Bigger low-birth-weight babies need extra iron too

2010-09-08T09:50:33Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Babies at the larger end of the low-birth-weight spectrum are at risk of iron deficiency, and should get iron supplements, according to a Swedish study published Monday in Pediatrics. These "marginally" low-birth-weight infants tip the scales at 2000 to 2500 grams (4 pounds, 6 ounces to 5 pounds, 8 ounces) when born. They represent a large percentage of newborns; for ex...

Exercise shoes focus attention on walking

2010-09-06T03:10:10Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Call them toners, shapers, or rocker bottoms, those exercise shoes with the distinctive thick, rounded soles are flying off the shelves and onto the feet of even the most clodhopper-averse walkers. And if experts differ on how effectively the shoes will buff butts and carve calves, they concur that whatever gets you moving is a good thing. "I tell people to make your bot...

Soy may ease sleep problems in older women

2010-09-02T08:40:18Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The estrogen-like compounds found in soy could help postmenopausal women get a better night's sleep, according to a small study. These compounds, isoflavones, have been tested for a number of menopausal symptoms as well as for treating health problems that become more common after menopause, such as high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and increased body fat. But so far,...

Too little sleep bad for teenagers' diets: study

2010-09-01T22:40:23Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Teenagers who sleep less than eight hours a night on weeknights eat more fatty foods and snacks than those who get more than eight hours of sleep a night, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday. They said getting too little sleep can result in chronic changes in the diet that can increase the risk of obesity, especially in ...

Vitamins C, E show no effect on preterm birth risk

2010-08-24T10:30:11Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Taking high doses of vitamins C and E during pregnancy may not change a woman's risk of preterm delivery, according to a new study. The findings suggest that despite evidence linking vitamin C deficiency to preterm birth, supplements of the antioxidant are not an effective means of prevention -- at least in women at average risk of premature delivery. Together with results from another recent tr...

Vit D linked to cancer, autoimmune disease genes

2010-08-23T14:15:24Z

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have found that vitamin D influences more than 200 genes, including ones related to cancer and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis -- a discovery that shows how serious vitamin D deficiency can be. Worldwide, an estimated one billion people are deficient in vitamin D, and a team of scientists from Britain and

Ind. mom charged with starving 4-year-old to death

2010-08-20T11:45:24Z

Indiana mother charged after 4-year-old disabled son dies of malnutrition, dehydration

Prosecutors have charged a southeastern Indiana woman with starving to death her physically and mentally disabled 4-year-old son. Court documents show Payton Ettinger weighed just 12 pounds on May 17 when he died of malnutrition and dehydration. He had weighed 16 pounds, 5...

Low vitamin D levels tied to pregnancy complication

2010-08-18T09:30:28Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study finds that women who develop a severe form of pregnancy-related high blood pressure tend to have lower blood levels of vitamin D than healthy pregnant women -- raising the possibility that the vitamin plays a role in the complication. The condition is known as early-onset severe preeclampsia, and while it arises in about 2 to 3 percent of pregnancies, it contributes to about 15 perce...

Vitamin D not behind UVB's psoriasis benefit

2010-08-17T11:45:15Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Ultraviolet light therapy lessens the symptoms of psoriasis and simultaneously raises vitamin D levels, a new study shows. However, increased vitamin D is probably unrelated to light therapy's benefits for psoriasis, the researchers say. Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that leaves up to 3 percent of the population with patches of thick, itchy and sometimes painful red skin. Abnormalities i...

Some evidence vitamin D might fight colds

2010-08-05T10:00:29Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A daily vitamin D supplement may help young men enjoy more sick-free days during cold and flu season, a small study suggests. Vitamin D has been the subject of much research of late, with studies linking low vitamin D levels in the blood to higher risks of type 1 diabetes and severe asthma attacks in children and, in adults, heart disease, certain cancers and depression. But whether vitamin D is...

B vitamins may not help stroke patients

2010-08-04T11:02:07Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - B vitamins are safe, but they don't appear to protect those who have suffered a stroke from heart attacks or new strokes, a large study shows for the first time. The overall risk of suffering one of these events -- between 15 and 17 percent -- was similar for patients taking vitamins and placebo pills, respectively. Until bigger studies have been done, lead author Michelle Obama dishes on first family's eating habits: She's down on beets, up on cleanses

Michelle Obama dishes on the first family's health and eating habits in a new magazine interview, admitting that she just can't stand beets and that she occasionally changes her diet to clear her palate and change her mindset. In an interview for the September issue of Reuters) - Many popular dietary supplements contain ingredients that may cause cancer, heart problems, liver or kidney damage, but U.S. stores sell them anyway and Americans spend millions on them, according to Consumer Reports. The consumer magazine published a repor...

Low-carb edges low-fat for heart risk factors

2010-08-03T15:47:13Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets can be equally effective at helping obese adults shed weight over the longer term, but cutting carbs may have an advantage when it comes to some heart risk factors, a study published Monday suggests. Researchers say the findings offer reassurance that low-carb diets -- which tend to be relatively high in fat -- are not a threat to heart health. Instead, the stu...

What prevents falls after strokes? Study: Not much

2010-08-03T15:46:50Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While most stroke survivors will suffer falls, strategies to prevent these dangerous events continue to fall short, suggests a new study out of Australia. Up to three in four stroke survivors fall within six months of their stroke, and these falls can lead to serious injuries, including broken bones. "Although research has shown that fall prevent...

Calcium supplements may raise risk of heart attack

2010-08-03T15:46:45Z

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Calcium supplements, which many people consume hoping to ward off osteoporosis, may increase the risk of heart attack by as much as 30 percent, researchers reported Friday. These tiny tablets which carry concentrated doses of calcium were also associated with higher incidences of stroke and death, but they were not statistically significant. The researchers advised people consuming calcium supplements...

Low-carb diet trumps low-fat on 'good' cholesterol

2010-08-02T14:30:35Z

Low-carb diet better at boosting 'good' cholesterol than low-fat; weight loss same, study says

Over the long term, a low-carb diet works just as well as a low-fat diet at taking off the pounds — and it might be better for your heart, new research suggests. Both diets improved cholesterol in a two-year study that included intensive group counseling. But those on the low-carbohydrate diet got a bigger boost in their so-called good cholesterol, nearly twice as ...

MSF suspends aid in part of south Sudan

2010-07-31T05:15:16Z

Violence in south Sudan has forced the aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) to suspend its work in the Gumuruk area of troubled Jonglei state, the organisation said on Saturday. Three separate security incidents this month, including attacks by armed men, forced MSF to suspend medical aid in...

Calcium supplements linked to heart attacks: study

2010-07-30T02:15:35Z

Ordinary calcium supplements taken by the elderly to strengthen bones may boost the risk of heart attacks, according to a study released Friday. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal, suggest that the role of calcium in the treatment of osteoporosis should be reconsidered, the researchers said. Calcium tablets are commonly prescribed to boost skeletal health, but a recent clinical trial sug...

Mom's pregnancy diet not tied to wheezing risk

2010-07-28T08:45:29Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A woman's overall diet during pregnancy may not be related to her child's risk of developing wheezing problems by preschool age, a new study suggests. Wheezing refers to a high-pitched whistling sound, most obvious while exhaling, that is usually caused by blockages in the small breathing tubes in the chest. Occasional wheezing is common in infancy and early childhood, and is often related to vi...

Bangladesh university battles to save tree from extinction

2010-07-27T17:00:12Z

DHAKA (Reuters Life!) - A unique tree at Dhaka University in Bangladesh has united students across the campus who are battling to save it from extinction and hold out hopes that its seeds may prove to have medicinal qualities. What is believed to be the last nat...

Summary Box: Kraft ups whole grain in crackers

2010-07-26T10:15:19Z

Summary Box: Kraft plans to increase whole grains in its crackers

THE NEWS: Kraft is increasing the whole grain in more than 100 of its Nabisco crackers over the next three years. THE EFFECT: Popular crackers like Ritz and Premium crackers will contain whole grains for the first time. The amount of whole grain in Wheat Thins will more than double and in ...

CORRECTED: Downing diet soda tied to risk of premature birth

2010-07-26T08:45:26Z

By Anne Harding NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New research suggests that drinking lots of artificially sweetened beverages may be linked with an increased risk of premature births. "It may be non-optimal for pregnant women to have high consumption of these types of products," Dr. Thorhallur I. Halldorsson of the

Kraft to raise whole grains in crackers

2010-07-26T07:30:25Z

Kraft will increase whole grains in more than 100 cracker products over next 3 years

Kraft Foods Inc. says it will more than double the amount of whole grain in many of its Nabisco crackers. The moves are in response to consumer and health advocates' demands for improved nutrition from packaged foods. Kraft says it will increase the whole grain...

Downing diet soda tied to risk of premature birth

2010-07-23T11:45:32Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New research suggests that drinking lots of artificially sweetened beverages may be linked with an increased risk of premature births. "It may be non-optional for pregnant women to have high consumption of these types of products," Dr. Thorhallur I. Halldorsson of the Statens Serum Institut in

Back panel key ingredient of nutrition info

2010-07-22T09:15:35Z

Nutritionists: Read between label lines to get the skinny on food nutritional content

You want your back-to-schooler to eat a healthy diet, so you pack a "wheat" bread sandwich and tuck a "juice" drink in her brown-bag lunch. But did you know that loaf simply labeled "wheat" may be just white bread with added coloring? And the "juice" drink may contain more water than juice? It pays to read between the label lines, nutritionists say. "People in the store, trying t...

Meat lovers may pack on the pounds over time

2010-07-20T11:45:10Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Being a little less carnivorous may help you stay slim, a study in hundreds of thousands of Europeans suggests. Dr. Anne-Claire Vergnaud of Imperial College London in the UK and her colleagues found that people who ate more meat gained more weight over 5 years...

Eating fish weekly may lower risk of age-related eye disease

2010-07-19T15:45:14Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Older adults who eat fatty fish at least once a week may have a lower risk of serious vision loss from age-related macular degeneration, according to a U.S. study. The study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University in Reuters Health) - Older adults who eat fatty fish at least once a week may have a lower risk of serious vision loss from age-related macular degeneration, a new study suggests. The findings, reported in the journal Ophthalmology, do not prove that eating fish cuts the risk of developing the advanced stages of age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. But they add to evidence from previous studies showing that fis...

Carlyle Group will acquire NBTY for $3.8 billion

2010-07-15T03:45:19Z

Private equity firm will buy vitamin maker NBTY for $3.8 billion in cash

A private equity firm plans to buy vitamin maker NBTY Inc. for $3.8 billion in cash. NBTY says the Carlyle Group will acquire all of NBTY's outstanding shares for $55 per share, a 47 percent premium above the stock's closing price of $37.47 on Wednesday. The deal is expe...

Higher vitamin E intake tied to lower dementia risk

2010-07-13T05:00:06Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults who get plenty of vitamin E in their diets may have a somewhat lower risk of developing dementia than those who consume less of the nutrient, a study published Monday suggests. Researchers found that among 5,400 Dutch adults age 55 and older, the one-third who reported the highest vitamin E intake from food were 25 percent less likely to develop dementia, including Alzheimer's disea...

Vitamin D levels linked to Parkinson's disease risk

2010-07-12T16:15:38Z

Greater levels of vitamin D have been linked to a lower risk of Parkinson's disease in a study in Finland where low sunlight leads to a chronic lack of the nutrient, researchers said Monday. Scientists from the National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland, first hypot...

Low vitamin D increases risk of dementia in elderly

2010-07-12T13:30:58Z

LONDON (Reuters) - Older people with low levels of vitamin D appear more likely to have problems with memory, learning and thinking, suggesting low vitamin D could give an early warning for dementia risk, scientists said on Monday. Researchers from Britain, Italy and the

When dieting, watch your vitamins: study

2010-07-09T12:00:17Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When weighing the benefits of one weight-loss plan over another, dieters may want to consider what else might be cut with the calories and carbs, suggests a new study. More than $30 billion a year is spent on weight loss products in the U.S., with one in three adults reportedly trying to trim pounds. The focus of these popular diets typic...

Family meals, vegetables may keep kids trim

2010-07-08T06:45:16Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children who regularly sit down to family meals and get plenty of vegetables in their diet tend to be thinner than their peers without such eating habits, a new study finds. The results, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, may not sound surprising. However, few studies have looked at the relationship between children's...

UN food agency: Niger now an 'emergency operation'

2010-07-02T03:00:13Z

UN food agency declares operation in Niger an emergency as child malnutrition rises

The World Food Program has declared its work in Niger an "emergency operation" after a survey found a sharp rise in malnutrition rates among young children. WFP spokeswoman

Cold cereal might beat a hot breakfast

2010-07-01T11:45:14Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - You needn't feel guilty if you don't cook hot breakfasts for your kids. In a recent large study of children that compared breakfast-skippers, cereal eaters, and kids who had "other" breakfasts, the cereal-eaters came out on top for healthiest diets. Regardless of whether their breakfasts were relatively high or low in sugar, the cereal eaters did not consume more than the daily recommended amoun...

Antioxidants no help vs rheumatoid arthritis, lupus

2010-09-01T12:16:11Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Antioxidants in food and supplements might not protect women from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or lupus after all, a large U.S. study suggests. RA is not the same as osteoarthritis, which develops with age or with wear-and-tear on the joints. RA occurs much less often, but is usually more severe. RA and lupus are both autoimmune disorders. T...

Utah regulators slap supplement maker with fines

2010-06-29T13:46:08Z

Utah regulators fine Sabinsa Corp. more than $11K for violations following worker's death

A nutritional supplement maker has been cited for dust-control violations after a 29-year-old employee told nurses on his death bed that he had been poisoned by selenium powder from working without a required respirator. Sabinsa Corp. was fined more than $11,000 by Ut...

90 percent of Americans eat too much salt: study

2010-06-24T23:15:53Z

Only one in 10 Americans keep their salt intake within recommended levels, with the rest overstepping the limits and risking high blood pressure and heart ailments, a CDC report said. The Atlanta, Georgia-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found the average daily ...

People Jennifer Hudson

2010-04-01T14:02:07Z

Jennifer Hudson poses at a news conference, Thursday, April 1, 2010, after debuting her national advertising campaign with Weight Watchers in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

APTOPIX People Jennifer Hudson

2010-04-01T14:01:54Z

Jennifer Hudson poses at a news conference, Thursday, April 1, 2010, after debuting her national advertising campaign with Weight Watchers in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

Food Panera Calories

2010-03-26T21:10:58Z

Loaves of sourdough bread, with a listing of 140 calories for a two ounce serving, are displayed on a rack at the Panera store in Brookline, Mass., Monday, March 8, 2010. Panera bread company is announcing that they will become the first chain to post calories on menus nationally. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

...

Michelle Obama

2010-03-27T03:34:17Z

First lady Michelle Obama speaks to the School Nutrition Association Legislative Action Conference in Washington, Monday, March 1, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Copyright 2010 Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) (R) speaks about dietary supplements while flanked by Rob Manfred (L) executive vice president of labor for Major League Baseball,Kicker Vencill (2nd-L) former U.S. Swim Team member, Jeremy Bloom (3rd-L) of the ...

Diet and Nutrition Network

Bigger low-birth-weight babies need extra iron too

Exercise shoes focus attention on walking

Soy may ease sleep problems in older women

Too little sleep bad for teenagers' diets: study

Vitamins C, E show no effect on preterm birth risk

Vit D linked to cancer, autoimmune disease genes

Ind. mom charged with starving 4-year-old to death

Low vitamin D levels tied to pregnancy complication

Vitamin D not behind UVB's psoriasis benefit

Some evidence vitamin D might fight colds

B vitamins may not help stroke patients

Low-carb edges low-fat for heart risk factors

What prevents falls after strokes? Study: Not much

Calcium supplements may raise risk of heart attack

Low-carb diet trumps low-fat on 'good' cholesterol

MSF suspends aid in part of south Sudan

Calcium supplements linked to heart attacks: study

Mom's pregnancy diet not tied to wheezing risk

Bangladesh university battles to save tree from extinction

Summary Box: Kraft ups whole grain in crackers

CORRECTED: Downing diet soda tied to risk of premature birth

Kraft to raise whole grains in crackers

Downing diet soda tied to risk of premature birth

Back panel key ingredient of nutrition info

Meat lovers may pack on the pounds over time

Eating fish weekly may lower risk of age-related eye disease

Carlyle Group will acquire NBTY for $3.8 billion

Higher vitamin E intake tied to lower dementia risk

Vitamin D levels linked to Parkinson's disease risk

Low vitamin D increases risk of dementia in elderly

When dieting, watch your vitamins: study

Family meals, vegetables may keep kids trim

UN food agency: Niger now an 'emergency operation'

Cold cereal might beat a hot breakfast

Antioxidants no help vs rheumatoid arthritis, lupus

Utah regulators slap supplement maker with fines

90 percent of Americans eat too much salt: study

People Jennifer Hudson

APTOPIX People Jennifer Hudson

Food Panera Calories

Michelle Obama