Heart health champions: olive oil and whole grains
3 min read 30 Sep 2015, 12:51 PM ISTWalking for a few minutes between work can offset the harmful effects of prolonged sitting, calcium rich diet doesn't make bones strong studies and research tips for healthier you
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Walking for 10 min at work is good for body
Walking for 10 minutes can cancel out the negative effects of long hours of sitting, claims a new study. Prolonged sitting time is on the rise, but studies investigating the impact of sitting on vascular function are still limited. Researchers at the University Of Missouri School Of Medicine have pointed out that sitting for six hours in one stretch can impair macro vascular dilator function in the limbs. However, this impairment could be improved with a bout of walking. Researchers studied 11 able bodied men before and after prolonged sitting and found that blood flow in the lower leg had fallen significantly after six hours of non-stop sitting. After participants took a short walk, the impaired vascular function improved and so did the blood flow. The study was published in the journal Experimental Physiology. Read more here.
Increased intake of calcium doesn’t make bone stronger
Increased intake of calcium through calcium rich diet or food supplements does not improve bone health or reduces the risk of fractures in older adults, says two new researches. Researchers from New Zealand studied data from randomized controlled trials of extra dietary or supplemental calcium in women and men aged over 50 and found that increasing calcium intake increases bone density by a mere 1- 2 %. The second study, by a Swedish group of scientists, found that dietary calcium intake is not linked to risk of fracture, and found no evidence that shows increasing calcium intake from dietary sources prevents fractures. Both papers were published in the British Medical Journal. Read more here.
Olive oil and whole grains reduces risk of heart diseases
A new study claims, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats like olive oil, nuts and carbohydrates is more effective than highly processed foods when it comes to reducing the risk of heart disease. The researchers found that participants who were replacing saturated fats with low-quality carbohydrates such as refined grains which are not very helpful in preventing heart disease. But when people replaced saturated fats with unsaturated fats like vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds, as well as healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains they actually benefited from the change. About 1,30,000 healthy people participated in the study and provided information on their diet, lifestyle, medical history, and newly diagnosed diseases through questionnaires at baseline and every two to four years for 24 to 30 years. The research was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Read more here.
Second-hand smoking makes kids aggressive
Second hand smoke during pregnancy and after birth can lead to behavioural problems in children, a French research warns. The researchers examined the link between exposure to smoking and troubled behaviour such as aggression, disobedience, lying and cheating in 5200 school children. The results were based on questionnaires filled out by parents which assessed their children’s behaviour and whether they had been exposed to tobacco before their first birthday. The results show that 18% of children exposed to smoke before and after birth exhibited behaviour problems, compared with the 9.7% who came from non-smoking households. They also found that the risk of emotional disorder was higher in such children. “Exposure to tobacco during pregnancy and after birth practically doubles the risk of behaviour problems among primary school children aged on average around 10 years," said study head Isabella Annesi-Maesano. The study was published in American journal PlOS. Read more here.
Sweetened beverage leads to heart diseases
Drinking sweetened beverages can lead to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, warns an American research. Such beverages use added sugar like fructose as they are more cost effective than sucrose. This is the first study that takes a closer look at the harmful role of fructose on human body. The researchers point out that unlike glucose, fructose is metabolized in the liver where it is converted to fatty compounds called triglycerides, which leads to fatty liver disease and insulin resistance and in due course to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Read more here.
Compiled by Abhijit Ahaskar
