Newbites: Lower Alzheimer’s risk; Red meat and building muscle; restaurant nutrition; cancer risk and sedentary behavior
Lower Alzheimer’s Risk May Be Possible with Healthy Lifestyle
A study published in June in the journal Neurology found healthy lifestyle choices were associated with lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This analysis of two observational studies included a total of over 2,700 participants followed for around six years on average. The researchers gave participants a score from zero to five based on not smoking, engaging in 150 minutes per week moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity, keeping alcohol consumption light to moderate, engagement in cognitive activities, and consuming a high-quality dietary pattern. Engaging in two to three healthy lifestyle factors was associated with a 37 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s dementia compared to zero to one. Engaging in four to five healthy lifestyle factors was associated with 60 percent lower risk.
There is currently no treatment or cure for Alzheimer’s disease. This study suggests that making healthy dieary choices, avoiding tobacco, staying mentally and physically active, and keeping alcohol intake low may help prevent this devastating disease.
Upping Lean Red Meat Intake During Resistance Training Shows No Benefit
A randomized controlled trial published recently in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming additional lean red meat when working out did not help older adults build muscle. During the six-month trial period, 154 adults ages 65 and older participated in a three-day pre week resistance-based exercise training program. On training days, half of the participants received two 80-gram servings of lean red meat (around five and a half ounces total) and the other half received extra carbohydrates (one-half cup pasta or rice, or one medium potato). The meat-eating group did not experience any significant additional benefits in measures of muscle mass, strength, or cognitive function compared to the carbohydrate group.
Regular physical activity and a healthy dietary pattern are both important to healthy aging, and maintaining muscle through resistance exercises has been shown to preserve quality of life and independence. This study suggests that increasing meat intake, and perhaps protein intake in general, is not necessary to reap the benefits of resistance training.
Cancer Risk and Sedentary Behavior
A study published recently in JAMA Oncology found that greater sedentary time was associated with higher cancer mortality. This prospective cohort study followed 8,002 participants aged 45 years or older living in the U.S. for over five years. During the study period, 268 participants (3.3 percent) died of cancer. Moving less was associated with higher risk of cancer death. Replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with low impact physical activity (such as walking) was significantly associated with an 8 percent lower risk of dying from cancer.
This study offers one more reason why sitting less and moving more is essential to good health and longevity.
Tufts Report: Restaurant Meals Fail to Meet Ideal Nutrition Standards
A new study by Tufts researchers found that restaurant meals consumed in the United States are likely to be of poor nutritional value. The study analyzed 24-hour dietary information provided by a nationally representative sample of more than 35,000 U.S. adults between 2003 and 2016. Over 20 percent of all reported calories came from meals at fast-food or full-service restaurants. When the nutritional value of the restaurant meals was analyzed using the American Heart Association (AHA) diet score, around 50 percent of full-service restaurant meals and 70 percent of fast-food restaurant meals were found to be of poor nutritional value. Less than 0.1 percent of restaurant meals analyzed during the entire study period were rated “ideal.” (Editor’s Note: The AHA diet score was developed to be applied to the whole day, not single meals.)
The authors recommend eating at home more often, looking for healthier menu options, minimizing the amount of processed meat (like sausage, bacon, and deli meats) ordered, and choosing water, seltzer, or unsweetened tea instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. They also encourage restaurants to offer more fruits, nuts, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fish to increase the nutritional quality of their offerings.
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