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Highlights of Recent Research

December 2009

• Systematic Review Finds Higher Protein Intake May Benefit Bone Density
  Combined results of previously published studies suggest small benefit of increased protein intake on bone health.
  
• Vitamin B-12 Deficiency Difficult To Assess in Era of Folate Fortification
  Researchers find that high intake of folate may make diagnosis of vitamin B-12 deficiency difficult—an especially important issue for the elderly.
  
• Fetal and Infant Nutrition and Growth May Influence Timing of Puberty
  Longitudinal clinical study suggests that higher birth weight and/or rapid weight gain in infancy are related to earlier timing of puberty in boys and girls.
  
• Slight Genetic Alterations Can Influence Relation between Dietary Fat and Health
  Three independent studies provide additional evidence that the “best” diet for each of us depends on genetic factors that differ among individuals.
  

November 2009

• More Evidence that Chocolate May Reduce Inflammation
  Controlled clinical study suggests that cocoa positively modulates inflammatory mediators in older individuals with high risk of cardiovascular disease.
  
• Latino Youth Who Increase Fiber Consumption May Lower Risk of Diabetes
  Study suggests that total sugar, added sugar, fructose, and sugary beverages are not related to blood sugar regulation, but more fiber may decrease abdominal obesity in at-risk youth.
  
• Vitamin C Status in the United States: Should We Look beyond Scurvy?
  National data indicate relative vitamin C adequacy in the US, although genetics may play an important role. However, some nutrition experts urge consideration of broader perspective (beyond scurvy prevention) on health outcomes.
  
• Vigorous Activity May Be Especially Important in Curbing Obesity in Kids
  Although “screen time” is positively related to obesity in children, moderate to vigorous activity remains key in curbing weight gain.
  

October 2009

• Consumption of a Vegan Diet Related to Small Decrease in Bone Density
  Meta-analysis of 9 studies suggests that vegans have lower bone density than omnivores, but the difference is relatively small and probably does not affect risk of bone fractures.
  
• Weight-Loss Maintenance Success May Be Related to Brain’s Response to Seeing Food
  Clinical trial shows that brains of individuals who are successful in keeping weight off after dieting respond differently to photos of food than do those of obese individuals.
  
• Fish Consumption during Pregnancy—Balancing the Risks with the Benefits
  Study of mothers and their infants living in Spain provides evidence that high fish consumption during pregnancy may have both risks and benefits.
  
• Nature Is Important, but Can It Be Trumped by Nurture?
  Researchers learn that inherited variations in genes can increase your risk of obesity, but increased physical activity might counteract this effect.