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Charismatic performance has only grown more important in tech. As a CEO, your job is to sell to all sorts of different people, said a founder-CEO in Boston. First and foremost, you need to convince people to join the company and buy into the mission. You also need to sell to customers.

Especially important are investors. Many tech companies subsist on investment capital for years, making investors perceptions critical. To do the role well, you do have to build a bit of a persona, said a founder-CEO in San Francisco. Investors are often attracted to founders that have some sort of unique charisma or personalityspecial, I think, is the word they would use.

Although neither of them do restrictive diets, these founders understand the social pressures that compel such performances.

Intensifying the need to be special is the uncertainty and gigaton magnitude of potential rewards. Founders have to convince investors that, with time and dollars, their companies will metamorphose into fat, pearly unicorns. But they have little that sets them apart, especially early on. Theres no revenue. There are no profits. Theres an idea, which I dont want to discount, said Khurana. But that leaves you very little to evaluate, other than what school did the person go to, who do they know, where did they work. Like shamans then, founders fall back on personal qualities to convince investors that they can do something near-miraculous.

While CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey talked about intermittent fasting on podcasts, in Twitter posts, and during an online Q&A hosted by WIRED. Non-intuitive, he tweeted, but I find I have a lot more energy and focus, feel healthier and happier, and my sleep is much deeper.

Perhaps. But if the scientific literature is any indication, his self-denial isnt all laser-focus and cozy nights. Intermittent fasting seems promising for people with obesity or diabetes, but studies testing the short-term effects of fasting on sleep and cognitive function typically show either no change or deficits.

So are CEO-shamans putting on a show? People everywhere intuit that self-denial and other shamanic practices cultivate power. Being human, tech executives presumably draw the same inferences. At least part of their decision to engage in shamanic practices, then, might stem from a sincere desire to be special.

But humans are also skillful performers. We pay close attention to which identities are esteemed and then craft ourselves to conform. We are guided by automatic, often selfish psychological processes and then delude ourselves with noble justifications. All the world is not, of course, a stage, wrote the sociologist Erving Goffman, but the crucial ways in which it isnt are not easy to specify. If CEOs are anything like the rest of us, their personas (including the shamanic elements) are tweaked for acclaim and then rationalized afterward.

Whatever the motivation, the outcome is the same. Look past buzzwords like biohack and transhumanism and many tech executives look a lot like the trance-dancers and witch doctors of past societies. As long as people search for miracles, others will compete to look like miracle-workers, forever resurrecting ancient and time-tested techniques. Shamanism is neither lost wisdom nor superstition. Rather, its a reflection of human nature, a captivating tradition that develops everywhere as humans turn to each other to produce the extraordinary.

Updated 7/15/2022 9:15 am ET: This story has been updated to correct that Daniel Gross is a former partner at Y Combinator, not a current partner as previously stated.

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The Shamanification of the Tech CEO - WIRED

For many years zinc oxide was the most cost effective way to reduce post-weaning diarrhea in piglets. For EU pig producers this era came to an end on June 26 2022. Increasing antibiotics is not an option and another substitute for medicinal zinc isnt found yet, therefore pig producers need to adopt a new production strategy.

We at the Danish Pig Research Centre believe that it is important to share the knowledge that is available so that the phasing out of medicinal zinc does not affect antibiotic consumption, animal welfare and economic profitability.

During the Zero Zinc summit scientists presented latest results and showed practical examples of how to phase out medical zinc, while maintaining productivity. With the aim of increasing our knowledge in this area, we have brought together professors and other leading scientists who have devoted many working hours to finding a solution to weaning diarhoea. We at the Danish Pig Research Centre believe that it is important to share the knowledge that is available so that the phasing out of medicinal zinc does not affect antibiotic consumption, animal welfare and economic profitability, said Christian Fink Hansen https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-fink-hansen-9a20216/?originalSubdomain=dk, Sector Director, Danish Pig Research Centre, Danish Food and Agriculture Council, when opening the summit.

In 2 days it became clear that the microbiome of the piglets is one of the most, or even most important factor in reducing diarrhoea, and improving animal health and performance. The right development of the microbiome in early life will influence animal health later on. However, there a multiple factors in the current production strategies that could have a negative impact on establishing a healthy gut.

Most attention goes out to the period after weaning, looking at feeding strategies, however there is the lactation period before weaning where some opportunities exist.

It all starts in the very early life of the piglets, before weaning with the colostrum intake, farrowing environment and weaning age. All factors that could influence the occurrence of post weaning diarrhea and performance. John Pulske, CEO and Chief scientist, of the Australasian pork research institute states: Most attention goes out to the period after weaning, looking at feeding strategies, however there is the lactation period before weaning where some opportunities exist.

According to John Pulske, supplementary feeding of the piglet before weaning, with either creep feed or supplemental milk is essential to modulation of the microbiome of the young piglet: Both feeding of the sow in gestation and lactation and supplementary feeding of the piglet, has potential to establish a favorable intestinal environment at weaning, that may reduce antimicrobial use. Feed intake after weaning, is influenced by pre-weaning intake of feed. One of the strategies to increase creep feed intake is to wean piglets at an older age. Pulske: Pre-weaning feed intake will increase as the lactation length increases with the result that diarrhea will be reduced.

This statement was endorsed by Charlotte Amdi of the University of Copenhagen, At the moment piglets are weaned with an immature digestive system. In her study she determined the effect of liquid versus dry creep feeding and weaning age (4 versus 5 weeks). The results of this study showed that pigs weaned in the 5th week were half a kilo heavier than pigs weaned in the 4th week at 9 weeks of age. In addition, pigs given liquid feed weighed nearly 1 kg more than pigs given dry feed at 9 weeks of age.

According to Mike Bailey, of the University of Bristol, one of the problems is that there is a lot unknown on how the microbiome works. He agrees with the fact that piglets are weaned too young, when their mucosal immune system is still poorly developed. These animals dont have the appropriate immune responses yet against pathogens. The active immune systems of young piglets are poorly developed and they seem to have a reduced ability to distinguish between harmless proteins and potential pathogens, mounting strong immune responses to dietary components.

we still dont fully understand the underlying mechanisms, like the impact from the environment or from nutritional interventions in detail.

He adds that the mucosal ecosystem will still develop in the first 8 weeks of life. The early rearing environment has a impact on the development of important components of the immune system. And we still dont fully understand the underlying mechanisms, like the impact from the environment or from nutritional interventions in detail. This all together will contribute to low postweaning performance and the occurrence of diarhoea. Mick Bailey, argues for more detailed studies that show why and how some interventions are successful and why others dont.

WELFARE AS A PREVENTIVE MEDICINETo improve piglet health and performance it is important to look at pig behavior and welfare, said Laura Boyle of Teagasc, Ireland during a symposium of DSM in run-up to the Zinc Summit. It is know that in current systems pigs are close to their biological limit what challenges their health and therewith increased the need for medicinal interventions. You got to get the basics right, treat the cause. The same model is followed for years, but is not working anymore, new systems are needed, stated Laure Boyle. She adds that especially improving welfare of the sows and piglets could work as a preventive medicine. In the farrowing crate there is still a lot of improvement possible. Enrichment in the farrowing crate seems a good tool to increase the welfare of the piglets and also giving the sow more space will benefit not only welfare but also performance, study results show. Inonge Reimert, of Wageningen University studies the effect of loose housing on sows during lactation and results show that the robustness of the piglets will improve in this new farrowing crate design. The transition to weaning is improved what will lead to better postweaning performance.

With so many factors impacting the early life of piglets, it is clear that moving to zero zinc asks for a totally new strategy. Frances Molist of Schothorst Feed Research advocates for a holistic approach: With the restrictions on the use of medical zinc and antibiotics in Europe we need more tailor made diets and apply an integral approach that starts already around farrowing and will continue after the post-weaning period. After the Zero Zinc summit it can be concluded that raising piglets without zinc requires looking at the total picture, evaluating the piglet diets (see box 1) , but also the environment in which the piglets grow up and the associated stress factors (see box 2). That all to ensure that piglets have the chance to develop their microbiome. Zero zinc requires a healthy and well developed gut.

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Zero zinc requires a healthy gut - All About Feed

Main findings of the study

This study examined the associations of childhood and adult SEC with recommended food habits among 1939-year-old Finnish municipal employees. Both childhood and adult SEC were positively associated with the recommended consumption of fresh or cooked vegetables, fruit or berries, dark bread, skimmed milk products, fish, and cooking oil, but inconsistently associated with red or processed meat and fat spread. When investigating all eight food habits together, we observed clear socioeconomic gradients in having several [6,7,8] recommended food habits, regardless of the SEC measure used. The strongest associations were found for participants own education, occupational class, and current financial difficulties. Participants own education, however, explained a considerable part of the associations between participants own occupational class and having several recommended food habits. Although adult SEC were more strongly associated with recommended food habits than childhood SEC, childhood SEC remained associated with having several recommended food habits after adjustment for participants own education, occupational class, and household income. Participants country of birth, marital status and children living in the household did not contribute to the associations of childhood and adult SEC with food habits. However, since only a minority of all participants (16% of women and 8% of men) had several recommended food habits, improvements in food habits are needed among all employees, including those with advantageous SEC.

Of the single food habits, the found associations of more advantaged SEC with more frequent consumption of fruit and vegetables have been broadly supported in previous studies [7, 9, 10, 40]. In addition to quantity, the variety of consumed fruit and vegetables has been shown to be greater among individuals with more advantaged SEC [41]. Beyond fruit and vegetables, we found that consumption of skimmed milk products, fish, and vegetable-based cooking fat were socioeconomically patterned. A recent systematic review showed that more advantaged SEC, especially higher parental education, were associated with greater consumption of fruit and vegetables and dairy products, and lower consumption of sugary sweetened beverages and energy-dense foods among adolescents and young adults in high-income countries [9]. Another review found that fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, and low-fat dairy products were more likely to be consumed among individuals with more advantaged SEC, whereas refined grains and added fats were less likely to be consumed among these individuals [7]. Moreover, a systematic review on the Australian population showed that socioeconomically more advantaged groups were more likely to consume healthier food groups in general, but variations existed between and within studies depending on the SEC measure and food group used [40].

The inconsistent findings for fat spread in our study might be explained by the modernity hypothesis: although butter consumption has traditionally been higher among individuals with more disadvantaged SEC in Finland [11], the increasing selections of oil butter spreads (whose fat compositions are not as recommended) may attract more individuals with advantaged SEC who are more open to new and fashionable food products [2, 21]. Additionally, the inverse associations of housing tenure and household wealth with recommended red or processed meat consumption may suggest that individuals with greater wealth can afford to buy a variety of expensive meat products. However, other socioeconomic measures such as occupational class and parental and participants own education showed positive associations with recommended red or processed meat consumption, which is in line with a recent study on Finnish adults [12].

While there exist some heterogeneities in the associations between different SEC measures and single food habits, the associations between advantaged SEC and healthier overall diets have been consistent [9, 40]. These studies have used dietary patterns and scores, for instance, to measure diets more broadly [9, 40]. Our findings, which indicated that multiple adult SEC were associated with having several recommended food habits, are in line with our previous study on midlife employees [25]. In both studies, childhood SEC did not explain these associations. In contrast to the previous study [25], however, we found that more advantaged childhood SEC were also associated with having several recommended food habits, independently of conventional adult SEC measures. One probable explanation for this is that childhood is temporally closer in young than in midlife adults, thus, the impacts of childhood SEC on current health behaviours can be stronger for younger adults. Parental food habits and eating behaviours, which are socioeconomically patterned, commonly transfer to offspring [42, 43], and these probably mirror young adults food habits. Another difference between this study of younger employees and our previous study of midlife employees [25] is that in this study, participants own education explained most of the associations between occupational class and food habits, but not vice versa. Thus, educational attainment, which often precedes occupational class [24], seems to play a central role in how SEC are associated with younger adults food habits. A recent systematic review also found that education, more than occupational class and income, showed a clear association with overall diet among adolescents and young adults [9]. The effect of occupational class can possibly increase over time as employees are longer influenced by work-related characteristics such as working conditions [44].

The associations between material circumstances, especially current financial difficulties and household wealth, showed consistent and independent positive associations with both single food habits and the dichotomous several recommended food habits variable. Financial difficulties, in particular, have shown a strong and consistent association with food habits in previous studies [4]. Subjective experiences of material challenges presumably affect the diversity of foods individuals buy, and consequently how nutritious their diets are. An Australian systematic review found that although socioeconomically disadvantaged groups spent less money on food than socioeconomically advantaged groups, they used proportionally more of their household budget on food [45]. Moreover, cost acts more often as a barrier to consuming healthy foods among individuals with disadvantaged SEC [46]. Diet cost has also been shown to mediate the pathway between income and diet quality [18]. Although individuals can experience financial difficulties across all socioeconomic groups, these problems have a larger influence on everyday food choices and eating practices of individuals with disadvantaged SEC [25, 47].

The 14-item FFQ provides only limited information on participants food and dietary habits. Portion sizes were not available, which limits the possibilities to make strong conclusions about the healthiness of participants diets. For instance, consumption of vegetables, fruit, or berries at least twice a day may not reach the recommended amount of at least 500g a day [28]. However, we did not use a stricter criterion for the consumption of vegetables, fruit, and berries since few participants (12% of women and 5% of men) met this criterion (Table S10, Additional file 1). Supplementary analyses for women showed that the associations between SEC and recommended food habits were mostly similar or slightly stronger when using the stricter criterion (Table S11, Additional file 1). The FFQ did not enable us to estimate participants energy intake, which could have provided more information about the healthiness of their diets. Participants consumption of each food was based on self-reports, which are known to be affected by recall and social desirability biases [48, 49]. The ability to quantify consumed foods may also be less developed among individuals with disadvantaged SEC [10]. Additionally, retrospective data on childhood SEC may be influenced by recall bias, especially among individuals with disadvantaged SEC [50] and among older participants.

We analysed women and men together in our main analyses because of the small number of men in the study (and target) population, which disregards potential gender differences in the associations. A previous study of midlife employees of the City of Helsinki showed that the associations between SEC and food habits were mostly parallel but varied somewhat by gender [25]. For instance, participants occupational class showed stronger associations with healthy food habits among women than men, whereas home ownership and financial difficulties in adulthood showed stronger associations for men than women. However, we did not observe gender interaction in the associations between SEC measures and food habits. The supplementary analyses confirmed that the associations were mostly parallel between genders, though statistically significant associations were more often observed in women (Tables S3S6, Additional file 1).

The response rate for the survey was 51.5%, and we further excluded participants with telephone interviews and with missing data on key variables (22%), which may produce selection bias. Non-respondents were more often men, manual workers, and from the lowest income quartile [27], thus it is possible that the socioeconomic gradient is stronger in the target population (see 2.1 Data and participants). However, our sensitivity analyses suggested that the participants in this study (N=4621) did not differ from participants in the initial study sample (N=5898) in terms of socioeconomic characteristics and vegetable consumption (Table S9, Additional file 1). Differences in the distributions of socioeconomic and health-related factors have also been shown to be small in general between the target population (N=11,459) and the initial study sample (N=5898) [27]. Thus, although the results are not generalisable to the general Finnish population (since the participants are municipal employees and mostly women), the data represent the target population reasonably well. Additionally, the large proportion of women (80%) in this study well corresponds to their proportion in the Finnish municipal sector.

Another strength of this paper is the use of multiple measures of both SEC and food habits, which provides a comprehensive view on socioeconomic differences in employees food habits. Research on socioeconomic differences in food habits in younger adults has been scarcer than in older adults [9], although younger adults are an important population group from the prevention point of view. For example, a previous study showed that most of adult weight gain occurred in early adulthood where socioeconomic differences in body weight already existed [51]. Thus, our findings provide useful and up-to-date information for employers and policy makers to plan targeted interventions to reduce socioeconomic differences in employees food habits. This is topical especially now as the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to further increase socioeconomic differences in food habits [20].

Since our study showed that socioeconomic differences in employees food habits were consistent, regardless of the SEC measure used, policy actions should ensure that individuals with less material resources can afford diverse selections of healthy foods. Environmental changes to promote choosing healthy foods might be efficient; for instance, improving the availability of staff canteens in workplaces characterised by employees of lower socioeconomic groups could increase consumption of healthy foods among these employees [52, 53]. Additionally, targeted interventions to promote nutrition knowledge among individuals with disadvantaged SEC may increase healthy food choices among these individuals [6, 54]. Overall, improvements in material and structural factors (e.g., working conditions, food taxes, and subsidies) that consider sociocultural and cognitive aspects of adhering to healthy diets are needed among individuals with disadvantaged SEC, so that socioeconomic differences in food habitsand in health more broadlycan be diminished.

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Associations of childhood and adult socioeconomic circumstances with recommended food habits among young and midlife Finnish employees - BMC Nutrition...

While it is no secret that light can affect mood, scientists have long wanted to understand more about that connection. A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences explores how a pathway in the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain associated with cognitive and emotional functioning, may play a role in this.

Researchers from Brown University in Providence, RI, and from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem used functional MRI scans to determine how light intensity affects the brain.

Their research may help shape treatment for certain mood disorders.

People with mood disorders often feel a distorted mood, and depending on the nature of the disorder, they may experience extremely low moods or even elevated moods.

Major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) fall under the category of mood disorders.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 21.4% of adults in the United States experience a mood disorder at some point in their lives. While some people are able to manage symptoms through therapy and medications, others have difficulty with treatment, which can lead to worsening depression and even suicide.

Some treatments for mood disorders include:

Occasionally, medical providers recommend that patients with SAD utilize light boxes (also known as sun lamps) to help alleviate symptoms. This may be helpful since people with SAD experience depression during months with reduced sunlight.

One of the study authors, Dr. David Berson, professor of neuroscience at Brown University, discovered that mice have a neural pathway that makes them sensitive to light intensity in a previous study. Dr. Berson and the members of the research team for the current study wanted to build on this study to see if they would find similar results in humans.

The researchers recruited 20 healthy participants for the study and used Teflon goggles to expose the participants to different levels of light intensity.

All four light intensities were tested three times in each 6-minute run, and each session included five runs, providing 15 total blocks at each light intensity, the authors wrote.

The researchers viewed functional MRI scans to check which areas of the brain were activated during the light exposure.

According to the study results, 26 brain regions showed what the authors referred to as luxotonic-related activation, meaning these brain regions responded to light. Ten of those regions showed significant sustained activation.

Additionally, five regions that responded to light activation have clear involvement in cognitive and emotional processes.

The researchers reported that the functional MRI scans showed suppression of the prefrontal cortex in relation to the light intensity.

According to the study, These findings offer a functional link between light exposure and [prefrontal cortex]-mediated cognitive and affective phenomena.

The study adds to a growing body of work in humans that light is used by the brain as a multi-purpose signal. Dr. Fabian Fernandez, assistant professor of psychology and neurology at the University of Arizona

Identifying this pathway and understanding its function might directly promote the development of approaches to treat depression, says study lead author Jerome Sanes, professor of neuroscience at Brown University.

Prof. Sanes spoke with Medical News Today in more detail about what the future holds for this line of research.

We anticipate conducting what Ill call more fundamental studies of the response properties to graded illumination in the frontal cortex of humans so as to gain a fuller understanding of the range of frontal cortical responses to light, he commented.

A next step would investigate how light intensity influences a cognitive function, say decision making while measuring functional MRI dynamics in the prefrontal cortex. We have designed several studies along these lines but have yet to start them, he continued.

Prof. Sanes also mentioned functional MRI scans could potentially become part of a process to determine treatment for patients with depression.

Dr. Fabian Fernandez, assistant professor of psychology and neurology and director at the Cognition and Neural Systems Program at the University of Arizona in Tucson, also spoke with MNT about the findings.

This is an elegant translational study (building from previous observations in laboratory rodents) that light activation of a special cell type in the retina can suppress parts of the human prefrontal cortex important for regulating the many mental processes comprising cognition and emotion, said Dr. Fernandez.

The current imaging study provided a comprehensive functional atlas of all parts of the brain that are likely to exhibit sustained responses to activation by the specialized retina cell type, he continued.

What this means is that current bright light therapies (and future improvisations) can be used to shape the function of prefrontal circuits underlying non-adaptive processes that may increase probability of depression and suicide. Dr. Fabian Fernandez

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Mood: What happens in the brain after exposure to different lights? - Medical News Today

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

(THE CONVERSATION) The Middle Easts population is growing almost twice as fast as the world overall, and one-third of its people are under the age of 15.

As Joe Biden takes his first trip to the region as president, he plans to focus on the prospects for peaceful international relations. A key factor often overlooked is the Middle Easts lack of opportunities for young people.

As a scholar who has spent almost 20 years studying conflict, migration and youth in the Middle East, I believe their frustration could ultimately lead to an international crisis way beyond the borders of the region.

A rapidly changing situation

The region encompassing the Middle East and North Africa is diverse economically, geographically, historically, politically and socially, and often fraught with tension. Most of the major armed conflicts in the last decade have occurred there apart, obviously, from Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Since the pro-democracy protests and uprisings of the Arab Spring in 2010, the region has experienced some sort of significant conflict in eight of its 21 countries: Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.

In addition, the regions population is growing at a much faster rate than the global average and has been since the World Bank began keeping records in 1961. Its people now number over 450 million, up from 300 million in 2001.

Widespread youth unemployment

The regions young workers those from ages 15 to 24 already struggle with the highest unemployment rates in the world, averaging 25%. Thirteen countries in the region have a youth unemployment rate of at least 20%, with the rate above 50% in Libya, above 40% in Jordan and Palestine, and above 30% in Algeria and Tunisia.

And more young workers are on the way.

The World Bank estimates that to provide employment for those currently out of a job and those who will soon be seeking work, Middle Eastern and North African nations need to create more than 300 million new jobs by 2050. This number is almost twice as many jobs as are currently in the U.S.

Economic struggles

The struggle of high youth unemployment in the region is not a new challenge. Local and international governments and organizations have tried for years to create more opportunities for young people, but with little success.

In many Middle Eastern nations, regulations and laws about hiring and firing workers discourage employers from creating new jobs when times are good, for fear theyll have to keep those people employed when times get worse again. Other rules discriminate against young women seeking work. Education and training programs dont always line up with the jobs that are available.

In many countries, the government is the one of the largest employers. In Egypt, Tunisia and Syria, government jobs are almost one-third of all employment. In Egypt, government work accounts for 70% of nonagricultural jobs. In most countries, government jobs pay about 20% less than private industry, but in the Middle East, government jobs pay about 30% more on average. This means people will often just wait for a public sector job instead of taking available private sector jobs.

Even those young people who manage to get jobs say they often are searching for several years before landing work. During this time, they rely on financial support from their families. This causes them to experience what has been called prolonged adolescence, in which they are unable to develop financial and social independence, such as moving out and getting married, until their 20s or even their 30s.

Other compounding challenges

The region faces other obstacles that make it even harder for governments to tackle youth unemployment.

In addition to internal conflict, the International Monetary Fund reports that several of the regions countries including Egypt, Iraq and Tunisia are facing a slow economic recovery from the pandemic, inflation in the costs of basic commodities such as energy and food, and financial and debt obligations needed to stabilize the economy.

Several countries across the region including Algeria, Libya, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen have less water than their populations need.

There are other environmental concerns, such as pollution, agriculture land scarcity and poor public infrastructure, which hinder sustainable economic growth.

The crisis in Ukraine threatens food supplies. More than one-third of Egyptians diets are based on wheat, but 85% of Egypts wheat comes from Russia and Ukraine. Supplies have been reduced, and prices are expected to rise on bread and other wheat-based staple foods.

All these problems have contributed to varying degrees of lack of public confidence in the economies in the region. For instance, in a nationally representative survey, 78% of Iraqis describe the economic situation in their country to be either bad or very bad. In Yemen, that proportion is 68%.

Potential effects

Often the way to improve young peoples prospects is education. But in several Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia, university-educated young people have a higher unemployment rate than their less-educated peers because most of the available opportunities are for low-skill jobs.

Rather than bringing higher earnings, education for Middle Eastern young people can deliver frustration.

Its no surprise, then, that vast numbers of young people at least one-fourth of young Egyptians, Iraqis and Yemenis, and more than 60% of Lebanese youth are looking to emigrate, often to Europe.

All these forces at work in the Middle East economic pressures, political conflict and water shortages have the potential to spread international tension, refugees seeking safety and opportunity, or even disease. The challenges facing Middle Eastern nations are all made more difficult by the lack of faith their young people have in the prospect of a fulfilling future at home.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/young-people-in-the-middle-east-struggle-to-see-a-promising-future-179927.

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Young people in the Middle East struggle to see a promising future - Plainview Daily Herald

1. Wang, F. et al. Effects of Vegetarian Diets on Blood Lipids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of the American Heart Association, 2015.

Details: This meta-analysis included 832 participants. It looked at 11 studies of vegetarian diets, seven of which were vegan. Each of the studies on vegan diets had a control group. The studies lasted from 3 weeks to 18 months.

The researchers evaluated changes in:

Results: Vegetarian diets lowered all cholesterol levels more than the control diets, but they didnt affect blood triglyceride levels. The findings didnt refer specifically to vegan diets.

Vegetarian diets effectively lowered blood levels of total, LDL (bad), HDL (good), and non-HDL cholesterol more than the control diets. Its unclear whether a vegan diet has a similar impact.

2. Macknin, M. et al. Plant-Based, No Added Fat or American Heart Association Diets: Impact on Cardiovascular Risk in Obese Children with Hypercholesterolemia and Their Parents.The Journal of Pediatrics, 2015.

Details: This study involved 30 children with obesity and high cholesterol levels and their parents. Each pair followed either a vegan diet or an American Heart Association (AHA) diet for 4 weeks.

Both groups attended weekly classes and cooking lessons specific to their diet.

Results: Total calorie intake fell significantly in both diet groups.

Children and parents who followed the vegan diet consumed less protein, cholesterol, saturated fat, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. They also consumed more carbs and fiber than those in the AHA group.

Children following the vegan diet lost 6.7 pounds (3.1 kg), on average, during the study period. This was 197% more than the weight lost by those in the AHA group.

At the end of the study, children following the vegan diet had a significantly lower body mass index (BMI) than those following the AHA diet.

Parents in the vegan groups had an average of 0.16% lower HbA1c level, a measure of blood sugar management. They also had lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels than those on the AHA diet.

Both diets lowered heart disease risk in children and adults. However, the vegan diet had a greater impact on the childrens weight and the parents cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

3. Mishra, S. et al. A multicenter randomized controlled trial of a plant-based nutrition program to reduce body weight and cardiovascular risk in the corporate setting: The GEICO study.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2013.

Details: Researchers recruited 291 participants from 10 GEICO corporate offices. Each office was paired with another, and employees from each paired site followed either a low fat vegan diet or a control diet for 18 weeks.

Participants in the vegan group received weekly support group classes led by a dietitian. They took a daily vitamin B12 supplement and were encouraged to favor low glycemic index foods.

Participants in the control group made no dietary changes and didnt attend weekly support group sessions.

Results: The vegan group consumed more fiber and less total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol than the control group.

Participants who followed the vegan diet for 18 weeks lost an average of 9.5 pounds (4.3 kg), compared with 0.2 pounds (0.1 kg) in the control group.

Total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels dropped by 8 mg/dL in the vegan group, compared to almost no change in the control groups.

HDL (good) cholesterol and triglyceride levels both increased more in the vegan groups than in the control group.

HbA1c levels dropped by 0.7% in the vegan group, compared to 0.1% in the control group.

Participants in the vegan groups lost more weight. They also improved their blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels compared to those following a control diet.

4. Barnard, N. D. et al. The effects of a low-fat, plant-based dietary intervention on body weight, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity.The American Journal of Medicine, 2005.

Details: This study involved 64 females who had overweight and had not yet reached menopause. They followed either a low fat vegan or a low fat control diet based on the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines for 14 weeks.

There were no calorie restrictions, and both groups were encouraged to eat until they were full. Participants prepared their own meals and attended weekly nutritional support session throughout the study.

Results: Although there was no calorie restriction, both groups consumed around 350 fewer calories per day. The vegan group consumed less dietary protein, fat, and cholesterol and more fiber than the NCEP diet group.

Participants in the vegan group lost an average of 12.8 pounds (5.8 kg), compared to 8.4 pounds (3.8 kg) in those following the NCEP diet. Changes in BMI and waist circumference were also greater in the vegan groups.

Blood sugar levels, fasting insulin, and insulin sensitivity improved significantly for all.

Both diets improved markers of blood sugar management. However, the low fat vegan diet helped participants lose more weight than the low fat NCEP diet.

5. Turner-McGrievy, G. M. et al. A Two-Year Randomized Weight Loss Trial Comparing a Vegan Diet to a More Moderate Low-Fat Diet.Obesity, 2007.

Details: Having completed the above study, the researchers continued to assess 62 of the same participants for 2 years. In this phase, 34 participants had follow-up support for 1 year, but the others received no support.

There were no calorie restriction goals, and both groups continued to eat until they were full.

Results: Those in the vegan group lost an average of 10.8 pounds (4.9 kg) after 1 year, compared to 4 pounds (1.8 kg) in the NCEP group.

Over the next year, both groups regained some weight. After 2 years, the weight loss was 6.8 pounds (3.1 kg) in the vegan group and 1.8 pounds (0.8 kg) in the NCEP group.

Regardless of the diet assignment, the women who received group support sessions lost more weight than those who didnt receive them.

Females on a low fat vegan diet lost more weight after 1 and 2 years, compared to those following another low fat diet. Also, those who received group support lost more weight and regained less.

6. Barnard, N.D. et al. A Low-Fat Vegan Diet Improves Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Randomized Clinical Trial in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes.Diabetes Care, 2006.

Details: Researchers recruited 99 participants with type 2 diabetes and pair-matched them based on their HbA1c levels.

The scientists then randomly assigned each pair to follow either a low fat vegan diet or a diet based on the 2003 American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines for 22 weeks.

There were no restrictions on portion sizes, calorie intake, and carbs on the vegan diet. Those on the ADA diet were asked to reduce their calorie intake by 5001,000 calories per day.

Everyone received a vitamin B12 supplement. Alcohol was limited to one serving per day for women and two servings per day for men.

All participants also had an initial one-on-one session with a registered dietitian and attended weekly nutrition group meetings throughout the study.

Results: Both groups consumed approximately 400 fewer calories per day, although only the ADA group had instructions to do so.

All participants reduced their intake of protein and fat, but those in the vegan group consumed 152% more carbs than the ADA group.

Participants following the vegan diet doubled their fiber intake, whereas the amount of fiber consumed by those in the ADA group remained the same.

After 22 weeks, the vegan group lost an average of 12.8 pounds (5.8 kg). This was 134% more weight than the average weight lost in the ADA group.

Total cholesterol, LDL (bad), and HDL (good) cholesterol levels all fell in both groups.

However, in the vegan group, HbA1c levels fell by 0.96 points. This was 71% more than the ADA participants levels.

The graph below shows the HbA1c changes in the vegan diet groups (blue) and ADA diet groups (red).

Both diets helped participants lose weight and improve their blood sugar and cholesterol levels. However, those on the vegan diet experienced greater reductions in weight loss and blood sugar than those following the ADA diet.

7. Barnard, N.D. et al. A low-fat vegan diet and a conventional diabetes diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled, 74-wk clinical trial.American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009.

Details: Researchers followed participants from the previous study for an additional 52 weeks.

Results: By the end of the 74-week study period, the 17 participants in the vegan group had reduced their diabetes medication dosages, compared with 10 people in the ADA group. HbA1c levels fell to a greater extent in the vegan group.

Participants in the vegan group also lost 3 pounds (1.4 kg) more weight than those on the ADA diet, but the difference wasnt statistically significant.

In addition, LDL (bad) and total cholesterol levels fell by 10.113.6 mg/dL more in the vegan groups than in the ADA group.

Both diets improved blood sugar and cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes, but the impact was greater with the vegan diet. Both diets contributed to weight loss. The differences between the diets werent significant.

8. Nicholson, A. S. et al. Toward Improved Management of NIDDM: A Randomized, Controlled, Pilot Intervention Using a Low-Fat, Vegetarian Diet.Preventive Medicine, 1999.

Details: Eleven people with type 2 diabetes followed either a low fat vegan diet or a conventional low fat diet for 12 weeks.

All participants were offered prepared lunches and dinners according to their diet specifications. Participants could also opt to prepare their own meals if they preferred, but most used the catered meal option.

The vegan diet contained less fat, and participants consumed around 150 fewer calories per meal than those on the conventional diet.

All participants attended an initial half-day orientation session, as well as support group sessions every other week throughout the study.

Results: In the vegan group, fasting blood sugar levels fell by 28%, compared with a 12% decrease in those following the conventional low fat diet.

People on the vegan diet also lost an average of 15.8 pounds (7.2 kg) over 12 weeks. Those on the conventional diet lost an average of 8.4 pounds (3.8 kg).

There were no differences in total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, but HDL (good) cholesterol levels fell in the vegan group.

A low fat vegan diet may help reduce fasting blood sugar levels and help people lose more weight than a conventional low fat diet.

9. Turner-McGrievy, G. M. et al. Low glycemic index vegan or low-calorie weight loss diets for women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled feasibility study.Nutrition Research, 2014.

Details: Eighteen females with overweight or obesity and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) followed either a low fat vegan diet or a low calorie diet for 6 months. There was also an option to join a Facebook support group.

Results: Those in the vegan group lost a total of 1.8% of their body weight over the first 3 months, while those in the low-calorie group didnt lose weight. However, there were no significant differences after 6 months.

In addition, participants with a higher engagement in a Facebook support group lost more weight than those who didnt engage.

People who followed the vegan diet consumed an average of 265 fewer calories than those on the low-calorie diet, despite having no calorie restriction.

Participants in the vegan group also consumed less protein, less fat, and more carbs than those following the low calorie diet.

No differences were observed in pregnancy or PCOS-related symptoms between the two groups.

A vegan diet may help reduce calorie intake, even without a calorie restriction goal. It may also help females with PCOS lose weight.

10. Turner-McGrievy, G. M. et al. Comparative effectiveness of plant-based diets for weight loss: A randomized controlled trial of five different diets.Nutrition, 2015.

Details: Fifty adults with overweight followed one of five low fat, low glycemic index diets for 6 months. The diets were either vegan, vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, or omnivorous.

A registered dietitian advised participants about their diet and encouraged them to limit processed and fast food.

All participants, except those in the omnivorous diet group, attended weekly group meetings. The omnivore group attended monthly sessions and received the same diet information through weekly emails instead.

All participants consumed a daily vitamin B12 supplement and had access to private Facebook support groups.

Results: Participants in the vegan group lost an average of 7.5% of their body weight, which was the most of all groups. In comparison, those in the omnivore group lost only 3.1%.

Compared with the omnivore group, the vegan group consumed more carbs, fewer calories, and less fat, despite not having any calorie or fat restriction goals.

Protein intakes were not significantly different between groups.

Vegan diets may be more effective for losing weight than a vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, or omnivorous diet.

11. Lee, Y-M. et al. Effects of a Brown Rice Based Vegan Diet and Conventional Diabetic Diet on Glycemic Control of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A 12-Week Randomized Clinical Trial.PLoS ONE, 2016.

Details: In this study, 106 people with type 2 diabetes followed either a vegan diet or a conventional diet recommended by the Korean Diabetes Association (KDA) for 12 weeks.

There was no restriction on calorie intake for either group.

Results: Participants in the vegan group consumed an average of 60 fewer calories per day, compared with the conventional diet group.

HbA1c levels decreased in both groups. However, those in the vegan group reduced their levels by 0.30.6% more than the conventional diet group.

Interestingly, BMI and waist circumference decreased only in the vegan group.

There were no significant changes in blood pressure or blood cholesterol levels between groups.

Both diets helped with blood sugar management, but the vegan diet had more impact than the conventional diet. A vegan diet was also more effective at reducing BMI and waist circumference.

12. Belinova, L. et al. Differential Acute Postprandial Effects of Processed Meat and Isocaloric Vegan Meals on the Gastrointestinal Hormone Response in Subjects Suffering from Type 2 Diabetes and Healthy Controls: A Randomized Crossover Study.PLoS ONE, 2014.

Details: Fifty people with type 2 diabetes and 50 without diabetes consumed either a protein and saturated fat-rich pork burger or a carb-rich vegan couscous burger.

Researchers measured blood concentrations of sugar, insulin, triglycerides, free fatty acids, gastric appetite hormones, and oxidative stress markers before the meal and up to 180 minutes after the meal.

Results: Both meals produced similar blood sugar responses in both groups over the 180-minute study period.

Insulin levels stayed high for longer after the meat meal than the vegan meal, regardless of diabetes status.

Triglyceride levels rose, and free fatty acids fell more after the meat meal. This happened in both groups, but the difference was greater in those with diabetes.

The meat meal produced a greater decrease in the hunger hormone ghrelin than the vegan meal, but only in healthy participants. In those with diabetes, ghrelin levels were similar after both types of meals.

In those with diabetes, markers of cell-damaging oxidative stress rose more after the meat meal than after the vegan meal.

Original post:
16 Studies on Vegan Diets Do They Really Work?

Indian J Med Res. 2018 Nov; 148(5): 642647.

1Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Mumbai Diet & Health Centre, Mumbai, India

2Department of Diabetology, Dr Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre & Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, India

1Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Mumbai Diet & Health Centre, Mumbai, India

2Department of Diabetology, Dr Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre & Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, India

This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

Obesity has now become a huge public health issue not only in the developed world but also in developing countries. In view of the health hazards associated with obesity and more importantly for cosmetic reasons, many people, particularly the youth, have started resorting to extreme weight-loss diets to achieve a rapid reduction in weight. These extreme diets are either very low in carbohydrate or very low in fat. Such extreme diets not only make the diet unbalanced but also have safety issues. Moreover, these are not sustainable in the long run. The weight that is lost is regained within a short period of time when people go off these extreme diets. This explains why the popularity of most extreme diets peaks as well as wanes rapidly. Instead of resorting to such extreme diets, correction of obesity is best achieved with balanced, healthy, nutritious diets which are low in calories, combined with adequate physical activity (exercise). Motivational counselling can also help people to initiate weight loss and sustain this weight loss over longer periods of time.

Keywords: Diabetes, low-carbohydrate diets, low-fat diets, obesity, very-low-calorie diets, weight-loss diets

The incidence and prevalence of obesity is rapidly rising. This is attributed to several factors including globalization, urbanization and rapid changes in lifestyle, leading to unhealthy diets and sedentary behaviours. The obesity epidemic is no longer confined to the developed world but is now rampant in developing countries as well. Obesity leads to type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cholelithiasis, osteoarthritis, sleep apnoea and even some forms of cancer1.

The above health issues as well as cosmetic reasons have led to the need for weight loss in society today. Undoubtedly, dietary management plays a major role in the management of obesity, and in this context, numerous dietary fads have become popular1,2. Unfortunately, these are also controversial. Most diets recommend restriction of calories and portion sizes, leading to slow weight loss1. Many diets, however, promote rapid weight loss, and in this article, we will refer to them as extreme diets. Some diet plans recommend extreme restriction of the carbohydrate intake without any fat restriction, while others are the reverse and place great emphasis on restriction of fat3. This review will focus on the pros and cons of some extreme diets that are widely used today and then discuss the more conventional diet plans for weight loss.

The extreme diets can be classified into low-carbohydrate (high-fat) diets, low-fat (high-carbohydrate) diets, very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs), and other diet modalities used for weight loss1.

Low-carbohydrate diets have received much attention in recent times. Examples of these diets are Atkins's diet and Protein Power Lifeplan4. These diets are low in carbohydrate (<100 g/day) and mostly fat based (>60%).

The proponents of the low-carbohydrate/high-fat diets give greater importance to restriction of carbohydrates than to fats. It is well known that high-carbohydrate meals lead to increased blood glucose, insulin and triglyceride levels and decreased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)5. High insulin levels inhibit the serotonin release in the brain, leading to decreased satiety. Marked restriction of carbohydrate promotes ketosis which indicates fat mobilization. The main benefit of these diets is that it results in lower blood glucose and insulin levels and appetite suppression. This promotes weight loss and decrease in body fat loss and thus to better control of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and hypertension1.

In reality, weight loss is due to caloric restriction of approximately 500-1000 kcal. When unlimited intake of proteins and fats was permitted, the fat intake actually decreased and the protein intake increased only slightly6. Thus, the caloric reduction was mainly due to reduction in carbohydrate.

In the early phases of ketogenic diet, weight loss is mostly due to water loss, whereas there is no difference in protein and fat loss comparing ketogenic and non-ketogenic diets7,8,9,10. Low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets have little metabolic advantages for weight reduction, and it is mostly the negative energy balance which drives weight loss1.

These include decreased blood glucose, insulin and lipid levels. The Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological Study (PURE) study10, a large prospective cohort study of 135,335 individuals, found that high-carbohydrate intake (>60% calories) led to increased total and non-cardiovascular disease mortality. Conversely, high-fat intake was associated with reduced total mortality and non-cardiovascular disease mortality. The PURE study10 thus does not support marked reduction of fat intake and clearly points to the dangers of consuming very-high-carbohydrate diets.

It has been shown that a high-meat diet which is also low in fruits and vegetables leads to bone loss11. Very high protein intake leads to calciuria and affects bones, unless buffered by adequate fruits and vegetable intake. The ketogenic diet may also increase blood uric acid concentrations12,13,14,15,16.

As low-carbohydrate diets have less fruits, vegetables and dietary fibre, this could increase the risk of cancer in the long run17,18,19,20. Seidelmann et al21 recently showed that very-low-carbohydrate diets (<30%) markedly increases the mortality. Their data also suggest that the source of the protein and fat substituted for carbohydrates in the diet is also important and the animal protein is more harmful. Low-carbohydrate/high-fat diets may also promote inflammatory pathways and oxidative stress21.

Historically and culturally, Indian diets are predominantly high carbohydrate based, as shown by Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES)5 in south India and the Study To Assess the dietaRy CarboHydrate content of Indian type-2 diabetes population (STARCH) study22 across the country. Hence, adhering to low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet for prolonged periods of time is difficult. High-protein/high-fat diets usually comprise non-vegetarian items. It is difficult to plan vegetarian high-fat/high-protein-low-carbohydrate diets, because the vegetable proteins are also usually a rich source of carbohydrate.

Low-fat diets are defined as diets with 11-19 per cent fat, whereas very-low-fat diets have <10 per cent fat. Low-fat diets are also usually by default high-carbohydrate diets (e.g., the Dean Ornish and the Pritikin diets)1,23. The emphasis is more on consuming complex carbohydrates and high fibre. Low-fat diets are made up of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans, egg white, non-fat dairy, soya and white flour. The Dean Ornish diet is basically a vegetarian diet1,23. The Pritikin diet includes limited quantities of low-fat animal protein1,23.

Low-fat diets lower total cholesterol, specifically low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level, in the short term. However, these effects are not seen over a long period of time24. Moreover, triglycerides levels increase in response to these diets, but the amount of carbohydrate consumption may play a role in this. Diets containing up to 70 per cent carbohydrates do not lead to hypertriglyceridaemia, provided sufficient fibre is included although the HDL cholesterol levels may decrease25. The blood pressure may decrease, leading to reduction in antihypertensive medications26. These diets also usually decrease blood glucose and insulin levels27,28,29,30.

As some amount of fat is needed for palatability of diets, very-low-fat diets are usually less palatable. Long-term compliance can thus be a problem with these diets.

VLCDs provide <800 kcals/day. These diets lead to rapid weight loss. Lean body mass is preserved by providing adequate dietary protein in the form of milk, soy or egg-based powder which is mixed with water and consumed as a liquid31,32. Such diets provide 80 g carbohydrate and 15 g fat/day. Recommended daily allowance (RDA) of essential vitamins and minerals is also ensured. The source of protein may be from lean meat, fish and poultry33,34. These diets must be supplemented with a multivitamin and 2-3 g/day potassium and adequate fluid intake31.

A study35 has shown that VLCDs not only have beneficial effect on weight but also lead to remission of type 2 diabetes. The authors found that about 40 per cent of study participants achieved remission, i.e., fasting plasma glucose of <7 mmol/l (126 mg/dl), and this lasted for several months. Along with weight loss, normalization of liver fat content was also seen. Interestingly, the dropout rate was low. Thus, a short-term VLCD intervention is successful in inducing the weight loss and achieving favourable metabolic profile including reversal of type 2 diabetes mellitus35. However, whether this will sustain in the long term needs more studies.

VLCDs are associated with cholelithiasis, ketosis and increase in serum uric acid concentrations36. Long term safety data of these diets needs to be established. Also, whether these diets cause any micronutrient deficiency also needs to be established.

Meal replacers are often used in weight-loss programme, but their use is usually over a short period of time37. Most individuals tend to severely underestimate their calorie intake when consuming a diet of conventional foods38 because of difficulty in estimating portion sizes and calorie content and in dietary recalls. Meal replacements seem to obviate these difficulties33. Portion-controlled servings of conventional foods also facilitate weight loss39,40,41.

These are fibre-based drinks/foods which increase satiety, thereby leading to weight loss. These supplements have other benefits also, e.g., reduction in serum lipids, blood pressure and uric acid levels42,43,44.

It is believed that rather than short-term use of extreme diets which are not sustainable, a more balanced approach in dietary management of obesity is far better.

These diets tend to contain equal quantities of fats and carbohydrates (~30-40%) and the rest from protein but with the reduction in total calories. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, diets based on the use of food pyramid and the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)Step I and Step II diet are based on this45.

The principle of these diets is that weight loss occurs if a negative energy balance is maintained, and these diets provide a deficit of 500-1000 kcals/day. The goal is to provide a range of food choices and to allow nutritional adequacy and compliance, while slowly but steadily promoting weight loss.

These diets reduce LDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TG) and improve TG/HDL ratio20. Serum insulin levels are also reduced in participants on balanced weight-loss diets. Individuals taking such diets do not complain of hunger; rather, they feel there is too much food. Scientists have found that individuals consuming these diets have positive changes in their dietary behaviours and a better physical wellness. This, however, was not correlated with the weight loss46.

While the PURE study10 pointed to the dangers of very high carbohydrates (>60%), Seidelmann et al21 showed the dangers of very-low-carbohydrate diets (<30%). Thus, based on the Indian dietary patterns, a reduced calorie, moderate carbohydrate (~50%) and moderate fat (~30%) diet with healthy monounsaturated fats and adequate protein (~21%) along with plenty of green leafy vegetables is the best alternative.

Those trying to lose weight are willing to try any extreme diets. Unfortunately, none of these seem to work in the long run. This is shown by the rapid rise and fall of such extreme diets in the society. One of the reasons why people give up these diets is the sheer boredom of following an artificial type of diet or their craving to get back to their normal diet habits.

Weight management consists of two different phases: achieving the weight loss and maintaining the weight loss. The strategies that work for initiating weight loss may not be effective for keeping the weight off and vice versa. Hence, when choosing a weight-loss diet, no diet can be suitable for everyone. Thus, it is clear that weight-loss diets should be individualized. If one has to sustain the weight loss, a negative energy balance has to be maintained. There is enough evidence that increasing physical activity is equally important for achieving and maintaining weight loss and this is not discussed in this article. For weight-loss programmes to be effective, dietary therapy must be combined with adequate physical activity. Furthermore, counselling is equally important, as constraint motivation by a dietician or counsellor can play a significant role to ensure that people do not give up easily on their weight-loss programme. India is facing a serious epidemic of obesity. This must be tackled using a slow and steady but sustained diet and exercise programme, rather than following a crash diet programme as the latter rarely succeeds in the long term.

Financial support & sponsorship: None.

Conflicts of Interest: None.

The rest is here:
Pros & cons of some popular extreme weight-loss diets - PMC

The quality of vegetarian diets to meet nutritional needs and support peak performance among athletes continues to be questioned. Appropriately planned vegetarian diets can provide sufficient energy and an appropriate range of carbohydrate, fat and protein intakes to support performance and health. The acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges for carbohydrate, fat and protein of 45-65%, 20-35% and 10-35%, respectively, are appropriate for vegetarian and non-vegetarian athletes alike, especially those who perform endurance events. Vegetarian athletes can meet their protein needs from predominantly or exclusively plant-based sources when a variety of these foods are consumed daily and energy intake is adequate. Muscle creatine stores are lower in vegetarians than non-vegetarians. Creatine supplementation provides ergogenic responses in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian athletes, with limited data supporting greater ergogenic effects on lean body mass accretion and work performance for vegetarians. The potential adverse effect of a vegetarian diet on iron status is based on the bioavailability of iron from plant foods rather than the amount of total iron present in the diet. Vegetarian and non-vegetarian athletes alike must consume sufficient iron to prevent deficiency, which will adversely affect performance. Other nutrients of concern for vegetarian athletes include zinc, vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), vitamin D (cholecalciferol) and calcium. The main sources of these nutrients are animal products; however, they can be found in many food sources suitable for vegetarians, including fortified soy milk and whole grain cereals. Vegetarians have higher antioxidant status for vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (tocopherol), and beta-carotene than omnivores, which might help reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress. Research is needed comparing antioxidant defences in vegetarian and non-vegetarian athletes.

Read the rest here:
Vegetarian diets : nutritional considerations for athletes

The research teams goal was to learn whether that one simple question could be used as a screening tool for nutrition studies, rather than the more detailed questionnaires that are generally used.

We felt it was important to study whether adults can accurately assess the quality of their diet because a simple self-assessment tool may be useful when designing nutrition interventions, said Thomson.

Of course, such a tool would only be useful if perceptions are accurate, she added.

To conduct their study, they used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

NHANES is a nationally-representative survey of American adults which is done every two years.

People who take part in the survey must complete 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires, as well as rating the overall quality of their diet. They are asked to rate it as either poor, fair, good, very good, or excellent.

The information provided was used by Thomson and her colleagues to rank the quality of peoples diets.

What the researchers found after examining the data was that the scores calculated by the researchers based on peoples reported food intake was significantly different from how people rated their dietary quality themselves.

In fact, out of 9,700 people, about 85 percent of them (about 8,000 people) got it wrong. Further, out of those people who inaccurately assessed how good their diet was, nearly 99 percent of them felt their diet was better than it really was.

The people who did the best at rating the quality of their diet were those who rated it as poor.

These people were correct 97 percent of the time.

On the other hand, only 1-18 percent of people in the four other categories were on the mark in how they perceived their nutritional intake.

Based on our findings, we recommend that efforts continue to educate adults in the United States about components of a healthful diet, said Thomson. We also feel that work is needed to understand what adults consider when thinking about the healthfulness of their diet.

To help clarify what comprises a healthy diet, Healthline spoke with Catherine McManus, PhD, RDN, LD, assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

She said its really about what you do the majority of the time.

The field of nutrition really focuses in on ones overall dietary pattern, said McManus, because it is ok to eat out at restaurants, enjoy a slice of cake, or have some potato chips occasionally, just as long as these food items fit into an overall healthy dietary pattern.

She advises that you can determine if your overall dietary pattern is healthy by following certain recommendations, including:

Nutrient density refers to the ratio of nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, to how many calories are in a food.

If you eat a lot of foods that are not nutrient dense (e.g., desserts, pretzels, potato chips, fried foods), youll need to overconsume on calories to reach your daily nutrient requirements, McManus explained.

McManus said that a portion is the amount you choose to eat at one time.

Basically, all foods/beverages can fit into a healthy dietary pattern, but for foods that are less nutrient dense (e.g., desserts, sugar sweetened beverages, many snack foods), we want to limit the frequency theyre consumed, and the portion being consumed, because they provide calories, but are very limited in essential nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, she said.

Fruits, vegetables and whole-grains are nutrient-dense and are filled with essential nutrients, like dietary fiber, folate, zinc and vitamins A, C and E, said McManus.

McManus pointed out that most people in the United States do not get enough fiber.

She said you should shoot for at least 14 grams for every 1,000 calories you eat.

This will help your digestion, heart health, blood sugar control, and weight.

These are examples of two foods that have a very low nutrient density, meaning they provide calories with little to no nutritional value, said McManus.

They have been linked with increased risk for chronic conditions such as:

McManus further noted that, while fruit does contain sugar, it is natural sugar rather than the added sugars that are found in processed foods.

Therefore, eating fruits shouldnt be viewed with the same level of concern as processed foods containing added sugars.

While sodium serves many important functions in the body, like fluid balance and muscle and nerve function, Americans tend to eat too much of it, said McManus.

This can increase risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

She said the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends keeping your intake to under 2,300 mg per day.

While its important to consume all fats in moderation because they are calorically dense, said McManus, it is especially important to limit those that have additional established negative health implications, such as trans fats.

Trans fats, which are formed when liquid oils are turned into solid fats, can raise your bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, as well as lowering your good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, she explained.

This can increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease and stroke.

More:
Majority of Americans Think Their Diet Is Healthier Than it Is, Study Finds - Healthline

Sarah Jackson used to suffer with severe back pain that left her unable to barely walk. Now, after she's an advanced ballroom and Latin dancer, having lost a whopping six and a half stone and shrinking down to a size 10.

The 50-year-old tipped the scales at 16st 7lb, with doctors suggesting hey weight might be aggravating her scoliosis condition that was causing her discomfort.

"I could barely stand up and was willing to try anything, said Sarah.

"My husband Ian and our daughter both told me I was perfect and didnt need to lose weight, but I was desperate to be able to move without pain.

"My wider family had become worried about the amount of weight Id put on and I started to realise it wasnt doing me any good."

READ MORE:Diet: Expert warns against common mistake

Sarah admitted she'd "tried everything" but losing weight was a last resort.

A comfort eater with an addiction to chocolate, she was sceptical when she joined WW, explaining: "I didnt think WW would work at first, but I lost a stone in a month and was suddenly able to walk for a good hour without my back hurting.

"Id been on so many diets and my weight had yo yod. Previously, I lost weight because I was going for fertility treatment, but once that was over, I put it all back on."

She continued: "At WW, my coach Tracey Taylor made me see that it wasnt a diet, it was a lifestyle change and it would only work if I was 100 percent committed to the plan.

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"Im lucky, because my husband Ian is a chef and he cooked all our meals from scratch and made sure that I was eating the correct portions."

Now, Sarah decides against her sweet treats, having curbed the craving for her beloved chocolate.

"My weakness is chocolate," she admitted.

"I used to eat a bar on the way back from the supermarket to our house. Now, I have a banana instead.

"I can have chocolate on the WW programme, but I tend to avoid it because I am not the sort of person who can eat one square, I want to eat the whole bar."

While Sarah's diet was under control, she swore against exercise because she "hated the idea".

So instead, she and her husband tried out Latin dancing, and to their surprise they both loved it.

She said: "When I joined WW, I told my coach that I would never exercise. I hated the idea.

"I had always wanted to dance and dont really see it as exercise, because I enjoy it so much. So does Ian. We are always down at the dance centre.

"I am obsessed with it and I love wearing nice dresses to dance in too I used to hate having my photo taken, because I would always be in baggy clothes or pyjama bottoms at home.

"Now, I have a wardrobe full of lovely frocks and I am first in front of the camera. My family always loved me for who I was, but are delighted by the new me. I am too - I am so much happier."

She added: "I have changed my attitude to exercise too. Ive even started running and was shocked when I ran 5K on my first ever jog."

Sarah reached her goal of 10st and becoming a size 10, but she still continues to attend WW workshops.

She still has a sweet tooth and will occasionally treat herself to a small slice of cake and enjoys an Indian takeaway once a month: "I also get Ian to make me WW fakeaways, which taste just as good as the real thing," she said.

"WW is part of my life now and it always will be. The programme really works and the community is really special.

"Before, I would rarely go out. I wanted to hide. Now, I love dressing up and socialising. Its hard to comprehend how much I have changed.

"It took a long time for me to recognise the person staring back at me in the mirror after Id reached my goal weight."

Follow this link:
Slimmer who 'hated' workouts drops 6.5st with a new hobby - 'I would never exercise!' - Express

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