Category Archives: Food

Diet Soda Linked to Belly Fat in Older Adults

Abdominal obesity has reached near-epidemic levels in America. Just over 54 percent of the U.S. population now has abdominal obesity, which is up from 46.4 percent around the turn of the millennium. The average American’s waist size now measures 38.8 inches. Besides simple cosmetic issues, though, too much belly fat comes with the risk of more serious health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, and early death. Factors that contribute to an expanding waistline often include stress, poor sleep habits, hormonal imbalances and certain medications. Of course, the biggest factors usually involve poor diet and lack of exercise. Unfortunately, diet soda, intended to be a healthier alternative to a very unhealthy product, may actually be contributing to the epidemic of belly fat in older adults.

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Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Medical, News, Nutrition, Studies, Weight Loss | 7 Comments

A Vegetarian Diet May Lower the Risk of Colon Cancer

According to the Colon Cancer Alliance, colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in the U.S. It’s also the third most commonly diagnosed type of cancer. Risk factors often include age, ethnicity and family history. For example, over 90 percent of the people who develop colon cancer are over the age of 50, and the average age at diagnosis is 72. A person who has parents or siblings with colon cancer is two to three times more likely to develop it themselves. Sufferers of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis may be more likely to develop the disease as well. The problem with these risk factors is that they’re not necessarily controllable. There’s absolutely nothing you can do about your age or family history. However, as a new study reports, you may be able to control your colon cancer risk by avoiding one thing: meat.

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Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Medical, News, Nutrition, Studies | 2 Comments

WHO Recommends Drastic Cuts in Sugar Intake

Simply put, sugar is one of the least healthy food items you can possibly consume, and it’s taking it’s toll on the health of thousands of Americans. While it’s not the only contributing factor, sugar intake is partly responsible for 29.1 million diagnosed and undiagnosed cases of diabetes in the U.S. That’s 9.3 percent of the entire population. Also, sugar intake can be partly blamed for the whopping 78.6 million people who are considered obese in America. It’s commonly accepted that sugar intake can be somewhat responsible for oral problems as well. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 50 percent of children aged 12 to 15 have experienced tooth decay. These stats make the U.S. look bad, but similar health trends are occurring all around the world. Now, the World Health Organization has called on governments worldwide to do whatever they can to reduce sugar intake levels.

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Posted in Diet, Food, Health, News, Nutrition, Weight Loss | 2,139 Comments

Study Reveals the Most (And Least) Addictive Foods

“Once you pop you can’t stop” and “bet you can’t eat just one” aren’t memorable potato chip slogans simply because they’re catchy or clever. A big reason behind the effectiveness of slogans that allude to the addictiveness of certain foods is the fact that they’re usually somewhat true. It doesn’t take a scientific study to know that some foods, especially snacks, have a quality that causes people to consistently crave their taste over a longer period of time. In fact, makers of addictive foods such as Doritos and Coca-Cola have figured out a specific formula for adjusting their products’ taste to achieve maximum addictiveness. This process usually involves actually suppressing much of the flavor, as flavors that are powerful and distinct actually help your brain decide to stop eating. Aside from specific brands, though, which food types are actually most addictive?

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Posted in Diet, Food, Health, News, Nutrition, Studies, Weight Loss | 179 Comments

New Study Encourages Radical Change in Peanut Allergy Prevention

The number of people who suffer from allergies has skyrocketed in the last couple decades. Food allergies in particular now affect around 15 million Americans, and the number of children with food allergies increased by a whopping 50 percent between 1997 and 2011. Also, anybody who suffers from a food allergy knows that they’re much more than a simple annoyance. Food allergies lead to over 200,000 emergency room visits every year, and they can cause a potentially deadly reaction known as anaphylaxis. The vast majority of food allergies are caused by wheat, shellfish, eggs, milk, soy, tree nuts, fish and, of course, peanuts. The number of people with a peanut allergy more than tripled between 1997 and 2010. While the typical prevention strategy for children has long been to simply avoid peanuts, a new study is saying just the opposite.

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Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Medical, News, Nutrition, Parenting, Studies | 374 Comments