Soup, Nuts and Weight Loss

It is clear that how much food we eat impacts our health and body weight.  Research is also making it clear that certain foods, particularly high-energy, low-nutrient foods, can have a negative effect on our health and cause weight gain.  In contrast, other types of foods can have a beneficial effect on our body weight and overall health.  Two recent studies explored the impact of soup and nuts on body weight changes.

In the first study, researchers investigated the relationship between soup consumption and body weight and other health factors in 103 Japanese men.  The men's intake of soup was measured using a validated food-frequency questionnaire and the link between soup consumption and body weight was analyzed.  The study investigators reported that average soup consumption in this group of Japanese men was 7 times per week and that a higher frequency of soup consumption was linked to a lower body mass index (BMI), smaller waist size, and smaller waist-to-hip ratio.  This study suggests that increased frequency of soup consumption decreases obesity risk factors.

In the second study, researchers analyzed several long-term population-based studies on the impact of nut consumption on body weight changes.  According to the researchers, two large studies reported that adding nuts to one's regular diet reduced long-term weight gain.  A study of over 1,200 people consuming a Mediterranean diet showed that addition of tree nuts to the Mediterranean diet for 1 year had a beneficial effect on waist size.  A third study of nearly 12,000 subjects showed that eating greater amounts of nuts helped reduce yearly weight gain with individuals consuming more than 4 servings of nuts per week gaining an average of 1/2 pound per year compared to about 3/4 pounds per year in those eating fewer than 4 servings of nuts per week.

These are rather interesting studies that might help many of us make healthier food choices.  Nuts are a tasty treat for most people that don't have nut allergies; however, most nuts are rich in protein, fat, and calories.  Their level of fat and calories has made nuts a somewhat cautionary food item for individuals trying to lose weight.  Fortunately, the fat in nuts is mostly of the healthier, unsaturated variety.  According to the study above, nuts might actually have a beneficial effect on weight gain prevention.  However, nuts are one of those snacks that we typically find very easy to over eat, so we should still practice moderation. 

Soups can make a very healthy meal.  If you make your own, make sure to add plenty of vegetables.  This will make the soup a very nutritious meal that will help you get your recommended daily amount of vegetables as well as increase your dietary fiber consumption.  Just remember to go easy on the salt.  This is also true for canned soups, which often contain very high levels of sodium.  Adding soup to your weekly menu plans can be a delicious and satisfying choice, just be sure to choose healthy options.

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Eat A Good Breakfast, But Don't Overdo It

In regards to obesity prevention and weight loss, breakfast is probably the most studied meal of the day.  Some research studies suggest that eating a large breakfast can aid in weight loss and that skipping breakfast can increase our risk for becoming overweight or obese.  In contrast, some studies have suggested that a high-calorie breakfast does not lead to smaller meals later in the day, leading to excess caloric intake.  The inconsistency in these study results appears to be due, at least in part, to differences in how the information is analyzed and how the studies are run.

A new dietary research study (free to download) has attempted to resolve this confusion by conducting a study on daily food consumption using the two main methods of analysis.  The study investigators asked 280 obese individuals and 100  normal weight individuals to complete a very detailed food diary of their normal eating habits over 10 straight days.  The amount of food in calories was determined for breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning snack, afternoon snack, and evening snack.  The relationships between breakfast consumption and total daily food consumption were analyzed based on (1) each day's absolute breakfast calories and (2) breakfast calories as a percent of each day's total food consumption.  The study researchers reported:

• In obese and normal weight study volunteers, an increasingly large breakfast resulted in an increasing amount of total calories consumed throughout the day.
• There appeared to be little or no compensation for consuming a large breakfast.  No matter how large the breakfast was, study volunteers consistently consumed around 550 calories at lunch and dinner.  
• Snacking was not affected by breakfast size with the exception of the morning snack, which was reduced only on the two days of largest breakfast consumption by obese volunteers.
• When the data was examined based on breakfast calories as a ratio of total daily calories, a high ratio of breakfast-to-total calories was linked to a reduction in total daily food consumption only on those days when lunch and dinner sizes were reduced. 

The study investigators went on to state that the absolute breakfast calories appears to be more strongly linked to total daily food consumption than the ratio of breakfast-to-total calories.  This is apparently due to the fact that the ratio of breakfast-to-total calories can be influenced by breakfast size, other meals sizes or a combination.

In essence this study suggests that in situations where individuals follow their regular eating habits, consuming a large breakfast results in excess food consumption throughout the day.  This could lead to an increased risk for becoming overweight or obese.  This is important information of which we should all be aware.  Consuming a healthy breakfast is an important part of a healthy diet and helps prepare us for a full and busy day; however, if we choose to eat an overly large breakfast we might want to consider eating a little less at lunch and dinner in order to stay at an appropriate daily calorie intake.  So, be sure to eat a good breakfast, but don't go overboard!

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New School Nutrition Standards Proposed

One month ago, the current administration signed the "Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010", which is designed to improve the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.  As part of this new law, the USDA was given the authority to set nutritional standards for all foods sold in schools during the day.  However, at the time it was not known when the new nutritional standards would be set.  Yesterday was the first big step in that direction.  Yesterday, the USDA published a proposed rule to update the nutritional standards of the meals served in these school programs.  While you can download and read the full proposal (Docket ID: FNS-2007-0038 at regulations.gov), I have outlined some of the major recommendations below:

Breakfast Calorie Recommendations:

• Grades K - 5 = 350 - 500 calories
• Grades 6 - 8 = 400 - 550 calories
• Grades 9 - 12 = 450 - 600 calories

Lunch Calorie Recommendations: 

• Grades K - 5 = 550 - 650 calories
• Grades 6 - 8 = 600 - 700 calories
• Grades 9 - 12 = 750 - 850 calories

Breakfast Foods:

• Fruit - 1 cup per day (up from 1/2 cup)
• Grains & Meat/Meat Alternatives - 1.4 - 2 grains per day plus 1 - 2 meat/meat alternatives per day  (up from 1 each per day)
• Whole Grains - At least half of grains consumed should be whole grains
• Milk - 1 cup with fat content to be less than 1% (previously had no fat content recommendation)

Lunch Foods:

• Fruit - 3/4 to 1 cup of vegetables plus 1/2 to 1 cup of fruit per day (up from 1/2 to 1 cup of fruits and vegetables combined)
• Vegetables - recommend a weekly requirement for dark green and orange vegetables and legumes, while limiting starchy vegetables (no recommendation previously)
• Meat/Meat Alternatives - 1.6 to 2.4 ounces daily average over 5 days (down from 1.5 to 3 ounces)
• Grains - 1.8 to 2.6 ounces per day on average
• Whole grains - at least to half to be whole grains
• Milk - 1 cup with fat content to be less than 1%

Other Changes:

• Decrease saturated fat to less than 10% of total calories
• Decrease sodium to below 1,500 mg per day over a 10 year period.
• Foods used in school nutrition programs must have zero trans fat
• Offer versus Serve Program - At breakfast, students would be allowed to decline one food item, but MUST choose 1 fruit or vegetable item.  At lunch, students would be allowed to decline 2 food items, but MUST choose 1 fruit or vegetable item.  This program would be required at the high school level, but optional for schools at the elementary and middle school levels.

These proposed recommendations appear to make an overall improvement in the nutritional profile of the foods offered at all school levels.  These changes are clearly designed to increase our kids' consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while reducing their saturated fat and sodium intake.  As part of this, schools will no longer be allowed to offer whole milk or reduced-fat (2%) milk. These changes place the school breakfast and lunch programs more in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and consistent with the daily recommended intakes suggested by the Institute of Medicine.  At the moment this is still only a PROPOSED rule.  As such, it is open to public comment for the next 90 days.  So if you have any comments or suggestions on these new recommendations, now is the time to voice your opinion.


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Weight Loss Misconceptions Still Persist

McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, a marketer of nutritional products, recently revealed some of the results of a recent survey they conducted regarding what American women believe about weight loss and healthy eating.  While the full survey does not appear to be available, a press release discusses some of the results.  Some of the results of this survey are outlined below.

Body Image Perceptions:

• More than 33% of American women think about their body weight at least 3 times each day.
• 81% of the women surveyed do not believe that they are at their ideal body weight.
• Nearly half feel that they will reach their ideal body weight this year.
• However, many American women believe that drastic, overly-strict lifestyle changes are needed to reach and maintain their ideal body weight.

 Dieting:

• 91% of the American women surveyed did not realize that they had to burn 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound of body weight.
• 35% of women surveyed believed that they would need to cut something like sweets or snacks out of their diet completely.
• 39% were under the impression that they would need to reduce their food consumption to below 1,000 calories per day.
• Difficulty in losing weight was frequently attributed to family obligations, finances, stress, and other demands on time.

Healthy Eating:

• Only 17% of the women surveyed ranked the nutritional value of foods as the most important factor when making a purchase decision.
• Price, taste, and quality of foods purchased were more important than the foods' nutritional value in most cases.
• 70% of women added sugars to their foods and beverages.

Among these results were some interesting observations.  If these results are representative of the population in general, it would suggest that the vast majority of us do not give the nutritional value of our foods enough consideration.  Additionally, we appear to hold the opinion that weight loss through dieting has to be a grueling, unpleasant endeavor that might require a severe restriction in the amounts and types of foods we eat.  Overall, it appears that the health professional community still needs to work on getting the appropriate messages out about healthy ways to lose weight.  For example, while restricting the amount of calories we consume is an important part of losing weight, the amount shouldn't be so much that it drops you below 1,000 daily calories.  Also, losing weight does not have entail dramatic lifestyle changes.  In fact, making a number of small changes in our eating habits can go a long way towards reaching one's weight loss goals.  A good example from the results of this survey would be to simply decrease the amount of sugars one adds to their foods and drinks or start reading nutrition labels.  Both these simple changes could improve a person's eating habits dramatically.  Reading blogs like this one and others is a great way to become more informed about healthy weight loss and good nutrition.

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Enhance Satiety With Soluble Fiber

Fiber is an important part of our daily diet and can be obtained easily from fruits and vegetables.  It is currently recommended that we consume about 25 - 35 grams of fiber each day in order to obtain the many benefits of fiber.  Unfortunately, it has been reported that less than half of us consume enough fiber.  One way to increase our fiber intake is to add it to the beverages we drink.  Many fiber supplements easily dissolve in liquids, making this a simple way to increase our fiber intake.  A recent study on the impact of soluble fiber and appetite suggests that another benefit of soluble fiber might be its ability to make us feel fuller.

In this nutrition research study, study investigators examined the impact of four types of fiber on feelings of fullness (satiety) and energy intake at the next meal.  For this study, 14 men and 22 women were enrolled and completed 6 study sessions.  Study volunteers were asked to consume a solid snack with a liquid beverage in the mornings.  This liquid beverage contained one of four different types of fiber: soluble fiber dextrin, soluble corn fiber, polydextrose, and resistant starch.  The volunteers' feelings of fullness were measured every 20 minutes for 3 hours and 40 minutes after consumption of this snack and beverage.  Study volunteers were then provided a noontime meal and the amount of food not eaten was measured.  The study investigators reported that all four fibers and the control snack with a similar amount of calories increased feelings of fullness and less hunger compared to a snack with lower calorie levels.  However, the researchers indicated that only the consumption of the soluble fiber dextrin resulted in a reduced calorie intake at the noontime meal.

This is an interesting study that suggests not all fibers are the same when it comes to their impact on our overall food consumption.  While all four of the fibers tested helped the study subjects to feel full and reduced their hunger, only consumption of the dextrin fiber altered how much food the study subjects consumed.  While many people use fiber supplements solely for the health benefits of fiber, some use fiber as a weight loss tool because of fiber's ability to reduce our hunger.  While reducing hunger with fiber consumption can be a good weight loss tool, this study suggests that picking the right fiber might be necessary to obtain the full weight loss benefits of fiber.  Since this was a small study of only a few adults, it will be necessary to confirm these results in a larger study.  In the meantime, if you are considering adding fiber to your drinks in an attempt to lose weight, you might want to consider trying different forms of fiber to find what works best for you.

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Plant Proteins Support A Healthy Body Weight

Previous research has suggested that meat consumption is linked to weight gain, though this remains a topic of fairly intense debate.  While meat is a good source of protein, many meats, particularly red meats, are also a high source of total fat and unsaturated fat.  Additionally, we typically eat way too much meat rather than consuming the recommended 3-ounce serving size.

A recent nutrition research study continues to add fuel to this debate on meat consumption and weight gain.  This new study examined the relationship between protein intake and body mass index and compared animal protein to plant protein intakes in volunteers enrolled in the Belgian National Food Consumption Survey.  Eating habits were determined by 24-hour dietary recalls from over 3,000 men and women.  In this group of volunteers, animal protein consumption was nearly twice as high as plant protein consumption. Meat and meat products made up the majority of the animal protein consumption, while cereals and cereal products made up the majority of plant protein intake.  A look at the relationship between different protein intakes and body mass index revealed:

• As animal protein intake increased, body mass index became greater in men.
• Also in men, eating greater amounts of animal protein resulted in greater waist sizes.
• In men and women, an increasing level of plant protein consumption was linked to both a lower body mass index and a smaller waist size.

This new research study continues to suggest that the consumption of animal protein is linked to an increase in body mass index and waist size, putting individuals at risk for becoming overweight or obese.  In contrast, altering our eating habits to include greater amounts of plant proteins might help support a healthier body weight and reduce our risk of becoming overweight.  Unfortunately, this study's summary does not indicate whether this analysis was done such that it adjusted for caloric content of these foods, as this could impact the final conclusions.  Nonetheless, previous research that did make this adjustment still suggested that red meat consumption was linked to weight gain.  Reducing the amount of animal protein we consume or making healthier choices in the animal proteins we choose to consume can be an important part of our fight against obesity.  Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that the 40 most popular meat products will be required to carry a nutrition facts panel.  The nutrition facts panel will include the total calories and grams of total fat and saturated fat the product contains and any product that lists a lean percentage statement (e.g. "80% lean") on its label also must list its fat percentage.  This information will make it easier for all of us to choose meat products that fit into a healthy diet.

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Weight Loss Success!

Congratulations to Nell and Wanda! 

Wanda lost 80 pounds in seven months and dropped from a size 20 to a size 4 by walking the weight off and eating sensibly.  Her meal plan frequently consisted of bran cereal from breakfast, salad for lunch, a low-calorie entrée for dinner and my bars and shakes between meals.

  

Nell lost 90 lbs in 25 months and dropped from a size 26 to a size 16 at age 71 by eating one of my bars for breakfast, one of my shakes for lunch, a sensible evening meal, and walking for exercise.

Both Nell and Wanda are featured in this week’s Globe magazine for the amazing accomplishments.  Great job, ladies!

†Dieters in a clinical study enjoyed a remarkable 26 to 29 pounds average weight loss in just 16 weeks. Before beginning any weight loss or exercise program, you should consult with your physician. Individual results will vary. Studies were funded in part or in whole by Physicians Laboratories. Testimonials were compensated fairly for appearing. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Dr. Tabor's products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Product names (e.g. smaller belt bbq™) do not imply targeted benefits.

FDA Warns Consumers About Fruta Planta Diet Pills

Another 'miracle' weight loss pill has been found to contain the drug sibutramine, which was marketed as the prescription weight loss pill Meridia before being pulled from the market.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release on December 31st warning consumers not to use Fruta Planta weight loss products because FDA testing has revealed that they are contaminated with sibutramine, a drug withdrawn from the market earlier in December for safety reasons.  Sibutramine is known to cause an increase in blood pressure and/or heart rate in some individuals, thereby posing a potentially serious risk for individuals with poor heart health.  The FDA reports that they have received several reports of adverse events associated with Fruta Planta.

According to the Fruta Planta website, Reduce Weight Fruta Planta is an all natural weight loss pill with the active ingredients lemon, bitter melon, papaya, Benefit fruit, and spirulina maxima.  This diet pill is marketed to help individuals lose weight by reducing their appetite and helping them fight daily hunger cravings WITHOUT diet and WITHOUT exercise.  The manufacturers of Reduce Weight Fruta Planta, PRock Marketing LLC, has voluntarily issued a recall of all lots of their weight loss products in response to the FDA's discovery of sibutramine in them.  According to the FDA, consumers should stop using this product immediately, while the recall notice recommends that consumers should discard the product in a sealed container out of the reach of children and animals or return it to the company.

This is not the first dietary supplement weight loss product found to be contaminated with sibutramine.  Back in July 2010, the FDA warned consumers that the weight loss supplements "Slimming Factor Capsule" and "Slim-30 Herb Supplement" were adulterated with sibutramine.  Both of these products were also marketed as 'all natural' weight loss pills that provide great results, apparently without the need for dieting.

Remember, the best weight loss plans still focus on diet and exercise.  While, weight loss pills can have a place in a healthy weight loss plan, it is important to be careful about the diet pills we choose.  If you are starting a weight loss plan, be sure to discuss your plan with your physician and include a discussion of any diet pills you might be considering.

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Food Prices Impact Healthy Eating

There remains a lot of debate over whether various food pricing strategies can help individuals develop better eating habits and reduce their risk of becoming overweight or obese.  While studies have suggested that increasing the price of unhealthy foods can improve diet quality, other studies have reported that consumers prefer that healthy foods get discounted rather than see an increase in the cost of unhealthy foods. 

A recent nutrition research study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Nutrition explored the relationship between food prices, fast food consumption, and diet quality among U.S. children.  Fast food prices and fruit and vegetable prices were examined in relationship to their dietary consumption by over 6,500 young children and over 1,500 teens who took part in the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals.  While relationships in teens were inconsistent according to the researchers, observations in young children showed that:

• Higher fast food prices were linked to lower consumption of fast foods, higher intakes of dietary fiber, higher calcium consumption, higher dairy consumption, higher intakes of fruits and vegetables, and an improved overall healthy eating index.
• Lower costs of fruits and vegetables were linked to greater fiber consumption and reduced body mass index.

Overall, this newest study continues to suggest that food prices can impact diet quality and childhood obesity.  This particular study suggests that increasing the cost of fast foods reduces the consumption of these foods and increases dietary quality of U.S. children.  This study also points out that the high cost of healthy foods like fruits and vegetables is linked to a higher body mass index.  Unfortunately, the cost of healthy foods appears to still be increasing.  A recent Australian study reported that while healthy eating still requires about 30% of a family's income, the cost of healthy foods continues to rise.   In fact, from 2000 - 2009 the cost of vegetables rose by about 40% and the cost of fruit rose by 64% in Australia. Another study reports that the cost of nutrient dense foods (more healthy) in Seattle, Washington increased by 29% between 2004 - 2008, while the cost of foods with a low nutrient density (less healthy) only increased by 16% over the same time span with the cost of the most nutritious foods being about 9 times greater than the least nutritious foods. 

These studies make it clear that in general healthier foods cost quite a bit more than less nutritious foods and that various pricing strategies like increasing the cost of less nutritious foods and decreasing the cost of healthy foods can impact dietary quality.  While taking both approaches might have the best overall effect of improving our eating habits and reducing our risk for becoming overweight or obese, any increase in food prices will probably not be well received by any of us.  Finding the best and least costly approach to improving the quality of our diets will take a lot of work and almost certainly won't happen right away.  In the meantime, look for nutrient dense foods that fit your budget and try to minimize the amount of energy dense foods in your diet.

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