Welcome to “FitnessMantra Weekend”, your once-a-week health news update. As always you can also stay updated with the latest in fitness news by subscribing separately to the Fitness Mantra del.icio.us feed.
The general assumption about belly (or visceral) fat has always been that this fat accumulates around the vital organs of the human body rendering them unable to perform at peak efficiency. While this is still a part of the reason, new research is shedding some light on what might be the process of the creation of heart disease factors:
In a paper that will be published online in the journal Circulation before print publication in February, a team of University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center scientists reports direct evidence of a link between inflammation around the cells of visceral fat deposits, and the artery-hardening process of atherosclerosis. [DNA]
Discovered by a most serendipitous experiment involving the transfer of fat cells between mice to study a hunger-related hormone called leptin, this link between visceral fat and heart disease can possibly be used to treat the condition as well:
The researchers also show that a medication often given to people with diabetes can be used to calm that inflammation, and protect against further artery damage. [DNA]
While the scientists are hard at work determining how belly fat really increases the chances for heart disease, you and I can trump them at their own game: we can hit the source directly and work on that fat by combining sensible eating with regular exercise.
Prevention is the cure - well, one of the cures, anyway.
Here are the week’s top health and fitness stories:
- Diabetes’ Health Toll Hits $174 Billion Annually: Diabetes-related medical and economic costs in the United States hit $174 billion in 2007, a 32 percent increase from 2002, a new study shows.
- More clues about belly fat- the ticking time bomb: Being overweight and especially having a beer belly or an apple shape has always been linked with a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and other problems that arise from clogged, hardened arteries.
- Morning coffee is ‘meal in a cup’: The coffee you grab on the way to work may contain up to a fifth of your daily recommended calories
- Yogurt Maker Sued On Probiotic Claims: A class action lawsuit has been filed against the yogurt company Dannon over its marketing for yogurt products Activia and DanActive.
- Meat, diet soda linked to heart disease: study: People who eat two or more servings of red meat a day are much more likely to develop conditions leading to heart disease and diabetes
- Battling the bulge with electricity: Within a few years, Americans may have a new tool to fight back against obesity: electricity.
- Obesity surgery may cure diabetes: A new study gives the strongest evidence yet that obesity surgery can cure diabetes.
- Beyond the scales: Measuring fitness progress: Wondering if you’re getting anywhere with your exercise program?
- A Little Regular Exercise Extends Men’s Lives: The government-sponsored analysis — the largest such study ever — found that a regimen of brisk walking 30 minutes a day at least four to six days a week was enough to halve the risk of premature death from all causes.
- Critical things to know about your cholesterol: How’s your cholesterol? Here’s a guess: If you’re healthy, you probably have no idea.
- Lack of food isn’t to blame for poor kids’ obesity: New research discounts a common theory on why poor children are more likely to be overweight than children from wealthier families.
- New York chain eateries must post calorie counts: New York again sought to force fast food chains to display calorie counts on their menu boards on Tuesday after a federal judge quashed a similar proposal last year.
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Have a great weekend!
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