Newsbites: Consequences of skipping meal; diet and CVD; dental health and dementia; the importance of less inactivity
Skipping Meals to Cut Calories Could Lead to Unexpected Consequences
If you’re trying to lose weight for your health, skipping meals may not be the way to go. A study published recently in the journal Public Health Nutrition found that skipping meals can cut calories, but may cut the intake of healthy foods, which could impact health negatively over time. The study analyzed data on over 23,000 U.S. adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to determine if skipping breakfast or lunch increased the number of calories consumed in the next meal, changed the total daily energy (calorie) intake, or impacted the quality of food intake (and therefore nutrients consumed).
People who skipped breakfast consumed more calories at lunch, and people who skipped lunch ate more at dinner, but they still ate fewer total calories on days when they skipped meals. Although this lower calorie intake would lead to weight loss over time, skipping a meal had a negative effect on diet quality. Skipping breakfast or lunch caused people to fall short on intake of fruit, whole grains, and dairy. Skipping dinner reduced intake of vegetables and protein foods including seafood, dairy, and plant proteins like beans. Intake of sodium and refined grains went up on days when meals were skipped.
Keep in mind that, while weight loss is good for health, nourishing your body properly is at least as important.
A High-Quality Diet Can Be a Present to Your Heart
A higher-quality diet appears to be important for heart health. A study published recently in the American Journal of Medicine pooled data from six U.S. studies. Participants were grouped by how closely their dietary intake aligned with known high-quality, health-promoting dietary patterns (the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations, a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern, and the DASH diet).
Consuming a higher-quality diet was associated with lower risks for CVD and mortality and longer cardiovascular disease-free survival, regardless of race, ethnicity, and sex or age at the time of dietary assessment.
CVD is a leading cause of death, affecting more than one in three U.S. adults. Consuming a high-quality diet has a clear impact on CVD risk, but less than two percent of U.S. adults consume an ideal healthy diet. While adopting a healthy eating pattern as early as possible and maintaining that healthy eating pattern over time may have the most impact, it is never too late to make positive dietary changes.
Skimping on Dental Care? You May Be at Increased Risk for Dementia
Gum disease has been identified as a potential risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. A study published recently in the journal Neurology followed over 8,000 men and women with an average age of 63 for around 18 years. After controlling for a number of factors (including smoking, BMI, high blood pressure, and education), having severe gum disease with tooth loss was associated with a 22 percent higher risk for dementia compared to having healthy gums.
While the exact reason for this association is not known, bacteria present in gum disease are known to travel from the mouth to the brain, potentially causing damage. Researchers also suggest the inflammation of gum disease could increase risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, both of which are known risk factors for dementia.
Regular brushing, flossing, and visits to the dentist do more than keep your smile bright. Good dental hygiene may help protect your brain.
Don’t Just Be Active… Avoid Being Inactive
As we age, risk for illness and disability increase, potentially decreasing quality of life. Research has shown that higher levels of physical activity and lower levels of sedentary time are both associated with better quality of life. Given that we only have 24 hours in a day, a study recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine investigated how reallocating time spent on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep was associated with quality of life.
The researchers found that reallocating 30 minutes from sedentary behavior or light-intensity physical activity to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with a higher quality of life, whereas shifting time away from moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and toward more sedentary behavior, light-intensity physical activity, or sleep was associated with lower quality of life. Interestingly, the potential harm of switching from active time to sedentary time was greater than the potential benefits of spending more time being active.
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