Diet, exercise in cancer prevention, treatment: Focus of special journal edition

Invited reviews and original papers investigating various themes such as the role of omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, cancer cachexia, muscle health, exercise training, adiposity and body composition are the foundation of a new special journal edition.

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Zinc deficiency before conception disrupts fetal development

Female mice deprived of dietary zinc for a relatively short time before conception experienced fertility and pregnancy problems more than mice that ingested zinc during the same times, according to researchers. Zinc deficiency caused a high incidence of pregnancy loss, and embryos from the zinc-deficient diet group were an average of 38 percent smaller than those from the control group. Preconception zinc deficiency also caused approximately half of embryos to exhibit delayed or aberrant development.

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Where one lives matters in relationship between obesity, life satisfaction

How one compares weight-wise with others in his or her community plays a key role in determining how satisfied the person is with his or her life. According to the researchers, before accounting for where people live, severely obese men and women have 29 percent and 43 percent lower odds, respectively, than their non-obese counterparts of reporting that they are "very satisfied" with their lives. However, the story is very different among people in counties where obesity is common.

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Variety in diet can hamper microbial diversity in the gut

Scientists have discovered that the more diverse the diet of a fish, the less diverse are the microbes living in its gut. If the effect is confirmed in humans, it could mean that the combinations of foods people eat can influence their gut microbe diversity. The research could impact how probiotics and diet are used to treat diseases associated with bacteria in human digestive systems.

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Clinical trial reaffirms diet beverages play positive role in weight loss

A new study confirms that drinking diet beverages can help people lose weight. "This study clearly demonstrates that diet beverages can in fact help people lose weight, directly countering myths in recent years that suggest the opposite effect -- weight gain," said a study co-author.

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Fighting cancer with dietary changes

Calorie restriction during treatment for breast cancer changes cellular programming in a way that lowers the chance of metastases in mice. Breast cancer patients are often treated with hormonal therapy to block tumor growth, and steroids to counteract the side effects of chemotherapy. However, both treatments can cause a patient to have altered metabolism which can lead to weight gain. In fact, women gain an average of 10 pounds in their first year of treatment. Recent studies have shown that too much weight makes standard treatments for breast cancer less effective, and those who gain weight during treatment have worse cancer outcomes.

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Lifestyle interventions are better than genetic tests for preventing type 2 diabetes

Targeted interventions based on genetic risk may not be the best approach for preventing type 2 diabetes and instead universal strategies to prevent obesity should be prioritized, according to new research.

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Increased risk of birth asphyxia in babies born to overweight and obese women

The risk of experiencing an oxygen deficit at birth (birth asphyxia) increases for babies born to women who are overweight or obese, according to a new study.

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Low-carb vegan diet may reduce heart disease risk, weight

In addition to weight loss, a vegan low-carbohydrate diet may also reduce the risk of heart disease by 10 percent over 10 years, researchers have demonstrated for the first time. The diet is a low-carbohydrate vegan diet. Many low-carbohydrate diets have been proven to improve weight loss but most emphasize eating animal proteins and fats, which may raise cholesterol. Diets that are high in vegetable proteins and oils may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering "bad cholesterol."

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Healthy diet linked with better lung function in COPD patients

Sure, everyone knows a healthy diet provides lots of health benefits for patients with respiratory diseases, but now a new study has shown a direct link between eating fish, fruit and dairy products and improved lung function among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

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Parents of overweight kids more likely to give schools failing grades for fighting obesity

Parents of overweight kids are more likely to give schools a D or F when it comes to nutrition and physical education, concludes a national poll. Parents of overweight children were twice as likely to fail the school on opportunities for children to be physically active and much more likely to give a failing grade for nutrition education than parents without overweight children.

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Poor Diet Before Pregnancy Linked with Preterm Birth

For the first time, researchers have confirmed that women who eat a poor diet before they become pregnant are around 50% more likely to have a preterm birth than those on a healthy diet. The study shows that women who consistently ate a diet high in protein and fruit prior to becoming pregnant were less likely to have a preterm birth, while those who consistently ate high fat and sugar foods, and take-out food were about 50% more likely to have a preterm birth.

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Genes discovered linking circadian clock with eating schedule

For most people, the urge to eat a meal or snack comes at a few, predictable times during the waking part of the day. But for those with a rare syndrome, hunger comes at unwanted hours, interrupts sleep and causes overeating. "We really never expected that we would be able to decouple the sleep-wake cycle and the eating cycle," says the senior study author. "It opens up a whole lot of future questions about how these cycles are regulated."

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Lifestyle changes improve biomarkers for breast cancer recurrence, mortality

Lifestyle changes in the form of healthy eating and regular exercise can decrease biomarkers related to breast cancer recurrence and mortality, a pair of interventional studies involving breast cancer survivors has found. "The findings of both studies support a growing body of research that suggests lifestyle interventions lower biomarkers associated with breast cancer recurrence and mortality, and improve quality of life," said one expert.

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People with low incomes less likely to use healthy weight loss strategies

Poorer people of all ages are less likely than wealthier ones to follow recommended strategies for weight loss, finds a recent study. "We found that compared to persons of higher household incomes, both youths and adults of lower household incomes were less likely to use strategies that are consistent with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommendations," which include reducing fats and sweets and increasing exercise, said the lead author.

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Common obesity gene contributes to weight gain

A gene commonly linked to obesity -— FTO —- contributes to weight gain, researchers have demonstrated. The study shows that variations in FTO indirectly affect the function of the primary cilium, a little-understood hair-like appendage on brain and other cells. Specific abnormalities of cilium molecules, in turn, increase body weight, in some instances, by affecting the function of receptors for leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite. The findings, made in mice, suggest that it might be possible to modify obesity through interventions that alter the function of the cilium.

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'I can' mentality goes long way after childbirth

The way a woman feels about tackling everyday physical activities, including exercise, may be a predictor of how much weight she'll retain years after childbirth says a professor. A study followed 56 women during pregnancy and measured their physical activity levels, along with barriers to exercise and the ability to overcome them. Six years later, the research team followed up with more than half of the participants and found that the women who considered themselves less able to take on these barriers had retained more of their pregnancy weight. Top barriers identified in the study included time, motivation and childcare issues.

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Blocking pain receptors extends lifespan, boosts metabolism in mice

Chronic pain is known to shorten lifespan, and pain tends to increase with age. But is there a relationship between pain and longevity? Researchers have found that mice lacking the capsaicin pain receptor live around 14 percent longer than other mice, and they retain a more youthful metabolism as well. Receptor blockers could not only relieve pain, but increase lifespan, improve metabolic health and help diabetics and the obese.

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Gene behind unhealthy adipose tissue identified

A gene driving the development of pernicious adipose tissue in humans has been identified by researchers for the first time. The findings imply that the gene may constitute a risk factor promoting the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. "Our findings represent an important step forward in the understanding of how adipose tissue links to the development of metabolic disease," comments one of the principal investigators.

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Surgical safety checklists significantly reduce post-op complications, new review finds

Patients experience fewer postoperative complications when a surgical safety checklist is used by their surgical team, reports the first large-scale review on the subject. By following a simple checklist, health care providers can minimize the most common postoperative risks such as wound infection and blood loss.

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