Science Weekly
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 There is a wide range of topics discussed in the papers published last week in the world of fitness, nutrition and sports science, from obesity to links between nutrition and exercise and cognitive health to the geeky part of discovering the mechanics behind the beneficial effect of exercise on human health. Here are the highlights:
Adding color to your plate may lower risk of cognitive decline A new study shows that people who eat a diet that includes at least half a serving per day of foods high in flavonoids like strawberries, oranges, peppers and apples may have a 20% lower risk of cognitive decline. The study looked at several types of flavonoids, and found that flavones and anthocyanins may have the most protective effect. Source: American Academy of Neurology Fruit compound may have potential to prevent and treat Parkinson's disease Researchers say they have added to evidence that the compound farnesol, found naturally in herbs, and berries and other fruits, prevents and reverses brain damage linked to Parkinson's disease in mouse studies. Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine Preventing childhood obesity requires changes in parents’ and clinicians’ early-life care Interventions to prevent obesity in children typically don't target the first 1,000 days of life - -a critical period in which environmental and nutritional cues can increase the risk for obesity. A new study demonstrates how changing parents' health behavior and how clinicians deliver care to mothers and infants decreased excess weight gain in infants. Source: Massachusetts General Hospital Cutting 250 calories daily and exercising may improve heart health in obese older adults Among older adults with obesity, combining aerobic exercise with moderate reductions in total daily calories led to greater improvements in vascular health compared to exercise alone. Reducing calorie intake by approximately 250 calories per day may lead to significant weight loss and improve vascular health in older adults with obesity. Source: American Heart Association Exercise improves health through changes on DNA Six weeks of physical exercise led to changes in the epigenetic information of skeletal muscle cells in young men. These changes took place in areas of the genome that have been linked to disease. Scientists say their research shows how exercise remodels DNA in skeletal muscle, so that new signals are established to keep the body healthy. Source: University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences An overactive sweet tooth may spell trouble for our cellular powerplants The average American eats roughly 22 teaspoons of added sugar a day -- more than three times the recommended amount for women and more than double the recommended amount for men. Although this overconsumption is known to contribute to diabetes and other disorders, the exact ways in which eating too much sugar sets the stage for metabolic diseases on a cellular level has been less clear. Now, a team has found that surplus sugar may cause our cellular powerplants -- called mitochondria -- to become less efficient, reducing their energy output. Source: Van Andel Research Institute Common weight-loss drug successfully targets fat that can endanger heart health Researchers have announced successful results of a clinical trial for a commonly prescribed weight-loss drug called liraglutide. In adults who are overweight or have obesity combined with high cardiovascular risk, once-daily liraglutide combined with lifestyle interventions significantly lowered two types of fat that have been associated with risk to heart health: visceral fat and ectopic fat. Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center Eating more plant foods may lower heart disease risk in young adults, older women Eating a plant-centered diet during young adulthood is associated with a lower risk of heart disease in middle age, according to a long-term study with about 30 years of follow-up. A separate study with about 15 years of follow-up found that eating more plant-based foods that have been shown to lower cholesterol, called the 'Portfolio Diet', is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. Source: American Heart Association Muscle protein that makes vertebrates more fit linked to limited lifespan Why 'Antioxidants' Don’t Stop Aging Process
Researchers say they have added to evidence that a protein called CaMKII improves strength, endurance, muscle health and fitness in young animals. Their experiments working with mice and fruit flies, however, found that the gene for CaMKII also contributes to an evolutionary tradeoff: increased susceptibility to age-associated diseases, frailty and mortality. Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine |
