Copyright 2012 Medical News TodayLatest Health News and Medical News posted throughout the day, every day.http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/nutrition-diet/admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin)editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors)en-us Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241529.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241529.php A recent study, published just in time for Valentine's Day, states that dark chocolate is the "heart-healthy" way to go, not only on Valentine's day, but all year long. Dr...Cardiovascular / Cardiology Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241422.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241422.phpA study published early in JAMA , to coincide with the presentation at the 41st Critical Care Congress, reveals that even though some data indicated that lower caloric nourishment via a feeding tube may be beneficial for critically ill patients in need of mechanical ventilation, those with acute lung injury who received a smaller amount of nourishment displayed no improvement i...Respiratory / Asthma Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241406.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241406.phpA large-scale study analyzing metabolic compounds in rice grains conducted by researchers at the RIKEN Plant Science Center (PSC) and their collaborators has identified 131 rice metabolites and clarified the genetic and environmental factors that influence their production...Nutrition / Diet Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241355.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241355.phpWrist fractures, also called distal radius fractures (DRF), are among the most common osteoporosis-related fractures occurring on average 15 years earlier than hip fractures. As vitamin D deficiency has recently been linked with muscle weakness, increased fall risks, and bone fractures, investigators sought to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among post menopausal women with DRF...Bones / Orthopedics Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241365.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241365.phpA study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that nearly all individuals in the U.S. consume too much sodium than the recommended daily allowance (RDA). The majority of the sodium derives from common grocery store and restaurant items. The report is published on the first Tuesday of the month, as part of the CDC journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report...Nutrition / Diet Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241377.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241377.php A new study published this week shows there has been a big drop in levels of trans-fatty acids in the US bloodstream. From 2000 to 2009 it fell by 58%. This is the first time researchers from the US Centers from Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been able to measure trans-fats in human blood. They write about their findings in a letter to the Editor of JAMA...Nutrition / Diet Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241332.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241332.phpA new study published in the journal Respirology reveals that a high level of soft drink consumption is associated with asthma and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)...Respiratory / Asthma Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241344.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241344.phpWhen it comes to diets, cookies and cake are off the menu. Now, in a surprising discovery, researchers from Tel Aviv University have found that dessert, as part of a balanced 600-calorie breakfast that also includes proteins and carbohydrates, can help dieters to lose more weight - and keep it off in the long run...Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241345.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241345.phpNew research presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found that 77 percent of trauma patients had deficient or insufficient levels of vitamin D. Researchers have linked a lack of vitamin D with muscle weakness, bone fractures, and the inability of bones to fully heal...Bones / Orthopedics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241372.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241372.php A recent study by Zumin Shi, Discipline of Medicine at the University of Adelaide and team, published in Respirology, suggests soda intake can raise the risk of respiratory problems, including Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) Between 2008 and 2010, around 16,000 people, over the age of 16 (average age 46...Respiratory / Asthma Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241364.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241364.php After a year of promising a new "front of the pack" label that will help customers distinguish between healthy and unhealthy foods, Walmart, the nation's largest super-market chain, has followed through with an easy way for shoppers to find healthier, more nutritious options - the 'Great For You' icon...Nutrition / Diet Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241325.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241325.php More salt in the average US diet comes bread and rolls and not from salty snacks like potato chips, pretzels and popcorn, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released this week...Nutrition / Diet Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241300.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241300.phpAmerica's rising rates of obesity in virtually all age groups is partly due to biological factors, researchers from the Cincinnati Diabetes and Obesity Center reported in the journal Cell Metabolism. Approximately one third of all American adults are obese today, and the percentage continues to rise, says the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)...Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241179.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241179.phpA new study by food safety researchers at Drexel University demonstrates that plasma can be an effective method for killing pathogens on uncooked poultry. The proof-of-concept study was published in the Journal of Food Protection...Nutrition / Diet Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241186.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241186.phpSoy isoflavone supplements did not decrease breast cancer cell proliferation in a randomized clinical trial, according to a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Lead researcher Seema A. Khan, M.D., professor of surgery at the Robert H...Breast Cancer Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241239.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241239.phpRegular green tea drinkers have a lower risk of developing functional disability, researchers from Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Functional disability refers to problems with daily chores and activities, such as bathing or dressing...Nutrition / Diet Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241200.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241200.phpCould the use of vitamin and mineral supplements in a regular diet help to reduce the risk of colon cancer and protect against carcinogens? A study published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (CJPP) found that rats given regular multivitamin and mineral supplements showed a significantly lower risk of developing colon cancer when they were exposed to carcinogens...Colorectal Cancer Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241208.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241208.phpThe great majority of geriatric patients in a German rehabilitation hospital were found to have vitamin D deficiency. Stefan Schilling presents his study results in Deutsches Arzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2012; 109[3]: 33-8)...Nutrition / Diet Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241152.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241152.phpCaffeine consumption has long been associated with decreased risk of liver disease and reduced fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Now, newly published research confirms that coffee caffeine consumption reduces the risk of advanced fibrosis in those with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)...Liver Disease / Hepatitis Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241211.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241211.phpA preference for fatty foods has a genetic basis, according to researchers, who discovered that people with certain forms of the CD36 gene may like high-fat foods more than those who have other forms of this gene. The results help explain why some people struggle when placed on a low-fat diet and may one day assist people in selecting diets that are easier for them to follow...Nutrition / Diet Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241134.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241134.phpNational Institutes of Health researchers and their colleagues have identified how resveratrol, a naturally occurring chemical found in red wine and other plant products, may confer its health benefits. The authors present evidence that resveratrol does not directly activate sirtuin 1, a protein associated with aging...Diabetes Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241216.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241216.phpDrinking decaffeinated coffee may improve brain energy metabolism associated with diabetes type 2, according to a study published in Nutritional Neuroscience and carried out by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Brain energy metabolism is a dysfunction with a known risk factor for dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease...Neurology / Neuroscience Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241133.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241133.php Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), argue that added sweeteners pose dangers to public health, and the government should regulate sugar in the same way as it regulates alcohol and tobacco. They set out their reasons for viewing sugar as "toxic" in a comment article published in Nature this week. First author Robert H...Nutrition / Diet Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241074.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241074.phpThe first study to check the effects of eating potatoes on blood pressure in humans has concluded that two small helpings of purple potatoes (Purple Majesty) a day decreases blood pressure by about 4 percent without causing weight gain...Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:00 PSThttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241120.phphttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241120.phpScientists have found out why resveratrol, a chemical naturally found in red wine, grapes, and some other fruit and vegetables, has health benefits, according to an article published in the journal Cell, February 3rd issue...Nutrition / Diet