‘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 …
DO CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES AFFECT DIGESTIVE SYSTEM CANCER RISK?
Diet is an important modifiable lifestyle factor which can influence risk of cancer, particularly cancers of the digestive system. It has been suggested that carbohydrate intake is one aspect of diet that might affect cancer risk, but research findings are mixed. This is not surprising considering that carbohydrates are found in a wide range of …
ENERGY BALANCE AND CONTROL OF BODY WEIGHT
As most people are aware, rates of overweight and obesity are increasing all around the world. In 2016, the World Health Organization estimated that 39% of the world’s adults were overweight and 13% were obese, or in other words, more than half (52%) the world’s adult population was overweight or obese. Excess energy from foods …
CARB QUALITY AND RISK OF METABOLIC SYNDROME
Carbohydrate quality may play a role in the development of metabolic syndrome, according to two recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors including: High blood pressure Raised blood glucose High waist circumference (excess weight around the middle) Abnormal blood fats, including high triglycerides and low HDL …
FRUIT, ADDED SUGARS AND CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK
With few exceptions, whole fruit is a good source of vitamins (e.g., A, B and C), minerals (e.g., magnesium and potassium), antioxidants (e.g., flavonoids and phenolic acids) and dietary fibre (e.g., cellulose and pectins), and has a relatively low energy density. It is therefore probably not a surprise to read that regular fruit consumption has …
STARCH AND DENTAL HEALTH
Tooth decay is a serious health problem around the world in both developed and developing nations and is caused by the breakdown of the tooth’s enamel. The breakdown is the result of bacteria on teeth producing acid that destroys the enamel. Bacteria’s fuel source for the production of acid are available carbohydrates from the foods …
PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTS MAY BENEFIT PEOPLE WITH DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY
Diabetic nephropathy, or diabetic kidney disease, is a serious kidney-related complication of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that globally, around 25% of people with diabetes eventually develop the condition. It is one of the leading causes of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease, which leads to the requirement for …
WHAT’S NEW?
LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX DIETS IMPROVE HEALTH OF SOUTH INDIANS WITH DIABETES Traditional Indian diets are rich in dietary fibre and wholegrains, which generally have a lower GI than more refined grains. However, similar to many other countries, there has been a transition to more refined grains over the last few decades. This may be one …
WHAT’S NEW?
WHOLEGRAINS AND RISK OF DIABETES A new study published in the British Medical Journal has found that a higher intake of wholegrains is associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers combined the findings from three large prospective cohort studies – the Nurses’ Health Study, The Nurses’ Health Study 2 and the …