Todays Newsbites

While observational studies have suggested that low blood levels of vitamin D are associated with higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a clinical trial recently published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that supplementation with vitamin D3 had no effect on insulin action in people with prediabetes.

A large Korean population study recently published in the journal Obesity found that abdominal obesity, as measured by waist circumference, was associated with significantly higher risk of dementia. The study included over 872,000 participants aged 65 years and older.

A study published recently in JAMA Network Open found that very high intake of vitamins B6 and B12 from supplements (much higher than the Recommended Dietary Allowances) was associated with increased risk of hip fracture in women. In this prospective cohort study, 75,864 postmenopausal women in the U.S. were followed for 30 years.

In an ongoing randomized clinical trial, after one year, participants who received three contacts with a dietitian every month achieved higher diet adherence with a Mediterranean diet than those who received three contacts every six months.

A recent study by Tufts researchers published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that regaining some or all of lost weight diminished the cardiometabolic benefits of that weight loss. It is known that losing weight improves cardiometabolic risk factors, such as HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, HbA1c, and blood pressure. Weight regain after weight loss is common, but up until now the impact on cardiometabolic risk factors was not well established.

The National Lipid Association has released a comprehensive scientific review of the effects of low-carb and very-low-carb diets on blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, body weight, and other cardiometabolic risk factors such as blood sugar control and blood pressure. These diets, often called ketogenic diets dramatically restrict intake of carbohydrates, with or without restrictions on protein and fat intake. In a 2018 survey of Americans between 18 and 80 years old, 16 percent reported following some type of low-carb eating pattern in the past year.

A study recently published in the European Heart Journal concluded that physical activity is associated with particular benefit among people with existing cardiovascular disease (CVD).

A study recently published in Diabetic Medicine found that losing as little as 10 percent of body weight can put type 2 diabetes into remission for some people. The prospective cohort study looked at 867 people ages 40 to 69 years with newly diagnosed diabetes.

A recent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that middle-aged adults with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or history of stroke could be at high risk for early death if they sleep less than six hours per night.

A randomized controlled intervention trial published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that supplementation with vitamin D had no significant effect on depressive symptoms or physical functioning in older persons with low vitamin D status.