Research Roundup: Gluten-Free Fad on the Rise; Berries & Diabetes; Business Diet’s Effect on Heart
Gluten-Free Diet Fad on the Rise
The number of Americans following a gluten-free diet tripled in five years, yet those diagnosed with celiac disease hasn’t changed, research shows. The study, which included more than 22,000 participants, led researchers to estimate that about 1.76 million people have celiac in the US, and about 2.7 follow a gluten-free diet even though they don’t have celiac disease, indicating the diet may be a fad. A gluten-free diet is therapy for celiac disease, but many choose the diet because they think it’s healthier.
(JAMA Internal Medicine, September 2016)
Berries May Lower Risk of Diabetes
Eating berries, which naturally contain anthocyanins (compounds rich in antioxidant action), may reduce risk of type 2 diabetes by 15-18 percent, according to a Chinese me-ta-analysis. The studies analyzed intake of dietary anthocyanin or berry intake and diabetes risk. Dietary anthocyanin consumption was linked to a 15 percent reduced risk of diabetes, while berry intake was associated with an 18 percent reduced risk. In addition, for every 7.5 mg/day of dietary anthocyanin, and every 17 g/day of berry intake, diabetes risk dropped by 5 percent.
(European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 2016)
Business Diet Harms the Heart
Social business meals, which are based on eating out, snacking on the run, highly processed foods, sweet drinks, red meats, and alcohol, raise the risk for developing heart disease, researchers say. The study compared the impact of this eating plan with two others—the Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits and vegetables), and the Western diet (high in red meats and refined grains)—on 4,000 healthy adults. Arterial clogging tests show business dieters had significantly worse cardiovascular risk profiles.
(Journal of the American College of Cardiology, August 2016)
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