Search Weight Loss Topics:

Page 62«..1020..61626364..7080..»

Home » Long Term Weight Loss » Page 62

According to the findings of a new study, controlling blood sugar levels improved the ability to clearly think, learn and remember among people with type 2 diabetes who were overweight. But losing weight, especially for people who were obese, and increasing physical activity produced mixed results.

"It's important to properly control your blood sugar to avoid the bad brain effects of your diabetes," said Owen Carmichael, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Biomedical Imaging at Pennington Biomedical Research Center."Don't think you can simply let yourself get all the way to the obese range, lose some of the weight, and everything in the brain is fine. The brain might have already turned a corner that it can't turn back from," added Carmichael. The new paper examined close to 1,100 participants in the Look AHEAD (Action for Health In Diabetes) study. One group of participants was invited to three sessions each year that focused on diet, physical activity, and social support.

The other group changed their diet and physical activity through a program designed to help them lose more than 7 per cent of their body weight in a year and maintain that weight loss. Cognitive tests - tests of thinking, learning, and remembering - were given to participants between 8 to 13 years after they started the study. The research team theorised that people with greater improvements in blood sugar levels, physical activity and weight loss would have better cognitive test scores.

This hypothesis proved partially true. Reducing your blood sugar levels did improve test scores. But losing more weight and exercising more did not always raise cognitive test scores."Every little improvement in blood sugar control was associated with a little better cognition," Dr Carmichael said. "Lowering your blood sugar from the diabetes range to prediabetes helped as much as dropping from prediabetes levels to the healthy range." More weight loss was either better or worse depending on the mental skill involved, Dr Carmichael said. People who lost more weight improved their executive function skills: short-term memory, planning, impulse control, attention, and the ability to switch between tasks. But their verbal learning and overall memory declined.

"The results were worse for people who had obesity at the beginning of the study. That's a 'too little, too late' type of message," he said. "People with diabetes who let their obesity go too far, for too long may be past the point of no return, cognition-wise." Increasing physical activity also generated more benefits for people who had overweight compared to those with obesity, the study shows.

Finding a way to offset the health effects of type 2 diabetes is vital. More than 25 per cent of U.S. adults 65 or older have type 2 diabetes. The disease doubles the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, and greatly increases health care needs and costs. (ANI)

View post:
Study reveals enhancing blood sugar control boosts brain health for people with type 2 diabetes - Devdiscourse

Nursing homes and long term care facilities have just received updates on visitation guidance. Many of these facilities are on lockdown and two are currently undergoing outbreaks.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) are updating guidance for long-term care facilities to comply with new requirements from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This updated guidance aligns with federal regulations to balance resident and staff safety with quality of life.

This guidance allows flexibility and additional clarity around allowable indoor visitation, allows increased access to important quality of life services such as access to barbers and beauticians, and it further expands the definition of compassionate care visits. The term does not exclusively refer to end-of-life situations. Examples of other types of compassionate care situations include:

The updated guidance provides reasonable ways a nursing home can safely facilitate in-person visitation to address the psychosocial needs of residents. Physical separation from family and other loved ones has taken a physical and emotional toll on residents. Residents may feel socially isolated, leading to increased risk for depression, anxiety, and other expressions of distress. Residents living with cognitive impairment or other disabilities may find visitor restrictions and other ongoing changes related to COVID-19 confusing or upsetting.

Nursing home residents derive value from the physical, emotional, and spiritual support they receive through visitation from family and friends. In light of this, CMS revised their guidance regarding visitation in nursing homes during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Visitation may occur through different means based on a facilitys structure and residents needs, such as in resident rooms, dedicated visitation spaces and outdoors.

Except for ongoing use of virtual visits, facilities may still restrict visitation due to the COVID-19 county positivity rate, the facilitys COVID-19 status, a residents COVID-19 status, visitor symptoms, lack of adherence to proper infection control practices, or other relevant factors related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. However, facilities may not restrict visitation without a reasonable clinical or safety cause, consistent with federal regulations.

The new guidance is specifically targeted at long-term care facilities (e.g., nursing homes). Other facilities or congregate care settings, such as assisted living or residential care facilities, may choose to follow an independently developed framework for easing restrictions. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) regarding COVID-19 mitigation strategies for assisted living congregate settings can be found online:

The State has and will continue to collaborate with federal partners, long-term care associations, and stakeholders on how to responsibly ease restrictions in long-term care facilities while COVID-19 remains a concern in communities across the state.

Read the original:
New Visitation Guidance Given to Area Long Term Care Facilities - KIOW

Cloe Poisson :: CTMirror.org

Health care workers at Golden Hill Rehab Pavilion in Milford react with heart hands to a group of Democratic State Senators and State Representatives who visited the facility in May.

Health experts around the world recognized early in the COVID-19 pandemic that older people were most at risk of becoming seriously ill and dying from the new coronavirus.

But despite those early findings, thousands of Connecticut residents in long-term care facilities have died.

A final state-commissioned report released Thursday concluded that many early efforts focusing on coordination and resources for hospitals hampered Connecticuts preparedness and response to the COVID-19 outbreak in long-term care facilities.

Long-term care facilities were not recognized as critical health care assets in the states emergency preparedness plans, nor were long-term care facilities representatives at the table at the beginning of the outbreak, wrote the authors of the 157-page analysis.

Mathematica, a third-party policy research consulting company, was commissioned by Gov. Ned Lamonts administration for $450,000 to provide an assessment of the states pandemic response and improvement strategies, especially when it comes to protecting older residents.

About 72% of the states 4,432 total deaths from COVID-19 as of July 30 were people in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Mathematica delivered an interim report in August with some preliminary findings and recommendations.

During a daily media briefing Thursday, Lamont said that the final report contained nothing that surprising and noted that Connecticuts COVID-19 infection and fatality rates were similar to those of neighboring states New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Lamont said the pandemics spread in places like Italy earlier this year informed the decision to ramp up hospital capacity.

But I dont think that was at the expense of the nursing homes. I mean, very early on we were one of the first to say no visitations, just given the nature of the spread, he said. We were one of the very first to have COVID-only facilities. First wings, and then facilities themselves just to make sure those with infections were segregated from the rest of the community.

Deidre Gifford, acting commissioner for the state Department of Public Health, said the state was learning a lot at the beginning of the pandemic.

And so we took steps as we learned that they needed to be taken, she said. As we learned about the nature of the infectivity and the spread and where it was happening, we took those steps.

Report authors also concluded that long-term care facilities, with a lack of knowledge about how the virus spread, did not take prompt and immediate action to limit entry to their buildings, enforce staff screening measures, and implement universal mask wearing early on.

Facilities also lacked personal protective equipment, or PPE, some failed to make equipment accessible to staff, and family members reported problems with getting information about their loved ones.

The state granted long-term care providers immunity from liability during the pandemic, which removed a critical mechanism for holding facilities accountable for negligence, authors wrote.

Nursing homes in communities with widespread COVID-19 transmission among the general population had more cases and deaths, according to the report. Facilities with residents who left the building for medical care like dialysis or cancer treatment also had more cases and deaths.

One key finding of the report was that restrictions on visitors at nursing homes and assisted living facilities had adverse effects on residents. As of mid-April, about 53% of residents reported symptoms of depression, which only began to decline in May when the state allowed outdoor visits to take place.

Rates of unplanned weight loss among older residents nearly doubled after the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the report.

Mairead Painter, the states long-term care ombudsman, said the report highlights the concerns for the well-being of elderly residents.

We know that COVID-19 has increased risks associated with long-term care settings where residents were required to be isolated from loved ones and peers, she said. For months, advocates have been saying that this isolation has had unintended consequences beyond the risk of infection, and we need to better understand the full picture.

Gifford and DPH recently relaxed visitor restrictions at nursing homes and assisted living facilities to again allow in-person, indoor visits as long as certain conditions are met.

Painter hopes that issues of weight loss and depression are monitored more closely going forward.

We know that many precautions will remain in place for months to come. Due to these necessary precautions, individual nursing homes need to have appropriate staffing levels to meet the residents individualized needs, including social, emotional, she said.

The report includes short- and long-term recommendations both for the state and for the long-term care industry. They include:

Gifford said the state has already completed or is in the process of completing nearly all of the recommended actions outlined in the report. A new DPH order will require nursing homes to have a 30-day supply of PPE on hand by Oct. 16, and Gifford said state inspectors will check.

Matt Barrett, president and CEO the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities/Connecticut Center for Assisted Living, and Mag Morelli, president of LeadingAge Connecticut, said in a joint statement that the Mathematica report is well-timed given that facilities are adopting new visitation guidance and enhancing prevention actions.

Connecticut nursing homes are already implementing internal reviews, conducting surveillance testing of staff, magnifying efforts to double down on infection prevention and control practices, and participating in new training modules provided by the federal government, they wrote.

The organization leaders warned that until a vaccine is approved and distributed, the pandemic will continue to affect communities and long-term care facilities.

That became evident recently when a third nursing home in Greater Norwich reported an outbreak involving more than half its population, with 56 new cases among residents and staff.

The Connecticut Mirror reports that the outbreak at Harrington Court Nursing Home in Colchester comes on the heels of recent outbreaks at managed care facilities in Groton and Norwich all within the past two months.

Connecticut Publics Patrick Skahill contributed to this report.

Read the original:
Report: In early stages of COVID-19, nursing homes overlooked as state focused on hospitals - The CT Mirror

You may have heard the saying, If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. As a nutritionist I will admit that I am a bit of a hammer. If someone asks, How do I get more energy? I will likely respond, Eat clean and stay hydrated. What about having better brain function?someone asks. Watch those blood sugar highs and low might likely be my response.

Keep tabs on your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar could be the difference in overcoming a COVID19 infection.

But what about this COVID -19 epidemic, could nutrition play a role in its outcome? Would it make a difference if we were equally focussed on our diet and immune system as much as preventing contracting the virus with social distancing, hygiene, and masks?

Statistics

Thailands mortality rate from COVID-19 stands at one of the lowest in the world at 1.7% (global average was estimated at around 6%). However, among the deceased 41% had diabetes, 36% had high blood pressure, 18% had hyperlipidemia, and 14% had heart diseases.

When divided by age group, those who are over 70 had the highest mortality rate at 12.1%, followed by those aged 50-59 (4%) and 60-69 (3.7%), while the group with the lowest risk is 20-29 years old at 0.2%.

Among the deceased, 41% had diabetes, 36% had high blood pressure, 18% had hyperlipidemia, 14% had heart diseases.

The CDC also recently released statistics that 94% of those who died had more than one underlying medical condition. When this figure is connected with the statistic that those people over 70 have the highest rates of mortality it stands out that health is a key player in COVID Mortality for those under 70 years of age.

COVID-19 and metabolic syndrome

So I was thrilled to read a recent editorial from Dr Maryanne Demasi in the British Medical Journal titled; COVID-19 and metabolic syndrome: could diet be the key?

Dr Demasi starts by sharing the now-familiar statistics of the vast majority of people hospitalised and dying from COVID-19 as having pre-existing conditions including:

These conditions make up what is known as metabolic syndrome, and include high blood pressure, low good cholesterol, high blood sugar, high waist circumference.

Perhaps this may help to explain Thailands lower rate of mortality as Thailand has about half the Metabolic Syndrome cases of the US and UK about 16% compared to the US and UK with over 32%.

What causes Metabolic Syndrome

Dr Demasi goes on to say metabolic syndrome is related to insulin resistance. The most significant factor that determines blood glucose levels is the consumption of carbohydrates, refined carbs, starches and simple sugars.

She believes one of the problems facing people now is that people who are confined to nursing homes, hospitals and self-isolating are stockpiling non-perishable staple foods which are generally high carbohydrate like pasta, bread, rice and cereals and increasing their mortality risk.

Are you at risk of Metabolic Syndrome?

I highly recommend every year people doing an annual health check-up and getting your labs done. We are blessed when it comes to medical tourism in Phuket. With International Hospitals offering health checks along with many walk-in clinics. Here are some of the tests related to metabolic syndrome:

Fasting Blood Sugar, HBA1c (long term blood sugar), Full lipid (Cholesterol markers), Fasting Insulin along with getting your waist circumference measured (men should be under 90cm, women under 85cm) and blood pressure taken.

What do you do if these markers are high?

Naturally, talk to your doctor about solutions but here are 3 strategies to help using diet (regular exercise and good sleep naturally also help):

The key to long-term health success comes from firstly ownership of your health, so I highly recommend to get your labs done. If the results are not in your favour then make it very clear why health is important. Then comes the plan. Find the strategies that will work long term and become healthy habits. Finally, you need to make yourself accountable to follow through maybe also share your goals with a friend, partner or coach and make those strategies become life-long habits. Good health to you!

Craig Burton (BSc, NASM, CISSN) is a practicing Clinical and Sports Nutritionist with over 20 years experience as a health practitioner. He holds an array of qualifications in nutrition, as well as in health, fitness, mental and lifestyle coaching. To find out more about Craig or contact him go to http://www.craigburtoncoaching.com

Read the original post:
Healthy Habits: COVID-19 and Metabolic Syndrome, could diet help? - The Phuket News

With the US president, Donald Trump, testing positive for coronavirus, speculation has begun regarding possible outcomes. The reality is, its impossible to say for certain what will happen to an individual once theyve contracted COVID. Some people may have no symptoms at all, while others may have far worse outcomes. Its one of the many mysteries of the virus that scientists worldwide are working around the clock to untangle.

When it comes to risk, there are some things we do know, but many that remain uncertain. There are also some things we can change and some that were stuck with. Its now common knowledge that age is the most important factor driving the risk of worse outcomes from COVID. Being male, living with obesity, being from a non-white ethnic group and having long-term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease also increase risk.

The increased risk with age is striking people 80 and older are estimated to be 70 times more likely to die than those under 40. In the UK, being aged 70 or older classes people as clinically vulnerable, or moderately at risk. In the USA, eight out of every ten deaths attributed to COVID have been of people 65 and older.

By contrast, obesity is estimated to increase risk of death from COVID by almost 50%, and type 2 diabetes is estimated to double the risk.

These are only the headline factors different medications may affect risk, as may a host of other factors which will vary from person to person and include things such as viral load, meaning how much of the virus a person is exposed to in the first place.

Linked to many of these risk factors is also the key, but complex, issue of socioeconomic status with people from less advantaged groups suffering a disproportionate burden of COVID disease and death.

Some of the above risk factors are non-modifiable, which means, essentially, were stuck with them. You cant change how old you are. The good news, however, is that action can be taken to address some of the others. Raised body weight, for example, is driven by a complex system of socioeconomic, commercial, environmental and genetic factors, but governments can roll out policies to help address some of these. There are also evidence-based methods available to support healthy weight loss.

When covering Trumps risk factors, one is less spoken of but weighs heavily in his favour his socioeconomic status. People from less-advantaged groups are at greater risk from COVID.

If one teases this out, the health benefits of higher socioeconomic status turn out to be down to a number of factors, including a lower risk of contracting the disease in the first place (often linked to socioeconomic factors such as occupation or where you live). Other factors at play include the presence and treatment of underlying health conditions, the relative risk of exposure to air pollution and other environmental threats to health and, crucially, access to healthcare.

For people with the most severe forms of COVID, treatment with the drug dexamethasone can reduce risk of death by up to one-third. Socioeconomic status is one of the factors determining who gets the best treatment for COVID, particularly in countries where there is no universal healthcare including the US.

When the UKs prime minister, Boris Johnson, contracted COVID this year, it was described as a wake-up call, particularly in regards to obesity. The prime minister himself has raised body weight as an issue, and attributes his severe infection to that risk factor.

It remains to be seen how Trump reacts, both physically and politically, to his own infection. There is no doubt that, due to his position, he will be receiving every aspect of healthcare he could wish for. By contrast, millions of Americans cannot access basic care, including access to essential medications such as insulin for type 1 diabetes (Trump recently asserted insulin is priced as cheaply as water, which unfortunately is far from true), let alone intensive care during the acute phase of a pandemic.

While the press focuses on the risk factors that may put Trump at greater risk of severe infection, we should not forget those modifiable and strikingly inequitably distributed factors which work in his favour. Focus should be not only on treating the virus, but on mending the broken system that has allowed it to claim the lives of 207,000 Americans and counting.

Read more here:
Donald Trump has been diagnosed with COVID let's talk risk factors - The Conversation UK

AI-enabled User Experience

New Virgin Pulse User Experience(UX) intelligently guides users across the complete suite of wellbeing, social, health and benefit resources and integrated programs; improves discoverability and navigation so members better understand where to start or what to do the most relevant and meaningful offerings when they need them most.

Apple Health and Google Fit Integrations

Live connections through Apple Health and Google Fit provide a more connected and seamless health and wellbeing experience and give users greater program, device and rewards flexibility.

Homebase for Health

Homebase for Health aims to drive user engagement with a goal of accelerating population health outcomes by reducing the friction and complexity inherent in todays fragmented benefits ecosystems.

VP Navigate

Integrated Benefits Navigation - leads with and puts benefits at the heart of the Virgin Pulse experience with access to Live Benefits Concierge and Program Analytics

Gaps in Care solutions: My Care Checklist

Gaps in Care Solutions, My Care Checklist and Claims Analytics and Insightsnow provide employers and health plans an integrated end-to-end solution to close care gaps.

Latest innovations integrate human-centered design with AI and business strategy to deliver health and wellbeing solutions that meet users where they are today while generating actionable insights that drive sustainable health outcomes

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virgin Pulse, the leading global provider of corporate health and wellbeing solutions, today delivered its highly anticipated Winter 20 launch, the latest and most significant innovation expansion in the companys history. Available immediately, Winter20is focused onunifying and simplifyinga usershealth journey by integrating health, wellbeing, safety, benefits navigation and care guidance into a seamless, intelligently orchestrated user experience. Expandingthe companys Homebase for Health vision,Winter 20 empowersorganizations and health planstoreduce healthcare costs and benefits confusion by directing users to the care they need, when they need it.

Unveiled 18 months ago as the companys long-term vision,Homebase for Healthaimsto drive user engagement with a goal of accelerating populationhealth outcomes by reducing the friction and complexity inherent intodaysfragmentedbenefits ecosystems. This complexity is preventing employees, employers, health plans and membersfrom understanding, utilizing and maximizing their health and wellbeing benefits - and costing organizations billions of dollars each year in medical costs, lost productivity and increased turnover.

While health plans and employers are continually working tooptimizetheir benefitsprogramsand deliver personalized health and wellbeing, individuals are challenged to stay apprised ofthebenefits and wellness offerings available to them. Manylack informationand guidanceonhow to use them.Proactively directing them tohigh-valuebenefits- especially those focused on providingphysical, mental and emotional support-hasbecome atoppriorityfor organizationsand health plansduring the pandemic.And, as COVID-19 continues, organizations are looking to extend their wellbeing programs and initiatives to address more urgent health issues, specifically chronic disease conditions.

Empowering health plans and employers to take care of their members and employees, respectively, especially now, is our top priority.Prior to COVID, more than 60% of Americans had at least one chronic condition. That number has increased significantly in the past several months and we are seeing firsthand COVIDs devastating impact on those with chronic conditions like diabetes,said DaveOsborne, CEO of Virgin Pulse. At-risk populations need access to resources and benefits to help them mitigate and reverse chronic conditions, but those benefits quickly become expensive shelf-ware and their potential for driving positive outcomes goes unrealized if theyarentdelivered in a personalized, well-orchestrated and easily consumable way.A Homebase for HealthTM approach allows organizations to reap the benefits of healthier, happier employees and members, increased productivity and prospects of bending the long-term healthcare cost curve.

User Experience Key to Engagement and Outcomes Health plan members and employees today expecttheir health and wellbeing apps to reflectthe same seamless, personalized experiencespopular consumer technology brands likeApple,Amazon, Uber and Peloton. Like these and many other consumer app experiences, Winter 20 and Homebase for Health are heavily rooted inthe concept of design-thinking, a human-centered, iterative process that focuses on empathy, engagement and motivation.

Solving the complex health and wellbeing challenges organizations and users are facing today requires a deep understanding of the problems and realities of the people for whom we are designing solutions, said Ron Hildebrandt, Virgin Pulses Chief Product Officer. Delivering a personalized experience focused on helping users achieve specific health outcomes requires intelligent and continuous orchestrationof data, including from third-party and partner programs, at every touchpoint of the user journey. Homebase forHealthTMfacilitates this bymerging the bestconsumer experience with longitudinal health and wellbeing data, AI-powered recommendations and behavior change expertise. The more users engage, the more personal their experience becomes, and that is the key to keeping them connected with care and wellbeing solutions throughout their health journey.

Winter 20 Highlights:Virgin Pulses latestinnovations reflect a member-centric approach, whereevery aspect of a member's experience is focused on their specific circumstances - their challenges, resources, interests, patterns, personal goals and future needs. That information isfurtherinfusedwithAI, data and healthcare innovation to orchestrate hyper-personalized member experiences and interventions that deliver sustainable health outcomes, including chronic condition reversal.

According to Hildebrandt,Daily engagement is at the core of everything we build.We know that providing the bestuserexperience from the first touchpoint propels the engagement flywheel. That initial engagement is critical for driving health outcomes for members and financial results for clients.

User Experience and InnovationDesigned to streamline and simplify thehealth journey, thenewHomebase for HealthUserExperience(UX) intelligently guides users across the complete suite of wellbeing, social, health and benefit resources and integrated programs; improves discoverability and navigation so members better understand where tostart or what to do the most relevant and meaningful offerings when they need them most.

The new user experience also includes an integrated Benefits-First Navigation Experience featuring:

Health Innovation: AddressingUrgent and Emerging NeedsMembers cannowaccessmulti-modalconditionmanagementexperiencesbeyond thephysiciansoffice.

Building Health Equity for a Diverse and Inclusive CultureWhile the impact of social determinants on health has been widely acknowledged, COVID-19 has exposed widespread racial disparities, especially in healthcare. Due to systemic discrimination and long-standing institutional policies, a larger percentage of Black, Indigenous and Latinx communities have been disproportionately harmed by the virus. Organizations are increasingly recognizing that health and wellbeing are about more than just physical health and that diversity, equity and inclusion must be foundational to any health and any wellbeing program or initiative:

COVID-19 Innovation Updates

More Information:

About Virgin PulseVirgin Pulse is the worlds largest, most comprehensive digital health, wellbeing and engagement company. Founded as part of Sir Richard Bransons Virgin Group, the company is focused on motivating users to achieve better health outcomes. Fusing high-tech, high-touch, AI and data, Virgin Pulse delivers the industrys only true Homebase for HealthTM that supports clients and members across the entire health, wellbeing and benefits lifecyclefrom screening and assessment to activation, behavior change and the adoption of sustainable, healthy habits to benefits navigation, condition management, gaps in care closure and digital therapeutics. Today, 12 million+ users in more than 190 countries, spanning over 3,300 organizations rely on Virgin Pulses digital and live solutions to change their livesand businessesfor good. To learn more, visitVirginPulse.comand follow us onTwitterorLinkedIn.

Media ContactVirgin Pulse703-622-3605press@virginpulse.com

A video accompanying this announcement is available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a537f682-da6c-4235-8423-3cf756d7563f

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2de90bb3-68ec-454a-88db-418e6db09055

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7638947c-15bc-4c88-8793-f26daca906aa

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9f4622fc-4c1e-47c4-a896-90b75279b943

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4d4eb1ca-8655-4566-a427-9a02b233ce2b

See the original post:
User Experience and Health Innovation at the Core of Virgin Pulse's Winter '20 Launch; Addition of Gaps in Care, Claims Analytics, Benefits...

The ketogenic diet, or keto diet for short, is a fad diet that has gained significant attention in recent years as a popular weight loss approach. The diet is characterized by a depletion of carbohydrates which in turn place the body in a state called ketosis. In this metabolic state, the body breaks down fat stores directly and produces ketones to be used as fuel, which correlates directly with the ability of the diet to induce rapid weight loss. Fierce debate surrounding the diet originates from mixed opinions of the diets safety and efficacy, especially in the long term, based on the potential risks and benefits of the keto diet as a weight loss approach. By evaluating various sources of research in the context of scientific consensus, study strength, and long-term risk factors, this review indicates that the keto diet can lead to numerous health complications.

The keto diet is a low-carb diet that is high in protein and fat and places a strict limit on the amount of carbs that one may consume in their diet. There is no question that the diet works, however there are questions about its safety the long-term effects of the diet. While the keto diet may induce rapid weight loss, the dietary habits and restrictions associated with the diet have been proven to be detrimental to the health of individuals and lead to chronic disease such as heart disease and some cancers. Existing information also indicates that the keto diet can lead to nutrient deficiencies and prove difficult to sustain long-term. This paper finds that the keto diet is not a safe or necessary option for weight loss long-term; other diets are just as effective while being more sustainable, and safer without promoting restrictive dieting.

Low-carbohydrate diets have been falling in and out of favor long before the days of the Atkins diet, a very low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet that popularized low-carb diets in the 1970s. But today, an even more strict version of low-carb dieting called the ketogenic diet is gaining popular attention as a potential weight loss strategy, sparking fierce scientific debate about its potential risks and benefits. Despite the recent attention that the diet has made in the media in regards to weight loss, the therapeutic uses of the diet date back about 100 years and include the treatment of common disorders such as epilepsy and schizophrenia (OConnor, 2019). This technique was widely used for two decades, but its use decreased significantly with the new age of antiepileptic drug treatment. By the end of the twentieth century this treatment had been used in only a limited number of childrens hospitals (Wheless, 2008).

A typical ketogenic diet involves reducing carbohydrate levels to 10 percent or less of the total daily caloric intake, and limits protein to 20 percent, while fat makes up the rest (OConnor, 2019). This depletion of carbohydrates places the body in a state called ketosis, a metabolic state characterized by a lack of glucose in the body. The brain demands the most glucose in a steady supply of about 120 grams daily, because it cannot store glucose. When very little carbohydrates are consumed, the body first pulls stored glucose from the liver and temporarily breaks down muscle to release glucose. If this continues for 3-4 days and glycogen, or the stored form of glucose, is fully depleted, blood levels of a hormone called insulin decrease, and the body begins to use fat as its primary source of fuel. The liver then produces substances called ketone bodies from stored fat, which can be used in the absence of glucose (Paoli et al., 2013). By breaking down fat stores directly for energy, the keto diet is well known for its ability to induce rapid weight loss.

Upon close examination of the different arguments surrounding the keto diet as a weight loss approach, it is clear that the topic is controversial. This controversial attitude is due to the number of both benefits and risks associated with the diet. This causes mixed opinions on the safety of following the diet, especially in the long term, for little is known about the diets long-term effects. In addition to health professionals, it is certainly not uncommon for this topic to spark discussion among the public as more and more people are trying the diet as a weight loss regimen.

A common misconception associated with the keto diet is that carbs are bad for you and single handedly contribute to weight gain. Weight gain however, is not caused simply by the types of food that one consumes but rather, by imbalances between calorie intake and expenditure (Hall & Guo, 2017). It is important to understand that not all carbohydrates are created equal. While there are unhealthy, processed carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, and pastries that are high in sugar and calories and can contribute to weight gain, there are also unrefined carbohydrates such as rice, oats, and fruits that provide essential nutrients to ones diet.

To adopt the keto diet would mean almost entirely excluding a food group from ones diet, giving up essential nutrients and most importantly, fiber. In an article published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the authors wrote, The greatest risk, however, of the ketogenic diet may be the one most overlooked: the opportunity cost of not eating high-fiber, unrefined carbohydrates. Whole grains, fruits, and legumes are some of the most health-promoting foods on the planet. They are not responsible for the epidemics of type 2 diabetes or obesity, and their avoidance may do harm (Joshi et al., 2019). Further supporting this claim, a systematic review and meta-analysis of 45 prospective studies published in the BMJ found that whole grain intake was associated with a reduction in the risk of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, total cancer, and all-cause mortality (Aune et al., 2016). These findings support dietary guidelines which recommend increased whole grain intake to reduce the risk of chronic disease and premature mortality.

Radical diets, such as the keto diet, are known to cause weight loss; however, recent studies suggest that the intense fat consumption needed to get the body into ketosis may also have negative effects. Just as all carbs are not created equal, neither are fats. Unfortunately, some people see the ketogenic diet's emphasis on high-fat foods as an excuse to adopt unhealthy eating habits. Because of this false notion, it is not uncommon to see eating habits such as over-indulging in processed meats and saturated fats, which has proven to be dangerous. A 2015 review published in Nutritional Neuroscience found that the keto diet can increase the risk of diabetes and heart attack (Lima et al., 2015). Another meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Medicine in 2013 evaluated ketogenic diets versus low-fat diets for long-term weight loss. It found that keto works for weight loss short-term and may lower blood pressure, but it can also increase LDL cholesterol (Bueno et al., 2013). However, the authors acknowledge that their research analysis neglects to observe important health indicators including liver function, vascular function, cardiovascular events, and kidney function. In other words, the harm that ketogenic diets can cause in the long term isn't necessarily known.

An increase in the consumption of saturated fats found in foods commonly consumed on the keto diet, including processed meats, whole fat dairy products and tropical oils such as coconut oil, has been found to be directly related to increases in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is often referred to as the bad cholesterol because it collects in the walls of blood vessels and is commonly associated with an increase in the risk for health complications such as heart attack and stroke. In an article published in Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, it is stated that saturated fat consumption was found to significantly increase the plasma concentration of LDL cholesterol compared with mixed carbohydrates and cis-unsaturated fatty acids, potentially increasing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) (Nettleton et al., 2017). According to Nettleton et al., (2017) this bad cholesterol was found to be directly related to increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and it is strongly advised to avoid foods high in saturated fat as its avoidance is shown to lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk for CHD.

There have been many studies on the keto diet over the years; however, most have been small and of fairly short durations of about 12 weeks. It is not uncommon for the public to be mistaken when it comes to understanding what research is available to them and what the research has to say in regards to ketogenic diets. Many people will claim that there is a ton of research on the keto diet and that that alone suffices for ensuring the efficacy and safety of the diet. However, while there is some research on the diet, not much research has been conducted in regards to the long-term effects on overall health and weight maintenance. The best studies that have been conducted on the keto diet for more than one year looked at the impact of the diet on pediatric seizure disorders, not on the diet as a weight loss approach. In these cases, the benefits for treating epilepsy outweigh the potential risks; however, a 10-year study conducted on the effects of keto in the management of epilepsy in children found side effects including constipation, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, diarrhea, lethargy, iron deficiency, and vomiting (Wibisono et al., 2015).

A recent study on mice and the ketogenic diet published in Nature Metabolism suggests that the keto diet could improve human health over limited time periods by lowering the risk of diabetes and inflammation. On the other hand, it was also proven that negative effects were produced after about a week. It was found that when mice continued to eat the high-fat, low-carb diet beyond one week, they consumed more fat than they could burn, and developed diabetes and obesity as a result (Goldberg et al., 2020). The researchers also present an important first step toward possible clinical trials in humans by stating, "Before such a diet can be prescribed, a large clinical trial in controlled conditions is necessary to understand the mechanism behind metabolic and immunological benefits or any potential harm to individuals who are overweight and pre-diabetic (Goldberg et al., 2020). This suggests that based on their findings, further research is necessary to determine the safety of the keto diet in the long term and until then, the diet should not be recommended as a long-term weight loss regimen.

Despite the growing hype that continues to surround the keto diet, it is clear that more long-term human clinical trials are required to support the anecdotal claims on the health benefits of the diet. In addition to a gap in the research in regards to the long-term effects of the diet, the risks associated with the diet are also relevant. Numerous studies conducted on the diet have offered results suggesting an increased risk for health complications such as coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, total cancer, and all-cause mortality. Additionally, common side effects of the diet include constipation, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, diarrhea, lethargy, iron deficiency, and vomiting. The bottom line is, not enough is known about the potential health risks associated with the diet by adopting it in the long term and even the short-term effects have proven to be largely negative. The lack of sustainability of the diet is also attributed to the restrictive fashion of the diet in which people are consuming an extremely low amount of carbohydrates in their diet, about 10% or less of their daily caloric intake. The opportunity costs of eliminating this food group also include a loss of key nutrients and fiber which offer important health benefits. In order for individuals to make real, long-term changes in their health, weight and overall wellness, they cannot rely on restriction in their daily lives, as this leads to an unhealthy relationship with food. When considering adopting a diet, it is necessary to approach health and weight loss with an understanding of ones own lifestyle, and work towards developing healthier eating habits through behavior changes that last a lifetime.

Aune, D., Keum, N., Giovannucci, E., Fadnes, L. T., Boffetta, P., Greenwood, D. C., Norat, T. (2016). Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. Bmj, i2716. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i2716

Bueno, N. B., Melo, I. S. V. D., Oliveira, S. L. D., & Ataide, T. D. R. (2013). Very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet v. low-fat diet for long-term weight loss: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Nutrition, 110(7), 11781187. doi: 10.1017/s0007114513000548

Goldberg, E. L., Shchukina, I., Asher, J. L., Sidorov, S., Artyomov, M. N., & Dixit, V. D. (2020). Ketogenesis activates metabolically protective T cells in visceral adipose tissue. Nature Metabolism, 2(1), 5061. doi: 10.1038/s42255-019-0160-6

Hall, K. D., & Guo, J. (2017). Obesity Energetics: Body Weight Regulation and the Effects of Diet Composition. Gastroenterology, 152(7). doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.01.052

Joshi, S., Ostfeld, R. J., & Mcmacken, M. (2019). The Ketogenic Diet for Obesity and DiabetesEnthusiasm Outpaces Evidence. JAMA Internal Medicine, 179(9), 1163. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2633

Lima, P. A., Sampaio, L. P. D. B., & Damasceno, N. R. T. (2015). Ketogenic diet in epileptic children: impact on lipoproteins and oxidative stress. Nutritional Neuroscience, 18(8), 337344. doi: 10.1179/1476830515y.0000000036

Nettleton, J. A., Brouwer, I. A., Geleijnse, J. M., & Hornstra, G. (2017). Saturated Fat Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Ischemic Stroke: A Science Update. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 70(1), 2633. doi: 10.1159/000455681

O'connor, A. (2019, August 20). The Keto Diet Is Popular, but Is It Good for You? Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/20/well/eat/the-keto-diet-is-popular-but-is-it-good-for-you.html

Paoli, A., Rubini, A., Volek, J. S., & Grimaldi, K. A. (2013). Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67(8), 789796. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.116

Wheless, J. W. (2008). History of the ketogenic diet. Epilepsia, 49, 35. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01821.x

Wibisono, C., Rowe, N., Beavis, E., Kepreotes, H., Mackie, F. E., Lawson, J. A., & Cardamone, M. (2015). Ten-Year Single-Center Experience of the Ketogenic Diet: Factors Influencing Efficacy, Tolerability, and Compliance. The Journal of Pediatrics, 166(4). doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.12.018

Aune, D., Keum, N., Giovannucci, E., Fadnes, L. T., Boffetta, P., Greenwood, D. C., Norat, T. (2016). Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. Bmj, i2716. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i2716

Bueno, N. B., Melo, I. S. V. D., Oliveira, S. L. D., & Ataide, T. D. R. (2013). Very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet v. low-fat diet for long-term weight loss: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Nutrition, 110(7), 11781187. doi: 10.1017/s0007114513000548

Goldberg, E. L., Shchukina, I., Asher, J. L., Sidorov, S., Artyomov, M. N., & Dixit, V. D. (2020). Ketogenesis activates metabolically protective T cells in visceral adipose tissue. Nature Metabolism, 2(1), 5061. doi: 10.1038/s42255-019-0160-6

Hall, K. D., & Guo, J. (2017). Obesity Energetics: Body Weight Regulation and the Effects of Diet Composition. Gastroenterology, 152(7). doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.01.052

Joshi, S., Ostfeld, R. J., & Mcmacken, M. (2019). The Ketogenic Diet for Obesity and DiabetesEnthusiasm Outpaces Evidence. JAMA Internal Medicine, 179(9), 1163. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2633

Lima, P. A., Sampaio, L. P. D. B., & Damasceno, N. R. T. (2015). Ketogenic diet in epileptic children: impact on lipoproteins and oxidative stress. Nutritional Neuroscience, 18(8), 337344. doi: 10.1179/1476830515y.0000000036

Nettleton, J. A., Brouwer, I. A., Geleijnse, J. M., & Hornstra, G. (2017). Saturated Fat Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Ischemic Stroke: A Science Update. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 70(1), 2633. doi: 10.1159/000455681

O'connor, A. (2019, August 20). The Keto Diet Is Popular, but Is It Good for You? Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/20/well/eat/the-keto-diet-is-popular-but-is-it-good-for-you.html

Paoli, A., Rubini, A., Volek, J. S., & Grimaldi, K. A. (2013). Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67(8), 789796. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.116

Wheless, J. W. (2008). History of the ketogenic diet. Epilepsia, 49, 35. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01821.x

Wibisono, C., Rowe, N., Beavis, E., Kepreotes, H., Mackie, F. E., Lawson, J. A., & Cardamone, M. (2015). Ten-Year Single-Center Experience of the Ketogenic Diet: Factors Influencing Efficacy, Tolerability, and Compliance. The Journal of Pediatrics, 166(4). doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.12.018

More here:
The Keto Diet and Long-Term Weight Loss: Is it a Safe Option? - Inquiries Journal

Weight Loss MarketResearch Report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of Weight Lossd Market for 2015-2026. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years and discussion of the Leading Companies effective in this market. Weight Loss Market has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of Weight Loss globally

This report will help youtake informed decisions, understand opportunities, plan effective business strategies, plan new projects, analyse drivers and restraints and give you a vision on the industry forecast.Further, Weight Loss market report also covers the marketing strategies followed bytop Weight Loss players, distributors analysis, Weight Loss marketing channels, potential buyers and Weight Loss development history.

Get Exclusive Sample Report on Weight Lossd Market is available at https://inforgrowth.com/sample-request/1048720/global-weight-loss-market-size-status-and-forecast-2019-2025

Along with Weight Loss Market research analysis, buyer also gets valuable information about global Weight Loss Production and its market share,Revenue, Price and Gross Margin, Supply, Consumption, Export, Import volumeand values for followingRegions:

In the Weight Loss Market research report, following points market opportunities, market risk and market overview are enclosed along with in-depth study of each point. Production of the Weight Loss is analyzed with respect to various regions, types and applications.The sales, revenue, and price analysis by types and applicationsof Weight Loss market key players is also covered.

Weight Loss Market Segment considering Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend byType:

Weight Loss Market Segment by Consumption Growth Rate and Market Share byApplication:

Weight Loss Market Covers following MajorKey Players:

Get Chance of 20% Extra Discount, If your Company is Listed in Above Key Players Listhttps://inforgrowth.com/discount/1048720/global-weight-loss-market-size-status-and-forecast-2019-2025

Impact of COVID-19:Weight LossMarket report analyses the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the Weight Lossindustry.Since the COVID-19 virus outbreak in December 2019, the disease has spread to almost 180+ countries around the globe with the World Health Organization declaring it a public health emergency. The global impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are already starting to be felt, and will significantly affect the Weight Lossmarket in 2020.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought effects on many aspects, like flight cancellations; travel bans and quarantines; restaurants closed; all indoor events restricted; emergency declared in many countries; massive slowing of the supply chain; stock market unpredictability; falling business assurance, growing panic among the population, and uncertainty about future.

COVID-19 can affect the global economy in 3 main ways: by directly affecting production and demand, by creating supply chain and market disturbance, and by its financial impact on firms and financial markets.

Get the Sample ToC and understand the COVID19 impact and be smart in redefining business strategies.https://inforgrowth.com/CovidImpact-Request/1048720/global-weight-loss-market-size-status-and-forecast-2019-2025

FOR ALL YOUR RESEARCH NEEDS, REACH OUT TO US AT:Address: 6400 Village Pkwy suite # 104, Dublin, CA 94568, USAContact Name: Rohan S.Email:[emailprotected]Phone: +1-909-329-2808UK: +44 (203) 743 1898

Read the original:
Weight Loss Market 2020: Potential growth, attractive valuation make it is a long-term investment | Know the COVID19 Impact | Top Players: Atkins,...

Weight loss is much more complicated than calorie in and calorie out.

For decades, we have been told that if we just exercised more, ate less (or at least ate everything in moderation) and practiced a bit more willpower, we would finally achieve the weight and body composition of our dreams. Even though more and more we find ourselves exercising consistently, while attempting the next fad diet, the obesity rates still manage to climb. Currently 88% of Americans are metabolically unwell struggling with conditions including but not limited to Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and gout. About 25% of Americans who are normal healthy weight are also metabolically unwell. How could this be? Pretty frustrating, right?

Weight gain is not so much about how much you eat, but more about the kind of food you eat and when you eat it. And the particular types of food the majority of us eat are nutrient-empty and/or inherently addictive even if they might seem healthy at first glance. As a result, we have a population that is super sick, overweight or obese and addicted.

I want you to join me in creating a mindset shift around what the process of weight loss truly is. Weight loss for most people is an addiction recovery process. A process that isnt going to be perfect and one that is going to be met with a lifetime awareness of how your unique emotions, behaviors, habits and genetic wiring impact how you eat, why you eat and how your body responds to that.

When we create this shift of thinking around dropping excess weight and maintaining it, you can now better understand why relapses (weight regain) might happen. There are many metabolic situations that aid in a relapse (Ill save this for a future column), but from an addiction recovery standpoint, simply stated, relapses happen.

The most important thing to recognize is that if you have regained weight from a previous weight loss experience, it is nothing to be ashamed of and is simply part of the learning and adjustment process. A relapse is not the end of the world and only needs to be a brief setback. It doesnt mean that you have failed and it doesnt mean that you will never succeed in the future. It does mean that you have fallen back into old habits and behaviors that dont serve you. If you have regained weight, you need support and accountability to learn from it and to help you move forward in the direction you know you want to go. You must also take serious measures to correct, but with this action and mindset in place, weight gain relapses will diminish in frequency and duration over a period of time.

According to Brooke Feinerman, a Ph.D. in psychology and a part of the Ph.D. Weight Loss advisory board, the most important thing to remember is that change does not happen by simply not eating specific foods; long-term change happens by committing to creating a new life that reflects your goals of living healthy in a peak state. If you do not make changes to overall lifestyle and practice them daily with fortitude, then the things that originally contributed to unhealthy habits and that addiction will eventually catch back up with you.

Feinerman suggests that if you decide to recommit to change, upon doing so, review these questions to see if there are improvements that can be made to help you succeed:

Can you set up a stronger support system or accountability partner? Can you change parts of your lifestyle to further support your healthy life goals? Have you been practicing self-care (such as journaling, a gratitude practice, exercise, enough good sleep and staying connected with loved ones)?Can you educate yourself more deeply about reasons why you might be struggling? Meaning are there additional resources you can find to support your growth and success? Can you explore if there are emotional aspects that result in not sticking with your goals?If food was used as a reward or for fun in social gatherings, can you begin to redefine what fun means to you and how you can cultivate that within your life in non-food-related ways?Can you learn from the setback and reframe it as not a failure but an opportunity for you to get stronger and more confident? Can you celebrate your resiliency and courage in starting again and not giving up? Can you focus on your strengths? Remember, you can do this if you want to, for the rest of your life, simply because you made the decision to.

Ashley Lucas holds a Ph.D. in sports nutrition and chronic disease and is a licensed, registered dietitian. She is the founder and owner of Ph.D. Weight Loss and Nutrition, offering in-office and at-home/virtual weight management and wellness services in the Four Corners. To contact her, visit http://www.myphdweightloss.com or call 764-4133.

Continued here:
Weight regain: Why it happens and what to do - The Durango Herald

Reversing type 2 diabetes can restore the pancreas to its normal size and shape, a new study finds.

Previous research found that with remission of type 2 diabetes through significant weight loss, natural insulin-production can return to levels similar to people who have never had diabetes.

The new study is the first to show that reversing diabetes can also affect the size and shape of the pancreas, the researchers said.

The study included 64 people with type 2 diabetes and a control group 64 people without diabetes whose pancreas health was monitored for two years. At the start of the study, average pancreas volume was 20% smaller and organ borders were more irregular in people with diabetes than in the control group.

After five months of weight loss, pancreas volume was unchanged in people with diabetes who'd gone into remission (responders) as well as those who had not. But after two years, the pancreas had grown by an average of one-fifth in responders, but only about 1/12th in non-responders, the findings showed.

Responders also lost a significant amount of fat from their pancreas (1.6%) compared with non-responders (around 0.5%), and achieved normal pancreas borders, the study found.

Only responders showed early and sustained improvement in beta-cell function, which is key to making and releasing insulin. After five months of weight loss, responders were making more insulin and levels were maintained at two years. There was no change in non-responders.

The findings were presented recently at an online annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. Research presented at meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

"Our previous research demonstrated the return to long-term normal glucose control, but some experts continue to claim that this is merely 'well-controlled diabetes' despite our demonstration of a return to normal insulin production by the pancreas," said study leader Roy Taylor, a professor of medicine and metabolism at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.

"However, our new findings of major change in the size and shape of the pancreas are convincing evidence of return to the normal state," he added.

Taylor noted in an association news release that large amounts of insulin cause tissues to grow or at least maintain their size.

"Normally, inside the pancreas the amounts of insulin present after a meal are very high. But in type 2 diabetes this does not happen. This new study suggests that achieving remission of type 2 diabetes restores this healthy, direct effect of insulin on the pancreas," Taylor said.

It's not clear why diabetes remission doesn't occur in all patients who lose weight, said Elizabeth Robertson, director of research at Diabetes UK, which funded the study.

Type 2 diabetes affects one in 11 (415 million) adults worldwide.

See the rest here:
Pancreas Can Return to Normal Size, Shape by Reversing Diabetes - Newsmax

Page 62«..1020..61626364..7080..»

Home » Long Term Weight Loss » Page 62