Peter Thomas Roth Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich Intensive Anti-Aging Cellular Eye Creme

Relieve your skin of dryness and smooth out the wrinkles with Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich Intensive Anti-Aging Cellular Eye Creme TM. It deeply moisturizes and reduces the severity of deep wrinkles and fine lines around the eye area....

View the Original article

The National Posture Institute (NPI) Has Become an Educational Partner with BackJoy(TM)

proudly announce their partnership to work toward their educational and customer-satisfying goals. Improving posture and preventing injury through education is NPI's long-term commitment.

(1888PressRelease) June 14, 2012 - The National Posture Institute has become an educational partner with personal wellness company BackJoy

View the Original article

Public Invited To Explore Paleo Diet At Free Seminar June 26

Share: Tweet15
Jun
2012Free Meet-The-Author Event Sponsored by Spectrum Athletic Clubs.

Orange County, CA (1888PressRelease) June 15, 2012 - Should you eat like a caveman or office cubicle dweller - that's the basis of a free seminar and book-signing sponsored by Spectrum Athletic Clubs and featuring Nell Stephenson, author of "PALEOISTA: Gain Energy, Get Lean, and Feel Fabulous with the Diet You Were Born to Eat." The benefits of embracing an "ancestral diet" (i.e., grass-fed meats, free-range poultry, wild fish, fresh vegetables, fruit and natural fats like nuts) will be explored at the presentation on Tuesday, June 26th at 7 p.m. at the South Bay location (2250 Park Place in El Segundo).

Stephenson, who gained notoriety by co-authoring the "The Paleo Diet Cookbook," asserts that our "hunter-gatherer" roots are what our bodies require to function at its best. Instead, we have embraced "diets of convenience," which are foods rich in dairy, salt, refined sugar and processed oil. A self-proclaimed "Paleoista," Stephenson insists that the human race is intended to eat off the land (i.e., what walks on it, grows from it, or swims in its waters) and in doing so will lose weight, gain energy and prevent diseases including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer.

"PALEOISTA" will be available for purchase ($23) at the presentation/signing. Members and non-members are welcome, but space is limited. Reservations are recommended by contacting Dan Schwab at dschwab (

View the Original article

Stay Fit Seniors(R) Inc is retracting the press release dated June 11, 2012

Inc is retracting the press release dated June 11, 2012. The company is, however, continuing its goal of bringing the Stay Fit Seniors Physical Activity Intervention Program

View the Original article

Cinnamon Improves Regulation of Blood Sugar

An analysis of six high quality human studies on cinnamon consumption and blood sugar has confirmed that intake of cinnamon has a beneficial effect on fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). 

The best supplemental form of cinnamon is called Cinnulin PF, a special water-soluble extract originally developed at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  It filters out some components of cinnamon that can be toxic when taken at high doses.  It is also concentrated in the most bioactive compounds in cinnamon called doubly linked Type-A Polymers. 

Cinnamon helps enhance the flow of sugar in metabolism.  It works to improve glucose transport by helping insulin signaling.  Of course, if a person continues to eat too much then it isn’t likely to do much.  However, if one consistently exercises, and follows the Leptin Diet—giving their metabolism a chance—cinnamon is a useful tool that can help correct a stressed-out blood sugar metabolism.

Share:
Supplements that contain cinnamon
Related Entries:

Cinnamon as an Anti-Aging Skin Nutrient
Tumeric (Curcumin) and Cinnamon Lower Insulin and Triglycerides
Cinnamon Extract Improves Antioxidant Function & Blood Sugar
Cinnamon in the Prevention of Type II Diabetes and the Metabolic Syndrome
Cinnamon Improves Multiple Genes Relating to Blood Sugar and Fatty Acid Metabolism
Cinnamon Lowers Hemoglobin A1C in Type II Diabetics

Other Weight Loss News

Pulling Data...

View the Original article

Beta Glucan Offsets Exercise Induced Immune Suppression

A common problem among athletes is the suppression of their immune system following regular intense exercise.  In fact, if history repeats itself, more highly trained athletes will miss this summer’s Olympics due to infection rather than injury.  A new study shows that consuming beta glucan can improve immune response in relation to demanding exercise; this finding is highly relevant to any person who exercises.

In terms of evolution, demanding exercise implies that you are running from a saber-toothed tiger or chasing down some food to eat.  Such activities tend to be high risk.  If you get bit by the saber tooth tiger you do not want a highly active immune system, it will react against you and cause auto-immune problems.  This is why our genes are programmed to down-regulate immunity in response to demanding activity. 

A common problem today, especially in those who are overweight, have digestive problems, fatigue, or some level of fibromylagia, is that they have toxic bowels due to digestive bacterial and Candida overgrowth.  On the one hand people with these conditions know they need to exercise in order to improve their fitness.  Yet, they may say they don’t have the energy or when they do try to exercise they feel worse or even flu-like (which is not their imagination).

As exercise takes place your body starts to heat up, which in turn causes increased permeability of your digestive tract.  This means that toxins from your gut, especially bacterial LPS, can leak back into your circulation and impair immune function.  When you combine this unfortunate state of circumstances with the fact that exercise can be immuno-suppressive in general, then people can find themselves between a rock and a hard place trying to get their health turned around.

It is vital that any person seeking better health have better fitness, which includes the ability to perform demanding physical output without having immune-related or other repercussions.  In the new study the daily consumption of beta glucan significantly improved the immune response to toxic bacterial exposure (toxic LPS), as a result of one hour of intense bicycle riding in active men and women (not elite athletes).

I previously reported that consuming bovine colostrum also improves this issue as a result of sealing the leaky gut so less toxic LPS can leak back into your body as your body warms up from exercise.

Supplementation with beta glucan and bovine colostrum are tools that can help improve your response to exercise.  Other efforts to improve digestive health, such as increased fiber, friendly flora, or nutrients that help knock down germ gangs may also be important.  My point is that many people need to improve their digestive health in order to improve their fitness and general energy level.

I have written extensively on the subject of using nutrients to improve cellular energy and fat burning during exercise, including my popular article on what I take before I run.  All of these tips still apply.  It is simply that some people may need to do more with their gut health to get back on track.

This information is also relevant to any person who exercises regularly.  This includes children in competitive sports and adults trying to stay in shape.  And if you are striving to be an elite athlete it tells you that the health of your digestive tract may mean the difference between being really good and being the best.

Share:
Supplements that contain beta glucan Supplements that contain colostrum
Related Entries:

Even Moderate Exercise Can Reduce the Risk of Early Death
Exercise for Fibromyalgia Patients
How Exercise Improves Cardiovascular Health
Men Need Moderate-to-Heavy Exercise for Stroke Prevention
Aerobic Exercise Improves Stiff Arteries and Fatty Liver
Solve Snoring, Cut Fat and Increase Exercise
Exercise Can Help Preserve Your Mind

Other Health News

Pulling Data...

View the Original article

Saw Palmetto Improves BPH and Sexual Dysfunction in Men

Swelling and enlargement of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) is typical as men age and is known to accompany sexual dysfunction.  Ironically, medications used to treat BPH have sexual dysfunction as a common adverse side effect.  A new study with 82 men found that 320 mgs of saw palmetto per day not only helps BPH but also significantly improved sexual performance.

A second study also tested 320 mgs of saw palmetto per day for 24 months in 120 men with mild to moderate urinary tract symptoms and BPH.  Statistically significant improvement occurred in urinary flow, BPH symptoms, quality of life, and improved erectile function.

A third study involves a comprehensive review of saw palmetto studies, concluding that saw palmetto is effective for treating urinary flow problems of BPH with an excellent safety profile.  Improvements in erectile function were also noted in a number of the studies.

Saw palmetto has never been studied for erectile function apart from BPH.  However, this array of new information confirms the long-standing use of saw palmetto as a natural and safe option for addressing BPH, without the adverse side effect of diminished sexual performance.  To the contrary, saw palmetto improves sexual performance while helping BPH.  I should also mention that a 2009 cell study demonstrated that saw palmetto also has anti-tumor properties for prostate cancer growth, one more reason to consider adding it to a program for natural male support.

Share:
Supplements that contain saw palmetto
Related Entries:

Gamma Tocotrienol Helps Kill Prostate Cancer Stem Cells
Acetyl-l-carnitine for Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, and Male Sexual Function
Another Study Linking Obesity to Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer & the Androgen Receptor – A Clearer Picture of the Problem
Can Resveratrol Prevent Prostate Cancer?
Prostate Cancer and Zinc – Can Zinc Be Overdone?
Fish Oil Lowers Aggressive Prostate Cancer Risk by 63%

Other Health News

Pulling Data...

View the Original article

Study debunks belief insulin puts people with diabetes at risk of heart disease

ScienceDaily (June 11, 2012) — Researchers at McMaster University have discovered that long-term insulin use does not harm people with diabetes or pre-diabetes or put them at risk of heart attacks, strokes or cancer.

See Also:Health & MedicineDiabetesChronic IllnessHormone DisordersCholesterolHypertensionPersonalized MedicineReferenceBlood sugarDiabetes mellitus type 2Diabetic dietDiabetes mellitus type 1

This is contrary to concerns that long-term use of insulin may cause heart disease, says Dr. Hertzel Gerstein, principal investigator of the study, professor of medicine at McMaster's Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine and deputy director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences.

"People have been debating the question of whether there are adverse consequences to long-term insulin use for years," he said. "This study provides the clearest answer yet to that question: No, there are not."

Gerstein recently presented the findings of the ORIGIN study (Outcome Reduction with an Initial Glargine Intervention study), at the scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association in Philadelphia. The results were also recently published in two papers in the medical journal New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

A second important finding of the study is that people with pre-diabetes who received daily basal insulin injections with insulin glargine had a 28 per cent lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes, even after the injections stopped.

Gerstein jointly led the study with Dr. Salim Yusuf, professor of medicine and director of the Population Health Research Institute.

Today, more than nine million Canadians are living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic condition, often debilitating and sometimes fatal disease, in which the body either cannot produce insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it produces. This leads to high levels of glucose in the blood which can damage organs, blood vessels and nerves. The body needs insulin to use glucose as a source of energy.

In the ORIGIN study, more than 12,500 people at 537 sites in 40 countries with an average age of 64, who are at high risk for, or in the early stages of type 2 diabetes, were randomized to either one daily injection of insulin (glargine) or no insulin (standard care) for an average of six years.

Researchers found no difference among the two groups in cardiovascular outcomes or in the development of any type of cancer. This suggests daily insulin injections (with insulin glargine) to normalize glucose levels are not harmful when taken over long periods of time. Throughout the study, most of the participants given insulin maintained normal fasting glucose levels (below 6 mmol/l).

The study confirmed the presence of two previously known side effects of insulin -- hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and modest weight gain. Both were considered minor from a medical point of view, with participants gaining an average of 3.5 pounds during the study and experiencing a low, 0.7 per cent higher risk of severe hypoglycemia per year than the people not on insulin.

"We now know what the risks are of taking insulin on a long-term basis, and they are low," Gerstein said.

The study also discovered that daily doses of one-gram omega-3 fatty acid capsules did not prevent cardiac-related deaths in people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.

"There was neither benefit nor harm in the participants who were studied," said Jackie Bosch, associate professor of McMaster's School of Rehabilitation Science and project manager for the trial. "However, the effect of these supplements in other groups, and the effect of a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids was not studied."

The study was funded by the drug company Sanofi Inc. and the omega-3 supplement was provided by Pronova Biocare AS, the Norwegian manufacturer of omega-3, and independently conducted by the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

View the Original article

Short-term intensive weight loss program works for four years: Valid option seen to bariatric surgery

ScienceDaily (June 12, 2012) — A study by a team of clinicians and researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston has shown for the first time that patients with diabetes who enrolled in a short-term intensive weight management program were able to lose weight and keep it off on their own for four years. The findings suggest an alternative course to bariatric surgery in the fight against type 2 diabetes.

See Also:Health & MedicineDiet and Weight LossObesityFitnessDiabetesWounds and HealingDiseases and ConditionsReferenceDiabetes mellitus type 2HyperglycemiaDiabetic dietDiabetes mellitus type 1

The study, presented recently as a late-breaking abstract at the American Diabetes Association's 72nd Scientific Sessions, strongly counters the popular view that people generally cannot maintain long-term the weight loss achieved during lifestyle intervention programs.

"The notion that most people in the medical field have is that when you apply intensive lifestyle interventions, the majority of patients gain all or most of the weight back in a year," said Osama Hamdy, M.D., Ph.D., Medical Director of the Obesity Clinical Program and Director of Inpatient Diabetes Management at Joslin and lead author of the paper.

"People have been pessimistic," he added. "They think they may need bariatric surgery. But we are sending an optimistic message. Think again. There is something else that can work effectively in real-world clinical practice and save money too. This is a very important observation."

The study showed that around 50 percent of the 120 patients who enrolled in the Weight Achievement and Intensive Treatment (Why WAIT) program for 12 weeks were able to maintain an average of 9.5 percent weight loss at four years, while the total group maintained 6.3 percent at four years.

Why WAIT is a multidisciplinary diabetes weight management program designed for clinical practice. The program included a change in diabetes medications to enhance weight reduction, structured dietary intervention with lower carbohydrates and higher protein and meal replacement, an exercise program, with emphasis on strength training and weekly educational and support sessions.

Although subjects in this study were followed for four years, they were on their own after the initial 12-week program. The study found that about half of the subjects did not regain the weight -- on average 24 pounds -- after four years. This group also maintained a significant improvement in their metabolic control as measured by hemoglobin A1c and the improvement in other vascular risk factors like blood pressure and lipids.

It also found that those who maintained at least seven percent of their weight loss at one year were most likely to continue the weight reduction over the long term.

"This is very important information," Dr. Hamdy said. "It tells us not everyone gains the weight back. In reality, these are similar numbers to the weight loss gained by some bariatric surgeries at that time frame."

Those who had lost at least seven percent of their body weight after one year lost an average of 29 pounds -- or 11.9 percent of their body weight -- at 12 weeks and maintained an average loss of 31.5 pounds -- or 12.6 percent -- at one year.

A second group included those who lost an average of 19.6 pounds -- or eight percent -- at 12 weeks but was down to a loss of just 5.6 pounds -- or 2.3 percent -- at one year.

Those in the first group maintained weight losses of 23.9 pounds at two years, 23.5 pounds at three years and 24.1 pounds at four years. Those in the second group only maintained losses of 6.9 pounds at two years, 6.3 pounds at three years and 8 pounds at four years.

Blood sugar levels in the first group dropped over the four year period, but levels in the second group rebounded after dropping initially. However, there were no differences in the groups when reductions in blood pressure, HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels were compared at the end of the four years.

"Those who gained the weight back still got some benefits," Dr. Hamdy said.

He said the findings of this study are more robust than the four-year results initially reported from the National Institutes of Health's Look Ahead (Action for Health and Diabetes) study, designed to assess the long-term health consequences of intentional weight loss in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes.

He said this probably due to the fact that patients in the Why WAIT study received an optimal intensive lifestyle intervention, which included close evaluation at the outset, and that all interventions were in group format. In addition, diabetes medications were also adjusted by diabetologists at the start and during the follow-up, and patients were fed less carbohydrates and exercised more -- up to 300 minutes per week, he said.

Subjects in Why WAIT were able to cut their diabetes medications by half on average at the end of the 12 week program. It saved them $561 a year on diabetes medications alone, he said. Based on other valid cost-effective analysis, patients in the program saved $2,000 per year or 27 percent on overall health care costs and around $1,000 or 44 percent on diabetes-related costs, he added.

Dr. Hamdy said the study proves that intensive lifestyle intervention is at least as effective as some common bariatric surgeries in helping people lose weight and deal with their diabetes issues, with less cost and fewer short and long-term side effects.

"Surgery carries a lot of long-term risks," he said. "And a significant number of surgical patients gain their weight back after one or two years."

He also said that bariatric surgery costs in the range of $20,000 while the optimal intensive lifestyle intervention through the Why WAIT model cost just $2,700. After those results, "we are ready to debate them on the long-term value," he added.

He concluded: "So many physicians have been telling the governmental authorities that weight loss in clinical practice is a waste of money and that they will never keep the weight off. We now have a message for them. It is very effective in at least half of people in terms of weight loss and cost savings. Intensive lifestyle intervention can be a very valid option."

Dr. Hamdy said a new study involving Joslin and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston is underway that aims to compare the Why WAIT model directly to bariatric surgery.

Co-authors included Amy Rossi, MD; Adham Abdel Mottalib, MD; Nuha El Sayed, MD; Ann Goebel-Fabbri, Gillian Arathuzik, Jacqueline Shahan, Joan Beaton, Pamela Needle, Amanda Kirpitch, John Zrebiec, Michael Seem Catherine Carver, Jo-Anne Rizzotto and Martin Abrahamson, M.D..

The study was internally funded by Joslin Diabetes Center.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

View the Original article

Western diet changes gut bacteria and triggers colitis in those at risk

ScienceDaily (June 13, 2012) — Certain saturated fats that are common in the modern Western diet can initiate a chain of events leading to complex immune disorders such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in people with a genetic predisposition, according to a study to be published early online in the journal Nature.

See Also:Health & MedicineDiet and Weight LossGastrointestinal ProblemsObesityCholesterolColitisImmune SystemReferenceSaturated fatTransplant rejectionColostrumIrritable bowel syndrome

The finding helps explain why once-rare immune-mediated diseases have become more common in westernized societies in the last half century. It also provides insights into why many individuals who are genetically prone to these diseases are never affected and how certain environmental factors can produce inflammation in individuals already at risk.

Researchers at the University of Chicago found that concentrated milk fats, which are abundant in processed and confectionary foods, alter the composition of bacteria in the intestines. These changes can disrupt the delicate truce between the immune system and the complex but largely beneficial mix of bacteria in the intestines. The emergence of harmful bacterial strains in this setting can unleash an unregulated tissue-damaging immune response that can be difficult to switch off.

"This is the first plausible mechanism showing step-by-step how Western-style diets contribute to the rapid and ongoing increase in the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease," said study author Eugene B. Chang, MD, the Martin Boyer Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago. "We know how certain genetic differences can increase the risk for these diseases, but moving from elevated risk to the development of disease seems to require a second event which may be encountered because of our changing lifestyle."

The researchers worked with a mouse model that has many of the characteristics of human IBD. Genetically deleting a molecule, interleukin 10, which acts as a brake on the immune system's response to intestinal bacteria, caused about 25 percent of mice to develop colitis when fed a low-fat diet or a diet high in polyunsaturated fats. But when exposed to a diet high in saturated milk fats, the rate of disease development within six months increased to more than 60 percent. In addition, the onset, severity and extent of colitis were much greater than that observed in mice fed low-fat diets.

Why would milk fat -- a powdered substance that remains when fat has been separated from butter and dehydrated -- trigger inflammation when polyunsaturated fat did not? The researchers traced the answer to the gut microbiome, the complex mix of hundreds of bacterial strains that reside in the bowels.

The researchers found that an uncommon microbe called Bilophila wadsworthia was preferentially selected in the presence of milk fat. Previous studies had found high levels of B. wadsworthia in patients with appendicitis and other intestinal inflammatory disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease.

"That piqued our interest," Chang said. "These pathobionts, which are usually non-abundant, seem to be quite prominent in these diseases."

Indeed, while Bilophila wadsworthia levels were almost undetectable in mice on a low-fat or unsaturated-fat diet, the bacteria made up about 6 percent of all gut bacteria in mice fed a high milk-fat diet.

"Here we show how the trend in consumption of Western-type diets by many societies can potentially tip the mutualistic balance between host and microbe to a state that favors the onset of disease," Chang said.

As its name implies, Bilophila wadsworthia has an affinity for bile, a substance produced by the liver and released into the intestines to help break down ingested fats. Milk fats are particularly difficult to digest and require the liver to secrete a form of bile that is rich in sulfur. B. wadsworthia thrives in the presence of sulfur. So when the bile created to dissolve milk fats reaches the colon, it enables wadsworthia to blossom.

"Unfortunately, these can be harmful bacteria," Chang said. "Presented with a rich source of sulfur, they bloom, and when they do, they are capable of activating the immune system of genetically prone individuals."

The byproducts of B. wadsworthia's interaction with bile also can amplify the effect. They serve as "gut mucosal barrier breakers," said Suzanne Devkota, PhD, a member of Chang's laboratory and first author of the study. "By increasing the permeability of the bowel, they enhance immune-cell infiltration, and that can induce tissue damage."

Much of the recent progress in understanding the biology of inflammatory bowel disease has focused on gene variants that can increase risk, beginning with the discovery in 2001 of Nod2 by researchers at the University of Chicago. But the new study puts the focus on changing environmental factors that might trigger the disease in high-risk patients.

"Right now we can't do much about correcting genes that predispose individuals to increased risk for these diseases," Chang said, "and while we could encourage people to change their diets, this is seldom effective and always difficult."

"However, the balance between host and microbes can be altered back to a healthy state to prevent or treat these diseases," he added. "In essence, the gut microbiome can be 're-shaped' in sustainable and predictable ways that restore a healthy relationship between host and microbes, without significantly affecting the lifestyles of individuals who are genetically prone to these diseases. We are testing that right now."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

View the Original article

Childhood obesity linked to math performance, researcher says

ScienceDaily (June 14, 2012) — Childhood obesity has increased dramatically throughout the past 40 years and has been tied to many health problems. Now, a University of Missouri researcher has found that children's weight is associated with their math performance.

See Also:Health & MedicineChildren's HealthObesityFitnessMind & BrainChild PsychologyEducational PsychologyChild DevelopmentLiving WellReferenceBody mass indexGeneral fitness trainingOverweightMental retardation

"The findings illustrate the complex relationships among children's weight, social and emotional well-being, academics and time," said Sara Gable, associate professor in the MU Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, who led the study.

Gable looked at more than 6,250 children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, a nationally representative sample. The children were followed from the time they started kindergarten through fifth grade. At five points in time, parents provided information about their families, teachers reported on the children's interpersonal skills and emotional well-being, and children were weighed and measured; they also took academic tests.

When compared with children who were never obese, boys and girls whose obesity persisted from the start of kindergarten through fifth grade performed worse on the math tests, starting in first grade. Their lower performance continued through fifth grade. For boys whose obesity emerged later -- in third or fifth grade -- no such differences were found. For girls who became obese later, poorer math performance was temporary.

In addition, for girls who were persistently obese, having fewer social skills explained some part of their poorer math performance. For both boys and girls who were persistently obese, feeling sadder, lonelier and more anxious also explained some of their poorer math performance.

"Our study suggests that childhood obesity, especially obesity that persists throughout the elementary grades, can harm children's social and emotional well-being and academic performance," Gable said.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

View the Original article

Soft drink consumption not the major contributor to childhood obesity, study says

ScienceDaily (June 14, 2012) — Most children and youth who consume soft drinks and other sweetened beverages, such as fruit punch and lemonade, are not at any higher risk for obesity than their peers who drink healthy beverages, says a new study published in the October issue of Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. The study examined the relationship between beverage intake patterns of Canadian children and their risk for obesity and found sweetened beverage intake to be a risk factor only in boys aged 6-11.

See Also:Health & MedicineDiet and Weight LossObesityStaying HealthyNutritionChildren's HealthFitnessLiving WellReferenceSoft drinkHigh fructose corn syrupBody mass indexOverweight

"We found sweetened drinks to be dominant beverages during childhood, but saw no consistent association between beverage intake patterns and overweight and obesity," says lead author Susan J. Whiting. "Food and beverage habits are formed early in life and are often maintained into adulthood. Overconsumption of sweetened beverages may put some children at increased risk for overweight and obesity. Indeed, boys aged 6-11 years who consumed mostly soft drinks were shown to be at increased risk for overweight and obesity as compared with those who drank a more moderate beverage pattern."

The authors determined beverage consumption patterns among Canadian children aged 2-18 years using cluster analysis where sociodemographics, ethnicity, household income, and food security were significantly different across the clusters. Data were divided into different age and gender groups and beverage preferences were studied. For this study the sweetened, low-nutrient beverages, categorized according to Canada's Food Guide, consisted of fruit-flavoured beverages, beverages with less than 100% fruit juice, lemonades, regular soft drinks, and sweetened coffees or teas.

The authors found the main predictors of childhood obesity in Canadian children were household income, ethnicity, and household food security.

The study "Beverage patterns among Canadian children and relationship to overweight and obesity" appears in the October issue of Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

View the Original article