Newsbriefs: Type 2 Diabetes; Defense against COVID-19; Improve cardiovascular health; Cognitive health; Abdominal fat loss; Vitamin C and muscle mass
Take Folate to Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Consuming folate early in life can help prevent type 2 diabetes in older years, according to a study published in Diabetes Care, July 2020. A group of 4,704 young adults (ages 18 to 30) who did not have diabetes at the start were enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study in 1985-1986 and monitored for 30 years (until 2015-2016). Dietary questionnaires were filled out at baseline, seven years, and 20 years. Diabetes was determined through glucose tolerance tests, hemoglobin A1C levels, and presence of antidiabetic medications. Participants with the highest folate (vitamin B9) levels had the lowest diabetes incidences and the lowest levels of plasma homocysteine.
Help Build a Defense Against COVID-19 with Vitamin D
A cohort study of 489 people (average age 49, 75 percent women, 68 percent non-white) found that the risk of contracting COVID-19 was 1.77 times greater for people who had recorded a vitamin D deficiency the prior year than those who had appropriate vitamin D levels in their system at that time, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open, Sept. 3, 2020. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as having less than 20 nanograms per milliliter of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol prior to COVID-19 testing. Among 124 participants found to be deficient in vitamin D, researchers predicted that 21.6 percent would contract COVID-19, compared to 12.2 percent for those who had sufficient vitamin D in their system.
Keep Exercising to Improve Cardiovascular Health
Obese people not losing weight are still improving their heart health by exercising, according to a study presented at the European Society of Cardiology 2020 Congress, Sept. 12, 2020. Data on death, nonfatal heart attack, stroke, and congestive heart failure were analyzed on 899 women from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation study (enrolled between 1996 and 2000, and followed up for an average of 5.8 years). Women in the normal weight group (25 percent) but with low physical fitness were at a 60 percent greater risk of cardiovascular events than overweight or obese women who regularly exercised.
Manage Cognitive Health Through Diet and Exercise
An Australian study of 119 people found that those who maintained healthy lifestyle changes had higher cognitive scores than those who did not maintain a healthy lifestyle. In the eight-week trial, control group participants received four education modules about lifestyle risk factors for dementia, the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, physical activity, and cognitive engagement. Those in the intervention group received the same modules along with assistance for implementing what they learned into their lives, including sessions with a dietitian and an exercise physiologist, as well as online brain training. At the end of the test period, the intervention group had significantly lower scores on an Alzheimer’s risk index and significantly higher cognition scores than the control group. Both results were linked with increases in healthy lifestyles rather than reductions in risk. The study was published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Sept. 9, 2020.
Lower Your Carbs to Promote Abdominal Fat Loss
A low-carb diet may be more effective than a low-fat diet in reducing abdominal fat among older obese adults, according to a small study published in Nutrition & Metabolism, Aug. 12, 2020. A group of 34 adults (ages 60 to 75) with a body mass index above 30 were presented with either a diet of very low carbohydrates or a low-fat diet for eight weeks. Participants on the low-carb diet lost an average of 9.7 percent of total fat, compared with just 2.0 percent for those on the low-fat diet. The low-carb group also had significantly stronger and thicker thigh muscle, better insulin sensitivity and HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and lower fasting insulin and triglyceride levels, compared with the group who consumed the low-fat diet. Higher fasting insulin and higher triglyceride levels increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Consume Vitamin C to Stem Loss of Muscle Mass
People who have adequate vitamin C in their bloodstream tend to have higher muscle mass than people who are deficient in vitamin C, according to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition, Aug. 27, 2020. Vitamin C protects muscle during aging, which can reduce risk of frailty and falling. Researchers evaluated data on fat-free muscle mass for 13,000 people in the European Prospective Cancer and Nutrition-Norfolk group (ages 42 to 82) using bioelectrical impedance (an electrical impulse that detects the difference between body fat and muscle mass). Vitamin C intake was evaluated using data from a seven-day food diary and blood plasma measurement. Women with adequate vitamin C had 3.4 percent better muscle mass than women who had insufficient vitamin C, while men with sufficient vitamin C had 1.6 percent better muscle mass. Adult women should consume 75 milligrams of vitamin C a day.
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