Knowledge of Dietary Fats is Lacking

An article in the April issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association examines the knowledge of dietary fats among U.S. consumers.  According to this new article, it appears that our knowledge is lacking.

This new study uses data collected from nearly 1,800 people who participated in the U.S. FDA Health and Diet Survey to assess their awareness and understanding of six different dietary fats.  The results of this study were rather disconcerting:

• Nearly all of the study participants were aware of saturated fat and most understood that it increases the risk for poor heart health.
• Less than 70% of the study population had heard of trans fat and partially hydrogenated oil and of those, less than half understood that these fats are unhealthy fats.
• Only half of the people who had heard of omega-3 fatty acids knew that this was a healthy fat that lowers the risk of poor heart health.
• Only a very small percentage of the study group recognized polyunsaturated fat as a heart healthy fat.

The results from this study dramatically shows our general lack of knowledge about dietary fats and emphasizes the need for a better way to spread the message about healthy and unhealthy fats.  Getting the message out could be done in a number of ways including improved food labeling, more media coverage related to proper diet and nutrition, and increased access to nutrition research.  Public access to nutrition (and other) research is growing.  For example, all of the journals in My Favorite Journals on this blog's sidebar are open to the general public and free to read.

Limiting the amount of unhealthy fats in one's diet is a great way to start eating healthier.  Another way to start eating healthier is to follow my easy plan... all of my Slim and Beautiful Shakes are low in total fat, making them a delicious way to limit the amount of unhealthy fats consumed.

The Importance of Vitamin D

While we are all aware of the importance of vitamin D for its important role in bone metabolism, recent research has shown us that vitamin D might play an important role in many chronic health conditions.  A new review article on the non-classical roles of vitamin D in human health was published just a few days ago and while it is free to download and read by everyone, I wanted to take this opportunity to briefly summarize some of the information in the paper.

• Vitamin D Production - Under normal conditions, we can get all or close to all the vitamin D we need from sunlight.  However, the amount of sun we get is effected by a number of factors including season, geographical location, weather conditions, clothing choices, sunscreen use, and more.

• Vitamin D Status - Despite the fact that our skin has the ability to produce enough vitamin D for our needs, many of us are deficient in vitamin D.  Many researchers suggest that blood levels of 50 nmol/L is an adequate amount of vitamin D and that anything less is insufficient.  Based on this blood level recommendation,  between 50 - 90% of people across the globe are vitamin D deficient.

• Health Impact - According to this review paper, vitamin D might be important for improving muscle function, supporting a healthy blood pressure, promoting normal blood sugar health, and supporting normal hearth health in obese individuals.

• Adequate Vitamin D Levels - The author of this review paper suggests that optimal blood levels of vitamin D are between 75 - 372 nmol/L.  Depending on an individuals current vitamin D blood levels, daily intake of about 50 micrograms/day might be needed to increase blood levels to the proposed optimal levels.

In regards to the optimal amount of vitamin D blood levels, it is important to remember that the doses potentially required to reach these levels are substantially higher than the daily recommended intake set forth by the Institute of Medicine, which ranges from 5 - 15 micrograms/day depending upon an individual's stage of life.  The 50 microgram/day dose discussed above is actually the current recommended upper intake level.  However, this review is correct that research supports the use of higher amounts of vitamin D for a variety of health benefits.  The research as a whole has been strong enough to convince the Institute of Medicine to re-evaluate its vitamin D recommendations with potentially new recommendations to be revealed this summer.  The NIH's Office of Dietary Supplments has an excellent Fact Sheet on vitamin D based on current recommendations and makes a good companion read to this new review article.

Getting enough vitamin D, whether it be through exposure to sunlight or daily consumption, is an important lifestyle choice we all need to make.  Another important lifestyle choice for which we should all strive is maintaining a healthy body weight.  My diet plan is a simple way to manage one's body weight, whether looking to lose weight or simply maintain a healthy body weight.

High Fat, Energy Dense Foods Can Be Addictive

Our dietary habits are influenced by many, many factors.  Among those factors are the availability and palatability of food.  New obesity research examined how the availability of high fat, energy dense foods (cheesecake, pound cake, chocolate, bacon, and sausage) affected eating behavior and brain changes in rats.

In this new study, free to read online or download, researchers divided rats into the three following dietary groups for 40 days:

1. No access to the energy dense food and fed only standard rat chow
2. Restricted access to energy dense food for 1 hour per day with access to rat chow for the rest of the time
3. Extended access to energy dense food (> 18 hours per day)

During and after this 40-day test period, rats were examined for changes in eating habits, body weight, and brain biology.  Some of the changes the researchers observed in these rats included:

• Body weight increased dramatically in the rats with extended access to energy dense food compared to the two other groups of rats.
• Caloric intake nearly doubled in the rats with extended access to energy dense foods.
• Rats given access to energy dense foods for one hour per day developed binge eating habits such that about two-thirds of their caloric intake occurred during their one hour access to the high fat foods.
• Rats given extended access to these foods consumed nearly all of their calories from these foods and nearly ignored the laboratory rat chow.
• Brain measurements of pleasure/reward from eating these energy dense foods showed that over time it took consumption of greater amounts of the food to get the same level of reward.
• The decrease in the brains ability to feel reward from consuming high fat foods was related to a decrease in the number of receptors for a specific brain chemical called dopamine.

These results suggest that unhealthy eating can become habit forming.  In fact, the researchers report in their paper that the decrease in dopamine receptors seen with eating these unhealthy foods was similar to changes seen in drug addiction.  Overall, these study data suggest a self-perpetuating process where regular, long-term consumption of high fat, energy dense foods over-stimulates the brain's reward system and reduces its ability to derive pleasure from these foods, which causes us to eat more and gain weight. In this study, binge eating habits did not appear to disrupt this system nor effect energy balance; however, it is uncertain how binge eating would have effected these systems in a longer study.  While it remains uncertain how these results translate to people, they do provide some potential insight into at least one possible cause of overeating.  These study results emphasize the need for developing healthy eating habits.  If we get into a habit of giving in to our cravings, this habit of unhealthy eating can become difficult to break over time.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be difficult.  My easy plan is a great way to start developing good eating habits and help to better manage one's weight.

Diet and Lifestyle Factors Associated with Telomere Length

Telomeres are DNA sequences found at the ends of chromosomes.  Research has shown that telomere length appears to be associated with aging, such that shorter telomere lengths are associated with shorter life spans.  However, it is unclear whether telomere length is simply a sign of aging or whether the length of the telomere actually contributes to the aging process.  You can read more about the potential role of telomere length in this article.

A new study examined potential relationships between diet and lifestyle factors and telomere length in over 2,000 wome participating in the Nurses' Health Study.  Telomere length was measured in white blood cells from the study participants and correlated with diet and lifestyle factors assessed with a questionnaire.  The results of this study showed that:

• Higher levels of dietary fiber intake were associated with longer telomere length.  This was particularly evident for cereal fiber.
• Shorter telomeres were seen on average in women with higher consumption of linoleic acid, one of the polyunsaturated fats.
• Telomere length was shorter with increasing waist size.

Dietary fiber, fat consumption, and body composition have all been shown to be associated with various health benefits or risks.  Dietary fiber has been shown to have a variety of potential health benefits, so it is interesting to see that it is also associated with longer telomere length, a potential marker of longer life.  In contrast, excess body fat and consumption of some fats have been reported to be risk factors for various chronic health conditions.  Polyunsaturated fats are generally considered one of the healthier types of dietary fat; however, this research would suggest that there might be differences for the specific polyunsaturated fats.

Whether the impact of diet and lifestyle choices on healthy aging is due at least in part to telomere length will require additional research to determine.  Nonetheless, this study suggests that diet and lifestyle choices are modestly related to telomere length.  Overall, this study supports the concept that diet and lifestyle choices impact healthy aging and perhaps life span. 

Making healthier lifestyle choices should be an important part of each of our daily routines.  One such choice we can all make is to maintain a healthy body weight.  Following my easy diet plan is a simple way to do just that.

Physical Activity Requirements for Maintaining Body Weight

We are all aware of the importance of physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.  Getting regular exercise can help with weight loss, building muscle, supporting healthy bones and more.  The numerous benefits of exercise have been explained in good detail by places like WebMD and the Mayo Clinic.  However, the amount of exercise for which we all need to strive isn't always as clear and might vary based on our goals. 

In regards to obesity and preventing weight gain, recommendations for exercise tend to vary from about 150 minutes per week to about 420 minutes per week (60 minutes per day).  A new research study in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined the relationship between 3 different amounts of physical activity (less than 150 minutes per week, 150 - less than 420 minutes per week, and at least 420 minutes per week) and body weight changes over time.  This study was done in over 34,000 women with an average age of 54 years and consuming a usual diet.  The results of this study showed:

• Over an average of 3 years follow-up, all three groups of women gained weight over time, but weight gain was less in the group exercising at least 60 minutes per day.
• Women exercising less than 150 minutes per week were 11% more likely to gain 5 lbs over the 3 year follow-up, while women exercising between 150-420 minutes per week were 7% more likely to gain weight.
• Body mass index (BMI) effected this relationship between exercise and weight gain prevention such that only women with a normal BMI (< 25) were able to prevent weight gain with higher levels of physical activity.
• Among women who successfully maintained their weight over the long term, the average amount of physical activity was 420 minutes per week (60 minutes per day).

These are interesting results that might impact future guidelines for physical activity in regards to maintaining a healthy body weight.  Based on this study, women who are at a healthy body weight will need to participate in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes per day in order to maintain their body weight over time.  Interestingly, this level of physical activity had no benefit in regards to weight maintenance in women who were overweight at the beginning of the study or who were over 65 years of age.  It is important to remember that this study was done in women following their normal dietary habits, so it might be necessary for some women to not only increase their physical activity, but also to modify their eating habits to prevent further weight gain over time.  The lead author discusses this study in the JAMA video below.



Finding your right combination of healthy eating and physical activity is an important part of developing a healthy lifestyle.  My easy diet plan is a great place to start!

Weight Loss Surgery in Teens?

Childhood and adolescent obesity is getting a lot of media attention lately and rightfully so.  The incidence of teenage obesity has increased dramatically over the last couple of decades.  While weight loss surgery has become a viable and important alternative for many adults, the use of weight loss surgery in teens remains a controversial subject.  This is apparently because not as much is known about weight loss surgery in teens and no studies looking at long term effects of weight loss surgery on the growh and development of children have been completed.  Fortunately, a major study on adolescent weight loss surgery, Teen-LABS, is currently in progress.

CNN recently reported on one teen's choice to undergo weight loss surgery.  You can watch her story in the video below.



While weight loss surgery might one day become more common after long-term studies have hopefully confirmed the safety of these procedures, it is still important to make weight management with diet and exercise a priority.  My easy diet plan (www.drtabor.com) can be tailored for weight loss or weight maintenance and is a simple way to manage one's weight.

Citrus Fruits Might Help Fight Against Insulin Resistance

Eating enough fruits and vegetables (at LEAST 5 servings per day) is an important part of a well-balanced, healthy diet.  Fruits and vegetables are good dietary sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals.  Additionally, many of the other phytochemicals (chemicals naturally found in plants) present in fruits and vegetables have been shown to have anti-oxidant activity and reported to help support overall good health.

A new research study examined the effect of two citrus fruit phytochemicals (the bioflavonoids hesperetin and naringenin) on the action of fat cells, which are known to produce inflammation-causing chemicals associated with some chronic health conditions.  The results of their study showed that both hesperetin and naringenin blocked the production of free fatty acids from mouse fat cells treated with the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), a cellular chemical that induces inflammation and fat breakdown.

This is interesting research because of the role of free fatty acids in the possible development of diabetes.  Fat tissue is known to produce excessive amounts of inflammation-causing chemicals like TNFalpha, which convert the stored fat in fat cells into free fatty acids.  Elevated blood levels of free fatty acids have been shown to promote insulin resistance (a state where insulin is produced but not used properly), one of the first steps on the path to diabetes.  Therefore, this study suggests that these two citrus bioflavonoids might help fight against the development of insulin resistance and diabetes.

Inclusion of citrus fruits in our diet is a good way to get these phytochemicals.  Fruits like lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines, and grapefruits are good citrus fruit choices to include in your diet if you are looking to increase your consumption of citrus bioflavonoids like hesperetin and naringenin.  You can read more about citrus bioflavonoids at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Making fruits and vegetables part of your daily eating habits is simple with my easy diet plan.  To learn more visit me at Dr. Tabor's Slim & Beautiful Diet.

Meal Pattern Trends in U.S. Children & Adults

A new study published online ahead of print in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined trends in eating occasions in the United States over a 30-year period between 1977 and 2006.   For this study, the researchers collected data from 4 different food and nutrition surveys conducted between 1977 and 2006 that included information from more than 28,000 children and more than 36,000 adults.  Analysis of this food and nutrition data provided some interesting insight into our eating habits.

Eating Occasions.  The number of eating occasions increased over the 30-year period for all ages.  The average number of eating occasions in 1977 was about 3, which increased to about 5 occasions per day in 2006.  As one might expect based on an increase in the number of eating occasions per day, the interval between eating occasions decreased substantially over the last 30 years.  From 1977 - 2006, the amount of time between eating occasions decreased by about 1 hour.

Meal/Snack Size.   The size of meals and snacks we consume has also changed dramatically over the 30-year study period.  Compared to 1977, U.S. children consumed about 62 calories LESS at meals in 2006.  Unfortunately, this was more than offset by the 180-calorie INCREASE from snacking occasions.  Adults consumed more calories at both meal (~123) and snacking (~180) occasions.

Total Calorie Intake.  These changes in eating behavior (eating more often and consuming more food overall) has lead to an increase in calories consumed over the 30-year study period, 2,090 calories per day in 1977 versus 2,533 calories per day in 2006.

Overall, these survey data show us pretty clearly that we eat more often and more total food each day now than we did 30 years ago.  The reasons for this are numerous and complex.  For example, some research has suggested that eating smaller meals more frequently is a good way to either maintain or lose weight; however, it is important to remember the 'smaller meals' part of that equation.  With the increase in portion sizes over the years, the definition of small has changed, so we might find ourselves eating more frequently, but eating more than we realize.  The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (a part of the National Institutes of Health) published their Portion Distortion quiz/presentation back in 2003 and 2004.  This is a fun and informative quiz on portion sizes if you ever want to see (1) how they've changed over the last 20 years and (2) the amount of exercise required to burn off those extra calories.

A well-structured eating plan is a great way to re-learn healthy eating habits.  To learn more about my delicious foods and easy plan, visit us at Dr. Tabor's Diet.

Our Beliefs About Obesity Might Shape Our Behavior

While there are rare cases of obesity being caused by a single genetic disorder, most cases of obesity result from multiple causes.  While genetics can certainly contribute to obesity risk and incidence, they are generally just one part of the equation that includes other risk factors like physical activity and dietary habits.  We all have our own beliefs regarding the causes of becoming overweight or obese; however, little is apparently known about how these beliefs impact our lifestyle behaviors.

A new research study, which is free to download or read online, examines this relationship between beliefs about the causes of obesity and related behaviors.  For this study, researchers used data from more than 3,500 individuals who took part in the Health Information National Trends Survey.  Participants in this survey responded to two questions about the causes of obesity:

1. "To what extent do you believe that obesity is caused by overeating and not exercising?"
2. To what extent do you believe that obesity is inherited?"

In addition to answering these two questions, the participants also provided information on their fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity habits.  The results of this study indicated:

• 72% of participants responded that overeating and not exercising had 'a lot' to do with obesity.
• About 19% of participants believed strongly that obesity is inherited.
• Obese men and women more strongly believed that obesity was caused by genetics compared to individuals who were not overweight or obese.
• Individuals who believed that obesity was inherited reported lower levels of physical activity and lower consumption of fruits and vegetables.
• Study participants who believed that obesity was caused by lifestyle behaviors reported greater levels of physical activity.

These are fascinating results that suggest our beliefs about the causes of obesity can have a substantial impact on our lifestyle behaviors.  According to these survey results, obese individuals might be more likely to believe that genetics cause obesity and this belief might lead to a decrease in exercise and a decrease in healthy eating habits.  The authors of this study imply that public health messages about the genetic causes of obesity might influence health behaviors in some individuals.  While this might be true, these public health messages remain an important part of obesity education and awareness.  However, since these messages might lead to unhealthy, obesity-related lifestyle behaviors in some people, it will become even more important to strongly emphasize the fact that obesity has many contributing factors and diet and physical activity still remain critical parts of the fight against obesity. 

Maintaining a healthy body weight is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle.  Visit me at www.drtabor.com to learn more about my easy diet plan.

Reducing Obesity By Increasing Prices of Unhealthy Foods

It was pretty controversial when the New York governor suggested imposing a ‘sin tax’ on high-calorie soft drinks and other unhealthy foods in an attempt to fight the obesity epidemic.

This is clearly a tough idea to swallow considering the current state of the economy and the soaring jobless rates.  However, two recent studies suggest that there might actually be some merit to this idea.

In one study, researchers explored the effectiveness of two pricing strategies in a simulated grocery store: (1) imposing taxes on unhealthy foods or (2) discounting the healthy foods.  Volunteers who were mothers were recruited to shop in this simulated grocery store several times under each shopping condition.  The results of this study showed that:

• Taxing unhealthy foods reduced overall calories purchased.
• Taxing unhealthy foods resulted in a lower percentage of fats and carbohydrates and a higher percentage of protein in a week’s groceries.
• Discounting the price of healthy foods increased total calories purchased and surprisingly did not change the overall nutritional value.

In a second study, 5,000 volunteers were followed for 20 years.  Information on body weight, diabetes, and cost of fast food in their communities was gathered and analyzed.  Results of this study demonstrated that:

• When fast food and soda prices increased by 10%, study participants consumed fewer calories from soda and fewer calories from pizza such that nearly 60 fewer calories were consumed per day.
• An increase in fast food prices was also associated with less weight gain and a lower risk for diabetes.

While these are truly interesting studies, which outline a potential way to reduce obesity and obesity-related conditions, the thought of increasing food prices in today’s economy is rather frightening.  Ideally, an increase in the cost of unhealthy foods would coincide with a reduction in price of healthy food options.  While this would not ease everyone’s financial burden, it might open the doors to healthier eating without an increase in our overall food budgets.

Would you eat healthier if unhealthy foods cost more?

Preventing Childhood Obesity By Removing 'Junk' Foods From Schools

Childhood obesity is a major health issue that is grabbing headlines everywhere lately... and with good reason.  The prevalence of obesity in U.S. children has increased dramatically over the last couple of decades, so much so that about one-third of U.S. children are now considered overweight or obese.  There have been a number of strategies employed in the fight against childhood obesity with varying degrees of success. 

One such strategy was the removal of 'junk' foods from California schools.  However, the impact of this strategy on rates of childhood obesity has been uncertain until recently.  A new study published in Health Affairs, reports on the apparent success of this strategy.  Obesity researchers examined body mass index (BMI) information from 5th and 7th grade students in the Los Angeles Unified School District and California overall.  Information was examined for the years prior to enactment of these laws in comparison to BMI data after these laws were enacted.  The results showed:

• Obesity rates were increasing in all student groups (5th and 7th graders) before the policy became effective.
• After enactment of the 'junk' food policy, the increase in obesity incidence was substantially decreased in 7th grade students and 5th grade boys throughout California.
• The rate of obesity in 5th grade students from the Los Angeles Unified School District slowed down after enactment of these healthy eating policies.

The results of this study are good news in the fight against obesity.  By offering school age children healthier eating options, it appears possible to slowly reduce the rise in childhood obesity.  Of course, changing the eating environment in schools is only part of the battle.  At this point there is nothing to prevent children from making less than healthy food choices outside of the school environment.  To learn more about childhood obesity, you can visit the CDC's website or the We Can! national childhood obesity prevention program.