of the proteins [35]. Protein sources were mainly meat, meat products and sausages, fish and dairy products for the OMN group, milk, dairy products, and eggs for LOV, and cereal products, legumes and soybeans for VEG. In general, a high biological value can be achieved with each of these three diets. Compared to the reference values of the WHO, on average, all groups met the reference range for amino acid intake [34]. Hence, it can be assumed that all three groups including VEG had an adequate protein and amino acid supply. Our findings are consistent with the literature, which has shown that non-athlete LOV and VEG appear to be within the range of recommendations for protein intake [44, 48].

Dietary fats are valuable energy sources and have structural and regulatory functions. Dietary recommendations for adequate fat intakes vary widely and depend on the level of training and body composition goals [35,36,37]. While the ACSM recommends a daily intake of 2035 EN% but not less than 20 EN% fat [37], the IOC advises an intake of 1520 EN% fat, depending on the type of sport [49]. By contrast, both D-A-CH and ISSN recommend a fat intake of 30 EN% [33, 35]. Most subjects in the three groups reached the recommendations of the D-A-CH [33], ISSN and ACSM. In addition, it is important to evaluate the PUFA intake of athletes, which was below the reference value in all three groups [33]. PUFAs play a pivotal role in health due to their precursor function as regulatory lipid mediators. The International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommends a daily sum EPA+DHA intake of 0.5g, which was achieved by the OMN group (0.54, 0.230.85g), but not by LOV (0.08, 0.040.12g; pOMN-LOV=0.003) or VEG (0.09, 0.010.17g; pOMN-VEG<0.001) [50]. PUFA intakes in LOV and VEG within this study can be classified as inadequate, which is consistent with other studies regarding non-athlete vegetarians and vegans [51]. The EPA/DHA supplements were only consumed occasionally in the VEG and LOV groups. The resulting LA:ALA ratios in the VEG (1:5.71) and LOV groups (1:5.30) were within the reference range [33]. The OMN group showed higher LA:ALA ratios (1:8.04), which are consistent with the results of the German Nutrition Survey [52].

It is generally thought that athletes consume high amounts of micronutrients via dietary supplements due to their increased health awareness [53]. However, several studies have shown insufficient micronutrient intake in athletes [54, 55]. There are no specific recommendations for micronutrient intakes in recreationally active individuals, which differ from the general populations guidelines. However, in the view of the ACSM, ISSN and IOC, an adequate supply of micronutrients is assured with a balanced mixed diet. A possible insufficient supply to vegetarians of zinc, iron, riboflavin, cobalamin and vitamin D is described in the ACSM and IOC guidelines [36, 37], while the ACSM additionally mentions calcium, pyridoxine and folate. A specific risk of an insufficient micronutrient supply with a vegan diet is not mentioned.

In the present study, magnesium, calcium, iron, vitamin D and cobalamin were the most frequently supplemented nutrients. Cobalamin intake was strongly dependent on supplementation, especially for both female and male VEG. Half of the VEG group supplemented cobalamin and, thus, had a significantly higher intake compared to the D-A-CH reference values of 4g per day [33]. However, the very high cobalamin intake of the vegan supplement user can be classified as uncritical [56, 57]. In addition, the absorption rate decreases with increasing dosage. As expected, subjects of the VEG group who did not take cobalamin supplements had a marginal intake. Additionally, the dietary intake of the LOV group was insufficient, especially for males, who had cobalamin intakes below the recommendations, regardless of supplementation. However, although consuming cobalamin-rich foods such as meat, meat products and fish, its intake was still inadequate in one-third of the OMN group. Cobalamin is considered critical for VEG, but adequate intake should be ensured for every diet.

Due to high riboflavin levels in animal products, it was not surprising that the OMN group consumed the highest amounts, although, on average, VEG and female LOV reached the recommendations, which agrees with previous studies in non-athletes [58, 59]. In contrast to Eisinger and colleagues, who showed high intakes of riboflavin in LOV endurance runners [60], only female LOV achieved the reference values. Pyridoxine intake exceeded the recommendations in the VEG group due to the high consumption of vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, which has already been shown by other studies with non-athletes [58, 61]. The VEG group showed a high folate intake due to the high amount of folate in green vegetables, yeast, and nuts, while the folate intake of most OMN subjects was insufficient. These results are consistent with the German Nutrition Survey [52] and studies with athletes [54].

Similar to cobalamin, vitamin D intake was strongly dependent on the use of supplements. This becomes clear by comparing the vitamin D intake between SU and non-SU. On average, the VEG group (19.9, 2.7537.0g) was closest to the recommendations of 20g per day compared to OMN (8.29, 2.2114.4g) and LOV (4.52, 1.1410.4g). However, the intake of vitamin D was considerably higher in SU compared to non-SU. Hence, the mean values for the vitamin D intake in the VEG group (including SU and non-SU) should be treated with caution. This also applies to the OMN and LOV group, although not quite as strongly pronounced. However, it is worth mentioning that an adequate vitamin D status can only be evaluated with the endogenous 25-hydroxyvitamin D status in the blood [62].

Similar to other studies with non-athletes [42, 58], the highest iron intake from food (excluding supplements) was observed in VEG subjects compared to LOV and OMN. In addition, the VEG group had the highest iron intake via supplements compared to the other two groups. A total of more than 85% of VEG subjects achieved the recommendations compared to only ~50% in OMN and LOV. Male subjects of all groups were above the recommendations with more than 10mg per day, independent of supplementation. Female OMN and LOV subjects achieved the recommendation of 15mg daily only after supplementation. Interestingly, the VEG group reached the iron intake recommendations solely via food and not via supplements. The literature on the iron supply of athletes is inconsistent. Some studies found an adequate [63, 64] and others an inadequate iron intake in athletes [65]. High-performance athletes might have increased requirements due to biochemical adaptations (e.g. increased blood formation and increased enzymatic antioxidant defense) and increased iron losses via sweat, urine, and feces, which results in a higher risk of iron deficiency anemia [64]. In addition to absolute amounts, the bioavailability of different iron species should be considered. Despite the exclusive consumption of plant-based iron of the VEG group, LOV and OMN also consumed predominantly plant iron sources. While plant-based foods contain non-heme iron, mainly in trivalent form (Fe3+), which has a poor bioavailability of 15%, meat and fish contain about 70% of the total iron in the form of heme iron, which can be absorbed much better at 1020% [66, 67]. Hence, the lower iron intake in OMN subjects compared to LOV and VEG does not necessarily result in a lower status. Moreover, further influences on bioavailability (promoting substances such as ascorbic acid or lactic acid and inhibiting substances such as phytic acid or oxalic acid, which occurs in vegetable foods) must be taken into account (the same applies to zinc, magnesium, and calcium). Therefore, only functional parameters, such as transferrin and ferritin, indicate an adequate supply status.

The present results show that calcium is a critical nutrient [55]. As expected, calcium intake was highest among OMN subjects, although more than half were below the reference range. The highest number of subjects with an intake below the reference range for calcium was found in the LOV group (64.0%), although they consumed milk and dairy products. The athletes dietary intake of calcium should be improved independently of dietary habits due to the importance of bone health, and normal nerve and muscle function [68]. The mean intake of zinc was within the reference range for all groups, although male LOV subjects were slightly below. Female participants and non-SU of all three groups reached the recommendations [33]. Interestingly, the zinc supply was similar in OMN and VEG subjects, although animal-based foods are rich in zinc and the zinc supplement intake in the VEG group was considerably lower than OMN. These results reveal that zinc-rich plant-based foods can secure adequate zinc supply. The literature on zinc supply is inconsistent. Some studies observed a slightly lower but adequate intake of zinc in vegetarians and VEG compared to OMN [43, 48, 58], other studies found no differences between vegetarian and OMN endurance athletes [26].

The fact that the data of dietary intake relied on self-reported data by subjects should be considered. Both under- and over-reporting are further sources of error in dietary records. Since the use of iodized salt is voluntary in Germany and a precise indication about the dietary intake is critical, the values of iodine intake should be considered with caution. Furthermore, there are limitations regarding the nutrition software that shows data gaps, especially regarding vegan products. We did not consider the water intake of the subjects, which might also influence nutrient (e.g. mineral) supply.

See original here:
Characterization, dietary habits and nutritional intake of omnivorous, lacto-ovo vegetarian and vegan runners a pilot study - BMC Blogs Network

ThamKC/Getty Images It is healthy to have some body fat in the body. But visceral fat is the type that you should avoid because of its harmful effects.

Visceral fat forms within the abdominal cavity, near vital organs, including the liver, stomach and intestines. In some cases, it may also appear in the arteries.

Having such type of fat is unhealthy and can contribute to numerous serious and potentially deadly health problems. People with visceral fat are at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and even Alzheimers disease.

Poor diet is known as the most common cause of visceral fat buildup. But people can avoid excess fat by making simple changes to their daily food consumption.

Low-carb diets have been found to be effective in reducing visceral fat. Studies showed that reducing carbs even work better than diets that focus on low fat consumption.

In one study with 69 overweight people, the group that took a low-carb diet for eight weeks lost 10 percent more visceral fat and 4.4 percent more total fat than those on a low-fat diet, Daily Express reported Thursday.

Among all forms of low-carb diets, the keto diet appeared the most effective in getting rid of visceral fat. This approach focuses on drastically reducing carb intake and replacing it with fat.

The keto diet uses the natural metabolic state called ketosis to promote weight loss. Another study that involved 28 overweight and obese adults showed that the very low-carb diet could burn more fat than a low-fat diet.

Researchers even allowed the keto group to eat up to 300 more calories per day. A separate experiment supports initial findings, showing that people on keto diet could lose 2.2 times more weight than those following a calorie-restricted, low-fat diet.

The other foods people can eat on keto are seafood, cheese, meat, low-carb vegetables, nuts and seeds, avocados, eggs and olive oil. However, the diet also requires reducing or completely avoiding certain food products.

To effectively cut weight and lose visceral fat, people on keto should eat less foods that are high in carbohydrates. The list includes pasta, sugary foods, root vegetables like potatoes and unhealthy fats like mayonnaise.

Video: Tim Tebow On Doing Keto For Over 7 Years (Rachael Ray Show)

UP NEXT

More here:
Effective Way To Get Rid Of Visceral Fat - msnNOW