Switching To Water, Diet Beverages Can Tip The Scales

Making a simple substitution of water or diet soft drinks for drinks with calories can help people lose 4 to 5 pounds, a new University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study shows.

The study, published online and scheduled to appear in the March 2012 print issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compared weight loss for 318 overweight or obese people, who were divided into three groups: those who switched from calorie-laden beverages to diet soft drinks; those who switched to water; and those who were not counseled to change beverages but received general information about healthy choices that could lead to weight loss. All three groups attended monthly group sessions and had access to a group-specific website for 6 months.

"Substituting noncaloric beverages - whether it's water, diet soft drinks or something else = can be a clear and simple change for people who want to lose or maintain weight," said study author Deborah Tate, Ph.D., associate professor of nutrition and of health behavior at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. "If this were done on a large scale, it could significantly reduce the increasing public health problem of obesity."

Tate and colleagues undertook the study to provide scientific evidence of whether eliminating calories from beverages is an effective weight loss tool that health-care providers and nutritional counselors could recommend. The study, known as CHOICE, or Choosing Healthy Options Consciously Everyday, is believed to be the first randomized controlled trial using noncaloric beverage substitution alone as the primary weight loss strategy in overweight adults.

"It does help," Tate said. "We learned that both water and diet sodas have some benefits, but they may be different. People who really like the sweet flavor or carbonation or caffeine of sodas may be more likely to stick with the change if they are drinking diet sodas as opposed to water only, but drinking water was associated with some other important health improvements like reduced blood sugar."

All three groups experienced small reductions in weight and waist circumference during the 6-month study.

However, people who switched to calorie-free beverages were twice as likely to lose 5 percent or more of their body weight than those who were not counseled to change beverages. People in the group who drank mostly water had lower fasting glucose levels and better hydration levels than the control group.

Tate said that that percentage of weight loss and lower blood sugar levels were important because they are associated with clinical improvements in risk factors for obesity-related chronic diseases.

The study also noted that while participants' weight loss was less than reductions observed in more intensive, clinic-based behavioral lifestyle modification programs, the UNC study required minimal self-monitoring and prompted people to change just one aspect of their diets (beverages) - an approach consistent with other findings recommending small but potentially more sustainable lifestyle changes that people can make to improve their health.

"Substituting specific foods or beverages that provide a substantial portion of daily calories may be a useful strategy for modest weight loss or weight gain prevention," Tate said. "Beverages may be ideal targets, but keep in mind, the strategy will only work if the person doesn't make up for the lost calories some other way."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241640.php


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Research Suggests That Diabetes May Start In The Intestines

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have made a surprising discovery about the origin of diabetes. Their research suggests that problems controlling blood sugar - the hallmark of diabetes - may begin in the intestines.

The new study, in mice, may upend long-held theories about the causes of the disease. Because insulin is produced in the pancreas and sugar is stored in the liver, many scientists have looked to those organs for the underlying causes of diabetes.

The findings are reported in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.

In the new research, scientists studied mice that are unable to make fatty acid synthase (FAS) in the intestine. FAS, an enzyme crucial for the production of lipids, is regulated by insulin, and people with diabetes have defects in FAS. Mice without the enzyme in the intestines develop chronic inflammation in the gut, a powerful predictor of diabetes.

"Diabetes may indeed start in your gut," says principal investigator Clay F. Semenkovich, MD. "When people become resistant to insulin, as happens when they gain weight, FAS doesn't work properly, which causes inflammation that, in turn, can lead to diabetes."

First author Xiaochao Wei, PhD, and Semenkovich, the Herbert S. Gasser Professor of Medicine, professor of cell biology and physiology and director of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research, collaborated with specialists in gastroenterology and genome sciences to determine what happens in mice that can't make FAS in their intestines.

"The first striking thing we saw was that the mice began losing weight," says Wei, a research instructor in medicine. "They had diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms, and when we looked closely at the tissue in the gut, we found a lot of inflammation."

Initially, the researchers thought that the mice became sick because of changes to the mix of microbes that naturally live in the gut, where they help digest food and synthesize vitamins.

In collaboration with Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, director of the Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology at the School of Medicine, they looked more closely at gut microbes in the mice.

"The mice had substantial changes in their gut microbiome," Semenkovich says. "But it wasn't the composition of microbes in the gut that caused the problems."

Instead, Wei says, the mice got sick because of a defect in fatty acid synthase. The mice without fatty acid synthase had lost the protective lining of mucus in the intestines that separates the microbes from direct exposure to cells. This allowed bacteria to penetrate otherwise healthy cells in the gut, making the mice sick.

In a further collaboration with Nicholas O. Davidson, MD, director of the Division of Gastroenterology, the researchers found gastrointestinal effects resembling some features of inflammatory bowel disease. Other investigators studying humans with ulcerative colitis had previously made the unexplained observation that colon biopsies from these patients have low amounts of fatty acid synthase.

"Fatty acid synthase is required to keep that mucosal layer intact," Wei says. "Without it, bad bacteria invade cells in the colon and the small intestine, creating inflammation, and that, in turn, contributes to insulin resistance and diabetes."

Inflammation and insulin resistance reinforce each other. Inflammatory substances can cause insulin resistance and inhibit the production of insulin, both of which interfere with the regulation of blood sugar. In turn, insulin resistance is known to promote inflammation.

Further study showed that the ability to build the thin, but important, layer of mucosal cells was hindered by faulty FAS.

That the gut is so important to the development of diabetes makes sense because many people with the condition not only have faulty FAS, but they also frequently develop gastrointestinal difficulties, Semenkovich says.

"Abdominal pain and diarrhea are some of the most common problems we see in people with diabetes," he says. "We could only connect these 'dots' because other experts at the university could help us link what we observed in these mice to what occurs in patients with diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease," Semenkovich says.

Semenkovich and Wei say much more study is needed, but they say that FAS and a key component of the intestinal mucosa called Muc2 may be potential targets for diabetes therapy. They now plan to study people with diabetes to see whether FAS is altered in a similar way, producing damage to the mucosal layer in the intestines.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241750.php


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Organic Food Can Have High Concentrations Of Arsenic

Rice is known to have concentrations of arsenic that find their way into the population, especially among people who consume more rice than other staples. New research is suggesting that even organic brown rice can have high concentrations of arsenic, and with processing to produce syrups and other packaged foods, the poison can become more concentrated.

A rather worrying example has been released this week by Jackson BP et al. entitled "Arsenic, Organic Foods, and Brown Rice Syrup", published in the latest issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. Their work shows arsenic in cereal bars, sports bars and even baby food, at concentrations as much as six times above the EPA safe level for drinking water.

The problem largely seems to be due to the processing of Organic Brown Rice Syrup (OBRS) that is used as an alternative to sugar or corn syrup sweeteners, in a variety of products.

It's therefore not enough simply to be aware of possible arsenic concentrations in rice alone, but consider also the products that contain rice syrup as an ingredient.

Jackson at al used ICP-MS and IC-ICP-MS to determine total arsenic concentrations, as well as dimethylarsenate (DMA).

A so-called 'organic' infant milk formula, containing OBRS as the primary ingredient, had arsenic concentrations up to six times the EPA safe drinking water limit. Other products, such as cereal bars and high energy foods containing OBRS also had higher arsenic concentrations than equivalent products that did not contain OBRS. Inorganic arsenic was the main type found in the majority of food products tested in the study.

There are no US regulations in regards to arsenic in foods, but it seems that OBRS is a major culprit, and the team's findings indicate that some urgent action is needed to address the issues they present.

Certainly, regulatory limits and regular testing would not be hard to implement on foods, as they are already in place on drinking water. It's shocking that even baby formula is slipping through the net with contamination.

Written by Rupert Shepherd

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241781.php


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Exposure To Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles May Be A Greater Risk For Children

Children may be receiving the highest exposure to nanoparticles of titanium dioxide in candy, which they eat in amounts much larger than adults, according to a new study. Published in ACS' journal, Environmental Science & Technology, it provides the first broadly based information on amounts of the nanomaterial - a source of concern with regard to its potential health and environmental effects - in a wide range of consumer goods.

In the study, Paul Westerhoff, Ph.D., and colleagues point out that titanium dioxide is a common additive to many consumer products, from food to paint to cosmetics. Westerhoff explained that the body releases the nanoparticles in feces and urine, sending them to wastewater treatment plants, which cannot prevent the smallest particles from entering lakes and rivers. Only one previous study, done a decade ago, reported on titanium dioxide content in a few commercial products. To fill the knowledge gap about the sources of humans' exposures, the researchers bought and tested food, personal care products, paints and adhesives and measured how much titanium dioxide they contain.

The group found that children consume more titanium dioxide than adults because sweets like candies, marshmallows and icing are among the products with the highest levels. The paper lists the names of the products tested and their titanium dioxide content. Westerhoff recommends that regulators shift their focus from the type of titanium dioxide used in paints and industrial processes to food-grade particles, because those are much more likely to enter the environment and pose a potential risk to humans and animals.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241756.php


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Lead Levels In Lipstick Much Higher Than Previously Thought

recent study conducted by the U.S Food And Drug Administration (FDA) reveals that over 400 popular lipstick brands contain twice as much lead as previously believed - up to 7.19 parts per million (ppm).

Mark Mitchell, M.D., MPH, policy advisor of the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice and co-chair of the Environmental Health Task Force for the National Medical Association comments:

"Lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels."

Maybelline Color Sensation, by L'Oreal USA, was found to have the most lead of all the brands that the FDA tested, with 275 times more than the brand with the lowest amount of lead - Wet & Wild Mega Mixers Lip Balm. The Wet & Wild lip balm happened to be the least expensive, which shows that a high-priced lipstick does not mean it is safe.


An alarming number of lipsticks have been found to have double the amount of lead than experts thought.

Sean Palfrey, M.D, a professor of pediatrics and public health at Boston university and medical direction of Boston's Lead Poisoning Prevention Program explains:

"Lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioral problems. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure, because lead easily crosses the placenta and enters the fetal brain where it can interfere with normal development."

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics sent a letter to the FDA requesting they they change the "misleading statements" on the FDA website in terms of the safety regulations regarding lipstick, because the FDA has merely reported the levels of lead contained in lipstick, but has not analyzed the actual safety and health consequences of dangerous ingredients in the popular makeup.

Currently, the FDA website claims there is not a safety concern in the amount of lead found in lipstick. Their website says:

"We have assessed the potential for harm to consumers from use of lipstick containing lead at the levels found in both rounds of testing. Lipstick, as a product intended for topical use with limited absorption, is ingested only in very small quantities. We do not consider the lead levels we found in the lipsticks to be a safety concern. The lead levels we found are within the limits recommended by other public health authorities for lead in cosmetics, including lipstick."

The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an announcement in January stating no amount of lead is a safe one, and they urge people to be diligent in stopping women who are pregnant and children from being exposed to it.

Janet Nudelman, interim director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and policy director at the Breast Cancer fund says:

How many millions of women have applied and reapplied lead-containing lipsticks since we first raised concerns about this problem five years ago? How many kids have played with their mom's lipstick? It's time for L'Oreal to get the lead out of its products, and for the FDA to set a safety standard for lead in lipstick."

The FDA is now working on determining if it is necessary to make a maximum limit for lead to be allowed in lipstick, and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is pushing them to do so, saying the smartest thing to do would be to limit the lead amount to the smallest amount possible that the companies can accomplish. They are also telling L'Oreal is it time to take action in regards to changing their products containing lead. John Kerry and Dianne Feinstein, U.S Senators, have also taken an interest in this matter and are hoping the FDA will take a stand in reducing the amount of lead in lipstick.

Written By Christine Kearney

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241657.php



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Potential Health Risk Posed By Phosphate Additives

Excessive consumption of phosphate is damaging to health. Therefore, food that contains phosphate additives should be labeled, as recommended by Eberhard Ritz and coauthors in their article in the current issue of Deutsches Arzteblatt International [Dtsch Arztebl Int 2012; (109 (4): 49-55].

Ritz et al. selectively review the literature on the subject, which documents the fact that excessive phosphate consumption elevates mortality in patients with renal disease. Recent studies have also shown that phosphate apparently damages blood vessels and induces aging processes. Free phosphate (the type found in food additives) is entirely resorbed in the gastroin-testinal tract. Persons with renal disease have been found to have a markedly elevated serum phosphate concentration.

Phosphate additives are present in many types of fast food, which are eaten mainly by persons of lower socioeconomic status. It seems likely that excessive phosphate consumption is linked to the increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the general population.

The authors conclude that physicians and the public need to be educated about the role of phosphate additives as a risk factor for disease.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241545.php


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Switching To Water, Diet Beverages Can Tip The Scales

Making a simple substitution of water or diet soft drinks for drinks with calories can help people lose 4 to 5 pounds, a new University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study shows.

The study, published online and scheduled to appear in the March 2012 print issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compared weight loss for 318 overweight or obese people, who were divided into three groups: those who switched from calorie-laden beverages to diet soft drinks; those who switched to water; and those who were not counseled to change beverages but received general information about healthy choices that could lead to weight loss. All three groups attended monthly group sessions and had access to a group-specific website for 6 months.

"Substituting noncaloric beverages - whether it's water, diet soft drinks or something else = can be a clear and simple change for people who want to lose or maintain weight," said study author Deborah Tate, Ph.D., associate professor of nutrition and of health behavior at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. "If this were done on a large scale, it could significantly reduce the increasing public health problem of obesity."

Tate and colleagues undertook the study to provide scientific evidence of whether eliminating calories from beverages is an effective weight loss tool that health-care providers and nutritional counselors could recommend. The study, known as CHOICE, or Choosing Healthy Options Consciously Everyday, is believed to be the first randomized controlled trial using noncaloric beverage substitution alone as the primary weight loss strategy in overweight adults.

"It does help," Tate said. "We learned that both water and diet sodas have some benefits, but they may be different. People who really like the sweet flavor or carbonation or caffeine of sodas may be more likely to stick with the change if they are drinking diet sodas as opposed to water only, but drinking water was associated with some other important health improvements like reduced blood sugar."

All three groups experienced small reductions in weight and waist circumference during the 6-month study.

However, people who switched to calorie-free beverages were twice as likely to lose 5 percent or more of their body weight than those who were not counseled to change beverages. People in the group who drank mostly water had lower fasting glucose levels and better hydration levels than the control group.

Tate said that that percentage of weight loss and lower blood sugar levels were important because they are associated with clinical improvements in risk factors for obesity-related chronic diseases.

The study also noted that while participants' weight loss was less than reductions observed in more intensive, clinic-based behavioral lifestyle modification programs, the UNC study required minimal self-monitoring and prompted people to change just one aspect of their diets (beverages) - an approach consistent with other findings recommending small but potentially more sustainable lifestyle changes that people can make to improve their health.

"Substituting specific foods or beverages that provide a substantial portion of daily calories may be a useful strategy for modest weight loss or weight gain prevention," Tate said. "Beverages may be ideal targets, but keep in mind, the strategy will only work if the person doesn't make up for the lost calories some other way."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241640.php


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