Diet-Related Disease
Students at schools within walking distance of fast food outlets more likely to be overweight and eat fewer fruits and vegetables, study of 500,000 California adolescents shows. Eateries serve as hangout and linked to greatly increased consumption of soft drinks. And: Sodas containing high-fructose corn syrup may contribute to development of diabetes, particularly in children (click 'See also').
By Julie Steenhuysen
Reuters 2008-12-24 (entry)
See also
Blood-sugar spikes linked to memory loss, new study shows, but peaks can be moderated by exercise. Researcher calls findings 'compelling,' and sees implications for the elderly, overweight children, and those at risk for Type 2 diabetes and/or heart disease in fast-paced, complex society. And: Spiking, falling blood sugar levels from high-carb diet could be risk factor for central vision loss with aging (click 'See also').
By Roni Caryn Rabin
The New York Times 2008-12-31 (entry)
See also
Prevention - currently less than five cents of every dollar spent on health - crucial to public health, say advocates (click 'See also'). Healthy communities created by planning across sectors, e.g., farm-to-school programs; supporting sustainable regional food systems; helping healthy food retailers succeed where fresh produce is limited, increasing funding to nutrition programs.
By Laura Troyer
The Food Times 2008-12-23 (entry)
See also
Diabetes epidemic costs $218 billion each year -- $1,900 per household - and contributes to deaths of 200,000-plus Americans, so risky behavior includes extra-large sodas. New York's proposed 18 percent tax on soft drinks could help make us healthier, just as cigarette tax has lowered lung cancer rates. Nutrition specialist says cola industry will spend vast sums fighting proposed tax. And: How food industry discredits critics (click 'See also').
By Nicholas D. Kristof
The New York Times 2008-12-18 (entry)
See also
Diabetics eating low-glycemic diet - nuts, beans, lentils - have better glycemic control and reduce heart disease risk factors, than those on fiber-rich diet, study shows. Type 2 diabetics have much higher risk of cardiovascular disease. And: Though exercise, weight loss and low-fat, plant-based diet reduce risk of Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent, plan works best when community - parents, grandparents, caregivers - enables and models healthful behavior (click 'See also').
By Shari Roan
Los Angeles Times 2008-12-16 (entry)
See also
Tom Vilsack's selection as Obama's USDA secretary may be 'agribusiness as usual,' since words 'food' or 'eaters' unspoken in news conference, says Michael Pollan, author. Food system responsible for one-third greenhouse gases, 'catastrophic' diet that causes chronic disease in half the U.S. population and drives up health care costs (click 'See also'). Food must be included in plan to address climate change, energy independence, health care.
By Renee Montagne
National Public Radio/Morning Edition 2008-12-18 (entry)
See also
New website offers access to information about public health, agriculture, and connects the two fields. Johns Hopkins University site, a project of its Center for a Livable Future (click 'See also') links communities, organizations, individuals. Site allows search of databases, vetted collection of reports, journal articles.
By Karla Cook
The Food Times 2008-12-14 (entry)
See also
Obama needs secretary of food, not USDA - to address health care, climate change, energy independence. 'Department of Food' would give primacy to America's 300 million eaters, cut influence of industrial farm lobby, which inflicts unhealthy food on children through school lunches and exacerbates crisis of obesity, diabetes. And: Petition lists terrific reformist candidates (click 'See also').
By Nicholas D. Kristof
The New York Times 2008-12-11 (entry)
See also
Watchdog group rates the $1 junior bacon cheeseburger at Jack in the Box as "the most unhealthful" value item among all national fast food chains. The Cancer Project's survey, noting popularity of cheap foods in tough times, also cited Taco Bell's Cheesy Double Beef Burrito and McDonald's McDouble sandwich.
By Jerry Hirsch
Los Angeles Times 2008-12-09 (entry)
Adding 1 billion points to global IQ is as simple as adding iodine to salt, and Canada leads way with Micronutrient Initiative, which also advocates adding vitamin A, iron, zinc and folic acid to diets. Simple technology improves lives at low cost and in short time, says World Bank.
By Nicholas D. Kristof
The New York Times 2008-12-04 (entry)
Adding extra fish, omega-3-rich seafood to diet may raise prostate cancer survival by 38 percent; men who ate five servings of fish per week had 48 percent improved survival rate over those who ate one serving a week, study shows. And: Healthy diet should consist of one omega-3 to four omega-6 fatty acids, but American diet contains more than 10 times needed amount of omega-6 oils, mostly from processed foods, cooking oils (click 'See also').
By Stephen Daniells
nutraingredients.com 2008-11-24 (entry)
See also
Legislative progress on environment, energy, health care on agenda with Henry Waxman, a keen negotiator, now at helm of powerful Committee on Energy and Commerce. But: Without reform on the way we grow, process and eat food in America, there will be no significant progress on these problems or on critical issue of national security, writes Michael Pollan in letter to new farmer-in-chief Barack Obama (click 'See also').
By Julie Rovner
National Public Radio/All Things Considered 2008-11-21 (entry)
See also
Banning fast food ads from children's TV could reduce number of overweight children by 14 to 18 percent, according to economists who studied 1997 data (click 'See also'). In intervening years, McDonald's, Burger King re-worked ads to include apple sticks, low-fat milk. Eliminating tax deductions for those ads would curb childhood obesity by 5 to 7 percent, study showed.
Roni Caryn Rabin
New York Times 2008-11-20 (entry)
See also
Beyond statins, common sense and two studies indicate that eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts cut readings for CRP, which is linked to risk of heart attack, stroke. Needed is total proof that diet- and exercise-reduced CRP levels reduce cardiovascular emergencies. And: Small, consistent increase in dietary fiber helps reduce heart disease risk and controls diabetes, and can make large difference to public health (click See also').
By Stephen Smith
The Boston Globe 2008-11-17 (entry)
See also
Melamine has pervaded U.S. food system. It's added to fertilizer and accumulates in the farm fields. Last year, millions ate chicken that had been fed tainted gluten from China; Tyson Foods butchered hogs that had eaten tainted feed too. Meat was not recalled. China melamine scandal is opportunity for U.S. to pass fertilizer standards and to test for chemical.
By James E. McWilliams
The New York Times 2008-11-17 (entry)
More neighborhood green space reduces risk of heart disease, greatly narrows health gaps and death rates between rich, poor, UK researchers learn. Governments should promote and invest in green areas, which provide opportunities for stress reduction and physical activity. And: Plunging hands into the dirt therapeutic for gardeners (click 'See also').
By Michael Kahn
Reuters 2008-11-07 (entry)
See also
With rocket fuel component in drinking water of 35 states and its documented toxicity to humans, scientists argue that EPA decision not to regulate perchlorate needs 'compelling scientific basis.' Rule was based on industry-funded computer model; critics say CDC studies ignored. Opinion: Congress should require EPA to explain disregard of toxin that reduces thyroid function, creates risk of lifelong lower IQ for babies (click 'See also').
By Juliet Eilperin
The Washington Post 2008-11-14 (entry)
See also
Arteries of obese children show harbinger of heart disease, study shows. Findings suggest potential for significant fraction of workforce disabled in their 30s, 40s, says cardiology expert. In U.S., about one third of children, teens overweight or obese, CDC says. And: In Huntington, W.Va., which leads nation in obesity, diabetes, heart disease and teeth loss, adults in their 30s suffering heart attacks, requiring open-heart surgery (click 'See also').
By Thomas H. Maugh II
Los Angeles Times 2008-11-12 (entry)
See also
Childhood food allergies, and severity, increasing. Researchers blame varied diet that exposes children to fish, peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs and soy; increasing rates of childhood obesity; increased consumption of antacids, vitamins; and possibly, underdeveloped immune systems as reaction to a too-clean environment. And: 'Action plans' for food-allergic students used inconsistently in schools (click 'See also').
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay News; U.S. News & World Report 2008-11-10 (entry)
See also
Eating energy-dense diet increases risk of developing type 2 diabetes, 12-year study shows. Energy-dense foods are those high in fat, sugars and low in fiber: fast foods, processed foods and fatty foods (click 'See also'). Best substitutes: vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains.
By Sue Mueller
Food Consumer 2008-11-02 (entry)
See also
New diabetes case rates soar nearly 90 percent over last 10 years, mostly from obesity, sedentary ways. And: In 2007, diabetes cost economy $174 billion for medical care, chronic complications (click 'See also'). Indirect costs of $58 billion came from absenteeism, reduced productivity, disease-related disability, and early death.
By Will Dunham
Reuters 2008-10-30 (entry)
See also
Kidney stones a growing problem in children. Main causes are dietary - not drinking enough water, eating too much salt - and sometimes relate to obesity. Physicians cite salty chips, French fries, sports drinks and processed items - sandwich meats, canned soups, packaged meals, sodas. And: As makers of children's cereals cut sugar, they add salt, report says (click 'See also').
By Laurie Tarkan
The New York Times 2008-10-27 (entry)
See also
Those with malfunctioning food-pleasure gene more likely to overeat, study shows. Health expert says those with weakened 'reward strategy' can circumvent obesity by choosing diet rich in whole grains, legumes, beans, fruits and vegetables coupled with moderate level of exercise.
By Jimmy Downs
Food Consumer 2008-10-18 (entry)
Obesity, overweight epidemic likely cause of increased rates of high blood pressure, researchers say. Hypertension is major risk factor for heart disease, stroke. To prevent high blood pressure, develop and maintain healthy lifestyle, and control weight through exercise and health eating behaviors, study authors say.
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay; The Washington Post 2008-10-13 (entry)
Adding whole grains, fruits and vegetables to elementary school lunches raised academic performance of students over two years and lowered their weight and blood pressure, cardiologist reports. Healthier Options for Public Schoolchildren program (click 'See also') also promotes good nutrition through edible school gardens, assemblies, class activities and with adults as role models.
By Adam Voiland
U.S. News & World Report 2008-10-07 (entry)
See also
Persistent overeating triggers metabolic response which, once flipped 'on,' can promote overeating, creating vicious cycle, researchers learn in mouse study. Earlier research had shown that eating too much triggered inflammatory responses in muscles, liver, changes that launch development of type 2 diabetes. Now researchers see inflammation may promote obesity as well.
By Amanda Gardner
The Washington Post 2008-10-02 (entry)
MacArthur Foundation/youtube
Will Allen uses aquaculture and vermiculture, and heats greenhouses with composting.
Urban farmer in Milwaukee wins $500,000 MacArthur 'genius grant' (click 'See also) for developing farming methods and educational programs designed to provide healthy food to everyone. His nonprofit, Growing Power (www.growingpower.org), just expanded its program of selling bags of fruit and vegetables for $14 -- a week's worth for a family of four.
By Lee Bergquist
Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI) 2008-09-22 (entry)
See also
New 'positive eating' replaces deprivation diets, returns participants to pleasures of seasonal foods, meals with family and friends, the kitchen and scratch cooking. People of normal weight spend more time on food shopping, cooking and cleanup than others, study shows. And: New cooks drive increase in food website traffic, sales of cookbooks, food magazines, inexpensive cookware and basic foods (click 'See also').
By Tara Parker-Pope
The New York Times 2008-09-17 (entry)
See also
Scientists urge 'aggressive action' to limit human exposure to can-lining chemical after study notes that higher levels of bisphenol A in body correspond with higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and liver abnormalities. Skeptic notes that drinking lots of high-sugar canned drinks raises risk of diet-related disease and exposure to BPA. And: Chemical, also found in hard plastic water and baby bottles, inhibits brain links (click 'See also').
By Sarah Boseley
The Guardian (UK) 2008-09-16 (entry)
See also
Obesity doubles lifetime risk of developing knee osteoarthritis, physician says. In this painful disease, cartilage breaks down and deteriorates. And: Being 10 pounds overweight increases the force on the knee by 30 to 60 pounds with each step; weight loss decreases incidence of disease and some studies show substantially reduced reports of pain (click 'See also').
By Thomas Goldsmith
The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) 2008-09-12 (entry)
Obesity pushing rates of liver disease, transplant needs in some teens. Many experts predict fatty liver disease will become top cause of liver transplants by 2020.'There aren't enough livers to go around,' says physician. Successful patients are those whose families have increased exercise, changed diet to one based on whole grains, fruits, vegetables.
By Linda A. Johnson
The Associated Press; Time magazine 2008-09-08 (entry)
4004 chart shows chronic wasting disease among free-ranging deer and elk by county.
When prions can jump species barriers, a new kind of prion is produced, researchers learn. Prion proteins cause Creutzfeld-Jakob disease and mad cow disease, and have infected 208 people, mostly in UK. Scientists now study whether prion-induced chronic wasting disease (CWD) in elk and deer could jump to humans; disease has long dormant period. And: CDC, in 2004, said risk of CWD to humans was low (click 'See also').
By Amber Dance
Nature News 2008-09-04 (entry)
See also
Swiss chard is a good source of folate and a very good source of vitamin B6.
Vitamin B deficiencies linked to learning problems, dramatically higher homocysteine levels in mouse study, researchers say. Elevated homocysteine levels in adults raise risk for Alzheimer's disease, stroke and atherosclerosis. And: Vitamin B-rich foods: leafy green vegetables, beans, peas, whole grains, fish, seafood, poultry and meats, eggs and milk, yogurt and cheese (click 'See also').
By Shane Starling
nutraingredients.com 2008-09-04 (entry)
See also
For diabetics, Ramadan fasting means timing medicine and monitoring blood sugar levels. Religion's overarching belief is that Muslims should not harm their bodies, even for spiritual practices. And: Going without food or drink (or caffeine) between dawn and dusk for a lunar month sometimes leads to weight gain from overeating at nightly or early morning meals (click 'See also').
By Robert Mitchum
Chicago Tribune 2008-08-31 (entry)
See also
Overweight, obese who work for state of Alabama given a year to lose weight or face higher health insurance costs. And: Because medical costs are higher for the obese and premiums don't depend on weight, lighter people in same pool pay for food/exercise decisions of obese, says USDA (click 'See also').
By Nancy Yamada
WBIR 2008-08-23 (entry)
See also
Diet rich in legumes - peanuts, soybeans and other beans - reduces risk of type 2 diabetes by nearly 40 percent, study indicates. High intake of soybeans linked to 47 percent risk reduction. Study used food-frequency questionnaires to chart health of 64,227 middle-aged Chinese women for about 4.6 years.
By Stephen Daniells
Food Navigator 2008-01-08 (entry)
Obesity is a public health disaster and is threatening our children. About half of Americans' food budget is spent at restaurants. If we can force oil companies to tell us octane level of fuel for our cars, surely we can demand that fast-food and restaurant chains tell us what we're putting into our bodies.
By Harold Goldstein and Eric Schlosser
Los Angeles Times 2008-08-05 (entry)
Potato chip producers agree to reduce carcinogen - acrylamide - in their chips over three years and pay penalties to settle California lawsuit. Accord means a 20 percent cut for Frito-Lay products, 87 percent cut for Kettle Chips, and warning label on Cape Cod Robust Russets. And: FDA tells home cooks to reduce chemical by not over-browning potatoes (click 'See also').
By Bob Egelko
San Francisco Chronicle 2008-08-02 (entry)
See also
Obesity, already public health crisis, likely to cost $956.9 billion by 2030 if epidemic grows at current rate, researchers suggest. More than 86 percent of population projected to be overweight or obese by then, including 96 percent of black women and 91 percent of Mexican-American men. Analysis shows that, over time, heavy Americans become heavier.
By Natalie Wood-Wright
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2008-07-28 (entry)
Fat build-up, triglyceride surge greater from fructose consumption than other sugars, small study reports. Researchers also note that fat was created from fructose by liver within four hours of consumption, which means that the next meal's fat is more likely to be stored. Fat synthesis may be revved up in overweight, obese patients.
By Stephen Daniells
nutraingredients.com 2008-07-25 (entry)
Though childhood obesity best treated by diet and exercise, data suggest that several hundred thousand children now taking medicines to treat its eventual complications, with greatest increase in Type 2 diabetes drugs. Many patients live in neighborhoods without grocery stores and attend schools that have no physical education programs. And: Series on childhood obesity (click 'See also').
By Stephanie Saul
The New York Times 2008-07-26 (entry)
See also
Use diet, physical activity to treat pre-diabetes, endocrinologists say in issuing guidelines for diagnosing metabolic syndrome. Group calls for training primary-care doctors in helping patients with lifestyle changes. 'Most doctors don't know how to deal with this,' says research director. And: More children taking drugs related to childhood obesity (click 'See also').
By Mary Brophy Marcus
USA Today 2008-07-22 (entry)
See also
Obesity now tops list of parent concerns, study shows. Drug abuse, smoking, bullying are runners-up; environmental toxins and lack of opportunity for physical activity finish off the top 10 list. Researchers saw priorities change depending on race, income or whether children were living at home, indicating no universal approach to problems, says physician. And: Slide show of obesity trends across the U.S. (click 'See also').
By Krista Hopson
University of Michigan 2008-07-14 (entry)
See also
In study, those who kept food diary lost twice as much weight as those who didn't. Other aids: low-fat diet high in produce, weekly support sessions, moderate exercise. Losing nine pounds each would vastly decrease U.S. rates of hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, says researcher. And: At senate hearing, childhood obesity called 'medical emergency' (click 'See also').
The Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente 2008-07-08 (entry)
See also
Better access to healthful foods, walkable streets and recreational areas and sense of community reduces residents' risk of high blood pressure, study shows. Links diminished when researchers factored in the 2,612 participants' race and ethnicity.
Reuters 2008-07-15 (entry)
Obesity rates rise to one in four in 2007 and above 30 percent in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, CDC says. And: U.S. spends $2 trillion annually on health care; per capita cost of many effective community-based disease prevention programs is less than $10 (click 'See also') and could save more than $16 billion in five years.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2008-07-18 (entry)
See also
UK plans healthful food promotion after report links poor diet with premature death of 70,000 people each year. Program, which will urge fruit and vegetable consumption and reduced intake of saturated fat, sugar and salt, will begin in hospitals and prisons, then radiate outward. For report, click 'See also.'
By Andrew Sparrow
The Guardian (UK) 2008-07-07 (entry)
See also
American Heart Association advocates population-based anti-obesity policy. Plan would address restaurant portion sizes, fast-food outlet placement and plethora of unhealthful food choices, plus infrastructure: sidewalks, playgrounds, nearby jobs, schools and public transportation.
HealthDay News; U.S. News & World Report 2008-06-30 (entry)
FDA orders farmers to stop dosing chickens, cows, pigs and eggs with drug used to treat skin infections, stomach infections and pneumonia in humans. Agency says that overuse will render cephalosporins ineffective in treating human disease.
Bloomberg News; Newsday 2008-07-03 (entry)
Junk food diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding increases child's risk of diet-related disease, study on rats indicates. Offspring had raised levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and insulin, plus harbinger of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. And: In 1986, Barker hypothesis linked adult heart disease to prenatal and early postnatal nutrition (click 'See also').
By Sarah Boseley
The Guardian (UK) 2008-07-01 (entry)
See also
Group pushes legislation that would create uniform food allergy guidelines for schools. Only Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island and Tennessee have statewide allergy plans. About two million school-age children have food allergies; eight foods account for 90 percent of all allergic reactions--peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat.
By Kelley Schoonover
The Associated Press; Greenwich Time (CT) 2008-06-07 (entry)
Most important predictor of a heart attack or death for diabetics is a severe hypoglycemic event (blackout or consciousness change) in the previous three months, preliminary analysis of new study finds. Biggest help: lowering cholesterol levels, controlling high blood pressure.
By Thomas H. Maugh II
Los Angeles Times 2008-06-09 (entry)
In battling childhood obesity, Steven K. Galson, acting Surgeon General, has made it his mission to gather disparate efforts of parents, schools, and local governments into a unified national campaign. Bush administration should do more to organize those activities and boost their profile.
The editors
The Washington Post 2008-05-24 (entry)
Obesity, beyond health risks including diabetes, joint pain, congestive heart failure, strokes, back pain, sleep apnea and depression, is also about root causes and society's denial. As a physician, let me 'not fail to see what is visible.' If obesity is not going to be confronted honestly in a medical setting, where will that difficult conversation take place?
By Jeremy Brown
The Washington Post 2008-05-25 (entry)
Awareness, targeted actions could be creating plateau in rates of childhood obesity, but researchers can't be sure. Real question is whether 25-year obesity trend can be reversed, says researcher. 'The rates of obesity in children are so hugely high that without any further increases, the impact of this epidemic will be felt with increasing severity for many years to come.'
By Tara Parker-Pope
The New York Times 2008-05-27 (entry)
In poor urban neighborhoods, childhood obesity fueled by takeout joints serving fatty calories through bulletproof glass pass-throughs, absence of greengrocers, and culinary culture rich in fried foods and carbohydrates. One study showed that most students skipped breakfast, drank four sodas a day, ate at a corner store or had takeout twice a day, had a TV in their bedroom and did not have a grocery store in their neighborhood.
By Steve Hendrix and Hamil R. Harris
The Washington Post 2008-05-20 (entry)
Motivated by bad publicity, tougher regulation and costly lawsuits, food companies reduce child-targeted ads for their packaged and processed products and reduce serving sizes for products. Milk sales doubled after McDonald's repackaged milk into brightly decorated plastic jugs. Many schools remain prime settings for introducing their products to children.
By Susan Levine and Lori Aratani
The Washington Post 2008-05-22 (entry)
Schools' newly healthful meals thwarted by parents who send oversized bags of chips in lunch boxes, fight bans on cupcakes and object to measuring students' body mass index. And schools undercut their efforts by selling fries, doughnuts and other 'a la carte' items and allowing vending machines. For series, Young Lives at Risk: Our Overweight Children, click 'See also.'
By Lori Aratani
The Washington Post 2008-05-21 (entry)
See also
In suburbia, obesity spreads to sedentary children of busy parents who resort to fast food at odd hours, in the car. Counties allocate scant resources to prevention or weight-loss programs; fitness directors see parents dropping children off but know that at home, nothing's changing in the refrigerator. For complete series, Young Lives at Risk: Our Overweight Children, click 'See also.'
By Annie Gowen
The Washington Post 2008-05-20 (entry)
See also
As European countries mount focused campaigns against childhood obesity, American efforts founder at the top. The 2009 budget ends a $75 million program to help schools and communities expand physical-education offerings; USDA pushes a low-fat diet, but supports Pizza Hut's stuffed crust pizza. Foundations, state and local governments and local groups attempt to provide leadership.
By Susan Levine and Lori Aratani
The Washington Post 2008-05-19 (entry)
See also
As part of a five-day series on childhood obesity in The Washington Post (click 'See also'), the presidential candidates were asked how they would address the problem. Excerpts:
*Hillary Clinton: Ban junk food in schools, install universal school breakfast plan, double summer feeding program, implement a healthy schools program that funds replacing all unhealthy food with healthy food in schools by 2012, increase funding for physical education, voluntary guidelines for food industry.
*Barack Obama: Coordinate and collaborate across departments, ensure adequate resources, expand and accelerate research on prevention and treatment, support nutrition and physical activity grant programs, support public health and advocacy groups, finalize voluntary food and beverage advertising guidelines and if they're not effective, make them mandatory.
*John McCain: Teach children and their parents about child health, healthier meals at home and exercise as a family activity, nutrition education and more physical education at school, diet and fitness guidance by health-care providers, healthy food options for schools, adequate funding for physical education, prevention and maintenance as part of basic health care plans, appropriate and informative food labeling, and voluntary standards for food makers.
The Washington Post 2008-05-17 (entry)
See also
Deficiency of vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, linked to progression of breast cancer, two separate studies find. Vitamin is found in mackerel, salmon, sardines and in foods that have been fortified - milk, orange juice and some cereals, for example (click 'See also'). Earlier studies have suggested that vitamin D may prevent prostate and colon cancer.
By Thomas H. Maugh II
Los Angeles Times 2008-05-16 (entry)
Food crisis will increase rates of diet-related disease because high-fat, highly sweetened food products are federally subsidized and readily available. Poor women are 50 percent more likely to be obese. Poor, hungry people aren't thinking about their health, 'just filling their stomachs...getting through the day,' says researcher.
By Alfred Lubrano
The Philadelphia Inquirer 2008-05-06 (entry)
Up to three million New Yorkers live in communities with high rates of diet-related disease and a dearth of supermarkets (click 'See also' for study). Many residents spend food budget at pharmacies, which sell processed foods and sodas, then medicines for diet-related ills. City could support another 100 grocers; planning director calls situation a health crisis.
By David Gonzalez
The New York Times 2008-05-05 (entry)
See also
Obesity, diabetes higher in neighborhoods where fast-food restaurants, convenience stores greatly outnumber grocery stores and produce vendors, California study finds. Weight isn't just a personal choice, says health expert - we are affected by our environment. Restaurants spokesperson disagrees: 'Individuals control what, where and when they eat.' Click 'See also' for story on similar stores clustered around lower-income schools.
By Mary Engel
Los Angeles Times 2008-04-29 (entry)
See also
In six-year span, diabetes increased fivefold among 13- to 19-year-olds giving birth and doubled among 20- to 39-year-olds giving birth, researchers found. Diet-related disease adds risk to pregnancy, and children of women who have diabetes or are overweight or obese during pregnancy are more likely to be obese, overweight or have diabetes in the future.
By Julie Steenhuysen
Reuters 2008-04-28 (entry)
Researchers suspect smoking, obesity and high blood pressure in decline in life expectancy of of women in some rural and low-income areas - Deep South, Appalachia, lower Midwest, one county in Maine. Aggressive public health campaigns would be obvious strategy, say scientists.
By David Brown
The Washington Post 2008-04-22 (entry)
Belly fat is potent predictor of dementia associated with Alzheimer's, researchers learn, but skeptics say the two might have same cause. Fat around organs is most harmful, because it oozes noxious chemicals, stoking inflammation and constricting blood vessels, but it's also easiest to lose through diet and exercise.
By Rob Stein
The Washington Post 2008-03-27 (entry)
After study a decade ago showed link of obesity to higher levels of religious participation, churches strengthened commitment to ministry beyond spirit, to body. But after follow-up study in 2006, researcher says that church is contributing to public health problem by condoning high-fat foods at fellowship. Faith-based weight-loss programs spring up: Light Weigh, Freedom Weight Loss Program, and First Place.
By Colette M. Jenkins
Akron Beacon-Journal (OH) 2008-03-11 (entry)
Increased number of deaths in high-risk diabetes patients halts portion of 10,251-person study that was using bold mix of diet, exercise and drugs to drive blood sugar levels down. Twenty-one million Americans are diabetic, and the obesity epidemic is increasing the numbers.
By Rob Stein
The Washington Post 2008-02-07 (entry)
In surprise, researchers learn that diet soda drinkers are at 34 percent higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome, which can be a precursor to diabetes and heart disease. Their study had focused on increased risks of Western diet - refined grains, fried foods and red meat. Scientist wonders whether it's a chemical in the soda or the behavior of diet soda drinkers.
By Nicholas Bakalar
The New York Times 2008-02-05 (entry)
Obesity-related diabetes epidemic now costs $174 billion annually through direct medical care, lost productivity, rising health-care premiums and co-payments, study shows. One million cases are diagnosed each year; trade group predicts that diet-related disease will handicap state, local economies, taking funds meant for education to care for patients instead.
By Liz Szabo
USA Today 2008-01-24 (entry)
See also
With increasing obesity as backdrop, researchers learn that lower-income schools have more convenience stores and fast-food outlets within walking distance than other schools. In report, scheduled for publication in June, researchers suggest that food environment surrounding schools, as well as school meals and snacks, must be considered.
By Shannon N. Zenk and Lisa M. Powell
Health and Place; University of Illinois at Chicago; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 2008-01-24 (entry)
See also
Mercury levels in Manhattan tuna sushi samples so high that FDA could remove it from the market, testing for The New York Times reveals. Eating six pieces a week would exceed EPA's recommended safe levels of consumption, and experts believe that analysis elsewhere would yield similar results. Mercury enters the food chain as an industrial pollutant.
By Marian Burros
The New York Times 2008-01-23 (entry)
See also
Newly discovered old-fashioned corn variety could prevent vitamin A-deficiency blindness in Africa and Latin America. Researcher finds yellow variety brimming with needed nutrient. Challenge, however, will be cultural. At-risk population likes white corn; yellow signifies food aid, and particular taste and texture.
By Dan Charles
National Public Radio 2008-01-20 (entry)
See also
Resveratrol, linked to decreased heart disease, drop in blood sugar for diabetics, and, in study, increased lifespan in rodents, comes from grapes and wine. Now, Chinese scientists have created a genetically manipulated supergrape with six times the quantity of this active compound, from which they plan to make wine.
New Scientist 2008-01-07 (entry)
See also
Compounds in red wine, fruits and vegetables can reduce effects of fat-laden foods in bloodstream, researchers learn in small study. Foods high in polyphenol include artichokes, parsley, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, lychees, and grapes, but apples are a good source as well.
Science Daily 2008-01-02 (entry)
See also
Excess consumption of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, pervasive in processed and packaged foods, distracts the liver from maintaining proper testosterone and estrogen levels, Canadian study shows. An excess of these hormones can lead to acne, excessive hair growth, infertility and certain cancers of the reproductive tract.
By Rallie McAllister, M.D.
Green Valley News and Sun (AZ) 2007-12-27 (entry)
After years of planning, Southern California adds fluoride to the water, and conspiracy theorists gather. Is the tooth-protection chemical - a byproduct of fertilizer and a component of bombs and poison - a public health advance or an attempt to medicate by force?
By Mike Anton
Los Angeles Times 2007-12-22 (entry)
Largest four microwave popcorn producers remove diacetyl, a flavoring chemical linked to lung ailment, from their products after Missouri workers win verdicts and settlements over the last three years. Companies say that new formulation may take several months to reach shelves.
By Brad Belote
The Associated Press 2007-12-17 (entry)
The efficiency of factory farming may be nearing its limits. Two sacrifices of biological resilience are MRSA, a superbug that kills people, now found in concentrated animal feeding operations and in pig farmers; and the fatal epidemic among honeybees, pollinators of nuts, fruits and vegetables. What if researchers find that one cost of cheap meat is an epidemic of drug-resistant infection among young people?
By Michael Pollan
The New York Times 2007-12-16 (entry)
Eating diet heavy with white bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, and foods containing sugars and corn syrups (all of which cause blood sugar spikes and tumbles), may be factor in early eye deterioration as well as vision problems associated with Type 2 diabetes, researchers say.
Science Daily 2007-12-01 (entry)
After review of 7,000 cancer studies, experts compile tips for prevention: Stay lean, be physically active, avoid refined foods and sugary drinks, eat mostly plants, limit intake of red meat and processed meats, limit alcoholic drinks, limit salt, don't eat moldy grains or beans, and aim for a balanced diet without supplements.
By Roxanne Nelson
Medscape Medical News 2007-10-31 (entry)
The rhetoric is anything but sweet in the sugar-vs-faux debate, with suspicions about the safety of the unnatural product arising shortly after the creation of saccharin more than 100 years ago. But we're conflicted. We want something sweet, but we're also looking to lose a little weight.
By Emily Sohn
Los Angeles Times 2007-11-19 (entry)
Public health specialists pressure government for help in forcing processed food makers to cut sodium, a prime culprit in high blood pressure, stroke and heart attacks. In the meantime, we can avoid hidden salt by cooking from scratch.
By Lauran Neergaard
The Associated Press 2007-11-20 (entry)
In a study that demonstrates the addictive potential of sweets and might help explain the obesity epidemic, researchers learn that for 40 of 43 rats, sweetened water wins out over cocaine, and even a majority of drug-addicted rodents pick sweets over drug.
By Denise Gellene
Los Angeles Times 2007-11-09 (entry)
In two studies examining obesity, one links condition to diabetes and heart disease, but says that fat protects against other ills. The other shows that obesity causes disability in the elderly - they can't walk a quarter-mile, climb 10 steps, bend over or lift 10 pounds.
By Rob Stein
Washington Post 2007-11-06 (entry)
At a scientific conference on obesity, group's compassionate, passionate founder skips the rich sauces and pooh-poohs exercise as fat cure, saying that in times of plenty, the only proven prevention is calorie restriction.
By Emily Nunn
Chicago Tribune 2007-10-28 (entry)
Experts question whether the legendary "sugar high," bane of parents at Halloween, really exists. The body's natural glucose control mechanisms minimize the effect in healthy children who eat well, but parents are the ultimate judges.
By Karen Ravn
Los Angeles Times 2007-10-29 (entry)
A study found that women with a family history of alcoholism prefer higher levels of sweetness and crave more sweets. Those who smoked, though, had reduced sensitivity to sweets.
Leslie Stein
Monell Chemical Senses Center 0000-00-00 (entry)
Brian Wansink's bottomless bowl of soup wins tongue-in-cheek Ig Nobel for nutrition; Cornell professor's invention was part of research surrounding obesity epidemic, including unconscious eating and how we judge satiety.
By Mark Pratt
The Associated Press 2007-10-05 (entry)
See also
Research shows mixing high-caffeine Red Bull, vodka and acetaminophen can hasten damage to the liver, but caffeine isn't the only culprit; even bananas are less than benign with diuretics.
By Deborah Kotz
U.S. News & World Report 2007-09-26 (entry)
Addressing every ingredient or additive fear in this writer's pantry or refrigerator would require him dedicating his life to organic chemistry, so he's decided to have another glass of chardonnay and turn his attention away from the nutrition label.
By Eduardo Porter
The New York Times 2007-09-25 (entry)
Buoyed by Arab custom of big family meals, iftar celebrations have become lavish celebrations of sugary snacks, with waistlines and health problems following, says French physician in new diet book, "Chrono-nutrition - Ramadan special."
By Kerstin Gehmlich
Reuters 2007-09-14 (entry)
Crete, once home to ultra-healthful Mediterranean diet and religion-based fasting, is evolving to suit modern tastes, adding air-conditioned supermarket with apples from Chile - and a hospital that includes a wing for cardiac care, once a rarity on the island.
By Joseph Shapiro
National Public Radio 2007-09-08 (entry)
In 2005 paper, scientists link increased consumption of fast food and sweetened sodas to obesity, which promotes insulin resistance, which facilitates further weight gain.
By Elvira Isganaitis and Robert H. Lustig
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (American Heart Association) 2005-09-15 (entry)
Obesity rates climb in 31 states, with no state showing decline in 2006; Mississippi, West Virginia and Alabama showed largest gains, and more children in Washington, D.C., are obese than anywhere else, according to CDC data analysis.
By Kevin Freking
The Associated Press; The Seattle Times 2007-08-26 (entry)
See also
Bane and benefit both, blackberries cover the Oregon landscape with a thorny thicket but are high in antioxidants, show promise in tumor reduction, are a high cash crop, a primary food source for honeybees and other pollinators - and they're tasty as well.
By Joe Mosley
The Register-Guard (OR) 2007-08-11 (entry)
Grapes, radishes, purple corn, purple carrots, chokeberries, cranberries, carrots and elderberries contain compounds that, when slightly modified, help slow progress of certain cancers of gastrointestinal tract, Ohio State University shows.
By Joi Preciphs
Bloomberg 2007-08-19 (entry)
In groundbreaking presidential report, cancer panel calls down governmental polices that have made fruits and vegetables more expensive and less available, have limited physical education in schools and created an environment that discourages physical activity; food industry with its unhealthy food sales implicated as well.
MSNBC; Reuters 2007-08-16 (entry)
See also
Program that last year brought 35,000 pounds of hunter-donated venison to low-income clients of southern Wisconsin food pantry endangered by budget cuts; testing the deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) reduced by 60 percent; experts predict explosion in deer population.
By Christina Beam
Reedsburg Times Press (WI) 0000-00-00 (entry)
CARE turns down $45 million in food aid from U.S., citing practice of selling tons of often heavily subsidized American farm products in African countries that compete with the crops of local farmers; other charities disagree.
By Celia W. Dugger
The New York Times (may require subscription) (entry)
A few new cookbooks for those with diet-related disease have words of wisdom for all of us: Adapt everyday cooking to healthy meals that can be prepared quickly, practice portion control, shop carefully and read food labels.
By Kathie Smith
Toledo Blade 2007-08-14 (entry)
With growing rates of obesity in mind, FTC issues 44 subpoenas to food and beverage companies to learn how they advertise their wares to children; similar studies undertaken in the past with alcohol and tobacco companies.
By Mary Jane Credeur and Chris Burritt
bloomberg.com 2007-08-11 (entry)
See also
Kamut, a heirloom wheat with a sweet, nutty flavor and high in nutritional qualities, once the darling of the Birkenstock crowd, has captured Italy carbohydrate-wise, and Saskatchewan, as well as Montana and Alberta, are profiting.
By Beppi Crosariol
The Globe and Mail (Canada) (entry)
It's a $70 billion annual bill, and before, only agribusiness cared, but a tsunami of activists now believes that its subsidies for corn and soy encourage diet-related disease and climate change; instead, they advocate money for sustainable and organic food production, agricultural conservation and for a priority on fresh, local fruits and vegetables.
By Carol Ness
San Francisco Chronicle (entry)
Diet rich in high-fat, low-nutrient junk food and meals made outside the home, plus parents' extra hours of work are combining to shorten and widen our children in comparison to others in developed countries around the world, study suggests.
By Paul Krugman
The New York Times (may require subscription) (entry)
Peanuts, long feared for chance of toxic reaction, might be tamed; researchers learn that allergic mice are missing interleukin-12 molecule; study shows that raw milk, too, could play role in keeping allergies at bay.
United Press International (entry)
