Health and Nutrition News: July

Every few Fridays, I like to make a collection of news stories that revolve around the field of Food Science, Human Nutrition, Vegetarianism, and other Health News. These are studies or reports that are not only super interesting, but also really work to open my mind and remind me that these fields are constantly evolving and finding new information. Click on the links for more info!

Something I don't normally post: a group called Stop The Beauty Madness has released a ton of pictures that reveal how unrealistic and poisonous societal beauty standards are for women. The photos tackle weight, age, ethnicity, and many other social constructs that are used to judge and demoralize individuals. As someone who has a sociology minor and a huge interest in women's studies and feminism, I couldn't resist adding that in here. In my opinion it also relates to health, as mental health and physical health are so interlinked.

According to Cornell Food and Brand Lab, exercise that feels like work can lead to an increase in mindless snacking afterwards. The study took various participants on a hike, framing it as either a "scenic" hike or a "workout" hike. Those on the "workout" hike ended up eating more pudding at lunchtime, and those who were on the scenic hike (particularly those who were encouraged to listen to music) ate far fewer M&Ms afterwards. 

University at Buffalo has found that weight loss treatments for preschoolers are more effective when parents are also included in the weight loss program, particularly when the parents are educated about nutritional choices from trained staff.

Not surprisingly, a recent study found that the earlier a woman starts her first diet, the more likely she is to have adverse health effects. The Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior found that those who dieted young have a higher chance of obsessive food behaviors (such as eating disorders) and obesity, along with alcohol misuse.

Turns out that one of the major genes that codes for obesity (MC4R gene) actually changes the body's response to how indulgent food is responded to by the pleasure centers in the brain. It turns out that obese individuals with the gene mutation have the same reward-center activity in their brains as non-obese people when looking at food, which is higher than those who are obese without the gene change. This means that those who are obese without the mutated gene actually feel less of a reward when they eat high-fat and high-sugar foods, which could be a reason that they overeat-- they need more food to feel the same amount of reward as non-obese or MC4R-mutated individuals. (But as initial studies go, it could also mean absolutely nothing; we shall see!)

The Endocrine Society has found that Vitamin D intake correlates with schizophrenia. The study concluded that "vitamin D-deficient individuals are twice as likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia as people who have sufficient levels of the vitamin" (source). Yet another reason to get outside this summer! 

Exercising can help you quit smoking faster, particularly if you have a mental illness. According to Concordia University, smokers who were depressed often were able to resist smoking after even moderate exercise (like a walk). While the exercise didn't have to treat the depression itself, it seems like the activity helped reduce withdrawal symptoms from attempting to quit.

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has found that weight loss and less intense hot flashes correlate, in a pilot study. They urge that more research should be done to add to the growing data about the relationship between fat percentage and hot flashes.

 These are articles that I find fascinating. If you want to keep up on more news, I suggest going to ScienceDaily, BBC News Health, and EatRight.org. The next news update will be in August.