Newsbites: Fasting Diets Equivalent to More Traditional Calorie Cutting for Weight Loss; Coffee Consumption Associated with Lower Risk for Kidney Disease; Oat Soluble Fiber Influences Blood Sugar Control, But Not Appetite; Sustained Weight Loss Associated with Lower Breast Cancer Risk in Women 50 and Over
Fasting Diets Equivalent to More Traditional Calorie Cutting for Weight Loss
A randomized controlled trial recently published in The Journal of Nutrition found that intermittent calorie restriction and continuous calorie restriction were equally effective in promoting weight loss, with no significant differences in outcomes. Forty-six healthy women between the ages of 18 and 55 living in the U.K. who had overweight or obesity (BMI 25 or greater) were randomized to follow either a diet that cut daily energy intake by 25 percent or one that alternated days of regular calorie consumption with “fasting” days on which calories were reduced by 75 percent. Thirty women achieved at least 5 percent weight loss within 12 weeks, regardless of which approach they used to limit caloric intake.
Some studies have suggested that intermittent calorie restriction may be less likely than continuous calorie restriction to lead to hunger and muscle loss, but this study showed that neither approach led to these undesirable outcomes.
Restricting overall calorie intake leads to weight loss no matter how it is done. People looking to lose weight should follow a healthy dietary pattern that deceases total calorie intake in whatever way works best for them.
Coffee Consumption Associated with Lower Risk for Kidney Disease
A European study published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases provides evidence that drinking coffee is associated with healthy kidney function. Data on nearly 228,000 people were included in the analysis, which found that drinking higher amounts of coffee was associated with a lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Recommendations on how much coffee (and what kind) cannot be drawn from a study of this type.
CKD affects around 10 percent of the global population. What it is about habitual coffee drinking that might help kidney function is unknown. Coffee drinking, decaf or regular, may ensure adequate fluid intake; caffeine itself may help to keep the vessels of the kidneys dilated; and a number of noncaffeine chemical constitutes in coffee are known to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are players in the onset and progression of CKD.
More research, including randomized controlled trials, is needed to prove that coffee really does benefit kidney health, and if so, what type of coffee. Coffee lovers can take heart in yet another association between their beverage-of-choice and good health, but these data do not suggest non-coffee drinkers should start or that the potential benefits of coffee provide a free pass on adding lots of sugar and cream.
Oat Soluble Fiber Influences Blood Sugar Control, But Not Appetite
A randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found the soluble fiber in oats (oat beta-glucan) affected blood glucose and insulin levels and slowed the movement of food from the stomach into the intestines, but it did not significantly affect appetite or food intake at subsequent meals. Sixteen males and 12 non-pregnant females between the ages of 18 and 60 years consumed breakfasts with varying amounts of oat beta-glucan. Compared with a beta-glucan-free cereal, oatmeal with four grams of oat beta-glucan significantly reduced glucose and insulin levels and delayed the emptying of the stomach, but everyone chose to eat similar amounts of pizza when it was offered three hours after breakfast. Oatmeal and other foods high in soluble fiber (like beans, apples, and barley) can help with blood sugar control (and they have been found to lower blood cholesterol levels as well), but they may not help reduce hunger.
Sustained Weight Loss Associated with Lower Breast Cancer Risk in Women 50 and Over
An analysis published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that losing even modest amounts of weight and keeping it off was associated with lower risk of breast cancer in women 50 and over. The study pooled information on the weight of nearly 181,000 women assessed in at least three surveys over approximately 10 years. The average body mass index (BMI) at the start of the study was 25.1 (slightly overweight). None of the participants were obese (BMI of 30 or higher). Women who lost as little as 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) and kept it off had a lower risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer during the study period than those whose weight remained relatively stable. Losing nine or more kilograms (20 pounds) and gaining some (but not all) of it back was also associated with a lower risk of breast cancer.
Sustained weight loss has also been associated with improved cardiovascular health. (See Regaining Lost Weight Negates Many Cardiometabolic Gains, January 2020.) The authors of this study hope their findings will motivate overweight women to lose some weight and keep it off with permanent behavior changes.
The post Newsbites: Fasting Diets Equivalent to More Traditional Calorie Cutting for Weight Loss; Coffee Consumption Associated with Lower Risk for Kidney Disease; Oat Soluble Fiber Influences Blood Sugar Control, But Not Appetite; Sustained Weight Loss Associated with Lower Breast Cancer Risk in Women 50 and Over appeared first on University Health News.
