Vitamin D deficiency common in US children - Weekly Essentials of Health by Usana Health Sciences

March 4, 2015 Vitamin D deficiency common in US children At a Glance Research indicates that the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among children in the United States is higher than previously thought. Although several small studies had found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in specific populations of children, this study is the first to examine the issue nationwide. Read more about this research below.    A study in the journal Pediatrics reveals a troublesome prevalence of low levels of vitamin D among children in the U.S.   Researchers evaluated data from over 6,000 children aged 1 to 21 who participated in the National Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2004. Insufficient levels of vitamin D were defined as 15 to 29 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), and deficient levels as less than 15 ng/mL. Over 60 percent of the children studied had vitamin D levels defined as insufficient. Outright deficiency occurred in nine percent of the subjects. If applied to the U.S. population, these percentages would be equivalent to nearly 51 million children with insufficient vitamin D levels, and 7.6 million children with vitamin D deficiency. Participants who consumed at least 400 IU of vitamin D per day were less likely to experience a deficiency, but just four percent of the children used vitamin D supplements. In addition to its consequences regarding bone health, vitamin D deficiency can potentially increase the risk of future heart disease and other health conditions. The researchers concluded that physicians should be screening children for vitamin D levels, especially in populations that are considered high risk. Kumar J.  Prevalence and associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in US children: NHANES 2001-2004. Pediatrics. 2009 Sep;124(3):e362-70.

My Skin @ 50- Fifty and Fabulous! Anti Aging Skin Tips

Infographic: Blood Pressure is a Key to Heart Health

Infographic: Blood Pressure is a Key to Heart Health



Take care of your hearts Valentine's! This info graphic spells out with positive suggestions! hanks as always to Usana Health Sciences for bringing home the statistics in a cool format. I muse that it also being black history month and heart health month is a good intersection since so many in the communities of color most definitely suffer from lack of fresh foods and exercise. We can do better than that! - Ekayani

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January 28, 2015

Multivitamin/mineral supplementation in obese adults may result in positive effects on body weight and blood lipids

At a GlanceResearch suggests that obese individuals who use a multivitamin/mineral supplement may experience both a decrease in body weight and improved serum lipid profiles. Read more about this research below.

 

Obese individuals are more likely to have lower blood concentrations of most vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, there is currently limited information on the effects of nutritional supplementation on weight control and energy metabolism in obese adults.

In research published in the International Journal of Obesity, scientists evaluated the effects of multivitamin/mineral supplementation on body fat, energy expenditure, and lipid profiles in obese Chinese women. Ninety-six obese Chinese women between the ages of 18 and 55 participated in a 26-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study. Subjects were divided into three groups, receiving either a multivitamin/mineral supplement (MMS), 162mg of calcium, or placebo daily. Body weight, BMI, waist circumference, fat mass, lean tissue, resting energy expenditure, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose and serum insulin, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured at the beginning and end of the study period.

After 26 weeks, the multivitamin/mineral group had significantly lower body weight, BMI, fat mass, total and LDL cholesterol, and significantly higher resting energy expenditure and HDL cholesterol than individuals in the placebo group. They were also more likely to have a reduced waist circumference. The calcium group also had significantly higher HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol levels compared with the placebo group.

The results suggest that multivitamin/mineral supplementation could help reduce body weight and obesity and improve serum lipid profiles in obese women, possibly through increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation.

The correlation between inadequate nutrient status and obesity was further strengthened in a new study involving mice. For 12 weeks, mice were given either a standard diet or one that was restricted to 50% of their micronutrient requirements. At the end of the study, the body weight of the mice with a nutrient restricted diet was 6% higher than the controls, and their body fat more than doubled.

Li Y, Wang C, Zhu K, Feng RN, and Sun CH. Effects of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on adiposity, energy expenditure and lipidprofiles in obese Chinese women. 2010. Int J Obes (Lond) 34(6):1070-7.

Amara NB et al. Multivitamin restriction increases adiposity and disrupts glucose homeostasis in mice. Genes Nutr. 2014 Jul;9(4):410.

Weight gain common during first months of the year despite New Year’s resolutions

Weight gain common during first months of the year despite New Year’s resolutions

At a Glance

 Although the most common New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier and lose  weight, consumers tend to continue purchasing less-healthy foods at increased  holiday levels while also adding more healthy foods to the diet. The additional  calories result in small weight gains common at the beginning of the year despite  resolutions to lose weight.  

 Read more about this research below. 

Small yearly weight gains of one to two pounds may be a significant contributor to the high rate of obesity in America, and weight gain over the holiday period may be responsible for much of this yearly weight gain. A study published in PLOS ONE shows that despite people’s best intentions to eat less in the New Year, they may actually be taking in more calories during the first three months of the year.

Over the course of 37 weeks, from July 17, 2010 to March 12, 2011, researchers recruited 207 households to participate in a randomized-controlled trial conducted at two regional-grocery chain locations in upstate New York. Daily-itemized transaction level data were collected for each of the households and a nutrient-rating system was used to designate “healthy” and “less healthy” items. Expenditures and calories purchased for the holiday period (Thanksgiving–New Year’s), and the post-holiday period (New Year’s–March), were compared to baseline (July–Thanksgiving) amounts.

Household food expenditures increased by 15% over the holiday season compared to baseline, and 75% of the additional expenditures were considered “less-healthy” items. Sales of healthy food items increased 29.4% after the holiday season, consistent with what would be expected based on New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, households spent about the same on the less-healthy items in the post-holiday season as they did during the holiday season. After the holidays, calories purchased each week increased by 9.3% (calories per serving/week) compared to the holidays and by 20.2% compared to baseline.

Despite resolutions to eat more healthfully after New Year’s and the greater focus on healthier items post-New Year’s Day, the current study found that not only was there an increase in the purchase of unhealthy items during the holidays, but it remained elevated in the weeks immediately following the holiday season. So, even though many people make a New Year’s resolution to eat healthier or lose weight, consumers are making purchasing decisions that only partly support these goals. Healthcare professionals should encourage consumers to substitute healthy items for less-healthy foods to assist consumers in fulfilling their New Year’s resolutions to reverse holiday weight gain.

Pope L, Hanks AS, Just DR, Wansink B (2014) New Year’s Res-Illusions: Food Shopping in the New Year Competes with Healthy Intentions. PLoS ONE 9(12): e110561. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110561

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