Nutrition Review

Heart benefits from correction of vitamin D deficiency

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:11:00 +0000

Scientists in the US say raising low vitamin D to normal levels can contribute to a drop of 30 per cent in the risk of heart disease. Dr J Brent Muhlestein, director of cardiovascular research at Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City, has told the American College of Cardiology’s annual meeting that in an observational study of more than 9,000 people there emerged enough evidence to conclude that vitamin deficiency is a factor in heart disease.

And more….

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:10:00 +0000

Research in Japan shows that children’s flu risk is reduced by vitamin D. Dr Mitsuyoshi Urashima, of Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, reports in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, that the protective effect is greater than that of vaccines. The finding supports a theory that low blood levels of the vitamin D in the winter explain why flu epidemics generally peak between December and March.

Another dietary approach to blood pressure control?

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:30:00 +0000

A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition indicates that a diet rich in fruit and milk, as opposed to one biased towards vegetables or meat, is associated with a lower risk of pre- hypertension or hypertension â€" in Asian men at least. Researchers from China, South Korea and the United States examined data on more than 39 000 men with no prior history of hypertension, diabetes, CHD, or stroke, nor use of antihypertensive drugs.

Protective effect of dietary fibre

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:11:00 +0000

A good level of fibre in the diet â€" especially when it is taken in whole grains â€" appears to contribute to a reduced risk of developing chronic lung disease. Scientists at INSERM say high fibre consumption was associated with lower incidence of COPD in a sample of more than 100,000 adults followed for 6 years. The findings are published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Effects of taking gluten too soon

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:10:00 +0000

Researchers in the Netherlands conclude that when infants are introduced too soon (ie when aged less than six months) to gluten they may suffer constipation that lasts until they are as old as two years. A team at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam reports in the American Journal of Gastroenterology that in their analysis of data on more than 4,600 children early introduction of gluten showed up as “a trigger for functional constipation” in some children.

Mother's diet - effects on foetus

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0000

A high-calorie diet during pregnancy may influence the sex and health of the child, according to scientists in the US. The team, at the University of Missouri, found that in mice female foetuses are more susceptible than males to genetic effects due to the mother’s diet. The findings appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Drinking "may contribute to reduced weight gain"

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:59:00 +0000

Research in the US shows that women aged under 50 who drink small to moderate amounts of alcohol appear to gain less weight than those who do not drink at all. Dr Lu Wang and colleagues at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston report in the Archives of Internal Medicine that they examined weight data on 19,220 women over a period of 13 years.

Research undermines claims for supplements

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:15:00 +0000

It appears that, despite some claims, calcium and vitamin D supplements offer little as means of reducing cholesterol. Dr Swapnil Rajpathak and colleagues at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York, report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that in a sample of 1,191 post-menopausal women, monitored for five years, there was no difference in either total, LDL/triglyceride, or HDL cholesterol levels between the supplement and placebo groups.

US children "eat almost constantly"

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:14:00 +0000

Research in the US indicates that children there take so many snacks that they eat more or less constantly. Carmen Piernas and Barry Popkin, of the University of North Carolina, say more than 27 per cent of calories taken in by American children come from foods consumed other than as part of regular meals. The results appear in Health Affairs.

Fish "does not contribute to "arrhythmia"

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:12:00 +0000

Scientists in the US say there appears to be no relationship between amounts of fish in the diet and the risk of developing atrial fibrillation, at least not in post-menopausal women. Dr Jarrett Berry and colleagues at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School report in the American Journal of Cardiology that in a study of 44,720 participants, aged 50 to 79 years, in the Women’s Health Initiative, they found no evidence that either omega-3 fatty acid or fish consumption affects the risk.