This is the place where you will learn about research on disease prevention, weight management, sports nutrition, children’s health, vitamin supplements and much more. Visit this section regularly to read about new findings that interest you.

Study shows children with healthier diets do better in school    
Journal of School Health

According to a recent Canadian study, kids who eat lots of fruits and vegetables throughout the day are more likely to do well on tests.

Researchers at the University of Alberta surveyed approximately 5,000 Canadian fifth graders and their parents as part of the Children’s Lifestyle and School-Performance Study.

A standardized literacy assessment was administered to the children, and the researchers examined the association between indicators of diet quality and academic performance.  Less healthful dietary components included saturated fat and salt, while healthy foods were classified by fruits, vegetables, grains, dietary fiber, protein, calcium, and moderate fat intake.

This study demonstrates that beyond socioeconomic factors, diet quality is critically important to academic performance.  Thanks to research like this, schools are improving the quality of school nutrition programs, which has the potential to improve student diet quality, academic performance, and overall long-term health.

Experts still agree, however, that brown-bagging it is the best way to ensure that your children are eating well.  Click here for quick and healthy meal ideas that your child will love, just in time for back-to-school!
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Study shows walnuts help control diabetes    
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

According to a new study, eating walnuts every day can help keep type-2 diabetes under control.

Researchers at the Smart Foods Centre (SFC) at the University of Wollongong in Australia examined 50 overweight adults with non-insulin treated diabetes who followed a low-fat, well-balanced diet with the SFC for one year.

The researchers found that the group that was given 30 grams of walnuts daily consumed significantly more polyunsaturated (“good”) fats in their diet than those who followed a low-fat diet alone. 

Both groups ate healthy diets that were low in saturated fat, but the group that ate the walnuts consumed more unsaturated fats.  Most of the effects were seen in the first three months of the study.

The walnut group also showed improvements in fasting insulin levels, to which the researchers give credit the presence of good fats found in walnuts.  Walnuts are whole, unprocessed foods that are not only rich in polyunsaturated fat, but they also deliver fiber, vitamins, and essential omega-3 fatty acids. 

This study confirms earlier research through the SFC that adequate healthy fat intake is important to health and that healthy fats, such as the unsaturated kind found in walnuts, have been shown to offer many benefits, including:

1. Protection of the cardiovascular system
2. Improvement of body composition
3. Reduction of inflammation throughout the body
4. Lowering of blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides)
5. Prevention of cancer growth

• And more…

Try my Walnut-Crusted Salmon for a delicious-tasting recipe that provides a great source of those all-important healthy fats.  Enjoy!
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Study shows probiotics may help ward off postpartum obesity     
European Association for the Study of Obesity

A new study suggests that women who take probiotic supplements beginning in the first trimester of pregnancy are less likely to develop the most dangerous kind of obesity one year after childbirth.

Central obesity, where overall obesity is combined with a particularly fat belly, and considered especially unhealthy, was defined in the study as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, or a waist circumference over 80 centimeters or approximately 31 ½ inches.

One year after giving birth, the percentages of women with central obesity, based on the above definition, were 25%, 43%, and 40% in the probiotic, dietary-advice-only, and no probiotic/dietary advice groups, respectively.  The corresponding average body fat percentages were 28%, 29%, and 30%.

The researchers divided 256 women randomly into three groups during the first trimester of pregnancy: probiotics plus dietary advice, placebo capsules plus dietary advice, and placebo capsules and no dietary advice.  The probiotics, which contained Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, were continued until the women stopped exclusive breastfeeding, up to 6 months.  The researchers weighed the women at the start of the study. At the end of the study, they weighed them again and measured their waist circumference and skin fold thickness.  The results were adjusted for weight at the start of the study.

This is the first study to demonstrate the impact of probiotics-supplemented dietary counselling on adiposity.  The effects of obesity in pregnancy can be detrimental to both mother and child and previous research has shown that nutrition in pregnancy can influence the risk of obesity later in life.  This study offers a new perspective on the prevention and/or treatment of obesity.
Probiotics are “friendly” microbes with digestive and immune system health benefits that are part of the normal digestive tract and are found naturally in breast milk and fermented foods like yogurt, cultured milk products like kefir, miso, tempeh, certain pickles and sauerkraut.  Probiotics are also available in capsule or powder form at your local health food store. 

For a delicious way to incorporate probiotics into your diet through food, click here for my recipe for Miso Mushroom Soup!
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Swedish researchers from Goteborg University found that among the nearly 5,000 15-year-old boys surveyed, those who ate fish at least once a week displayed higher cognitive skills three years later than those who ate it less frequently.  The intelligence scores of boys who ate fish more than once a week were 12 percent higher than those of boys who ate fish less than once a week.

The same association between fish and intelligence in the teenagers remained true even when the researchers accounted for several other factors that influence both children's diets and their intelligence scores -- like parents' education levels and the family's socioeconomic status.

These findings are significant because the study was carried out in mid-adolescent males when the brain is still developing, and educational achievements can help shape a young man’s future prospects.

This is the first large-scale study to explore the neurodevelopmental effects of fish on adolescents. Previous studies have found that fish can benefit babies born to women who ate fish during pregnancy as well as reduce the risk of impaired cognitive function from middle age onward.

Researchers believe that it’s the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish – in particular, oily fish like salmon, trout, and mackerel – that significantly enhance early brain development and maintain healthy cognitive function throughout life. 

The findings are based on a comparison of responses from 3,972 male adolescents who completed detailed questionnaires on diet and lifestyle at age 15 with their scores from standard intelligence tests three years later at age 18.

For a delicious Brain-Boosting Breakfast Smoothie recipe that will provide your children with focus and energy at the start of their day, click here.
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Study shows eating on the run leads to unhealthy food choices    
Journal of the American Dietetic Association

A recent study suggests that when pressed for time for a sit-down meal, young people are more likely to reach for less-than-healthy food choices.

In a survey of approximately 1,700 young adult participants, 35% of males and 42% of females reported lacking time to sit down and eat a meal.  Those time constraints seemed to push them toward higher intakes of junk food. 

Those who reported taking the time to sit down and eat dinner with others tended to have a healthier diet, including higher intakes of fruit and vegetables.  Those men and women who ate on the run consumed higher intakes of soft drinks, fast food, total fat and saturated fat, and lower intake of healthy fare.

These findings suggest that people should be encouraged to take the time to make meals and when possible, to share meals with others.  Although preparing all meals at home can be hard to fit into a busy day, it is important to schedule time for them like any other activity.

When there are no other options than to eat on the run, reach for healthy fare instead of junk food.  Fresh or dried fruit, pre-washed bagged vegetables, whole grain crackers, raw nuts and seeds, and low-fat yogurt or cheese are some convenient, healthier choices.
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Study shows lack of sleep causes excess snacking    
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

A study of 11 healthy adults (mean BMI 26.5) found that sleep deprivation resulted in increased calorie intake from snacks, mainly from high carbohydrate foods and particularly in the evening hours.

Investigators at the University of Chicago sleep research lab had participants, 5 women and 6 men, spend 2 weeks getting only 5 ½ hours of sleep a night, and then 3 months later, 2 weeks of 8 ½ hours of sleep per night.  Each time, the researchers provided the participants with meals and unlimited access to snacks, monitoring everything that was eaten and measuring blood levels of leptin and ghrelin, hormones that control our appetites.  There was little difference in the hormone levels between regular sleep and sleep deprivation.  The amount of calories burned each day and the amount of calories eaten at meals did not differ either.  What changed were the extra calories eaten at snacks – an extra 200 calories were eaten when participants received only 5 ½ hours of sleep a night, most of which were consumed between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.                  

The study findings support previous research that suggests that people who are sleep deprived eat more food than they need, contributing to weight gain.  This study demonstrates that lack of sleep can modify the amount and type of food consumption and promote excessive calorie intake from snacks.
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Study shows Mediterranean diet helps fight metabolic syndrome
Archives of Internal Medicine

A study of 1,224 subjects, all at high risk for cardiovascular disease, found that a traditional Mediterranean diet high in nuts and olive oil may reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

Researchers randomized the participants, men ages 55 to 80 and women ages 60 to 80, into three groups: one consumed 30 grams a day of mixed nuts, including almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, the latter making up half of the mix; another group supplemented their diet with one liter of virgin olive oil a week in cooking and as a dressing; and the control group ate a standard low-fat diet.  All diets were ad libitum and there was no increase in physical activity for any of the interventions. 

At the end of the year-long study, the group that consumed nuts had a 13.7 per cent decrease in the overall rate of metabolic syndrome while the group who used increased amounts of olive oil in their diet had a 6.7 per cent decrease.  The control group had a decrease of only 2 per cent in metabolic syndrome .

Metabolic syndrome, also known as insulin resistance syndrome or syndrome X, is a combination of medical conditions that together increase a person’s risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.  The criteria for metabolic syndrome includes three or more of the following: abnormal cholesterol levels, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat (primarily around the waist), and increased blood pressure.  Any one of these conditions can negatively affect health but two or more increases one’s chances of developing serious health problems.  Research indicates that approximately 25% of Canadians have metabolic syndrome and this proportion is unfortunately on the rise in our aging population. 
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Study shows fat reduces injury risk in female runners
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

A study of competitive adult female runners found that a lower daily fat intake and lower percentage of total calories from fat were associated with increased risk for overuse running-related injuries.

Researchers at the University at Buffalo, NY had 86 women, who ran a minimum of 32 km per week, complete a food frequency questionnaire over a one-year period, more than half of whom sustained a running-related injury during the one-year follow-up period.  The foot/ankle was the most common site of injury (40%), followed by the knee (19%) and the hip (16%).  Stress fractures/stress reactions, iliotibial band problems, and tendonitis were the most common injuries.

The study findings revealed that the runners who consumed less than 30% of total calories from dietary fat sources were 2.5 times as likely to sustain a running-related injury compared with runners consuming 30% or more.  These findings support previous studies which reported associations between low fat diets and the risk of stress fractures in female runners.
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Study shows probiotics boost elite athletes’ immunity
British Journal of Sports Medicine

A recent study found that probiotics may boost the immune system of long distance runners, protecting them from respiratory illnesses.

A daily probiotic capsule was found to enhance the immune system’s T cell activity of 20 elite endurance athletes undergoing 4 months of strenuous training in the winter.

It has been previously reported that endurance athletes are more susceptible to upper respiratory tract infections linked to the immunosuppressive role of intense exercise. The health benefits of probiotics include improved intestinal health and protection against infection by stimulating the immune system.

The athletes were randomly assigned to receive either a daily probiotic supplement or placebo for 28 days, after which they received nothing for 1 month before switching interventions. Their athletic performance was assessed using a treadmill, and their immune response was measured by blood samples. The subjects recorded the length and severity of their respiratory tract infections.

Although researchers reported no difference in running performance as a result of placebo or probiotics supplementation, the number of days of upper respiratory tract infection symptoms was halved, from 72 to 30 days, when the athletes took the probiotic compared to placebo. The severity of symptoms was also less when receiving probiotics and blood samples showed that blood levels of key immune system components were doubled.
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Study shows obese men more likely to be infertile
Fertility and Sterility

A recent study found that being obese may dim a man's chance of fathering children even if he is otherwise healthy.

Researchers compared the body mass index (BMI) and blood levels of reproductive hormones like testosterone of healthy men who had never fathered children with those of men who were fathers.

Of the 87 study participants, 68% were fathers, and on average, they had a lower BMI than the men who were not fathers. Their average BMI was 28, which is considered overweight, but the childless men had an average BMI of approximately 32, which is considered obese.

The obese men also had lower blood levels of the hormones essential to reproduction, including testosterone, linking excess weight to hormonal changes that decrease the obese men's fertility.
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Study shows value of food diary in losing weight
American Journal of Preventive Medicine

A recent study of 1,685 middle-aged men and women found that those participants who kept a detailed record of everything they ate and drank every day over a 6 month period lost about twice as much weight as those who did not.
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