Pregnant Moms’ Use of Artificial Sweeteners Blamed for Kids’ Obesity
We've all heard that artificial sweeteners are bad for you — they cause cancer and a variety of other diseases according to some scare mongers. The latest scary story is a link between moms' drinking...
View ArticleThe Case of the Creeping BMI
According to a new Danish study, obesity isn't as bad for health as it used to be. That is, the BMI associated with the lowest mortality risk seems to be higher than it was 40 years ago. But given some...
View ArticleBaby Feeding, a Feminist Issue Filled With Fraught
Currently, breastfeeding is seen as the best (and some would say, only) choice for feeding babies. And many have fought for years to make this position a cultural norm. But the flip side of this...
View ArticleSpuds Blamed for High Blood Pressure — Really!
Researchers from Boston report that eating white potatoes, even as potato chips, are linked to developing high blood pressure (the increased risk is small). But we question whether anyone should change...
View ArticleIntervention Decreases Adolescents’ Obesity
Obese children and adolescents are at risk of becoming obese adults — with many associated health issues. Thus a school-based intervention program that delivered promising reductions in obesity...
View ArticleHow Sweet It Is: FDA Recommends ‘Sugar’ Not ‘Cane Juice’ on Labels
The FDA is finally advising the food industry to stop using the euphemism "evaporated cane juice" for sugar on food labels. Ingredients on food labels should be couched in terms that the average person...
View ArticleMisdiagnosis of Dehydration in Older Folks
Urine tests that can signal dehydration in young adults or children may not be so accurate in the over-65 group. The possible reasons are numerous — ranging from impaired kidney function to medications...
View ArticleRate of Multiple Births Has Declined, Says CDC
The rate and number of higher order births (triplets and up) in the United States declined between 1998 and 2014. This is a positive trend that should result in better infant survival and health, as...
View ArticleFresh Isn’t Necessarily Best
Processed foods get a bad rap these days from many supposed nutrition experts. But not all processing is bad — canned fruits and vegetables, for example, can be part of a healthy diet for both children...
View ArticleMotivating Women to Move, By Breaking Down Barriers
Motivating people to increase their activity requires helping them overcome what they perceive as barriers to doing so. And, researchers from Dartmouth College found, those barriers will differ...
View ArticleSupplement Staves Off Alzheimer’s — In Mice
While we often pooh-pooh the claims of marketers for the efficacy of dietary supplements, we're not blind to the possibilities. One supplement that has been studied in transgenic growth hormone (or...
View ArticleEPIC Study: Prostate Cancer is Yet Another Reason to Slim Down
Prostate cancer can be indolent, not posing a risk to life — or aggressive, leading to an increased risk of death. A new analysis from the large EPIC study suggests that increases in BMI and waist...
View ArticleA New Solution for Obesity — Copper
Copper, that darling of gourmet chefs, is great for cookware but not so effective for arthritis sufferers. But eventually it may actually help promote fat breakdown in the body — if, that is, the...
View ArticleLadies, We Have a Problem: Our Obesity Prevalence is Up
While obesity prevalence for adult men didn't change much between 2005 and 2014, for women it increased significantly. This is true especially in Black and Hispanic women — groups that must be targeted...
View ArticleSugar, Gallbladder Cancer Supposedly Linked, Study Claims
Sugar consumption — especially in beverages — is blamed for many ailments such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Now we can add gallbladder cancer to the supposed list of links. But the study finding...
View ArticleTeen Smoking is Down — Due to E-Cigarettes?
Teen cigarette smoking has continued to decline, perhaps due in part to the fact that e-cig use has increased. But some public health officials continue to lump e-cigs with more dangerous types of...
View ArticleWhen More Coffee Just Won’t Help
We've all stayed up too late to finish a project or study for an exam, depending on caffeine to keep us going. But according to a new study, that chemical assist won't work for more than a couple of...
View ArticleParasitic Infection Sheds Light on Neurological Diseases
Pregnant women are advised to avoid cat litter boxes — so they don't get infected with Toxoplasmosis gondii, which can cause birth defects. Recent research also suggests that this parasite may also be...
View ArticleTo Help Obese, Study Compares 5 Weight-Loss Drugs
Five different drugs, or drug combinations, are now available to help with weight loss. But which would be best for particular individuals? A new study provides some answers to this important question....
View ArticleCalorie Labels Can Be Useful
Can calorie labeling really help people eat less? And if so, what type of label works best? A new study indicates that labels to help — and it may not make much difference for many people what type of...
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