Reduce Belly Fat By Choosing Whole Grains

Current recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 are that we should consume 3 or more 1-ounce servings of whole grains per day to help reduce the risk of several chronic health conditions and potentially support healthy weight control.  Whole grains include cereal grains that consist of the intact and unrefined, ground, cracked or flaked fruit of the grains whose principal components, the starchy endosperm, germ and bran, are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain. While whole grains are an important part of our daily diet on their own, recent research suggests that consuming adequate amounts of whole grains each day also improves our overall diet quality.

Although previous research has suggested that whole grain consumption might help support healthy weight control, the impact of the types of grains we consume on body fat is not completely understood.  A recent nutrition study published in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the impact of dietary grain consumption on changes in abdominal visceral fat (fat found around our internal organs) and abdominal subcutaneous fat (fat found under the skin of our belly).  Dietary information was collected from over 2,800 adult men and women who took part in the Framingham Heart Study by the use of a food frequency questionnaire.  Links between grain (whole versus refined) consumption and measurements of abdominal fat volume were analyzed.  The nutrition researchers reported:

• Individuals in the group with the highest whole grain consumption had the lowest amount of visceral fat and subcutaneous belly fat.
• Eating large amounts of refined grains was linked to higher levels of both subcutaneous belly fat and visceral fat.
• Study subjects who consumed at least three servings of whole grains, but still continued to eat large amounts of refined grains did not see any reduction in abdominal visceral fat.

These are very interesting and important findings that can help guide us toward healthier eating habits.  While it is clear that consuming whole grains might have a variety of possible health and nutritional benefits, this new study points out the importance of increasing our whole grain consumption at the expense of refined grains.  The benefits of whole grain consumption on visceral belly fat reduction were only evident when whole grains replaced refined grains in the diet.  So in addition to getting adequate amounts of whole grains in our diets, make sure to substitute those whole grains for the refined grains many of us currently choose.  Instead of dinner rolls made from refined grains, choose whole grain dinner rolls or instead of consuming a sandwich on bread made for refined grains (most white breads), choose 100% whole wheat bread.

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Body Volume Index To Replace BMI?

BVI (or Body Volume Index) was recently launched as a new measurement of body size/shape designed to eventually replace BMI (Body Mass Index) as a way to assess obesity and heart health risk factors. 

For decades BMI has been the industry standard for determining if a person is at a healthy body weight.  BMI categorizes each of us as underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, or morbidly obese based on whether our weight is appropriate for their height.  While this has been a healthcare standard, BMI has many detractors due to its limitations.  Although BMI provides an easy-to-use tool, it is unable to account for weight distribution and body composition.  This can lead to many people, especially athletes being categorized as overweight or obese due to their level of muscle mass.  Other measures of obesity have been proposed such as waist-to-hip ratio, which many healthcare professionals believed offered a more accurate assessment of body composition than BMI.  However, it appears that BVI has come to the forefront of new body size assessment tools.

BVI is measured using a 7-foot white light scanner into which a person walks to be measured.  A person's body image is scanned using a 3-D camera system with data from the scan being generated and saved into a computer system, which can calculate body volume as well as hundreds of other measurements including BMI, waist size, and waist-to-hip ratio.  According to the BVI website, the scan takes approximately 6 seconds and does not use radiation or lasers.

For validation of the BVI system, a major research collaboration, the Body Benchmark Study, was conducted at several research centers in the UK, Europe and the U.S. with the U.S. tests being conducted at the Mayo Clinic.  Results of these clinical trials indicated that:

• BVI can accurately measure abdominal volume as a proportion of the whole body, giving an accurate assessment of central obesity, a major risk factor for a number of chronic health conditions.
• BVI is able to detect differences in body shape and weight distribution in individuals with the same body mass index.
• BVI measurements were shown to strongly correlate to heart health markers, suggesting that BVI might prove to be an accurate way to determine a person's risk for poor heart health.
• BVI is an accurate and reliable tool to measure a person's obesity-related body characteristics such as waist size and hip size.

Based on these research studies, the BVI can be used to objectively track a person's body changes over time, reduces time and error inherent in manual measurements, and by using person-specific medical data can generate a health risk indicator.

This is a fascinating and important new development in obesity-related healthcare.  This new system, should it become accepted by the medical community, has the possibility to provide new, more accurate ways to assess body shape, size, and obesity and associated health risks.  This allows a very personalized approach to healthcare and intervention strategies to reduce one's risk for numerous chronic health conditions.  While BVI appears to have many benefits, it is system that has to be used in a physician's office and it is unclear how quickly it will appear in hospitals and private practices.  In the meantime, simple measurements we can all do, like BMI (18.5 - 24.9 is a healthy BMI range) and waist-to-hip ratio (0.8 or below for women and 0.95 or below for men), can help us aim for healthy body weight goals.

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Plant Compounds Suppress Inflammation Markers

Obesity has been linked to a low level of chronic inflammation due to the production inflammation-related chemicals by fat cells.  Research has suggested that many of the chronic human health conditions linked to obesity are due to this low-grade chronic inflammation.  Therefore, the concept that reducing the chronic inflammation associated with obesity might help support normal health is receiving a good deal of attention from the scientific and medical communities.  Two recent research studies explored the possibility that natural plant compounds with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties might help suppress obesity-related chronic inflammation.

In the first obesity research study, investigators examined the effect of resveratrol on the production of inflammation-related chemicals from fat tissue.  Resveratrol is one of the main anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory polyphenol compounds found in red grapes.  For this study, obesity researchers treated human fat tissue in order to produce an inflammatory response and then treated the fat tissue with resveratrol to determine if it could suppress this artificially induced inflammation.  The study investigators reported that treating human fat tissue with resveratrol suppressed both the induced secretion of several inflammatory chemicals and the gene expression of these inflammatory chemicals.

A second obesity research study examined the impact of lycopene on the production of inflammation-related chemicals from fat tissue.  Lycopene is the chemical responsible for the red/orange color of many fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes.  To evaluate this possible relationship, investigators cultured fat tissue collected from mice fed a high-fat diet as well as human fat cells.  The obesity researchers reported that treatment of fat cells, both mice and human, with lycopene suppressed both the normal production of chemicals involved with inflammation and the artificially stimulated production of these inflammation chemicals. 

Both of these cell culture studies suggest that natural plant chemicals with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties might be able to suppress the chronic inflammation associated with obesity.  With the high rate of obesity and the link between obesity, inflammation, and human health, methods to reduce obesity-related inflammation could be very beneficial.  Additional studies will be needed to determine if natural plant chemicals like resveratrol and lycopene can have the same anti-inflammatory benefits when consumed and how much is needed in the diet to obtain these possible benefits.  Fortunately, many of these natural chemicals are found in fruits and vegetables, giving us additional reasons to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  In addition to being sources of some of these anti-inflammatory chemicals, fruits and vegetables are nutrient rich and low in calories, making them and essential part of a healthy, well balanced diet.

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De-Stress To Fight Body Fat

Stress... we are all subject to it.  We live in a fast-paced world that includes many daily stressors such as traffic snarls, discord in families, financial problems, illness, employment worries and more.  Unfortunately, stress can potentially lead to all kinds of health-related issues.  Stress has also been implicated in weight gain.  While we each handle our daily stress in our own particular way, some individuals find comfort in food, particularly high-fat foods.  Research suggests that chronic stress can alter metabolism and appetite hormones, which can lead to altered eating behaviors.

A new obesity research study explored this phenomenon further.  For this study, adult female rats were fed either a regular chow diet or a high-fat diet and exposed to either their stress-free home environment or exposed to chronic variable stress for 4 weeks.  The results of this study showed that:

• Animals fed a high-fat diet, regardless of their environment, gained weight, total body fat, and abdominal body fat.
• Body weight gain in stressed rats eating either the chow or high-fat diet was similar to unstressed rats fed the chow diet.
• Rats exposed to chronic stress and fed a high-fat diet became more fat, despite not having a different body weight compared to control rats.

These are interesting study results due to discrete differences in how the animals responded to high-fat diets and chronic stress.  First, a high-fat diet on its own, as one might expect, led to a gain in body weight and a gain in body fat.  In comparison, stressed rats fed a high-fat diet did not gain any more body weight than control rats, but became fatter.  The authors of this study suggest that chronic stress appears to increase the number of calories burned, keeping body weight gain similar to the control rats.  Despite this, stressed animals had altered levels of some hormones and a preferential increase in body fat.  Therefore, while stress might not always cause us to gain weight, it might cause us to gain body fat.

Minimizing the amount of daily stress to which we are exposed might be one way we can reduce our risk for overeating and obesity.  While there are probably hundreds of ways to combat stress, I've outlined a few ideas below:

• Focus on the positive - focusing on the negative can lead to constant worrying and additional stress.
• Exercise – exercise helps you get your mind off whatever is stressing you, making it a great stress reliever.
• Find ways to relax – enjoy nature in a quiet spot, work on a hobby you like, talk and laugh with trusted family members and friends, listen to your favorite music, or read a good book.
• Add a few “I want to’s” into your daily or weekly routine.  It’s ok to treat yourself every once in a while.
• Learn to say “no” - saying “yes” to all requests might make you feel that others are taking advantage of you, causing undue stress.
• Laugh out loud - laughter can relieve stress and lighten one's mood.
• Take a day or a half day and do something for yourself.
• Take a nap - naps may help reduce stress and increase alertness and productivity

Stress can come from many sources and can sneak up on us before we realize it.  So, be proactive and incorporate some stress-relieving activities into your daily routine. 

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Vitamin D - How Much Do We Need?

Vitamin D has been a hotly debated micronutrient over the last few years.  Current dietary recommendations as set by the Institute of Medicine are that adults up to 50 years of age require 200 International Units (IU) per day, that adults 51 - 70 years of age should obtain 400 IU per day, and adults over 70 years of age should get 600 IU per day.  For purposes of safety the Institute of Medicine has set a tolerable upper level intake at 2,000 IU per day.  Since these recommendations were set, science has continued to explore the health benefits of vitamin D with many of these studies suggesting that much higher doses of vitamin D are needed to achieve health benefits beyond meeting basic nutritional requirements.  The weight of the evidence for a higher daily recommendation has led the Institute of Medicine to re-evaluate their recommendations for dietary vitamin D with a final report due to be released in the very near future.

In an attempt to provide relevant data for the re-evaluation of dietary vitamin D recommendations, a new vitamin D research study aimed at determining the appropriate amounts of vitamin D for health benefits and safety was conducted.  For their assessment of vitamin D the nutrition researchers analyzed previously published research trials on the potential benefits of vitamin D for fractures, falls, heart health, and cancer and on the safety of vitamin D at high doses.  The results of this data analysis showed:

• Fractures - Doses of vitamin D between 482-770 IU per day reduced the risk for non-vertebral fractures by about 20% and reduced the risk for hip fractures by about 18%.  Lower doses of vitamin D did not reduce fracture risk.  Optimum fracture prevention occurred with blood levels of vitamin D between 75-110 nmol/L (30-44 ng/ml).
• Fall Prevention - the risk of falling was reduced by 19% when vitamin D was consumed at doses of 700-1,000 IU per day, while lower doses did not reduce the risk of falls.  Optimum fall prevention was observed when blood levels of vitamin D were between 75-100 nmol/L.
• Non-Skeletal Endpoints - data collected and analyzed from studies on the impact of vitamin D on cancer, heart health, hypertension, and overall mortality suggest that optimum benefits were achieved with a blood level of vitamin D around 100 nmol/L.
• Safety - Elevated calcium levels are typically used to measure vitamin D toxicity.  According to this new report, vitamin D intake up to 100,000 IU per day or blood levels up to about 640 nmol/L had no effect on average blood calcium levels.  While a handful of individual case reports of elevated calcium were identified, all the relevant cases occurred at vitamin D blood levels higher than 500 nmol/L.

This is an important study that might well influence new dietary recommendations for vitamin D.   According to these study results, an optimum blood level of vitamin D for a range of health benefits is between 70-110 nmol/L.  The study investigators indicated that this level can be obtained by consuming between 1,800-4,000 IU vitamin D per day.  This daily consumption amount is substantially higher than the current upper limit of 2,000 IU per day as set by the Institute of Medicine.  However, based on the data from this study, doses much higher than this had no toxicity.  In those cases where elevated calcium was observed, blood levels of vitamin D were 4 to 5 times higher than the optimum levels.  Based on these study results, consuming 1,800-4,000 IU per day appears to have numerous health benefits with little or no risk of toxicity.

In addition to the health endpoints examined in this study, a previous study has suggested that vitamin D might support weight loss. In this study, a vitamin D blood level of 30 ng/ml was associated with a weight loss of about 12 pounds.  A blood level of 30 ng/ml is equivalent to 75 nmol/L and is thus within the optimum range defined by the latest study.

According to this latest study, consumption of 400-800 IU per day leaves about 50% of the adult population with below-optimum blood levels of vitamin D.  It will be interesting to see if the Institute of Medicine changes their recommendation for vitamin D intake and if so to what level. 

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Walking Promotes Normal Memory Health

Physical activity is a vitally important part of a healthy lifestyle, particularly moderate-intensity exercise, which has been linked to a number of health benefits.  Moderate-intensity exercise can be achieved in a number of ways, including something as simple as taking a brisk walk.  One proposed benefit of walking is an improvement in brain function; however, long-term studies showing the true benefit have been lacking.

A new research study explored the effect of walking on brain size, specifically gray matter size, and memory health in 299 older adults (average age of 78 years).  To determine the impact of physical activity on brain and memory function, the study investigators measured the number of blocks walked over a 1 week period, scanned the volunteers brains 9 years after measuring physical activity, and measured memory function after 13 years.  According to the study summary and related press release, the study results indicated that:

• The amount walked over a 1 week period ranged from 0 to 300 blocks with an average of about 56 blocks.
• Brain size was greater after 9 years in individuals who walked at least 72 blocks (about 6 - 9 miles) per week (or about a mile per day) compared to individuals who walked less than 72 blocks per week.
• After 13 years, walking 72 blocks per week reduced the risk of memory loss by 2-fold.

This is excellent news.  Exercise, including walking, has been linked to numerous health benefits.  This new research indicates that walking about one mile per day might reduce the risk of memory impairment, the stage of memory loss before dementia.  This reduced risk of memory loss was linked to greater brain size in individuals who walked about one mile per day.  Aging has been linked to a reduction in brain size, but this new research suggests that a moderate-intensity exercise like walking can help protect against a loss of brain volume.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "if you're doing moderate-intensity activity you can talk, but not sing, during the activity. If you're doing vigorous-intensity activity, you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath".  While we all know that walking is a great part of any weight loss program, this new research also suggests that walking can help promote normal memory health.  So get out and walk whenever possible!

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Dim The Lights?

We all understand that obesity is the result of many factors, with the best known factors being a lack of physical activity and the consumption of too much food.  However, other factors are known to have additional effects on a person's risk for becoming obese.  While some of these factors appear to be genetic, others appear to be environmental.  For example, a lack of adequate amounts of sleep has been linked to one's risk for obesity and can impact dieting success.  A potentially related nighttime phenomenon, "light at night", has recently been suggested to impact body weight.

A new obesity research study examined the potential relationship between nighttime light exposure (or "light at night") and body mass in male mice.  The obesity researchers housed mice under different lighting conditions (standard light/dark cycle, dim light, or bright light) over the 8-week study period and measured changes in body weight, food intake, physical activity, and metabolism.  The study investigators reported:

• Mice housed in bright light and dim light showed an increase in body weight as early as the first week of the study compared to mice housed in a normal light/dark cycle.
• The increase in body weight was at least partly due to an increase in fat mass in the mice exposed to light at night.
• Total daily physical activity and food intake was not different between mice housed in different lighting conditions; however, differences were noted in the timing of eating.
• Mice housed in dim light consumed about 55% of their food during the light phase, which is a shift in the normal eating habits of nocturnal mice.  The mice housed in normal light conditions consumed only about 36% of their food during the light phase.
• Limiting food consumption of mice housed in dim lighting conditions to only normal eating times prevented weight gain.

This is a fascinating study that suggests even low amounts of light at night, about equivalent to twilight with a clear sky, alters metabolism, alters the timing of regular food consumption, and promotes weight gain.  While these are interesting results, it will be more interesting to see if this holds true in human beings.  Our internal body clock helps to determine many of the schedules we keep including when we eat and when we sleep.  Because the hormone melatonin is closely involved in our internal clock and is affected by light exposure, changes in melatonin might be partly responsible for this disruption in normal metabolism and eating behaviors.  As a population, we are typically exposed to high amounts of light at night from computers, television, and other artificial sources of light.  While watching television and sitting in front of a computer can increase our chances of gaining weight due to a lack of physical activity, these results imply that exposure to their artificial light might negatively effect our dietary habits.  However, much more research will be needed to clarify this relationship as well as the level of impact it might have.

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