Nibbles: Weight-loss maintenance possible no matter the method used to lose, plus loading up on veggies to stop breast cancer
Maintenance harder for those who lost without surgery
Whether people lose weight through surgery or on their own, they do equally well at maintaining their weight loss, according to a study from Brown University. People who lost weight without surgery were compared to others who had surgery. They’d all kept at least 30 pounds off for an average of 5.5 years before the study started. During the study, both groups gained an average of about four pounds a year but maintained their weight within about 11 pounds of their original weight loss. But maintenance may have been harder for those who didn’t have surgery, since those who did ate more fast food and were less active but were still able to maintain about the same level of weight loss, according to the report in the International Journal of Obesity.
Junk food advertisers prey on parents
Food marketers in the United Kingdom are taking advantage of loopholes in rules that prohibit marketing junk food to kids as well as enticing parents by highlighting the natural ingredients and ease of use of products that are otherwise unhealthy. Kellogg’s Coco Pops Cereal and Milk Bars, for instance, are marketed as a healthy lunchbox treat even though they have 41 grams of sugar. The British Heart Foundation says all junk food ads should be banned before 9 p.m., and marketing should actually help rather than confuse parents.
Tons of produce helps some survivors
Women with breast cancer who don’t have hot flashes after their surgery may be able to prevent a recurrence of the disease by eating lots of fruit and vegetables. Research from the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that getting more fruit and vegetable servings than the daily recommended five could help lower estrogen levels and thus reduce their risk of developing more cancer. But the effect won’t work for all women, the researchers said. Only about 30 percent of those in the study did not have hot flashes, and just 16 percent of those who loaded up on veggies had a recurrence of their cancer, compared to 23 percent among those who didn’t double up on produce.
Heavy kids hurt their extremities in accidents
When overweight kids are involved in car accidents, they’re no more likely than other kids to be injured in general, but they do tend to have more injuries to their arms and legs than other kids do. That’s according to a report from Johns Hopkins University in the journal Injury Prevention. Kids ages 9 to 15 who were involved in accidents were 2.5 times more likely to injure an extremity if they were overweight or obese, even when adjusted for where the child was in the car or whether he or she was wearing a seat belt. Researchers think overweight kids may be more prone to fractures under any circumstances than lighter kids are.
Exercise classes benefit older people
Older adults who take part in easily accessible classes focusing on strength, flexibility and aerobic stamina can improve strength and stamina in as little as five months compared to people who don’t take part in such classes. The classes met the “best practices” guidelines of the Center for Healthy Aging of the National Council on Aging and are commonly available at senior centers or the YMCA. In particular, increased lower extremity strength can help reduce the risk of disability later in life because it may help prevent a debilitating fall.
Snorers burn more calories
Finally, a bit of news that’s not really good for heavy snorers: you actually burn more calories through the day than light snorers. Research from the University of California, San Francisco found that heavy snorers burned about 2,000 calories a day, even when inactive, compared to 1,626 for lighter snorers. Researchers say snoring could be linked to energy metabolism, but it tends to cause people to gain weight even though they may be burning more calories at rest. Obesity is a big risk factor for breathing problems during sleep as well.
(By Sarah E. White for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News)
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