The present study is the first to evaluate … a comprehensive lifestyle intervention that included a low-fat, whole-foods, plant-based diet, exercise, stress management, and group support meetings …. At 3 months, significant changes in diet with a reduction in calories, protein, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and so-dium intake and an increase in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron were observed
Allen et al. (2011) Reflections on developments in health promotion in the past quarter century from founding members of the american journal of health promotion editorial board
So many forces are converging—the limitations of high-tech medicine are becoming clearer …. intensive lifestyle changes could stop or reverse the progression of even severe coronary atheroscle-rosis …. comprehensive lifestyle changes could markedly improve angina …. comprehensive lifestyle changes may slow, stop, or even reverse the progression of early-stage prostate cancer
Park et al. (2011) Multivitamin Use and the Risk of Mortality and Cancer Incidence: The Multiethnic Cohort Study
Multivitamin/mineral supplements … people expect this type of supplement to improve their health. However, the efficacy of these supplements to prevent chronic disease or premature death is not proven, and the National Institutes of Health do not recommend multivitamin/mineral supplements for this purpose …. in the current study, there was no clear decrease or increase in mortality from all causes, cardiovascular diseases, or cancer among multivitamin supplement users. Moreover, the risk of morbidity from overall or major cancers did not differ between multivitamin users and nonusers
Ong et al. (2011) Maternal “junk-food” feeding of rat dams alters food choices and development of the mesolimbic reward pathway in the offspring
Individuals exposed to high-fat, high-sugar diets before birth have an increased risk of obesity in later life. Recent studies have shown that these offspring exhibit increased preference for fat, leading to suggestions that perinatal exposure to high-fat, high-sugar foods results in permanent changes within the central reward system that increase the subsequent drive to overconsume palatable foods.
Crowe et al. (2011) Fruit and vegetable intake and mortality from ischaemic heart disease: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Heart study
A higher intake of fruits and vegetables has been associated with a lower risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) …. assess the relation between fruit and vegetable intake and risk of mortality from IHD …. each 80 g increase in intake was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of IHD mortality of 15% for women …. reduction for men was smaller (2%) and not statistically significant …. Participants consuming at least eight portions (80 g each) of fruits and vegetables a day had a 22% lower risk of fatal IHD …. compared with those consuming fewer than three portions a day …. only three (Greece, Italy, and Spain) of the eight countries had a mean intake greater than 5 servings per day …. The grouping for vegetables did not include potatoes or dried beans due to the different carbohydrate and energy compositions of these plant foods
Davis et al. (2007) Recommendations for prevention of childhood obesity
children and adolescents is obesity prevention-today, and as they age into adulthood. In this report, we review the most recent evidence regarding many behavioral and practice interventions related to childhood obesity …. sweetened beverage intake is related to obesity among children …. obese children and adolescents are more likely to skip breakfast than their leaner counterparts …. Adolescent sedentary behavior is correlated with parental sedentary behavior …. The evidence is strong that daily moderate/vigorous physical activity helps reduce adiposity in overweight/obese youths
Mattes et al. (1991) Relative contributions of dietary sodium sources
The present study quantified the contributions of inherently food-borne, processing-added, table, cooking, and water sources …. Na added during processing contributed 77% of total intake, 11.6% was derived from Na inherent to food, and water was a trivial source. The observed table (6.2%) and cooking (5.1%)
Jacobson, M. F. (2005). Salt: The forgotten killer … And FDA’s failure to protect the public’s health
A diet high in salt (sodium chloride) is a major cause of heart disease and stroke …. Reducing salt consumption is one of the single most effective ways to prevent heart disease and strokes …. The vast majority—about 77 percent—of sodium comes from processed foods and foods eaten outside the home …. Reducing sodium consumption by half would save an estimated 150,000 lives per year. That in turn would reduce medical care and other costs by roughly $1.5 trillion over 20 years
Counter et al. (2004) Mercury exposure in children: a review
Exposure to toxic mercury (Hg) is a growing health hazard throughout the world today …. Children are particularly vulnerable to Hg intoxication …. The presence of Hg in fish, thermometers, dental amalgams, vaccine preservatives, and in the atmosphere has made this particular toxic metal an increasing focus of health authorities and interest groups …. this review examines studies of Hg exposure in children, including fetal exposure …. neonatal and infant exposure …. from breast milk of lactating mothers, fish consumption in young children, and finally dental amalgam in older children.
Flegel et al. (2009) Get excess salt out of our diet
Added salt in our diet isn’t necessary …. Once a commodity of exchange, salt is now a commodity of disease and death. We underestimate how much excess salt we eat and how much harm it can do. The greatest harm comes from high blood pressure and its consequences. Of the estimated 1 billion people living with hypertension, about 30% can attribute it to excess salt intake. Salt-related blood pressure elevation accounts for about 14% of strokes and 9% of myocardial infarctions.
