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Junk food makes up nearly
one-third of calories in American diet
A study of 4,700 adults showed that, despite the
increased popularity of low- carbohydrate diets, almost one-third of
Americans' calories are coming from 'empty calorie' foods such as
sweets and desserts, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages. Salty
snacks and fruit-flavored drinks make up another five percent. Lead
researcher Gladys Block, a professor of epidemiology and public
health nutrition at University of California, Berkeley, used data
from a U.S. government survey called the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey. She analyzed the answers of
participants interviewed in 1999 and 2000 who were asked to report
all the foods they ate in the previous 24 hours.
"We know people are eating a lot of junk food, but to have
almost one-third of Americans' calories coming from those categories
is a shocker. It's no wonder there's an obesity epidemic in this
country," Block said in a statement.
Sodas contributed 7.1 percent of the total calories eaten. Sweets
topped the list, followed by hamburgers, pizza, and potato chips. By
contrast, fruits and vegetables made up only about 10 percent of
calories in the diet.
"It's important to emphasize that sweets, desserts, snacks, and
alcohol are contributing calories without providing vitamins and
minerals," said Block.
"You can actually be obese and still be underAdvanceded with
regard to important nutrients. We shouldn't be telling people to eat
less--we should be telling people to eat differently."
Fitness may reduce the risk
of death in men with Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of disorders that
include abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood
sugar, and unhealthy cholesterol levels. Up to one in four U.S.
adults has metabolic syndrome, significantly increasing their risk
for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
In a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, over
19,000 men were recruited to determine the relationship between
cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and mortality risk in healthy men
and those with metabolic syndrome. The study group, which included
about 3,800 men with metabolic syndrome, were evaluated for fitness
and then followed for up to 17 years.
Healthy men who were out of shape at the beginning of the study were
three times as likely as their fit peers to die of cardiovascular
disease. While men with metabolic syndrome were 89 percent more
likely than healthy men to die of heart disease over the years, men
with metabolic syndrome who were unfit had twice the death rate as
their fit counterparts.
According to the researchers, "This study strengthens the
argument for aggressive public health campaigns aimed at increasing
physical activity levels in the population." Fitness,
regardless of body weight, can provide a strong protective effect
against premature death in men with metabolic syndrome as well as
healthy men.
Regular Exercise and Fish
Oil May Keep Arteries Clear
A combination of prolonged exercise and fish oil
can dramatically reduce levels of a fat that can cause hardening of
the arteries, a leading cause of heart disease. Fat in the
bloodstream is a primary contributor to atherosclerosis, or partial
blockage of the arteries.
A recent study found that people who do prolonged, aerobic exercise
have muscle cells that are able to quickly break down and reduce
levels of a fat called triglycerides. Taking a fish oil supplement
can reduce triglyceride levels even more.
The researchers studied triglyceride levels in recreationally active
men after they'd eaten high-fat meals. One group ate a fatty meal
after they exercised. A second group ate a high-fat meal after
taking a four-gram fish oil supplement. A third group ate a high-fat
meal after exercising and taking the fish oil supplement. A control
group ate a high-fat meal only.
The study found a 38 percent decline in peak triglyceride levels in
the men who took a fish oil supplement before they ate a high-fat
meal. Peak triglyceride levels dropped 50 percent in the men who
exercised and took a fish oil supplement before they ate a high-fat
meal.
Regular exercise and fish oil supplements may be beneficial for
people who are concerned about maintaining a healthy triglyceride
level.
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