Step Counters and Fitness Trackers May Boost Activity Levels
A study that analyzed data from 38 randomized clinical trials involving over 4,200 participants concluded that activity trackers do improve physical activity levels among adults with cardiometabolic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Over approximately 15 weeks of follow-up, wearing a pedometer (step counter), fitness tracker, or accelerometer (which records movement) significantly increased the amount […]
Fermented Foods Can Support Health
The microbes that live in our intestines help break down food, and they create byproducts that can impact the immune system and inflammation. A study recently published in the journal Cell looked at how including dietary fiber and fermented foods in one’s dietary pattern may impact this gut microbiome. The small randomized controlled trial fed […]
Food Choices May Increase Inflammatory Gut Microbes
The bacteria that live in our gut have a critical role in helping or hurting our health. A new study found intake of some foods was consistently associated with the presence of “bad” bacteria, and others with “good” bacteria. The researchers examined bacteria in the stool of over 1,400 individuals in the Netherlands and compared […]
Blood metabolites could predict your risk for cardiovascular disease
It turns out the old saying is true: you are what you eat. Foods we consume are digested and absorbed, and then broken down into small chemicals (metabolites). The make-up of metabolites found in your blood depends, in part, on what you eat, and this metabolic signature may predict your cardiovascular health. A study published […]
Coffee Consumption Associated with Lower Risk for Kidney Disease
A European study published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases provides evidence that drinking coffee is associated with healthy kidney function. Data on...
Middle-aged Muscle Mass Associated with Future CVD Risk in Men
A recent study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found an association between muscle mass in healthy men and 10-year risk of fatal or non-fatal heart attack or stroke. Men with the highest levels of lean muscle at the start of the study period had an 81 percent lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years then those with the lowest levels.
Healthy Diet Likely Associated with Less Hearing Loss in Women
A study recently published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found an association between diet and acquired hearing loss. This prospective cohort study included 3,135 U.S. women (mean age 59 years) enrolled in the Nurses Health Study II.
Vitamin D Supplementation Does Not Improve Insulin Action
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.
Association Found Between Waist Circumference and Dementia
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.
High Doses of Vitamin B6 and B12 Supplements Associated with Increased Risk of Hip...
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.