Occasional treats may be fine but they could pose a problem for those gobbling them on a regular basis. In a recent study published in the journal Public Health Nutrition Spanish scientists report that people consuming the most fast food and commercial baked goods were 37% more likely to develop depression over 6 years than those consuming the least. The study followed 8,964 people who had never previously been diagnosed with depression or taken antidepressants. Both fast food, such as hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza, and bakery items such as cakes and croissants were positively associated with a greater likelihood of developing depression. Moreover, the study found a dose-response relationship: As fast food and baked goods intake increased, so did the risk of depression.

An Oregon State University researcher has reviewed the body of evidence around weight loss supplements and has bad news for those trying to find a magic pill to lose weight and keep it off – it doesn’t exist.

Melinda Manore reviewed the evidence surrounding hundreds of weight loss supplements, a $2.4 billion industry in the United States, and said no research evidence exists that any single product results in significant weight loss – and many have detrimental health benefits.

A few products, including green tea, fiber and low-fat dairy supplements, can have a modest weight loss benefit of 3-4 pounds (2 kilos), but it is important to know that most of these supplements were tested as part of a reduced calorie diet.

To read the complete article about this study, click here.

New chemical analyses have found that Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, Diet Coke, and Diet Pepsi contain high levels of 4-methylimidazole (4-MI), a known animal carcinogen. The carcinogen forms when ammonia or ammonia and sulfites are used to manufacture the “caramel coloring” that gives those sodas their distinctive brown colors, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the nonprofit watchdog group that commissioned the tests. CSPI first petitioned the FDA to ban ammonia-sulfite caramel coloring in February 2011.

“Coke and Pepsi, with the acquiescence of the FDA, are needlessly exposing millions of Americans to a chemical that causes cancer,” said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. “The coloring is completely cosmetic, adding nothing to the flavor of the product. If companies can make brown food coloring that is carcinogen-free, the industry should use that. And industry seems to be moving in that direction. Otherwise, the FDA needs to protect consumers from this risk by banning the coloring.”

“When most people see ‘caramel coloring’ on food labels, they likely interpret that quite literally and assume the ingredient is similar to what you might get by gently melting sugar in a saucepan,” Jacobson said. “The reality is quite different. Colorings made with the ammonia or ammonia-sulfite process contain carcinogens and don’t belong in the food supply. In any event, they shouldn’t be obscured by such an innocuous-sounding name as ‘caramel coloring.’”

CSPI estimates that the 4-MI in the Coke and Pepsi products tested is causing about 15,000 cancers in the U.S. population.

To read the entire article click here.

Today I attended a fascinating webinar about the use of honey as a treatment for coughs and colds in children. As you probably know, over-the-counter medications are neither effective nor safe for children. But the good news is that based on several recent studies, honey actually proved very effective at reducing cough and cold symptoms. Darker honeys, such as buckwheat honey, were the choice of the researchers due to their higher antioxidant content. You can find buckwheat honey at farmer’s markets, coops, some higher-end grocers, and online at www.honey.com

Always discuss this with your pediatrician, but the suggested doses are:

ages 1-5 years: 2.5 milliters (1/2 teaspoon)
ages 6-10: 5 milliters (1 teaspoon)
ages 12 and older: 10 milliters (2 teaspoons)

Never give honey to infants under 1 year of age due to the risk of botulism. After 1 year of age it is safe for children to eat honey.

A study recently published in the journal Health Affairs says that by adding a one cent per ounce tax on soda and sugar sweetened beverages, we could save billions of dollars every year from reducing the incidence of heart disease and diabetes. Researchers estimated the tax would result in adults consuming, on average, 9 fewer calories per day. That may not sound like much but that equates to enough weight loss to reduce the number of obese adults by 867,000 in 10 years. This would translate into 95,000 fewer instance of coronary artery disease, 8,000 fewer strokes, and 26,000 fewer premature deaths. It would also raise about $13 million a year which could be used for nutrition education and other programs to help people learn how to cook and eat more healthfully. This idea is gaining favor and the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity is a strong advocate for the tax.

US News and World Report assembled a panel of 22 health experts including registered dietitians and specialists in diabetes, heart health, human behavior, and weight loss to review detailed assessments of 20 diets. The experts rated each diet in seven categories, including short- and long-term weight loss, ease of compliance, safety, and nutrition. They rated the DASH diet and the TLC diet as the best overall diets. To read the complete article and reviews of all the diets, click here.

Children’s overall screen time has more than doubled since 1999 to more than 7 hours a day! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 2 hours of entertainment media time for school-aged kids a day (including 1 to 2 hours of educational, nonviolent TV).  With perseverance, patience and consistency — you can help your kids scale back their media time. Here’s how:

Make gradual changes. Do your kids usually watch hours of TV daily or are they used to constantly having the TV on as background noise? If so, try cutting down 1 hour a week to start.

Unplug your child’s room. Having a TV in your kid’s room can interfere with her sleep, making her wired at night and tired during the day. It can also lead to overeating and more sedentary behavior, and an increased risk of obesity. Keep the TV and computer out of your child’s room. If you put TVs and computers in a central location, you can better monitor the time spent in front of them.

Create a screen time schedule. Once you’ve established a TV time limit, sit down with your child every week and let him figure out how he plans to use it. Just make sure that screen time doesn’t occur during meals or within an hour of bedtime. Otherwise, honor the agreement. For example, let your child watch TV freely, without interruptions from you.

Cover the TV when it’s not in use. Put a blanket over the unit or store it in a cabinet with the doors closed when no one is watching it. If it’s not obviously out in front of them, they’ll be less likely to be drawn to it.

Talk to older kids about TV advertising. You might approach this by helping them see how advertisers often work hard to persuade them to make poor food choices. Then talk about healthier choices such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This can lead to a great discussion about healthy food and activity.

Mind your own screen time. If you spend a chunk of your day surfing the net or watching TV, you can’t expect to pry your kids loose from their screens. Keep track of your screen time. Avoid channel surfing, and only watch TV shows that you really watch. Pick a show, turn it on, then turn off the TV when the show is over.

Encourage other activities. Reading, doing puzzles or board games, playing outside, and spending time with friends or family are a few of the healthy activities your kids can engage in instead of watching TV, playing video games, or being on the computer.

Stand your ground. Be consistent. Chances are cutting back on your child’s screen time will cause some conflicts. Stay calm and remind your child why these limits are important. In the end, you and your child will reap the rewards. A recent study in the journal Pediatrics showed that kids whose parents set limits on their kids’ TV and other screen time were more likely to be active than children whose parents gave their kids free rein.

Paraphrased from an article from the Dec 11 Rudd Center Health Digest newsletter.

http://www.cbs47.tv/webmd/parenting/youngchild/story/TV-and-Kids-How-to-Cut-Screen-Time/Qe_T-lT6lUew_h1duvNQCg.cspx

A 15-minute walk can cut snacking on chocolate at work by half, according to research by the University of Exeter. The study showed that, even in stressful situations, workers eat only half as much chocolate as they normally would after this short burst of physical activity.

Published in the journal Appetite, the research suggests that employees may find that short breaks away from their desks can help keen their minds off snacking.

In the study, 78 regular chocolate-eaters were invited to enter a simulated work environment, after two days abstinence from chocolate snacking. Two groups were asked to take a brisk 15-minute walk on a treadmill and were then given work to complete at a desk. One group was given an easy, low-stress task, while the other was asked to complete a more demanding job. The other two groups were asked to have a rest before completing the same tasks as the first two groups. Again, half were given an easier and the remainder a more challenging task. Chocolate was available in a bowl on the desk for all participants as they carried out their work.

Those who had exercised before working consumed on average half the amount of chocolate as the others: around 15 grams, compared with 28 grams. 15 grams is equivalent to a small ‘treat size’ or ‘fun size’ chocolate bar.

The difficulty of the task made no difference to the amount of chocolate they ate, which suggests that stress did not contribute to their cravings for sweet snacks.

Lead researcher Professor Adrian Taylor of the University of Exeter said: “We know that snacking on high calorie foods, like chocolate, at work can become a mindless habit and can lead to weight gain over time. We often feel that these snacks give us an energy boost, or help us deal with the stress of our jobs, including boredom. People often find it difficult to cut down on their daily treats but this study shows that by taking a short walk, they are able to regulate their intake by half.”

Exercise is known to have significant benefits for mood and energy levels and has potential for managing addictions. Professor Taylor and his colleagues at the University of Exeter have previously shown that exercise can curb cravings for chocolate but this is the first study to show a reduction in consumption.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/uoe-swc120711.php

My last hot topic article was about the benefits of tart cherry juice for relieving pain. Now it looks like it may also help improve sleep! See the posting below from the latest Tufts Health and Nutrition Update:

Instead of a glass of warm milk before bedtime, someday it may be routine to sip some tart cherry juice. Researchers in England and South Africa report that two glasses of tart cherry juice a day improved “sleep efficiency” and extended sleep time in a small randomized controlled trial. They divided 20 healthy volunteers, average age 26.6, into two groups: One group drank 30 ml of tart Montmorency cherry juice concentrate, diluted with 200 ml of water, in the morning and in the evening, for seven days, while the control group got a placebo. The cherry-drinking group saw 5-6% increases in sleep efficiency and slept an average 34 minutes per night longer, while the control group actually slept less than before the trial. Scientists suggested that the tart cherry juice might affect sleep by increasing levels of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, which rose in the test group. Antioxidants in tart cherry juice, previously shown to boost recovery after exercise, might also be helpful at bedtime. – European Journal of Nutrition

Instead of popping pain relievers for pain, you might want to give tart cherry juice a try. All you need is one tablespoon twice a day (usually diluted with some water as it is very tart to drink by itself!) to help reduce joint inflammation, muscle soreness after exercise, and prevent gout attacks. This cherry, a cousin to the sweeter Bing and black cherries, is bright red and higher in antioxidants. Look for 100% tart cherry juice in the health food section of your grocery store as it’s not the same as the cherry juice you’ll find on the juice isle.