Did You Know

In a small, 22-week study, researchers found that 16 overweight men and women lost an average of 17 pounds. Overall, body weight declined by an average of 10.5% and body fat declined by 16%. Participants took the green (unroasted) coffee beans in supplement form and, for comparison, took a placebo …

A class of compounds found in hops reduces weight gain in obese and diabetic mice, according to a published study. Eight weeks of treatment with the compounds, called tetrahydro iso-alpha acids, also reduced gut permeability and normalized insulin sensitivity markers in the mice, among other beneficial metabolic effects. Hops have …

Although electronic health records can result in more time spent at computer workstations rather than patients’ beds, the use of an iPad increased efficiency and provided better patient care, researchers found. When 115 internal medicine residents were given Apple iPads, almost three-quarters of them reported the device saved them an …

Consumption of certain types of chocolate has been linked to some favorable metabolic associations with blood pressure, insulin sensitivity and cholesterol level. Beatrice A. Golomb, M.D., Ph.D., with the University of California, studied 1,018 men and woman without known cardiovascular disease, diabetes or extremes of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels …

Regular use of cholesterol-lowering statins may help reduce the risk for Parkinson’s disease (PD), particularly in adults younger than age 60 years. The data suggest that long-term use of statins could provide a benefit against risk of developing PD. The analysis included 38,192 men from Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and …

A poll released last week reveals that, overall, our nation’s cities are getting fatter. But the 10 least-obese areas are bucking that trend, with an average obesity rate of 15.9%, well below the national average of 26.1%, and half that of the country’s fattest areas. These areas report roughly 30% …

Researchers collected information on coffee drinking habits, diet, exercise and health from more than 42,000 adults without any chronic conditions. Nine years later, they found that coffee drinkers and non-drinkers were similarly likely to develop heart disease, stroke and cancer. Dr. Anna Floegel, lead author, said, “Our results suggest that …

Selenium supplementation might predispose some people to diabetes if they already have adequate levels of the metal, the author of a review cautioned. One study of more than 1,200 Americans found that those who took 200 micrograms of selenium daily for an average of nearly eight years had a higher …

Starting on March 10, nutrition labels found on almost all packaged foods can be found for ground meat and poultry. Forty of the most popular whole, raw cuts or meat and poultry, such as chicken breast or steak, also will have nutritional information either on the package labels or on …

Data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that children are getting an average of 322 calories a day from added sugar, or about 16% of calories they consume each day. A study found that 59% of added-sugar calories come from food and 41% from beverages. About 63% of …