August 23, 2011, ABC News, Mikaela Conley
Millions of Americans pop statins to keep their cholesterol levels down. But new research suggests that cholesterol-friendly foods, such as soy products and tree nuts, may also contribute to lowering LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol levels.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that people who ate a healthy diet filled with cholesterol-lowering foods experienced a 13 percent decrease in their LDL cholesterol levels. Those who followed a diet low in saturated fats experienced a 3 percent decrease.
“The main takeaway here …

August 15, 2011, Carly Weeks, Globe and Mail
A new test that can predict which overweight and obese people face the greatest risk of death is much more accurate than relying on body mass index alone and should become the new standard of care, according to two large new studies.
The findings turn the prevailing notion that carrying extra weight automatically comes with heightened health risks on its head by suggesting not all overweight and obese people will benefit from a weight-loss regimen.
Instead, underlying health conditions, waist circumference and other factors should …

July12, 2011, Wall Street Journal, Jennifer Corbett Dooren
A new study suggests that in addition to cutting the amount of sodium in their diets to improve heart health, Americans should also increase consumption of a key mineral found in many fruits and vegetables: potassium.
The study, lead by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looked at more than 12,000 adults who participated in a federal nutrition study. It tracked their diets and followed them for nearly 15 years to observe rates of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and death. The …

July 1, 2011, New York Times, William Neuman
If there is no such thing as a healthy hot dog, how do you limit the damage at this weekend’s weenie roast?
Don’t count on the label to help much. Those pricey “natural” and “organic” hot dogs often contain just as much or more of the cancer-linked preservatives nitrate and nitrite as that old-fashioned Oscar Mayer wiener.
And almost no one knows it because of arcane federal rules that make the labels on natural and organic hot dogs, luncheon meats and bacon virtually impossible to …

June 14, 2011, Harvard School of Public Health
Watching television is the most common daily activity apart from work and sleep in many parts of the world, but it is time for people to change their viewing habits. According to a new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers, prolonged TV viewing was associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and premature death.
The study appears in the June 15, 2011, edition of theJournal of the American Medical Association.
“The message is simple. Cutting back on TV …

June 13, 2011,  Reuters
Women with heart disease who down a few cups of coffee each day tend to live as long as those who avoid the beverage, according to a study.
The results, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, add to already mixed findings on whether caffeinated coffee is a hazard for people at high risk of cardiovascular problems.
The study, which followed nearly 12,000 U.S. nurses with a history of heart disease or stroke, found that those who regularly drank caffeinated coffee were no more likely to die than …

MailOnline, Jenny Hope, November 26, 2010
Fat children are showing signs of heart disease at the age of 15, researchers warn.
A study has revealed that being overweight throughout adolescence sows the seeds of ill-health for decades to come.
It is the first to investigate the link between body mass index (BMI), waist size and fat mass of pre-teen children and subsequent heart risk factors in late adolescence.
The study looked at how Body Mass Index in children affected future health. Here a child is measured by a doctor (file photo)
The findings show that …

Associated Press, December 1, 2010
Lugging around a few extra pounds? One of the largest studies to look at health and weight finds that you don’t have to be obese to raise your risk of premature death. Merely being overweight carries some risk, too.
Go to the BMI-calculator to see if you’re overweight.
Obesity increases the risk of death from heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. But whether being merely overweight contributes to an early death as well has been uncertain and controversial. Some research has suggested being a little pudgy has …

The Boston Globe, Kay Lazar, November 30, 2010
A long-awaited report from a panel of independent scientists recommends tripling the amount of vitamin D most Americans should take and small increases in calcium levels for children to build and maintain strong bones, but some specialists warned that the recommendations were flawed.
The Institute of Medicine panel’s findings, being released today, carry considerable weight — government agencies rely on the recommendations to set food policy, everything from product labeling to requirements for school lunch programs. And a raft of health-related organizations, such as …

Food and Health News, November 13, 2010
In the second paper in The Lancet Series on Chronic Disease and Development, experts show that in the UK everyone eating a healthy diet would deliver big health effects with minimal knock-on effects to domestic agriculture and trade. But in a middle-income country like Brazil, it’s a different story. There, healthier eating (both in Brazil or the UK) could have a major impact on agriculture, trade, and, by definition, jobs. The second paper is by Professor Richard Smith, London School of Hygiene and Tropical …