daviddespain

As if we needed any more reason to pick on Body Mass Index (BMI): new research finds that this most accepted approach for assessing overweight and obesity based on height and weight could lead to misclassification of young Asian-American women potentially increasing their risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.In my last post, I discussed the scary, growing problem of sarcopenic obesity (aka "skinny fat") in older adults, described as age-related muscle […]

Stuart Phillips, Ph.D.With all the attention given to body fat, a result of the high prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, skeletal muscle is often given the back seat. Yet holding on to lean muscle mass alone, in itself, may be the most important factor in avoiding health problems above. What's often forgotten is that skeletal muscle is a metabolically active tissue that plays a critical role in consuming energy and determining metabolic rate, it's the large site for fat […]

By the year 2050, the number of people in the world over 80 years old will reach 370 million. About 50 percent of adults currently 85 and older have Alzheimer’s disease. The statistics are sobering and warn of a growing and serious epidemic. A high prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease, which is a debilitating and costly disease, can severely impact the population.With this perspective, the American Society for Nutrition hosted a symposium on the nutritional prevention of cognitive decline on […]

Workplace programs are an effective and worthwhile way for employers to help improve the health of their employees and reduce medical costs, scientists said Tuesday at Experimental Biology 2012 in San Diego at a session organized by the American Society for Nutrition. The medical expenses for employees who are obese are estimated at about 42 percent higher than for those with a healthy weight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet for the approximately 60 […]

There is little question that nutrition provides the foundation of health and wellbeing and that research into better nutrition is central to enabling a population live healthier, more productive, and longer lives.With this perspective in mind, the American Society for Nutrition assembled a working group of leading nutrition thought leaders to identify a list of nutritional research areas that required greater or further analysis and prioritization.In a symposium entitled "The Future of […]

Lindsay AllenEfforts to curb or eliminate vitamin and mineral deficiencies globally have existed for almost a century, although there are now still as many questions if not more than ever before about what the next steps should be. There are seldom solutions that are simple to guide public policy internationally and there remain large challenges when it comes to making informed recommendations. Lindsay Allen, Ph.D., R.D, who is the 2012-2013 recipient of the E. V. McCollum International […]

The scientific community lashed out against "sugar is toxic" sensationalism on Sunday, identifying it as a distraction from more meaningful areas of research and debate on the causes of obesity and disease.In a highly attended debate at Experimental Biology 2012 in San Diego, scientists expressed clear frustration about the repeated assaults on sugar both in recentnews reports and in the scientific literature."You don't often see this at a meeting," said John White, Ph.D., of White Technical […]

What is wrong with "eat less, move more"? Most of us are familiar with this mantra as weight-loss advice. However, a new consensus statement from the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) contends that this energy-in-energy-out framework isn't really so simple.The problem lies in that consuming fewer calories and burning more through physical activity doesn’t always translate well to weight management. That is not to say that the framework […]

Carotenoids are thought to protect against Alzheimer's disease because of their antioxidant properties and their accumulation in the brain. However, a new study from Tufts University is putting the theory into question.More than a century has passed since the German physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer first presented evidence on the case of Auguste Deter, who at only 51 suffered from severe memory loss and other psychological changes. At autopsy, Dr. Alzheimer found his patient had severe shrinkage […]

Thanks to the Human Genome Project, we humans now know that we are all really very much the same at the level of our DNA. Our genomes are 99.9 percent identical, leaving really only 0.1 percent responsible for giving each of us what we would consider our differences or unique qualities. It's within this 0.1 percent that may also explain why some of us may be more likely to be overweight, obese, or susceptible to a disease such as type 2 diabetes.One of the most promising developments in […]

Sci-comm thrives on social media. "Writing is thinking on paper" is one of the many beautiful phrases by William Zinsser, author of On Writing Well. Only, if Zinsser had put those words down more than three decades later, he might have added that writing is also thinking on blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.As I prepare to head off to San Diego for Experimental Biology (#EB2012)—where I’ll be blogging about The American Society for Nutrition's meeting—I’ve been […]

Sugar is toxic? Not this hummingbird's opinion.Whenever someone asks me whether or not sugar or high-fructose corn syrup is "toxic," I remind them that every few days I make up a simple solution of four parts boiled water and one part plain white table sugar. This I use to fill the hummingbird feeders in my yard here in Arizona and the little guys never complain about it.In fact, they lap up the sweet nectar -- as much as they can get with their long tongues -- to fuel their high metabolism. […]

"I can't help it, it's my genes" is a familiar phrase among frustrated dieters and gym goers who feel they can’t make the scale budge despite all efforts to reduce calories and exercise more. There may be something to their justification. After all, weight can depend partly on genetic makeup (among several other factors). Luckily, the genetic revolution continues to churn out exciting news giving us hope that, no, we're not completely left at the mercy of the wrong kind of genes. The latest […]

Welcome new followers!I'm excited to report that I've been selected as official blogger for The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) 76th Scientific Sessions and Annual Meeting in conjunction with Experimental Biology 2012 (EB 2012) on April 21 through 25 in San Diego, Calif.Click here for a peek at the preliminary program.What exactly is EB 2012? The conference is a highly anticipated annual event where six scientific societies hold their joint scientific sessions and annual […]

Tomatoes grown with controlled environment agricultureA simple insalata caprese served to bring about a possible, worldwide agricultural revolution in Tucson, Ariz. Each tomato in the Capri-style dish was a product of gardening perfection, grown within a precise range of "Goldilocks" (not too hot, not too cold) temperatures with a steady supply of light, carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients. Each bite and burst of fresh-off-the-vine tang only reminds, "Yes, food can and should taste this […]

Nina FedoroffTo feed a crowded planet and avoid further loss of species, Nina Fedoroff, professor of biology at Penn State University and president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), argues for more focus on biotechnology and controlled environment agriculture. "Time is not on our side," she said in a keynote address at a research reports and retreat in Tucson, Ariz., hosted Aug. 19 by The University of Arizona's Controlled Environment […]

I'm finally joining the#VaxDrive after being inspired by all the tweets and, especially, from Dr. Rubidium's post. Honestly, I was looking for something just like this to write about, because I've found myself completely disenchanted with this year's holiday season. It has become the season of buying junk for people who don't need it and receiving junk from people who have no idea what to buy for you. It's stressful, it's wasteful, it's expensive, and it's turned into a stupid tradition. Why […]

One matter that most evidence-based nutritionists and dietitians will agree on is that humans have evolved to be experts in the task of seeking out palatable foods, which generally contain a combination of sugar, fat, and salt. These nutrients, usually scarce over the long span of evolutionary time and highly valued, are what helped lead to the development of our senses.Nowadays, it is still the sight, aroma, and taste of food powered by sugar-fat-salt reward and satisfaction that still […]

Lance PriceIn the United States, there are nine billion food animals produced annually including, 34 million cattle, 108 million hogs, 267 mililon turkeys, and 8.9 billion broilers. In contrast, there is only a human population of about 300 million people. Only a fraction of those people will be treated with antibiotics (for 10 days or so a year), but those nine billion animals will be treated all the time whether they're sick or not.Combined with overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, […]

Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in egg yolks.This morning I spoke with a lady in a coffeeshop who told me she "heard on Dr. Oz" that she should be eating an egg a week for her eyes. I told her differently: she may need to eat them more often than once a week, turn to spinach, or supplement with lutein and zeaxanthin for her aging eyes. Now, because she said she'd get online and read this blog, I want to back my statements up.In 2009, University of Massachusetts researchers (1) evaluated lutein […]

The idiom "losing my marbles" is normally said in jest, but memory decline can be a truly frightening part of getting older. Fortunately, people can take heart in recent research showing that vitamin B12 may be crucial for preserving the brain.Researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found that individuals with lower levels of vitamin B12 are more likely to have smaller brains as revealed by MRI scans and scored poorly on cognitive skills tests.The results, published in the […]

Arterial calcification. Credit: iStockPhotoIt was a 16th century English Physician by the name of Thomas Sydenham who is credited with the saying,  "A man is as old as his arteries." Five centuries later and the adage still rings true.The age of our arteries, or our vascular age, can be a significant factor in determining how long we will live. However, our scientific understanding of vascular age has grown substantially compared to five centuries ago. Cardiologists are now able to better […]

When I was a child, my father told me stories of his time spent working for a gold mining company in the Amazon jungle. He brought home tales of fishing for piranhas, evading giant venomous snakes, and nearly being eaten alive by a swarm of ants. Dad also traded with indigenous tribes. My curiosity was piqued by photos of those natives, so shockingly naked, and their beautifully crafted bows and arrows. Dad had one on display that he had acquired in exchange for a pair of jeans, which my […]

Craig StanfordAmong primates, we humans are unique in how much meat we eat. On average we eat 10 times as much meat as chimpanzees, who eat the most meat among wild apes. And, unlike any other primate, humans specialize in eating big-game animals (larger than ourselves) like reindeer and mammoths. Because of how much meat humans eat, a few major questions are under discussion among biologists and anthropologists: What role did meat play in human evolution? How much meat did human […]

The first living wall as it's constructed in South Africa.My friend Warren Te Brugge has taken on a project that deserves the attention of all who are interested in the ideals of sustainable communities and food security in all parts of the world.His new foundation My Arms Wide Open® is building the first-ever living food walls with the objective of providing fresh fruits and vegetables to disadvantaged youth in both Vancouver Downtown Eastside and in rural South Africa.The […]

Dr. Lindeberg weighing a Kitavan man. While training in family medicine, Staffan Lindeberg, M.D., Ph.D., read a paper (published in 1985) in the New England Journal of Medicine that would alter the course of his future research. It was entitled "Paleolithic Nutrition" and one of the authors was Boyd Eaton, M.D.It was about the same time Dr. Lindeberg had heard from a neighbor that humans had the guts of vegetarian -- to which he responded, […]