Most of us are familiar with the term, Body Mass Index, or BMI, as an index to determine healthy body weight. But, calculating BMI involves a complex formula weight in pounds is multiplied by 703, and then divided by height in inches squared. Charts or online calculators are then used to show a “healthy weight range” given an individuals height that corresponds to the “healthy range BMI.” For example, a BMI chart indicates that a healthy range BMI of 19 to 24 translates to a “healthy weight range” of 120 to 150 pounds for a 5foot, 6inch individual.

If this sounds way too complicated to you, youre not alone. George Fernandez, a professor of applied statistics and director of the Center for Research Design and Analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno, set out to give people a simpler way of calculating their healthy weight, and one that wouldnt require charts or online calculators. In addition, he doesnt think the “range” approach sticks in individuals minds.

“We need a “Maximum Weight Limit, or MWL,” he said, “one number that we know we cant go over, just like a speed limit.”

So, using SAS software and statistical procedures, he discovered a much simpler way of calculating a Maximum Weight Limit, which closely corresponds to weight recommendations listed on BMI charts. But, you dont need to calculate or know your BMI, nor do you need a chart or online calculator to figure out your Maximum Weight Limit. Fernandez will present his Maximum Weight Limit calculation at the Nevada Public Health Association Conference, 130 p.m., Sept. 22 at the University of Nevada, Renos Joe Crowley Student Union, Room 423.

“Its a very simple calculation that most of us can do in our heads,” he explained. For men and women, there is a baseline height and weight. For men, the baseline is 5feet, 9inches tall and a Maximum Weight Limit of 175 pounds, meaning that a 5foot, 9inch tall man should weigh no more than 175 pounds. For women, the baseline is 5feet tall and a Maximum Weight Limit of 125 pounds.

“These are nice round numbers that people can easily remember 5feet, 9inches tall, 175 pounds for man; and 5feet tall, 125 pounds for a woman,” explained Fernandez.

From that starting point, you simply calculate how much taller or shorter you are, in inches. Then, if you are man, you add or subtract 5 pounds for every inch you are taller or shorter than 5 feet, 9 inches. So, if you are 5feet, 11inches tall, you are 2 inches taller than the baseline of 5 feet, 9 inches. You add 5 pounds for each of those 2 inches, 10 pounds, to the baseline Maximum Weight Limit of 175. So, your Maximum Weight Limit is 185 (175 pounds plus 10 pounds). Women add or subtract 4.5 pounds for each inch they differ from the baseline height of 5feet tall.

These Maximum Weight Limits correspond very closely to BMIs of 25.5 for men and 24.5 for women. A BMI of 18.5 to 25 BMI is diagnosed as the “healthy range.” Fernandez used a slightly lower BMI base for women and a slightly higher one for men because, on average, women have less muscle mass than men. Although some have debated using BMI as a means for calculating healthy weight because it does not take into account factors such as muscle mass, for example, it has been shown to work as a basis for calculating a healthy weight for more than 90 percent of the population and is the most universally used index in weight management programs.

“Now people can calculate their own Maximum Weight Limit, based on the BMI index, but without any calculators or charts,” Fernandez said. “And, all they have to remember is that one number, 185 pounds for example, which is easier for most people than retaining a weight range, such as 155 to 185 pounds.”

Fernandez also noted that this simple formula could be very useful in medically underserved areas of the world, and for individuals without access to technology and charts.

“Anyone, anywhere can calculate their Maximum Weight Limit if they know their height and this simple formula,” he said. “People can calculate this in their heads and remember this.”

Source
Claudene Wharton

Juice extracted from North American lowbush blueberries, biotransformed with bacteria from the skin of the fruit, holds great promise as an antiobesity and antidiabetic agent. The study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, was conducted by researchers from the Université de Montréal, the Institut ArmandFrappier and the Université de Moncton who tested the effects of biotransformed juices compared to regular blueberry drinks on mice.

“Results of this study clearly show that biotransformed blueberry juice has strong antiobesity and antidiabetic potential,” says senior author Pierre S. Haddad, a pharmacology professor at the Université de Montréals Faculty of Medicine. “Biotransformed blueberry juice may represent a novel therapeutic agent, since it decreases hyperglycemia in diabetic mice and can protect young prediabetic mice from developing obesity and diabetes.”

The scientists tested the effect of biotransformed blueberry juice on a group of mice prone to obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and hypertension. Incorporating biotransformed blueberry juice into the water of mice reduced their food intake and their body weight. “These mice were an excellent model that closely resembles obesity and obesitylinked type 2 diabetes in humans,” says Dr. Haddad, who is also director of the CIHR Team in Aboriginal AntiDiabetic Medicines at the Université de Montréal.

Biotransformation of the blueberry juice was achieved with a new strain of bacteria isolated from the blueberry flora, specifically called Serratia vaccinii, which increases the fruits antioxidant effects. “The identification of the active compounds in biotransformed blueberry juice may result in the discovery of promising new antiobesity and antidiabetic molecules,” says Dr. Haddad.

As for the impact of blueberry products on diabetes, says Tri Vuong, lead author and recent PhD graduate from the Université de Montréals Department of Pharmacology “Consumption of fermented blueberry juice gradually and significantly reduced high blood glucose levels in diabetic mice. After three days, our mice subjects reduced their glycemia levels by 35 percent.”

About the Study
The article “Antiobesity and antidiabetic effects of biotransformed blueberry juice in KKAy mice,” published in the International Journal of Obesity, was authored by Tri Vuong, Ali BenhaddouAndaloussi, Antoine Breault , Despina Harbilas, Louis C. Martineau, Pierre S. Haddad of the Université de Montréal and Diane Vallerand, C. Ramassamy of the Institut ArmandFrappier, C. Matar of the Université de Moncton.

Partners in Research
This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Fonds de recherche sur la nature et les technologies.

Source
SylvainJacques Desjardins

Western societies are struggling to pay for their ever increasing medical budgets. In the US up to 393 billion US$ were spent in 2005 for cardiovascular diseases alone. Based on epidemiologic studies in primary prevention it is reasonable to estimate that 30% of coronary heart disease and stroke could be prevented by 2.5 hours of brisk walking per week and approximately 284,886 cardiovascular deaths could be prevented per year in the US alone. With regard to metabolic disorders the figures are even more devastating 91% of cases of diabetes type II may be attributed to highrisk behaviour including BMI>25, low fiber/high fat diet, sedentary lifestyle, and smoking.

In todays obesogenic environment regular physical exercise is more important than ever to reduce cardiovascular events. It does so (1) by modifying classical cardiovascular risk factors and (2) by direct shear stressmediated effects on the vascular endothelium and on the release of vascular endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Data from epidemiologic studies are clear ad 1) Regular physical exercise improves glycemic control and prevents the development of overt type diabetes in patients with pathologic glucose tolerance. On a molecular basis regular exercise increases the velocity of glucose uptake into the skeletal muscle which reduces glucose levels and improves insulin action. As hyperglycemia may induce endothelial dysfunction, an improved glycemic control is directly associated with improved vasoreactivity. Regular exercise also reduces hypertension and hypercholesterolemia resulting in improved endothelial function. Ad 2) the most immediate effect of exercise on the vascular endothelium is related to the intermittent increase in blood flow, which occurs necessarily during physical activities Endothelial cells sense even minor increases in shear stress by the deformation of their cytoskeleton and of transmembrane proteins. In recent years our understanding of the biochemical pathways activated by increased shear stress has been greatly enhanced Today we know that the expression and the activity of the nitric oxide (NO)producing nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is increased and that detoxification of NOdegrading oxidative radicals is enhanced.

It is never too late to start exercising Even in the presence of overt cardiovascular diseases (e.g. after acute myocardial infarction) endurance training will significantly increase your survival. As documented by metaanalysis of exercise interventions in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) cardiac mortality is reduced by one third. Among the mechanisms mediating the reduced cardiac event rate are improvement of endotheliumdependent vasodilation, reduced progression of coronary lesions, reduced thrombogenic risk, and improved collateralization.

Traditionally, training interventions were viewed as an adjunct therapy to routine interventional strategies in CAD. While this is certainly true for patients immediately post acute coronary syndromes, the prognostic benefit of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) is questionable among patients with stable CAD, in whom more than 50% of all interventions are performed.

Recent clinical trials compared exercise training to an interventional strategy in stable CAD patients. To investigators surprise, the 12 months exercise therapy was associated with a higher eventfree survival as compared to conventional percutaneous coronary intervention. This result underscores that by treating the most significant lesion with PCI, the progression of atherosclerosis in other areas of the coronary tree is left unaltered. Exercise, on the other hand, reduces plaque progression, improves endothelial function and collateral formation, and reduces thrombogenic risk in the entire vascular bed.

“Before time runs out, we must make physical activity and health education a number one priority of our public health system. Interventions need to start as early as in childhood, when unhealthy eating habits are coined and sedentary lifestyle is copied from adults” concluded Prof Hambrecht. “The degree to which unhealthy behaviour is regarded a private issue must be publicly discussed. A balance needs to be struck between a reasonable minimum effort of the individual to reduce the healthcare costs and intrusion of an investigative healthcare system into personal lifestyle. The knowledge and the guidelines are there to support regular physical activity, the major issue is implementation.”

Source
Jacquelline Partarrieu

The Alabama Obesity Task Force, a volunteer group interested in preventing and reducing obesity in Alabama, was recently provided the opportunity to join the Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE).

Miriam Gaines, the chair of the Obesity Task Force and director of the Alabama Department of Public Healths Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, says, “The task force is honored to join the action of ACE and looks forward to functioning as a resource for community leaders in their efforts to lower the incidence and prevalence of obesity in individual communities.”

ACE, created in 2002, is a comprehensive approach to economic and community development with partners from the private sector, governmental agencies, utility and construction companies, as well as universities and other interested groups, working together to successfully aid Alabamas smaller communities in their efforts to plan, grow and prosper. As quality of life issues such as healthcare and wellness are vital to a communitys success, the Alabama Obesity Task Force was invited to partner with ACE.

“We welcome the Obesity Task Force as a member of the ACE Associates Council.Healthcare and wellness programs are an important component of a successful and vibrant community. This partnership will help provide Alabamas communities with the information they need to help reduce and prevent obesity in their areas thereby improving the quality of life for each citizen,” said Stacey Bryan, ACE state coordinator.

On Sept. 30 ACE will hold its annual community kickoff at the Renaissance Hotel in Montgomery. This daylong event will feature speakers on a variety of topics selected to aid communities in enhancing their quality of life and building a better community. In addition to the seminars, the program will provide participants with oneonone time to meet with representatives from various organizations, such as the Alabama Obesity Task Force, to discuss the potential programs and services available for use in their communities. Anyone interested in building a better community may register for this event by paying the appropriate fee and completing a registration form. Advance registration is required with the deadline of Sept. 18. A discount is available for registration before Sept. 4. For more information on the event, including a registration form, please visit the ACE Web site at alabamacommunitiesofexcellence.org.

The Alabama Obesity Task Forces mission is “Working toward the prevention and reduction of obesity for a healthier Alabama.” City leaders interested in additional information should stop by the task forces exhibit during the ACE Community Kickoff. Several board and task force members will be present to provide information and assistance to parties interested in lowering the prevalence and slowing the incidence of obesity in their communities.

Michael Jackson, a member of the task force board and president of The DuBois Institute, said, “We encourage community leaders interested in improving the rate of obesity to get a copy of the state plan and implement environmental and policy changes at the local level.” The Alabama Obesity Task Force meets in Clanton quarterly. Additional information can be found on its Web site

Women with a large waist are more likely to develop asthma even if they have a normal body weight, suggests research published ahead of print in Thorax. US researchers also confirmed a link between excess weight and asthma severity and prevalence.

Obesity is a risk factor for adult asthma, especially in women, but few studies have looked at the relationship between abdominal obesity (large waist size) and asthma.

Researchers from California led by the Northern California Cancer Centers Berkeley team of scientists, used data from the California Teachers Study, which began in 1995. This involves 133,479 female teachers and school administrators either employed in the California public school system or retired and receiving retirement benefits.

Women participants answered questionnaires in 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2005.

The researchers analysed 88,304 women and found that 11,500 (13%) of them were obese in 1995, including 1,334 who were extremely obese.

They looked at three groups of women those with adult onset asthma, and those with adult onset asthma who were not overweight at age 18.

Compared with women of normal weight body mass index (BMI) below 25 women who were obese were more than twice as likely to have adult onset asthma, and extremely obese women were more than three times more likely to have asthma.

The researchers also found that large waist circumference (more than 88 cm) was associated with increased asthma prevalence even among women with a normal BMI.

Women who were obese and overweight were at greater risk of severe asthma attacks, shown by urgent medical visits and hospital admissions.

The authors said “All measures of obesity were strongly associated with increased asthma prevalence. Even being modestly overweight was associated with higher asthma prevalence in this population.”

A large waist circumference was also associated with modestly increased asthma prevalence among women who were of normal weight based on BMI, they added.

The researchers conclude “These findings are particularly troubling because a majority of American adults are now overweight or obese. The current prevalence of obesity in US adults is estimated at 32% and the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined is 66%.

“Abdominal obesity is increasing faster than overall obesity. According to an analysis of data from the 20034 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 61% of US women were abdominally obese based on waist circumference.”

Citation
“Obesity, waist size and prevalence of current asthma in the California Teachers Study cohort.”
Thorax 2009; doi 10.1136/thx.2009.114579

Research published ahead of print in Thorax reports that women with a large waist are more likely to develop asthma even if they have a normal body weight. In addition, US researchers established a link between excess weight and asthma severity and occurrence.

Obesity is a risk factor for adult asthma, especially in women. However, few studies have considered the connection between large waist size (abdominal obesity) and asthma.

A team of scientists from The Northern California Cancer Centers Berkeley led a group of researchers from California. They used data from the California Teachers Study, which began in 1995. This included 133,479 female teachers and school administrators. All were either employed in the California public school system or retired and receiving retirement benefits.

The participants answered successive questionnaires (in 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2005).

After analyzing 88,304 women, results showed that 13 percent of them (11,500 women) were obese in 1995, including 1,334 who were extremely obese.

Several groups of women were studied those with adult onset asthma, and those with adult onset asthma who were not overweight at age 18.

Findings pointed out that women who were obese were more than twice as likely to have adult onset asthma, and extremely obese women were more than three times more likely to have asthma, compared with women of normal weight or body mass index (BMI) below 25.

In addition, the researchers found that a large waist circumference of more than 88 cm was linked with increased asthma incidence even among women with a normal BMI.

According to emergency medical visits and hospital admissions, women who were obese and overweight were at greater risk of severe asthma attacks.

The authors explain “All measures of obesity were strongly associated with increased asthma prevalence. Even being modestly overweight was associated with higher asthma prevalence in this population.”

They added that a large waist circumference was also linked with some increased asthma prevalence among women who were of normal weight based on BMI.

The researchers write in conclusion “These findings are particularly troubling because a majority of American adults are now overweight or obese. The current prevalence of obesity in US adults is estimated at 32% and the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined is 66%.”

“Abdominal obesity is increasing faster than overall obesity. According to an analysis of data from the 2003 4 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 61% of US women were abdominally obese based on waist circumference.”

“Obesity, waist size and prevalence of current asthma in the California Teachers Study cohort”
J Von Behren, M Lipsett, P L HornRoss, R J Delfino, F Gilliland, R McConnell,L Bernstein, C A Clarke, P Reynolds
doi10.1136/thx.2009.114579
Thorax

What steps have public officials in your state or community taken to combat childhood obesity? The percentage of American adolescents who are obese has tripled in just 35 years. Local governments play a crucial role by shaping environments that make it either easy or hard for families to find fresh fruits and vegetables, play outdoors, walk, and otherwise eat healthy and be physically active. LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACTIONS TO PREVENT CHILDHOOD OBESITY, a new report from the Institute of Medicine, offers action steps that officials at the regional and community levels can use to help reduce childhood obesity, one of the most serious and expensive health problems facing the nation.

The release of this report provides an opportunity to examine initiatives taking place across the country. The report highlights 10 examples of how local officials have promoted healthier lifestyles in communities ranging from big cities to small towns.

Public Briefing Members of the committee that wrote the report will be available to discuss their recommendations and take questions at a public briefing starting at 11 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Sept. 1, in the Lecture Room of the National Academy of Sciences building, 2100 C St., N.W., Washington, D.C. Those who cannot attend may listen to a live audio webcast and submit questions through a link that will be available at nationalacademies.org on Sept. 1.

Participating from the committee that wrote the report Eduardo J. Sanchez (chair), vice president and chief medical officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Peggy Beltrone, commissioner, Cascade County Commission, Great Falls, Mont.

Mary T. Story, professor of epidemiology and community health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

Adewale Troutman, director, Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, Louisville, Ky.

Antronette (Toni) K. Yancey, professor of health services, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles Source
Christine Stencel

As we all know from experience, people eat not only because they are hungry, but also because the food just simply tastes too good to pass up. Now, a new study in the August 6th Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, helps to explain how leptin, a hormone produced by fat tissue, influences that motivation to eat.

The researchers describe for the first time a new bunch of leptinresponsive (LepRb) neurons in the brains lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). Those LHA neurons feed directly into the mesolimbic dopamine system seated in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain, which controls the rewarding properties we assign to things.

“Dopaminergic neurons in the VTA and their downstream targets represent the site of action for drugs of abuse, and also control motivation for food, sex or a fancy car,” explained Martin Myers, Jr., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Put simply, “they control our wanting of stuff.”

The study therefore adds to growing evidence that leptin doesnt turn the appetite on and off just by controlling satiety for instance, whether we feel hungry or full.

“Most who have studied leptin in the brain have focused on an important circuit in the ARC,” and the leptinresponsive neurons there, Myers said. ARC stands for arcuate nucleus and is an area in the brains hypothalamus that controls energy balance by controlling satiety. “It has been assumed that leptin action in the ARC if not the be all and end all was responsible for the vast majority of leptins effect on appetite.”

But in fact, neurons bearing leptin receptors exist in many other parts of the brain too. Earlier studies revealed the role of leptin action on the VTA and its influence on dopamine. The new findings show that leptin also has direct effects on the LHA, which in turn exerts greater influence on the dopamine system of the VTA.

The new study shows that leptin injected in the LHAs of rats causes the animals to eat less and lose weight. Leptin action in the LHA also raises dopamine content in the brains of otherwise leptindeficient animals.

While in general higher dopamine release tends to be associated with wanting things food or something else Myers said he suspects the higher dopamine at baseline may in fact dampen the response to food temptations, making them easier to resist.

“Some people may overeat rewarding food because of a perceived reward deficit,” Myers suggested. “When leptin is turned up, it might fix that deficit and make us feel better about a lot of things.”

Its not yet clear how the leptinresponsive neurons in the LHA and VTA work together to control dopamine and with it our motivations, according to the researchers.

“The unique roles played by these subpopulations of LHA LepRb neurons, as well as those played by VTA LepRb neurons, remain unclear, but could include the requirement for leptin to differentially regulate specific populations of midbrain dopamine neurons and/or to distinctly modulate the incentive for feeding relative to other behaviors. Going forward, it will be important to determine how these various populations of mesolimbic dopamine systeminteracting LepRb neurons differ in terms of their wiring and the control of different aspects of mesolimbic dopamine signaling.”

The new findings do highlight the LHA neurons as a major link between leptins anorectic action and the mesolimbic dopamine system, they conclude. “These findings reveal important mechanisms that underlie the regulation of the mesolimbic dopamine system by a crucial signal of energy stores. In the future, it will be crucial to address the potential dysregulation of these neurons in states of obesity.”

The researchers include Gina M. Leinninger, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; YoungHwan Jo, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; Rebecca L. Leshan, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Gwendolyn W. Louis, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Hongyan Yang, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Jason G. Barrera, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; Hilary Wilson, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; Darren M. Opland, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Miro A. Faouzi, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Yusong Gong, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Justin C. Jones, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Christopher J. Rhodes, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Streamson Chua, Jr., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; Sabrina Diano, Yale University, New Haven, CT; Tamas L. Horvath, Yale University, New Haven, CT; Randy J. Seeley, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Jill B. Becker, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Heike Munzberg, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; and Martin G. Myers Jr., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

Source
Cathleen Genova

Many experimental studies have found that physical exercise can improve cholesterol levels and subsequently decrease the risks of cardiovascular disease; however, few of these studies have included enough participant diversity to provide ethnic breakdowns. Now, a longterm study of over 8,700 middleaged men and women provides race and gender specific data on the cholesterol effects of physical activity, with the interesting result that women, particularly AfricanAmerican women, experience greater benefits as a result of exercise than men.

The analysis of this large Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, which appears in the August issue of Journal of Lipid Research, was carried out by Keri Monda and colleagues at North Carolina and Baylor. They found that over a 12 year period, all individuals who increased their exercise by about 180 metabolic units per week (equivalent to an additional hour of mild or 30 minutes of moderate activity per week) displayed decreased levels of triglycerides and increased levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol. However, statistically significant decreases in the “bad” LDL cholesterol were only observed in women, with particularly strong effects in menopausal women and AfricanAmerican women. And total cholesterol levels were only significantly decreased in AfricanAmerican women.

The authors speculate that these novel differences may arise from hormonal differences between the sexes, especially considering the extra effects seen postmenopause. The racial differences observed may stem from genetic variations that require further exploration.

The authors do also note that their exercise data was assessed by questionnaire and this was nonscientific, though the particular methodology used has been extremely reliable in other studies. They also note that all evaluated participants were healthy, so these results cannot be generalized to individuals with diabetes or those on cholesterollowering medications.

From the article Longitudinal impact of physical activity on lipid profiles in middleaged adults the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, by Keri L. Monda, Christie M. Ballantyne and Kari North

Source
Nick Zagorski

The American Dietetic Association has released an updated position paper on vegetarian diets that concludes such diets, if wellplanned, are healthful and nutritious for adults, infants, children and adolescents and can help prevent and treat chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes.

ADAs position, published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, represents the Associations official stance on vegetarian diets

“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Wellplanned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes.”

ADAs position and accompanying paper were written by Winston Craig, PhD, MPH, RD, professor and chair of the department of nutrition and wellness at Andrews University; and Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, nutrition advisor at the Vegetarian Resource Group, Baltimore, Md.

The revised position paper incorporates new topics and additional information on key nutrients for vegetarians, vegetarian diets in the life cycle and the use of vegetarian diets in prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. “Vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle,” according to ADAs position. “There are many reasons for the rising interest in vegetarian diets. The number of vegetarians in the United States is expected to increase over the next decade.”

Vegetarian diets are often associated with health advantages including lower blood cholesterol levels, lower risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure levels and lower risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, according to ADAs position. “Vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and have higher levels of dietary fiber, magnesium and potassium, vitamins C and E, folate, carotenoids, flavonoids and other phytochemicals. These nutritional differences may explain some of the health advantages of those following a varied, balanced vegetarian diet.”

The position paper draws on results from ADAs evidence analysis process and information from the ADA Evidence Analysis Library to show vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate in pregnancy and result in positive maternal and infant health outcomes. Additionally, an evidencebased review showed a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease.

A section in ADAs paper on vegetarian diets and cancer has been significantly expanded to provide details on cancerprotective factors in vegetarian diets. An expanded section on osteoporosis includes roles of fruits, vegetables, soy products, protein, calcium, vitamins D and K and potassium in bone health. “Registered dietitians can provide information about key nutrients, modify vegetarian diets to meet the needs of those with dietary restrictions due to disease or allergies and supply guidelines to meet needs of clients in different areas of the life cycle,” the authors said.

The American Dietetic Association is the worlds largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nations health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the American Dietetic Association at eatright.org.

Source
Jennifer Starkey