The data on how “milk does a body good” is mixed. I suspect the milk industry pays for the studies that favor their marketing. Even the data on how good diary is for strong bones is not that solid. Should you stop dairy? Not necessarily. But you may want to cut back. I know—it’s hard to do because it is so tasty!
For sure, lay off processed foods. Reduce total caloric intake if you want to lose weight. And eat a lot of veggies/prebiotics to maximize your microbiome’s metabolic function. If you have IBS, remember diet trumps medications that only treat symptoms.
References
New WIC rules to emphasize more fruits, vegetables, less dairy
The New York Times (4/9/24, Qiu) reports, “The Agriculture Department said on Tuesday that low-income women and children eligible for a food aid program would receive more cash for purchases of fruits and vegetables, with less assistance available for milk.” The WIC rule changes will bring the program “more in line with the government’s current dietary guidelines. It is the first update to the program in a decade and will take effect in two years.”
Higher ultraprocessed foods, ice cream intake tied to higher mortality in patients with colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease.
The American Journal of Managed Care (4/9/24, Bonavitacola) reports, “There is an association between higher mortality in colorectal cancer (CRC) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with a diagnosis of CRC and a higher intake of ice cream or sherbet and ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), respectively, according to a study published in eClinicalMedicine.” According to the study, “higher consumption of fats/condiments/sauces was associated with increased mortality related to CVD (HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.41-2.73). Higher intake of flavored yogurt and dairy-based desserts, specifically ice cream and sherbet, was associated with increased mortality related to CRC (HR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.33-2.61). Overall mortality and other UPF subgroups did not have a significant association.”
Ultraprocessed Foods Linked With 32 Types of Health Problems
Emily Harris. JAMA. 2024;331(15):1265. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.2088
Ultraprocessed foods include ready-to-eat meals, snacks, and sugary drinks that contain a long list of ingredients and additives designed to make the food sellable or palatable. Now these foods have been associated with more than 30 health conditions, a review of 45 meta-analyses involving about 9.9 million participants found.
Eating more ultraprocessed foods was linked to a higher risk of dying from any cause. There were also strong ties between higher consumption and cardiovascular disease–related deaths, mental health disorders, and type 2 diabetes. The researchers also found highly suggestive evidence that ultraprocessed foods were associated with poor sleep, obesity, and wheezing.
The researchers, who published their findings in The BMJ, propose several reasons that exposure to ultraprocessed foods might be linked with poor health outcomes. Ultraprocessed foods might take the place of meals with more produce, whole foods, and fiber. They can also expose people to unhealthy additives such as emulsifiers and increase inflammation.
Based on the findings, and because manufacturers are motivated to continue marketing unhealthy products that sell well, the author of a linked editorial wrote that public policies could include clear labeling to identify these foods, restrictions on advertising near schools and hospitals, and economic incentives to make healthier foods as accessible and cheaper than ultraprocessed ones.
Caloric intake may be more important for weight loss than meal timing
Healio Minute, April 19, 2024
Time-restricted eating was linked to similar reductions in weight compared with usual eating patterns. Time-restricted eating may still benefit patients by decreasing their caloric intake, researchers said.
BOSTON — Time-restricted eating did not result in more weight loss vs. a usual eating pattern, suggesting that overall caloric intake may have a larger effect on weight loss than meal timing, researchers reported. The findings were presented during the plenary session at the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting and simultaneously published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Gut microbiome composition may alter risk for obesity
Healio Minute, April 19, 2024
- Adults with a high obesity index had a lower abundance of Christensenella minuta.
- Certain species of gut bacteria affect obesity risk differently for men and women.
Some changes in gut microbiome composition may increase the risk for obesity, with those changes affecting men and women differently, according to data that will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity.
“We can reduce the risk of metabolic diseases by modulating the gut microbiome through nutritional and lifestyle factors, including dietary patterns, foods, exercise, probiotics and postbiotics,” Paula Aranaz, PhD, a researcher in the Center for Nutrition Research at the University of Navarra in Spain, told Healio. “These modifications depend on many factors, including sex, but also the host’s genetics, endocrine system and age. The knowledge of the gut microbiome function and regulation is an invaluable opportunity to develop new precision nutrition strategies, which could be specific to men and women.”
Dietary changes may be better than medication for easing symptoms of IBS
HealthDay (4/19/24, Foster) reported, “The right diet may be the best medicine for easing the painful symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), new research shows.” Investigators found that “two different eating plans beat standard medications in treating the debilitating symptoms of the gastrointestinal disease.” HealthDay added, “One diet was low in ‘FODMAPs,’ a group of sugars and carbohydrates found in dairy, wheat and certain fruits and vegetables, while the second was a low-carb regimen high in fiber but low in all other carbohydrates.” The findings were published in Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology
