Did You Know

The study found women who spend the most time sitting down during the week are more likely to show early signs of type 2 diabetes than those who are more active. Blood tests revealed they had higher levels of markers that suggest the body is well on the way to …

Dieters have the option of many weight-loss plans and programs, but too much information can become paralyzing, nutrition experts say. They add that all plans can get results if people stick to them and are accountable. Gary Foster of Temple University’s Center for Obesity Research and Education simplifies it by …

Insulet and LifeScan have entered a partnership through which the latter’s OneTouch blood-glucose monitoring technology will be integrated into the former’s OmniPod Personal Diabetes Manager. They will develop a new PDM for the OmniPod tubeless Insulin pump system and expect to bring it to market in 2013. It will work …

According to a new study, teammates in a team-based weight loss competition significantly influenced each other’s weight loss, suggesting that shedding pounds can have a ripple effect. Team members not only achieved similar weight loss outcomes, but participants who said their teammates played a large role in their weight loss …

The cost of statins in the US is radically higher than the costs paid for the same brands in the UK. Statin costs were as much as 400% higher in the US than in the UK. Statins are prescribed in far greater numbers in the US. Thirty-three percent of Americans …

Under the new benefit, Medicare beneficiaries are eligible to receive free obesity screenings, and individuals identified as obese (BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater) are also eligible for free obesity counseling in primary care settings. The counseling consists of weekly face-to-face sessions with a primary care provider for the first …

Consumers’ perceptions of what constitutes a healthy snack are subjective, but even so, 86% of shoppers consider fresh fruit a healthy snack, and 73% believe raw vegetables are a healthy snack, according to a recent consumer survey by Mintel, a market research firm. Nuts and seeds, too, qualified as healthy, …

Evidence of the relationship between fiber intake and control of diabetes is mixed. The purpose of the study was to determine if an increase in dietary fiber affects glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes. Randomized studies published from Jan. 1, 1980, to Dec. …

A survey of more than 25,000 consumers in 56 countries, found that about 6 out of 10 consumers (59%) have difficulty comprehending nutritional labels and just 52% understood them “in part.” Consumers in North America showed the most confidence in understanding nutritional labels, with more than half (57%) indicating they …

But, it’s better than it once was. That figure was up slightly from the previous year’s 20%, but is still smaller than it was in 1996, when the top 1% of healthcare spenders accounted for 28% of total healthcare expenditures. Average per capita spending for each person in that top …