Author: labnotes

1. The Last Supper Shows Portion Growth over Centuries

An analysis of 52 portrayals of the last supper of Jesus and his disciples shows that over the last 1,000 years portions have grown by 70 percent, bread servings by 23 percent, and plate sizes by 65 percent.

2. Polyunsaturated Fats Reduce Heart Disease Risk

Adding dietary polyunsaturated fats can reduce one’s risk of coronary heart disease by 19 percent, says a Harvard study.

3. Eating More but Smaller Meals Doesn’t Burn Fat

A British study debunks the myth of eating six small meals per day, instead of three, to boost metabolism and increase weight loss.

4. Cosmetic Surgery Procedures Down in US

The state of the economy has negatively impacted the number of cosmetic surgeries performed in the US. But is the decline attributable to something else also?

5. High Fructose Corn Syrup Prompts Higher Weight Gain

High fructose corn syrup accounted for significant weight gain in laboratory animals, when table sugar did not, according to a new Princeton University study.

6. “The Witch” Three-peats in Japanese Eating Contest

Skinny 46-year-old Hatsuyo Sugawara, nicknamed Majo (”The Witch”), won her third straight crown in Japan’s championship eating contest for women, aired annually on the TV Tokyo network.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Extreme Obesity Becomes More Prevalent in Children

Extreme childhood obesity is becoming more prevalent and puts children in this category at serious risk for diseases often associated with older age.

2. Bluefin Tuna Ban Fails

A proposed ban of exports of the Atlantic bluefin tuna, prized for sushi, has failed, meaning the overfishing of the fish is free to continue.

3. Men Take More Risks in Presence of Pretty Women

Men’s testosterone levels rise significantly in the presence of an attractive woman causing them to take greater risks, even in the face of danger.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. FDA Launches Crackdown on Youth Smoking

Every day 4,000 kids under 18 try out smoking, and a quarter of those become daily smokers. The FDA today announced regulations that attempt to reduce youth smokers via various restrictions on marketing and sale.

2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Helped by Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis has been shown to significantly reduce or even completely eliminate the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Disease.

3. Accidental Drug OD Deaths up Fivefold

Unintentional drug overdose deaths in 2006 were 500 percent the levels they were in 1990, according to reports received by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

4. Gold Medalist Says Athletes Really Do Eat McDonald’s

Two-time U.S. Olympic swimming gold medalist Garrett Weber-Gale says that McDonald’s isn’t lying in its advertising when it claims Olympians eat its food: Weber-Gale has seen it firsthand, even among medalists before events, and he doesn’t approve of it.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. FDA Approves Implantable Amplifier for the Deaf

A bionic sound amplifier that can be implanted in the human ear, with no visible components, to restore hearing has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat sensorineural hearing loss.

2. Small Slaughterhouses Support Local Food Trend

Market demand for locally produced food is encouraging the expansion of small, local slaughterhouses, and writer Samuel Fromartz profiles the movement.

3. Almost 2M in California Lost Insurance

Nearly two million people in California have lost their health insurance thanks to the recession, a study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research says.

4. Omega-3 Enhanced Soybeans to Improve American Diets

Farmers are embracing biotechnology by growing soybeans enhanced with higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids.

5. It’s Not a Scientology Diet, Says Kirstie Alley

On the Today show ex-Jenny Craig diet spokeswoman Kirstie Alley laughed off suggestions that the Church of Scientology is behind her new weight loss company.

6. Vitamin D Greatly Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

Vitamin D supplementation can greatly reduce the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases, according to two recent studies of more than 40,000 patients.

7. Replace Movie Popcorn with Yogurt: Sony Film Exec

Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton has proposed that popcorn, candy and soda be replaced by yogurt, fruit salad, vegetable crudités and granola bars, with a long-term view to introducing tubs of broccoli and cups of prune juice to the snack bar.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. The Fatter You are, the Fewer Heart Attacks

Researchers out to debunk the notion that extra weight conveys some protection from heart attacks not only failed, but ended up finding more evidence to support the so-called “obesity paradox.”

2. National Goat Meat Shortage

Demand for goat meat has risen because of increasing numbers of ethnic consumers and increased use by upscale restaurants, causing the USDA to promote more goat ranching.

3. Ugg Knockoffs Blamed for Damaging Feet

Leading British health experts blame Ugg knockoffs on the sharp rise in foot, knee and hip problems suffered by young women.

4. Want Permanently Fuller Lips?

A new lip augmentation procedure yielded consistently good results, according to doctors and patients.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Woman Aims for Obesity Record

A woman who is listed in the Guinness book of world records as the fattest woman to give birth at 520 pounds is now aiming to become the world’s fattest woman within 2 years.

2. Babies are Born to Dance

Babies response to music is innate, say researchers who add that music makes babies happy.

3. Could Stock Market Woes Hurt Health?

Researchers at Duke say that while the Nasdaq stock exchange was declining in value during the recession, the rate of heart attacks was going up.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Like Salt or Sweets, the Human Tongue Can “Taste” Fat

Up until recently it was thought that the human tongue could discern five tastes. Scientists now believe we can taste fat, research that might help reduce obesity.

2. Overprotective Parents May Slow Kids’ Brain Growth

A new study finds that overprotective parents can affect the development of their kids’ brains, resulting in abnormalities that are connected to schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Early Detection Key to Effective Alzheimer’s Treatment

A new test, that can be administered in the offices of most primary care physicians, proved to be 96 percent effective at revealing cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

2. Experimental Thyroid Drug Reduces Cholesterol

An experimental thyroid drug reduces cholesterol without the statins’ side effects.

3. Kids’ Sports Injuries on the Rise

Children’s sports-related injuries are rising at an alarming rate. Are we pushing our kids too hard, asks a prominent orthopedist.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. IBS Not Always Indicative of Polyps, Cancer

Colonoscopies may not be necessary for IBS sufferers in the absence of other symptoms such as bleeding from the GI tract, family history of colon cancer and anemia, among others.

2. Is Hooping the Next Exercise Craze?

Hula hooping, the childhood pastime of the 1950s and 60s is making a comeback – but with a twist this time around. Not just for fun, enthusiasts claim hooping is great exercise too.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Removal of Ovaries During Hysterectomy Questioned

A new article questions the conventional practice of oophorectomy, or removal of the ovaries during hysterectomy, for some patients saying it may cause more harm than good.

2. Vaccinating Kids Helps All of Us

Widespread vaccination of kids against the flu helps keep people of all ages in the wider community healthier, probably because kids are more likely to spread germs around when playing than adults are in their regular activities.

3. A Little Wine Keeps Pounds Away

Women who start out at a healthy weight and drink a light or moderate amount of alcohol will gain less weight over time than women who abstain, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

4. Children’s Learning Abilities Affected by Anesthesia

Repeated anesthesia can impair children’s memory and, therefore, their ability to learn, says a new Swedish study.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Massage No Better at Easing Anxiety than Other Methods

Massage may be no more effective at easing anxiety than lying quietly in a room while soothing music plays, says a new study.

2. Schools See Less Soda Consumption

A four-year effort to remove sugary soft drinks from public schools has paid off in a significant reduction in the consumption of such drinks at school, soft drink manufacturers say.

3. Many Americans Too Tired for Sex

Many Americans are too tired for sex, according to a new study.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Anti-depressant Use Linked to Higher Risk of Cataracts

A statistical relationship between the use of SSRIs and the incidence of cataracts has been shown by researchers.

2. Women Who Drink Moderately Seem to Gain Less Weight

A new study indicates that women who drink a light to moderate amount of alcohol may gain less weight than their abstaining counterparts.

3. Ultrasound Better than CTs for Female Pelvic Exams?

Ultrasound is less expensive than CT scans and exposes the patient to less radiation. Why, then, do doctors widely use CT scans as a first line test to examine the female pelvis?

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Ban on Junk Food in Schools Proves Effective

After CA banned soda and restricted the sale of junk foods in school cafeterias, the rate of childhood obesity decreased significantly.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Psoriasis Possibly More Serious Than Previously Thought

Psoriasis, which has been linked to serious medical conditions including cancer and cardiovascular disease, should be considered more than a skin disease, says a leading dermatologist.

2. Vitamin D Deficiency is Widespread

More than half of test subjects are deficient in Vitamin D, which is necessary for muscle strength and overall health, according to a new study.

3. Some “Healthy” Fish Oils May be Toxic

PCBs, highly toxic carcinogens that are banned in the US, have been found in several popular brands of fish oil supplements.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. FDA Says Some Food Labels are Misleading

The Food and Drug Administration calls out 17 food manufacturers for misleading nutritional labels.

2. Tofu, Fake Meats Recalled

Earth Island is conducting a precautionary recall of a bunch of Follow Your Heart brand deli, tofu and salad dressing products because they might be contaminated with salmonella.

3. Storefront Surgical Facilities Poorly Regulated

The increasingly popular medical business model of the free-standing storefront specialist ambulatory surgical clinic is largely unregulated, falling through the gaps of the current medical regulatory system.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Are Your Sleep Patterns Making Your Organs Fat?

Extremes in sleep patterns could affect fat deposition around internal organs, according to a new study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

2. FDA Warns on Bacteria in Hand Sanitizers

Two brands of hand sanitizer sold in Puerto Rico have been found to contain excessive levels of a harmful bacteria, according to the FDA

3. Continued Learning Prevents Age Related Memory Loss

Learning something new every day can help maintain memory and ward off cognitive decline as we age, according to a new study.

4. Men Should Think More Before Prostate Screen

New guidelines from the American Cancer Society say that men should consider the potential harm of cancer treatment before they get screened for prostate cancer.

5. Prenatal Counseling Addresses Weight Dangers

Northwestern University physician speaks about the risks of excess pregnancy weight gain, and discounts the risk of “pregorexia,” excessive weight loss before and during pregnancy

6. Bunny Burgers: Rabbit is the New Chicken

According the the New York Times, rabbit meat is being served more and more at restaurants, and consumers are raising rabbits for meat at home and taking classes in rabbit slaughter and butchering.

7. Food-Borne Illness Price Tag: $150 Billion

The annual cost in health-related costs of food-borne illnesses like norovirus, salmonella, and botulism has been estimated at $150 billion in the United States.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Dentists Report Teeth Grinding Epidemic

Dentists in the U.K. are reporting an increase in teeth grinding, otherwise known by its medical name of bruxism, caused by stress and by a diet of soft foods.

2. Kids Eating 6 or More Times a Day

U.S. children are eating an average of six times per day, including three regular meals and three snacks, according to a new study.

3. More Consumers Reading Food Labels

54 percent of consumers reported that they often read the Nutrition Facts information on food labels. looking for information on calories, salt and fat, up from 44 percent six years previously.

4. Humidity Degrades Vitamins Stored in Kitchens, Bathrooms

Humidity can render some vitamins and dietary supplements ineffective, according to a new Purdue University study.

5. Immune System Improved by Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber from apples, oats and nuts has been found to strengthen the immune system and protect it from inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases including diabetes and heart disease.

6. Little Changes Don’t Make Big Difference

Science doesn’t support the theory that little changes in diet can make a big difference in weight loss.

7. Prediabetes Precautions Needed to Avoid Disease

Patients with prediabetes, a condition that could lead to diabetes, are often unaware of their condition. In addition, many who do know don’t make necessary lifestyle changes to prevent the disease.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Exercise Helps Anxious Patients

Exercise, known to help alleviate symptoms of depression, is found to help anxious patients become calmer, according to a new study.

2. Recession Takes a Bite out of Breakfast Sales

As more and more Americans lose their jobs to the recession, sales of fast food breakfasts drop steadily.

3. Pain Should Be Considered a Disease

Health experts say that chronic pain should be considered a disease in its own right, and that labeling it as such might lead to more research and treatments.

4. Weird Sleep: Exploding Head Syndrome, Sexsomnia

Science writer Stephanie Pappas writes about 10 weird sleep disorders, including 10 weird sleep disorders, including nightmare disorder, night terrors, REM behavior disorder, and nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder.

5. Manure Management Becomes Messy

While much has been done to control pollution from chemical sources, we face a new threat that is contaminating our air and water supplies – animal manure.

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. 1 in 4 Parents Believe Discredited Vaccine-Autism Link

In a newly released study based year-old 1 in 4 parents stated that they believe that some childhood vaccines could precipitate autism. The initial research suggesting the link has recently been retracted by the medical journal in which it was published.

2. President Obama is still Smoking

President Obama passed his annual physical with flying colors, but was warned by his doctor that he needed to reduce his cholesterol levels, and he needed to continue to make efforts to completely stop smoking cigarettes.

3. Anatomy of a Surprise Restaurant Inspection

Austin, Texas, recently posted a video from their Health and Human Services Department showing what a “sanitarian” (restaurant inspector) does during an unannounced inspection at a restaurant, school, or day care facility.

4. Australian Eateries to Display Hygiene Ratings

Restaurants in Brisbane, Australia, will be “voluntarily” encouraged to display their food safety inspection ratings under a new Eat Safe scheme, in which 1 to 5 stars will indicate the degree of compliance with food safety standards

(By CalorieLab editors)

1. Kicking the Cigarette Habit Just Got Easier

A new smoking cessation therapy – the first of its kind – gives smokers the ability to inhale while cutting down on their craving for tobacco.

(By CalorieLab editors)