Wednesday, 4 June 2014
Princess Health and Princess Health andWhat you eat, such as refined and easily digestible carbohydrates, may be more important that how much you eat.Princessiccia
diet nutrition obesity researchBy Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
Our weight is determined by the number of calories we take in compared to the number of calories we expend. So, if you over-eat and don't exercise, all those extra calories will be stored as fat, and the solution to losing the fat is to eat less and exercise more, right? What if this isn't true?
For most people, over the long term, eating less doesn't work, nutritionists David S. Ludwig and Mark I. Friedman write in an opinion piece for The New York Times. They suggest it is time to look at another idea, one that says overeating is not causing us to get fat, but that the process of getting fat is causing us to overeat.
This hypothesis suggests that when fat cells take in too many calories, those calories increase the amount of fat tissue instead of providing the energy our bodies need to function. When this happens our bodies still think we need food, so they continue to tell us we are hungry. Thus, we eat more and subsequently gain weight, Ludwig and Friedman write in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Studies have shown our bodies have a "set point" for weight largely determined by our genes, Ludwig and Friedman note. If this is true, they then pose the question: Why has obesity almost tripled since 1960, and what can we do about it?
Ludwig and Friedman write that among the many biological factors that affect the storage of calories in fat cells, one has an indisputably dominant role: the hormone insulin. We know that excess insulin causes weight gain, and insulin deficiency causes weight loss. We also know that highly refined and rapidly digestible carbohydrates, like sugar or potatoes, produce the most insulin.
The authors suggest that the increasing amount of refined carbohydrates in Americans' diets has "increased insulin levels, put fat cells into storage overdrive and elicited obesity-promoting biological responses in a large number of people."
The authors suggest that one reason we consume so many refined carbohydrates is because they have been added to processed foods in place of fats, especially since low-fat diets are the most recommended diet. However, several studies cited in the article show that low-fat diets are the least effective way to lose weight.
The authors recognize that existing research cannot provide a definitive test of their hypothesis and the existing trials have exhibited major limitations, but it is time to "invest much more in this research." The cost savings for treating diabetes alone�predicted to approach half a trillion dollars by 2020�would make it a good investment.
If this hypothesis turns out to be correct, the authors say obesity treatment would more appropriately focus on diet quality rather than calorie quantity.
"With reduced consumption of refined grains, concentrated sugar and potato products and a few other sensible lifestyle choices, our internal body weight control system should be able to do the rest," they write. "Eventually, we could bring the body weight set point back to pre-epidemic levels. Addressing the underlying biological drive to overeat may make for a far more practical and effective solution to obesity than counting calories."
David S. Ludwig directs the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children�s Hospital and is a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Mark I. Friedman is vice president of research at the Nutrition Science Initiative. (Read more)
Kentucky Health News
Our weight is determined by the number of calories we take in compared to the number of calories we expend. So, if you over-eat and don't exercise, all those extra calories will be stored as fat, and the solution to losing the fat is to eat less and exercise more, right? What if this isn't true?
For most people, over the long term, eating less doesn't work, nutritionists David S. Ludwig and Mark I. Friedman write in an opinion piece for The New York Times. They suggest it is time to look at another idea, one that says overeating is not causing us to get fat, but that the process of getting fat is causing us to overeat.
This hypothesis suggests that when fat cells take in too many calories, those calories increase the amount of fat tissue instead of providing the energy our bodies need to function. When this happens our bodies still think we need food, so they continue to tell us we are hungry. Thus, we eat more and subsequently gain weight, Ludwig and Friedman write in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Studies have shown our bodies have a "set point" for weight largely determined by our genes, Ludwig and Friedman note. If this is true, they then pose the question: Why has obesity almost tripled since 1960, and what can we do about it?
Ludwig and Friedman write that among the many biological factors that affect the storage of calories in fat cells, one has an indisputably dominant role: the hormone insulin. We know that excess insulin causes weight gain, and insulin deficiency causes weight loss. We also know that highly refined and rapidly digestible carbohydrates, like sugar or potatoes, produce the most insulin.
The authors suggest that the increasing amount of refined carbohydrates in Americans' diets has "increased insulin levels, put fat cells into storage overdrive and elicited obesity-promoting biological responses in a large number of people."
The authors suggest that one reason we consume so many refined carbohydrates is because they have been added to processed foods in place of fats, especially since low-fat diets are the most recommended diet. However, several studies cited in the article show that low-fat diets are the least effective way to lose weight.
The authors recognize that existing research cannot provide a definitive test of their hypothesis and the existing trials have exhibited major limitations, but it is time to "invest much more in this research." The cost savings for treating diabetes alone�predicted to approach half a trillion dollars by 2020�would make it a good investment.
If this hypothesis turns out to be correct, the authors say obesity treatment would more appropriately focus on diet quality rather than calorie quantity.
"With reduced consumption of refined grains, concentrated sugar and potato products and a few other sensible lifestyle choices, our internal body weight control system should be able to do the rest," they write. "Eventually, we could bring the body weight set point back to pre-epidemic levels. Addressing the underlying biological drive to overeat may make for a far more practical and effective solution to obesity than counting calories."
David S. Ludwig directs the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children�s Hospital and is a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Mark I. Friedman is vice president of research at the Nutrition Science Initiative. (Read more)
Princess Health and Calorie Intake and Body Fatness on Unrestricted High-fat vs. High-carbohydrate Diets. Princessiccia
In recent posts, we've explored the association between calorie intake and the US obesity epidemic, and the reasons why this association almost certainly represents a cause-and-effect relationship. I also reviewed the evidence suggesting that carbohydrate and fat are equally fattening in humans, calorie for calorie.
One valid objection that came up in the comments is that calorie-controlled diets in a research setting may not reflect what happens in real life. For example, in a context where calorie intake isn't tightly controlled, diet composition can impact calorie intake, in turn affecting body fatness. This, of course, is true, and it forms one of the central pillars of our fat loss program the Ideal Weight Program.
Some low-carbohydrate diet advocates argue that the obesity epidemic was caused by US dietary guidelines that emphasize a carbohydrate-rich diet*. The idea here is that the increase in calorie intake was due to the diet shifting in a more carbohydrate-heavy direction. In other words, they're hypothesizing that a carbohydrate-rich eating style increases food intake, which increases body fatness**. According to this hypothesis, if we had received advice to eat a fat-rich diet instead, we wouldn't be in the midst of an obesity epidemic.
Fortunately for us, this hypothesis has been tested-- many times! Which eating style leads to higher calorie intake and body fatness when calories aren't controlled: a carbohydrate-rich diet, or a fat-rich diet?
Short-term Studies
Read more �
One valid objection that came up in the comments is that calorie-controlled diets in a research setting may not reflect what happens in real life. For example, in a context where calorie intake isn't tightly controlled, diet composition can impact calorie intake, in turn affecting body fatness. This, of course, is true, and it forms one of the central pillars of our fat loss program the Ideal Weight Program.
Some low-carbohydrate diet advocates argue that the obesity epidemic was caused by US dietary guidelines that emphasize a carbohydrate-rich diet*. The idea here is that the increase in calorie intake was due to the diet shifting in a more carbohydrate-heavy direction. In other words, they're hypothesizing that a carbohydrate-rich eating style increases food intake, which increases body fatness**. According to this hypothesis, if we had received advice to eat a fat-rich diet instead, we wouldn't be in the midst of an obesity epidemic.
Fortunately for us, this hypothesis has been tested-- many times! Which eating style leads to higher calorie intake and body fatness when calories aren't controlled: a carbohydrate-rich diet, or a fat-rich diet?
Short-term Studies
Read more �
Princess Health and Princess Health andStudy: Banning sugary drinks from SNAP would reduce obesity and Type 2 diabetes; subsidy would boost fruit consumption.Princessiccia
diabetes food stamps fruit nutrition obesity research sugar vegetablesA measure preventing people from purchasing sugar-sweetened beverages through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, would significantly reduce obesity and Type 2 diabetes in adults under 65, and adding a subsidy for fruits and vegetables would more than double the number of SNAP participants who meet federal vegetable and fruit consumption guidelines, says a new study published in Health Affairs.
Research has shown that people on food stamps suffer diabetes, heart disease and obesity at higher rates than people who are in the same tax bracket but not on food stamps, Diane Jeanty reports for PBS Newshour. In 2013, these findings prompted 18 mayors from major U.S. cities to write to Congress with a push to ban the use of food stamps to purchase sugar sweetened beverages.
The American Beverage Association pushed back, saying "sugared beverages were being targeted and were not the only causes for obesity," Jeanty writes.
A research team led by Dr. Sanjay Basu, an assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, conducted the study to determine how banning sugared beverages could affect the SNAP population�s level of risk for these diseases, Jeanty reports. They used a survey by the federal Centers for Disease Control, which assesses the nutritional status of adults and children, and combined it with current information on SNAP.
The study had two models, one that banned sugary beverages�excluding 100 percent fruit juice�and another that offered an incentive for SNAP participants to receive a 30 cent credit for each dollar spent on fruit and vegetable purchases. The study factored in metabolism rates and demographics such as race, age, gender and income to test the effects of the proposed measures, Jeanty reports.
They found that with a simulated ban, a person would reduce his or her calorie intake by 24 per day. They also found that obesity rates decreased 2.4 percent and type 2 Diabetes rates dropped 1.7 percent�or 240,000 people�Jeanty reports. The simulated subsidy, did not, however, have a significant impact on overall diabetes and obesity.
The study also found that by adding a simulated subsidy on fruits and vegetables, SNAP participants increased their consumption from 1/4 cup to 3 cups per day. However, increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed is not enough to influence the reduction of diabetes and obesity on a national scale, according to Basu. �There would also have to be further reforms to also reduce the consumption of sugary beverages,� Basu told Jeanty.
The Illinois Public Health Institute, addressing a proposed ban in Illinois, found that SNAP participants would still purchase sugared beverages with their own money, even if they were banned, Jeanty reports. But Basu says that his study accounted for this consideration. Basu said it is time to perform a controlled study instead of a simulation model, Jeanty writes.
Research has shown that people on food stamps suffer diabetes, heart disease and obesity at higher rates than people who are in the same tax bracket but not on food stamps, Diane Jeanty reports for PBS Newshour. In 2013, these findings prompted 18 mayors from major U.S. cities to write to Congress with a push to ban the use of food stamps to purchase sugar sweetened beverages.
The American Beverage Association pushed back, saying "sugared beverages were being targeted and were not the only causes for obesity," Jeanty writes.
A research team led by Dr. Sanjay Basu, an assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, conducted the study to determine how banning sugared beverages could affect the SNAP population�s level of risk for these diseases, Jeanty reports. They used a survey by the federal Centers for Disease Control, which assesses the nutritional status of adults and children, and combined it with current information on SNAP.
The study had two models, one that banned sugary beverages�excluding 100 percent fruit juice�and another that offered an incentive for SNAP participants to receive a 30 cent credit for each dollar spent on fruit and vegetable purchases. The study factored in metabolism rates and demographics such as race, age, gender and income to test the effects of the proposed measures, Jeanty reports.
They found that with a simulated ban, a person would reduce his or her calorie intake by 24 per day. They also found that obesity rates decreased 2.4 percent and type 2 Diabetes rates dropped 1.7 percent�or 240,000 people�Jeanty reports. The simulated subsidy, did not, however, have a significant impact on overall diabetes and obesity.
The study also found that by adding a simulated subsidy on fruits and vegetables, SNAP participants increased their consumption from 1/4 cup to 3 cups per day. However, increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed is not enough to influence the reduction of diabetes and obesity on a national scale, according to Basu. �There would also have to be further reforms to also reduce the consumption of sugary beverages,� Basu told Jeanty.
The Illinois Public Health Institute, addressing a proposed ban in Illinois, found that SNAP participants would still purchase sugared beverages with their own money, even if they were banned, Jeanty reports. But Basu says that his study accounted for this consideration. Basu said it is time to perform a controlled study instead of a simulation model, Jeanty writes.
Tuesday, 3 June 2014
Princess Health and Princess Health andHealth foundation chief objects to bill that would allow school districts to get waivers from recent nutrition standards.Princessiccia
children's health Congress diet fruit obesity school lunch schools vegetablesThe president of Kentucky's public-interest health foundation is objecting to legislation recently approved by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee to allow waivers from the school nutrition enacted by the Department of Agriculture in 2010.
Susan G. Zepeda of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky says in a statement sent to Kentucky news media that the foundation's polls show that Kentuckians "want healthier foods in the schools," but fewer than one in four Kentucky adults "described the meals at their children's school or daycare as 'very nutritious'."
Zepeda notes that the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health showed that 35.7 percent of Kentucky children were either overweight or obese in 2011-12, that children living in poverty are more likely to be obese, and that polls show Kentucky adults think childhood obesity is a serious issue, and 78 percent of them approved of the new USDA meal standards, Zepeda notes.
The legislation would allow school districts that have lost money on meals for six months to ask for a waiver from the standards. Zepeda said "the major voice" for the bill was the School Nutrition Association, "a trade group of school food officials backed by such food companies as Coca-Cola, Domino�s Pizza and PepsiCo," but "19 of the association�s former presidents have called on Congress to reject the waiver. We add our voice to this call."
 |
| Susan G. Zepeda, Ph.D. |
Zepeda notes that the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health showed that 35.7 percent of Kentucky children were either overweight or obese in 2011-12, that children living in poverty are more likely to be obese, and that polls show Kentucky adults think childhood obesity is a serious issue, and 78 percent of them approved of the new USDA meal standards, Zepeda notes.
The legislation would allow school districts that have lost money on meals for six months to ask for a waiver from the standards. Zepeda said "the major voice" for the bill was the School Nutrition Association, "a trade group of school food officials backed by such food companies as Coca-Cola, Domino�s Pizza and PepsiCo," but "19 of the association�s former presidents have called on Congress to reject the waiver. We add our voice to this call."
Princess Health and Princess Health andUK awarded $1.9 million to improve recruitment, preparation and retention of science, tech, engineering and math students.Princessiccia
education philanthropyThe Howard Hughes Medical Institute has awarded the University of Kentucky a five-year, $1.9 million grant to improve retention of students in the STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering and mathematics, through a collection of initiatives dubbed "STEMCats."
The STEMCats project will feature five key components, each aimed at improving the recruitment, preparation and retention of STEM majors: FastTrack courses for Math, Biology, Chemistry and Physics to better prepare incoming students; a STEMCats living learning community; a freshman STEM research course; a team-based summer research experience and an improved introductory STEM curriculum.
Fewer than half of all students who enter college with the intention of majoring in a STEM field leave with a STEM degree, according to the university's press release. Nationwide, 40 percent of students enroll in a STEM program when they enter college, and the rate drops to roughly 20 percent among historically under-represented ethnic groups.
Many first-year college students are not prepared for the rigors of college-level science and math, Professor Vincent Cassone, chair of the UK Department of Biology and STEMCats project director, said in the release. "They have no idea what to expect, and I think it comes as a shock to some of them just how much work is actually involved in passing an introductory-level STEM class," Cassone said in the release. "By the time they realize it, they may already be in trouble. It's not that they can't do the work. They just are not mentally and psychologically prepared for the challenges they face at the university level. The STEMCats initiatives are designed to help students get ready to succeed."
UK is partnering on these initiatives with Bluegrass Community and Technical College, which will allow these students "to work in UK research facilities, live in STEM-designated communities at UK and be part of a FastTrack student cohort designed to remove barriers of success while enhancing STEM opportunities and knowledge," Tammy Liles, associate STEMCats project director, said in the release.
UK is one of 37 research institutions to receive an award, from among 170 institutions competing for a share of $60 million in total funding, according to the release. (Read more)
The STEMCats project will feature five key components, each aimed at improving the recruitment, preparation and retention of STEM majors: FastTrack courses for Math, Biology, Chemistry and Physics to better prepare incoming students; a STEMCats living learning community; a freshman STEM research course; a team-based summer research experience and an improved introductory STEM curriculum.
Many first-year college students are not prepared for the rigors of college-level science and math, Professor Vincent Cassone, chair of the UK Department of Biology and STEMCats project director, said in the release. "They have no idea what to expect, and I think it comes as a shock to some of them just how much work is actually involved in passing an introductory-level STEM class," Cassone said in the release. "By the time they realize it, they may already be in trouble. It's not that they can't do the work. They just are not mentally and psychologically prepared for the challenges they face at the university level. The STEMCats initiatives are designed to help students get ready to succeed."
UK is partnering on these initiatives with Bluegrass Community and Technical College, which will allow these students "to work in UK research facilities, live in STEM-designated communities at UK and be part of a FastTrack student cohort designed to remove barriers of success while enhancing STEM opportunities and knowledge," Tammy Liles, associate STEMCats project director, said in the release.
UK is one of 37 research institutions to receive an award, from among 170 institutions competing for a share of $60 million in total funding, according to the release. (Read more)
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