(NaturalNews) Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common, "silent" liver disease. Although it occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol, it causes damage that resembles alcoholic liver disease, including inflammation. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the condition is marked by fat in the liver and is associated with the growing number of overweight Americans. In all, about 2 to 5 percent of people in the US have NASH. And while many feel fine and aren't aware they have a liver problem, they actually have a disease that can eventually cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death.
There's been no effective treatment for NASH -- until now. Results from a new multi-center study organized by the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network of NIDDK show vitamin E is a successful treatment for the disease. The findings of this largest ever placebo-controlled randomized trial of NASH therapies were just published in the April 28 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"There is an increasing prevalence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in this country, something that is directly related to the obesity epidemic," Dr. Joel Lavine, faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and chief of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at New York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, said in a statement to the press. "The good news is that this study showed that cheap and readily available vitamin E can help many of those with the condition."
Dr. Lavine, who was a leader of the research team, pointed out that the drug pioglitazone was also studied alongside daily doses of 800 IU of vitamin E. Although the medication showed some benefits, they were minimal compared to the dramatic effectiveness of vitamin E.
For the Pioglitazone or Vitamin E for NASH Study (PIVENS), the researchers randomly assigned 247 non-diabetic adults with biopsy-confirmed NASH to three groups receiving either vitamin E, pioglitazone (a drug that improves the sensitivity of cells to insulin) or a placebo. After 96 weeks of treatment, liver enzyme tests, which are commonly used to measure liver injury, improved in those who received either pioglitazone or vitamin E.
Unlike vitamin E, however, pioglitazone treatment had an unwelcome side effect -- it caused an average weight gain of 10 pounds over the duration of this study. What's more, although pioglitazone improved many features of NASH, it fell short of statistical significance. However, except for the amount of scar tissue in the liver, vitamin E improved all features of NASH and clearly emerged as effective, natural therapy for this potentially fatal liver disease.
For more information:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...
Showing posts with label obesity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obesity. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Rates of chronic health problems in children soar
(NaturalNews) Researchers from Mass General Hospital for Children in Boston gathered data about US children with health problems. They looked at conditions that limited activities and/or schooling, required medication and/or specialized equipment and health services, and that lasted for at least a year. The results of this study, just published in the February issue of JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association), show an alarming trend. Chronic health conditions in American kids have increased dramatically in recent years -- rising from 12.8 percent in 1994 to 26.6 percent in 2006.
Over the six year study period, Jeanne Van Cleave, M.D., and her research team estimated changes in prevalence, incidence, and rates of remission in four categories: obesity (defined as a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile for age), asthma, learning or behavior problems, and other physical conditions such as diabetes and heart conditions. They compiled data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-Child Cohort, specifically looking at three groups of children who were between the ages of two through eight at the beginning of each study period. These groups were followed for three periods of six years each -- from 1988 to 1994, 1994 to 2000 and 2000 to 2006.
The results showed that the prevalence of chronic conditions, including obesity, increased with each subsequent group. Male, Hispanic, and black youth were found to be at the highest risk. Bottom line: as the years pass, more and more American kids appear to have chronic health problems when compared to similar youngsters in previous years.
There seems little doubt that the increasing rate of obesity among children and teens, most likely fueled by junk food and lack of exercise, is one important explanation for the increase in children's health problems. But in an editorial accompanying the JAMA study, Neal Halfon, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of California at Los Angeles, and Paul W. Newacheck, Dr.P.H., of the University of California at San Francisco, pointed out that other factors must be at work, too.
"The obesity epidemic seemed to develop at a time when many indicators suggested that children's health was generally improving. The data presented by Van Cleave et al suggest that the prevalence of other chronic health conditions is also increasing among U.S. children and that obesity is not the only clinical time bomb ticking away in children. There is an urgent need to better understand why this is the case and what can be done about it," they stated. "Addressing the increasing incidence and prevalence of chronic conditions in children will ultimately require major reforms in the child health system. The child health system needs to do a better job preventing childhood chronic illness. The possibilities for such changes are substantial, as are the implications of not acting."
NaturalNews has previously covered a host of environmental contaminants and toxins that could well be contributing to an increase in children's health problems. For example the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) is used in many hard plastics and can leach from toys and baby bottles. Widely found in the environment, BPA has been linked to health problems in fetuses, babies and children, including attention deficit disorder and neurological symptoms. (http://www.naturalnews.com/024000_b...)
For more information:
http://www.mgh.harvard.edu/about/pr...
Over the six year study period, Jeanne Van Cleave, M.D., and her research team estimated changes in prevalence, incidence, and rates of remission in four categories: obesity (defined as a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile for age), asthma, learning or behavior problems, and other physical conditions such as diabetes and heart conditions. They compiled data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-Child Cohort, specifically looking at three groups of children who were between the ages of two through eight at the beginning of each study period. These groups were followed for three periods of six years each -- from 1988 to 1994, 1994 to 2000 and 2000 to 2006.
The results showed that the prevalence of chronic conditions, including obesity, increased with each subsequent group. Male, Hispanic, and black youth were found to be at the highest risk. Bottom line: as the years pass, more and more American kids appear to have chronic health problems when compared to similar youngsters in previous years.
There seems little doubt that the increasing rate of obesity among children and teens, most likely fueled by junk food and lack of exercise, is one important explanation for the increase in children's health problems. But in an editorial accompanying the JAMA study, Neal Halfon, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of California at Los Angeles, and Paul W. Newacheck, Dr.P.H., of the University of California at San Francisco, pointed out that other factors must be at work, too.
"The obesity epidemic seemed to develop at a time when many indicators suggested that children's health was generally improving. The data presented by Van Cleave et al suggest that the prevalence of other chronic health conditions is also increasing among U.S. children and that obesity is not the only clinical time bomb ticking away in children. There is an urgent need to better understand why this is the case and what can be done about it," they stated. "Addressing the increasing incidence and prevalence of chronic conditions in children will ultimately require major reforms in the child health system. The child health system needs to do a better job preventing childhood chronic illness. The possibilities for such changes are substantial, as are the implications of not acting."
NaturalNews has previously covered a host of environmental contaminants and toxins that could well be contributing to an increase in children's health problems. For example the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) is used in many hard plastics and can leach from toys and baby bottles. Widely found in the environment, BPA has been linked to health problems in fetuses, babies and children, including attention deficit disorder and neurological symptoms. (http://www.naturalnews.com/024000_b...)
For more information:
http://www.mgh.harvard.edu/about/pr...
Friday, December 18, 2009
As if we're not obese enough, authorities want to raise the daily calorie recommendations
(NaturalNews) The Times of London is reporting that recommended daily caloric intake levels in the UK could be increased by 16 percent. Britain's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition has concluded that its current daily limits of 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 for men may be too low.
The study reevaluated the criteria utilized for assessing how many calories are burned off by physical activity and came to the conclusion that their prior standards were wrong. Nutrition experts made the determination that some adults may be safe consuming an extra 400 calories a day without gaining weight.
Confusion immediately set in among concerned health advocates who were quick to point out that roughly 60 percent of British adults are overweight due to unhealthy eating habits and inadequate exercise. That the agency would suggest increasing caloric intake when the National Health Service expends roughly 4.2 billion pounds, or $7 billion, a year dealing with obesity-related health problems was perceived as counterintuitive.
Conflicts of opinion about how to handle the findings are sure to be problematic. Some assume the Food Standards Agency will continue with the recommendations it has always given in order to remain consistent. After all, to suggest that what it had been promoting all these years is false would cause many people to be up in arms over the change.
National Obesity Forum spokesman Tam Fry urges caution over the notion that adults can safely pack on another 400 calories without worry. He urges people to think rationally and sensibly about their food choices and to evaluate what is best for them in their current condition of health.
The report failed to properly analyze what types of calories could be increased, making the faulty assumption that a calorie is a calorie no matter from what source it is derived. This skewed perception about healthy eating ignores the content of what is eaten.
The types of foods and fats consumed play a much larger role in obesity than do the number of calories consumed. Healthy oils like coconut, hemp, and olive oil are highly effective at helping people maintain proper weight levels. Whole foods eaten in moderation, even those naturally high in fat, also serve to maintain a healthy weight. Modified foods that are artificially low in fat or fat-free, such as nonfat milk, can actually contribute to weight gain.
There are multiple approaches to cutting excess weight and staying thin but the goal of any diet should be to incorporate as much whole, healthy, and natural food as possible.
Sources for this story include
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...
The study reevaluated the criteria utilized for assessing how many calories are burned off by physical activity and came to the conclusion that their prior standards were wrong. Nutrition experts made the determination that some adults may be safe consuming an extra 400 calories a day without gaining weight.
Confusion immediately set in among concerned health advocates who were quick to point out that roughly 60 percent of British adults are overweight due to unhealthy eating habits and inadequate exercise. That the agency would suggest increasing caloric intake when the National Health Service expends roughly 4.2 billion pounds, or $7 billion, a year dealing with obesity-related health problems was perceived as counterintuitive.
Conflicts of opinion about how to handle the findings are sure to be problematic. Some assume the Food Standards Agency will continue with the recommendations it has always given in order to remain consistent. After all, to suggest that what it had been promoting all these years is false would cause many people to be up in arms over the change.
National Obesity Forum spokesman Tam Fry urges caution over the notion that adults can safely pack on another 400 calories without worry. He urges people to think rationally and sensibly about their food choices and to evaluate what is best for them in their current condition of health.
The report failed to properly analyze what types of calories could be increased, making the faulty assumption that a calorie is a calorie no matter from what source it is derived. This skewed perception about healthy eating ignores the content of what is eaten.
The types of foods and fats consumed play a much larger role in obesity than do the number of calories consumed. Healthy oils like coconut, hemp, and olive oil are highly effective at helping people maintain proper weight levels. Whole foods eaten in moderation, even those naturally high in fat, also serve to maintain a healthy weight. Modified foods that are artificially low in fat or fat-free, such as nonfat milk, can actually contribute to weight gain.
There are multiple approaches to cutting excess weight and staying thin but the goal of any diet should be to incorporate as much whole, healthy, and natural food as possible.
Sources for this story include
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...
Friday, December 4, 2009
Phytochemicals in plant-based foods fight obesity and prevent disease, researchers say
(NaturalNews) If you ever feel tempted to go for a cheeseburger, fries and a soft drink, consider this: along with the fast food, you are ordering up an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. But the opposite is true, too. According to a new University of Florida (UF) study, if you stay away from processed and fast foods and instead eat a lot of veggies, nuts and fruits, you will actively be helping to prevent or reverse harmful metabolic processes in your body. The result? Better health and a slimmer body.
An important advantage to having plant-based foods as an abundant part of your daily diet appears to result from the phytochemicals they contain. As noted in the UF findings recently published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, these natural substances prevent oxidative stress -- a process linked to being overweight and to the onset of diseases including heart disease and diabetes. Phytochemicals include lycopene from tomatoes, isoflavones from soy, beta carotene from carrots, anthocyanins from blueberries, allicin from garlic, and many more.
Without enough phytochemicals and antioxidants to counteract oxidative stress, damaging free radicals cause inflammation and other toxic problems in the body. In overweight people, excess fat tissue and certain enzymes that are more active also trigger the production of excessive free radicals, according to a media statement by the UF researchers.
The research team, headed by Heather K. Vincent, Ph.D., studied a group of 54 young adults divided into a normal weight and an overweight or obese group, analyzing their dietary patterns over several days. Surprisingly, the people in both groups took in about the same amount of calories. However, the overweight and obese young people were found to be eating fewer plant-based foods. That means those who were carrying around excess pounds were consuming fewer protective trace minerals and phytochemicals and consuming far more saturated fats.
In addition, those eating less plant-based foods were found to have higher levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in their bodies than their normal-weight counterparts. This is a crucial finding because oxidative stress and inflammation are processes clearly associated with the onset of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and joint disease.
"Diets low in plant-based foods affect health over the course of a long period of time," Dr. Vincent explained in a statement to the press. "This is related to annual weight gain, inflammation and oxidative stress. Those are the onset processes of disease that debilitate people later in life."
"People who are obese need more fruits, vegetables, legumes and wholesome unrefined grains," she said. "In comparison to a normal-weight person, an obese person is always going to be behind the eight ball because there are so many adverse metabolic processes going on."
In order to get enough protective phytochemicals daily, the UF researchers concluded that people should try to consume plant-based foods such as leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes at the start of each meal. As a way to encourage people to get enough phytochemicals from meals and snacks, Dr. Vincent also called for use of a phytochemical index, which compares the number of calories consumed from plant-based, nutrient-rich foods with the overall number of calories taken in each day.
"Fill your plate with colorful, low-calorie, varied-texture foods derived from plants first. By slowly eating phytochemical-rich foods such as salads with olive oil or fresh-cut fruits before the actual meal, you will likely reduce the overall portion size, fat content and energy intake. In this way, you're ensuring that you get the variety of protective, disease-fighting phytochemicals you need and controlling caloric intake," said Vincent, an assistant professor in the UF Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute, in the media statement.
For more information
http://news.ufl.edu/2009/10/21/phyt...
An important advantage to having plant-based foods as an abundant part of your daily diet appears to result from the phytochemicals they contain. As noted in the UF findings recently published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, these natural substances prevent oxidative stress -- a process linked to being overweight and to the onset of diseases including heart disease and diabetes. Phytochemicals include lycopene from tomatoes, isoflavones from soy, beta carotene from carrots, anthocyanins from blueberries, allicin from garlic, and many more.
Without enough phytochemicals and antioxidants to counteract oxidative stress, damaging free radicals cause inflammation and other toxic problems in the body. In overweight people, excess fat tissue and certain enzymes that are more active also trigger the production of excessive free radicals, according to a media statement by the UF researchers.
The research team, headed by Heather K. Vincent, Ph.D., studied a group of 54 young adults divided into a normal weight and an overweight or obese group, analyzing their dietary patterns over several days. Surprisingly, the people in both groups took in about the same amount of calories. However, the overweight and obese young people were found to be eating fewer plant-based foods. That means those who were carrying around excess pounds were consuming fewer protective trace minerals and phytochemicals and consuming far more saturated fats.
In addition, those eating less plant-based foods were found to have higher levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in their bodies than their normal-weight counterparts. This is a crucial finding because oxidative stress and inflammation are processes clearly associated with the onset of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and joint disease.
"Diets low in plant-based foods affect health over the course of a long period of time," Dr. Vincent explained in a statement to the press. "This is related to annual weight gain, inflammation and oxidative stress. Those are the onset processes of disease that debilitate people later in life."
"People who are obese need more fruits, vegetables, legumes and wholesome unrefined grains," she said. "In comparison to a normal-weight person, an obese person is always going to be behind the eight ball because there are so many adverse metabolic processes going on."
In order to get enough protective phytochemicals daily, the UF researchers concluded that people should try to consume plant-based foods such as leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes at the start of each meal. As a way to encourage people to get enough phytochemicals from meals and snacks, Dr. Vincent also called for use of a phytochemical index, which compares the number of calories consumed from plant-based, nutrient-rich foods with the overall number of calories taken in each day.
"Fill your plate with colorful, low-calorie, varied-texture foods derived from plants first. By slowly eating phytochemical-rich foods such as salads with olive oil or fresh-cut fruits before the actual meal, you will likely reduce the overall portion size, fat content and energy intake. In this way, you're ensuring that you get the variety of protective, disease-fighting phytochemicals you need and controlling caloric intake," said Vincent, an assistant professor in the UF Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute, in the media statement.
For more information
http://news.ufl.edu/2009/10/21/phyt...
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