CAN LIFESTYLE CHANGES REDUCE THE RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER?
A recent review of the research looking at lifestyle-based guidelines for reducing cancer risk has encouragingly found that greater adherence to the current recommendations (see “Cancer Prevention Recommendations”, below) is associated with a lower risk of developing colorectal cancer. In 2007, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) produced …
EATING LENTILS REGULARLY CAN IMPROVE INSULIN RESISTANCE
Lentils (Lens culinaris) have been enjoyed by humans for many thousands of years, having been first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East. Nowadays, they are available in many varieties, depending on where you live, and can be classified according to their size (small, medium or large), colour (red, green, yellow, brown, black, …
SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES, ARTIFICIALLY SWEETENED BEVERAGES, FRUIT JUICE, AND CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH
Many studies have linked consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) with an increased risk of cardiometabolic disease. However, evidence for an association between cardiometabolic disease and consumption of alternative beverages including “artificially” (intensely) sweetened beverages (ASBs) and fruit juices, is mixed. Recently, Li and colleagues (1) conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 72 prospective cohort …
BENEFITS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET FOR NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD for short, is becoming increasingly common, estimated to affect nearly one-third of adults in Western countries like Australia. It is caused by the accumulation of excess fat in the liver, which can lead to inflammation and scarring, and eventually, liver damage. There is no single treatment for a fatty …
LOW CARB DIETS VS. BALANCED CARB DIETS FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK
Low carbohydrate diets are widely promoted for weight loss and associated health benefits, including for diabetes management and cardiovascular health. However, a recent systematic review of the evidence shows little or no benefit of low carb diets compared to balanced carb diets when it comes to both weight loss and cardiovascular disease risk factors. The …
NUTRITION AND LONGEVITY: WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SHOW?
Many dietary factors have been studied for their role in longevity, including dietary composition (the types and proportions of different foods and macronutrients in the diet), energy intake and fasting. In a recent narrative review published in the scientific journal Cell, well known longevity researcher Dr Volter Longo and colleague Rozalyn Anderson provide an overview …
INSULIN INDEX AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN PEOPLE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES
Most people are probably not aware of the fact that many of the established risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (e.g., heart disease and stroke), like overweight/obesity (particularly abdominal), type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and dyslipidaemia (high blood cholesterol and triglycerides), are associated with high blood insulin levels. Furthermore, if you have three or more …
DIETS FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND DIABETES REMISSION
Several studies have now shown that diabetes remission is possible in some individuals with type 2 diabetes (See Perspectives for more details). Significant weight loss is a key contributor to achieving remission, but the best type of diet to achieve and maintain weight loss and achieve diabetes remission is still unclear. To try to answer …
‘ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS’ AND HEALTH OUTCOMES: MORE RESEARCH NEEDED
A group of Australian and Spanish researchers have published a systematic review and meta-analysis looking at the association between consumption of ‘ultra-processed foods’ and various health outcomes. The review included 43 observational studies and found that consumption of ‘ultra-processed foods’ was associated with an increased risk of overweight, obesity, abdominal obesity, all-cause mortality, metabolic syndrome …
THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND HEALTH: WHAT DOES THE EVIDENCE SHOW?
The Mediterranean diet is one of the most widely studied dietary patterns. The diet is based around a high intake of minimally processed plant foods (including fruits, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, nuts and seeds) with moderate amounts of dairy foods, eggs, fish and poultry and only small amounts of red meat. Extra-virgin olive oil is the …
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