March 2017 ~ Best weight loss

Friday, March 31, 2017

Weight, Gender Appear to Play Part in Kidney Transplant Success

THURSDAY, March 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Weight and gender differences between donors and recipients can affect the success of kidney transplants, a new study says.

Researchers reviewed data from more than 115,000 people in the United States who received a kidney from a deceased donor. The transplants took place between 2000 and 2014.

The average follow-up time was about four years. During that time, more than 21,000 patients developed transplant failure.

After accounting for other possible causes, the researchers concluded that weight was a factor in transplant failure. Specifically, if a kidney transplant recipient was more than 66 pounds heavier than the donor, there was a 28 percent higher risk of transplant failure, compared with recipients who weighed about the same as donors.

The researchers also noted a difference if the donor and recipient's genders were mismatched. The risk of transplant failure was 35 percent higher for a male receiving a kidney from a female donor. In women receiving a man's kidney, the odds of transplant failure were 50 percent higher.

That level of risk is similar to that faced by a recipient who receives a kidney from a donor who has diabetes, the study authors said.

The findings were published March 30 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

A kidney donor's weight and sex are not typically considered when choosing a recipient. These findings suggest that such factors may need to be considered, the researchers said.

"This study is extremely important because we have shown that when all else is considered, something as simple as the combination of a kidney donor's weight and sex is associated with a marked increase in kidney transplant failure," study co-leader Dr. Amanda Miller said in a journal news release. Miller is from Dalhousie University and the Nova Scotia Health Authority, Canada.

She said more research is needed before taking weight and gender into consideration when matching donors and recipients. But the findings suggest that current matching strategies may need to take other factors into account, she added.

However, matching donors and patients by weight and gender would be complex and could leave some potential recipients at a disadvantage, Dr. Bethany Foster and Dr. Indra Gupta, of McGill University in Montreal, said in an accompanying editorial.

"Restricting transplant options by prioritizing sex matching may also lead to longer waiting times," they wrote. "Females with a large body size would be particularly disadvantaged by an approach that favored allocation of sex- and body-size matched kidneys."

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more on kidney transplant.

SOURCE: Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, news release, March 30, 2017

Is Your TV Making You Fat?

FRIDAY, March 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Trying to stay slim? Start by switching off your TV during meal time.

Of course, just turning off the television won't make pounds melt away. But new research suggests that not watching TV at dinnertime seems to reduce the risk of obesity in adults. Eating home-cooked meals is also linked to a lower risk of obesity, the researchers said.

What doesn't seem to make much of a difference for adult weight is how often a family eats meals together, the study showed.

"How often you are eating family meals may not be the most important thing. It could be that what you are doing during these meals matters more," said study lead author Rachel Tumin. She is survey and population health analyst manager at the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center at Ohio State University.

"This highlights the importance of thinking critically about what is going on during those meals, and whether there might be opportunities to turn the TV off or do more of your own food preparation," said Tumin, who conducted the study while a doctoral student.

The study looked at data from nearly 13,000 Ohio residents who took part in a 2012 survey and ate at least one family meal in the previous week. One-third of the respondents were obese, according to the report.

More than half of the respondents ate family meals on most days, 35 percent on some days, and 13 percent a few days a week. One-third of the study participants watched TV or videos most of the time during family meals, and another one-third said the TV was never on while eating meals.

Adults who said they never watched TV or videos during family meals were much less likely to be obese than those who always watched something during mealtimes, the findings showed.

In addition, respondents whose family meals were all home-cooked were less likely to be obese than those who ate only some or no home-cooked meals.

The lowest risk of obesity was among adults who always ate home-cooked meals and never watched TV while having dinner, the researchers concluded.

While eating meals together as a family didn't seem to be a factor in adults' obesity risk, it may provide other benefits for family members, such as improving social and emotional health, Tumin suggested in a university news release.

The study was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more on obesity prevention.

SOURCE: Ohio State University, news release, March 23, 2017

Health Tip: Help Your Child with Body Image

(HealthDay News) -- What you say rubs off on your children, even if you don't think they're listening. So when you're talking about body image, remember that a positive attitude is good for both of you.

The Womenshealth.gov website suggests:

Don't speak negatively about food, weight, body shape and body size.
Provide an array of healthy meals and snacks, and let your child make decisions about what to eat.
Praise your child for values, accomplishments, efforts and talents. Communicate openly and frequently.
Limit TV time, but watch it together so you can talk about the images you see.
Get active at your child's school, and support policies that oppose discrimination, teasing and harassment.

Obesity May Not Compromise Knee Surgery Success

FRIDAY, March 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Weight doesn't seem to affect whether a common type of knee surgery will be successful, a new study shows.

About 15 percent of meniscal repair surgeries fail, researchers said. It's been widely believed that patients with a higher body mass index (BMI) are at increased risk for failure because more weight puts more pressure on the knee. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight.

But this study of 410 patients who had meniscal repair surgery found no significant differences in failure rates between those with a normal BMI of less than 25 (considered normal weight) and those with a BMI of between 25 and 35 (up to 29.9 is overweight, and above 30 is obese).

An adult who is 5 feet, 9 inches tall has a normal BMI if their weight is between 125 to 168 pounds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If that same person weighs between 169 and 202, their BMI puts them in the overweight category. And, someone of the same height who weighs more than 203 pounds is considered obese.

The findings show "that surgeons should not consider weight as a factor when deciding if a patient is a good candidate for meniscal repair surgery," lead author and orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Flanigan, from Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, said in a hospital news release.

"If a meniscus is repairable and surgery is appropriate for that patient, you can do the surgery and they would have the same success as someone who is not as heavy," he said.

However, few patients had BMI over 35, so it's unclear if more severe obesity might increase the risk of meniscal repair failure, the study authors said.

Flanigan recommended repairing the meniscus whenever possible instead of removing it. It serves as a vital cushion for the knee, he said.

The study was published recently in The Journal of Knee Surgery.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases has more on knee problems.

SOURCE: Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, news release, March 6, 2017

Want Cheap and Healthy Meals? Cook at Home

FRIDAY, March 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- If you're eager to save money while eating right, stick close to your own kitchen, researchers say.

"Frequent eating out was associated with lower diet quality, more 'empty calories' and higher diet costs" compared to home cooking, said study author Adam Drewnowski.

The troublemakers for regular restaurant-goers are solid fats, calories, alcohol and added sugar, added Drewnowski, who directs the University of Washington's Center for Public Health Nutrition.

The findings come from surveys of more than 400 Seattle-area residents.

The healthier-at-home results shouldn't come as a surprise, said Lona Sandon, a Dallas nutritionist who wasn't involved in the study.

"Preparing your food at home gives you control over what goes on your plate," said Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

Americans spend half their food dollars on meals consumed outside the home, but only about one in five meets nutritional recommendations set forth by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Moreover, by the 1990s Americans were getting about one-third of their daily calories outside the home, the researchers said.

With that in mind, between 2011 and 2013 they questioned 437 adults between the ages of 21 and 55 who were the principal food shoppers in their household.

They asked how often they had eaten in or eaten out in the prior week. "Outside" included restaurants, fast-food locales, food stands, grocery stores and vending machines.

In turn, the nutritional value of each participant's diet was measured according to the U.S. Healthy Eating Index (HEI). This assesses whether someone gets the right combination of fruit, vegetables and other nutritional elements.

Roughly half the participants frequently cooked dinner at home -- six times or more a week, the team found. One-third cooked dinner often (four to five times a week), while about 15 percent rarely did so (three or fewer times a week).

Those who ate more frequently at home scored higher on the healthy eating index than the others.

They also spent less overall -- on food consumed outside and at home -- than those who ate out more often.

Food bills for the group that cooked in the most averaged $273 a month per person versus $364 a month for those who ate out most often.

"The saving in not going out more than made up for the slight increase in at-home costs," explained Drewnowski.

Fat, alcohol and added sugar "reduced the [healthy eating] scores for people who went out to __eat often," he noted. "But people eating at home also got more vegetables and fruit."

Still, "cooking at home is not for everyone," he acknowledged.

The point to remember is that eating out doesn't have to be a no-no, he said.

Better choices can be made by those who "prize convenience" over home cooking, Drewnowski said. Many options are available, he noted. For example, "vegetables do not need to be steamed. They can be grilled, baked and sauteed, with some oil and salt. Or made into soups."

If you decide to prepare your own meals, Sandon offers some advice: "Cooking at home does not have to be time-consuming or require advanced cooking skills to make a healthy, balanced meal that meets the dietary guidelines."

Keep it simple, she said. Just try to ensure that every meal is composed half of fruits and vegetables, one-quarter of whole grains, and one-quarter of lean protein.

"Every meal does not have to be a master piece," Sandon added. "Start simple with something like mac and cheese. Add a side of steamed broccoli and carrots with grilled chicken breast or salmon, and you have a balanced meal."

The findings were recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

More information

For dietary recommendations, see the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

SOURCES: Adam Drewnowski, Ph.D., director, Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle; Lona Sandon, Ph.D., R.D.N., assistant professor, clinical nutrition, and program director, school of health professions, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; Feb. 28, 2017, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, online

Fruit Juice for Kids: A Serving a Day OK

THURSDAY, March 23, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Pediatricians have long suggested that fruit juice may prompt weight gain in children, but a new review finds it harmless when consumed in moderation.

"Based on the current evidence, we didn't find that consuming one serving [of 100-percent fruit juice] a day contributes to weight gain in children," said study author Dr. Brandon Auerbach. He is acting instructor of medicine at the University of Washington, in Seattle.

To come to that conclusion, the investigators analyzed the results of eight published studies involving over 34,000 children that looked at fruit juice intake and the effect on weight.

Children under the age of 6 who drank a serving a day gained a small amount of weight, but not enough to be clinically significant, the findings showed.

The amount was truly tiny, less than a pound over a year's time, Auerbach noted. And the review did not prove that fruit juice consumption caused the weight gain.

In addition, children aged 7 to 18 who drank a serving a day saw no clinical effects on weight, the researchers said.

The younger children favored apple juice, while the older ones were more likely to drink orange juice. The study authors explained that orange juice, which has a lower glycemic index, may be linked with less weight gain. Food and drink with a lower glycemic index are linked with lower and slower rises in blood sugar levels.

The researchers stressed that their report specifically focused on 100-percent fruit juice, not fruit-flavored drinks or fruit sodas.

Senior study author, Dr. James Krieger, is executive director of Healthy Food America. He said, "The evidence on weight gain, diabetes [risk] and other health conditions for [drinking] sugar-sweetened beverages -- like soda and fruit drinks -- is very solid."

What has been debated, according to Krieger, is whether sugar in 100-percent fruit juice is linked with the same health effects.

For now, Krieger and Auerbach said, they advise parents to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations for 100-percent fruit juice consumption: 4 to 6 ounces a day for children aged 6 and younger, and 8 to 12 ounces a day for kids aged 7 to 18.

Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition for Washington University in St. Louis, said that the new findings put the issue in perspective.

"Concerns around childhood obesity have caused many to try to find 'the food' that is the cause," Diekman explained.

"This study did a nice job in assessing the impact of 100-percent fruit juice on weight, a food often blamed for the growing incidence of childhood obesity," she said.

"As a registered dietitian, this study reinforces the messages I provide my clients: 100-percent fruit juice -- not fruit drinks or beverages -- can fit into a healthful eating plan. But it is important, as with all foods, to learn portion sizes," Diekman stressed.

"In addition, I always remind people that whole fruit -- whether fresh, frozen or canned -- can provide more satiety since we don't seem to recognize fullness from liquids, while we do from solids," she said.

The study was published online March 23 in the journal Pediatrics.

More information

How many calories are in your beverage? Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to find out.

SOURCES: James Krieger, M.D., M.P.H., executive director, Healthy Food America, and clinical professor, medicine and health services, University of Washington, Seattle; Brandon Auerbach, M.D., M.P.H, acting instructor, University of Washington, Seattle; Connie Diekman, R.D., M.Ed., director of university nutrition, Washington University, St. Louis; March 23, 2017, Pediatrics,, online

Obesity in Youth Tied to Higher Odds for Liver Cancer in Men

TUESDAY, March 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight and obese young men are at increased risk for serious liver disease or liver cancer later in life, and those with diabetes have an even higher risk, a new study warns.

Efforts to reduce obesity, "should be implemented from an early age to reduce the future burden of severe liver disease on individuals and society," say Swedish researchers led by Hannes Hagstrom, of the Center for Digestive Diseases at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm.

A liver specialist in the United States agreed.

"This should be a wake-up call for young men to take their weight seriously and take steps to stay in shape to hopefully prevent liver disease, diabetes and liver cancer in the future," said Dr. David Bernstein, chief of hepatology at Northwell Health in Manhasset, NY.

He explained that obesity is linked to the development of a condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), where fat starts to be deposited in the organ. In turn, NAFLD is "a leading cause of cirrhosis and a common indication for liver transplantation," Bernstein said.

Links between obesity, NAFLD and liver cancer are also "concerning," based on the Swedish report, he said.

In the new study, Hagstrom's team tracked data on more than 1.2 million Swedish males conscripted into the military between 1969 and 1996. They were followed from one year after conscription until the end of 2012.

During the decades of follow-up, there were almost 5,300 cases of serious liver disease, including 251 cases of liver cancer.

Compared to men of normal weight, the risk of liver disease later in life was nearly 50 percent higher for those who were overweight and nearly twice as high for those who were obese when they were young men.

The risk was more than tripled for men who were both obese and went on to develop type 2 diabetes, the study found.

The findings suggest that rising rates of overweight and obesity worldwide -- about 1 billion people are projected to be obese by 2030 -- could lead to an increase in the number of cases of severe liver disease and cancer in the future, the researchers said.

Bernstein said the findings "highlight the importance of early intervention for this disorder to prevent significant liver disease which may occur decades in the future."

Dr. Mitchell Roslin is chief of obesity surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He agreed that, "fat infiltration of the liver is becoming a leading cause of liver failure and very much related to insulin resistance and diabetes."

"This article shows that these changes originate in adolescence and the lifetime risk is cumulative," Roslin said. "The real solution is a very healthy diet and active lifestyle."

The new study is published online March 20 in the journal Gut.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on healthy weight.

SOURCES: Mitchell Roslin, MD, chief, obesity surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; David Bernstein, MD., chief, hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY; Gut, news release, March 20, 2017

America's Porky Pets Face Health Woes, Too, FDA Says

THURSDAY, March 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- America's weight problem extends to its pets, with a majority of cats and dogs dangerously overweight, a federal government veterinarian warns.

"Just as obesity has become a serious problem in people, it's also a growing problem in pets, one that can seriously harm your pet's health," said Dr. Carmela Stamper, of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine.

About 58 percent of cats and 54 percent of dogs in the United States are overweight, according to a 2015 survey by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.

"The diseases we see in our overweight pets are strikingly similar to those seen in overweight people," Stamper said in an FDA news release. These include life-shortening conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, heart and respiratory disease, and kidney problems, she noted.

So, what exactly signals obesity for Fido or Kitty?

In general, 20 percent over ideal body weight is obese. And Stamper said age, breed, body type and metabolism can help tip the scales.

"In dogs, some breeds seem more inclined toward obesity than others," Stamper said. Labs, beagles and long, low dogs such as dachshunds and basset hounds are some examples.

Although America's cats are also fattening up overall, veterinarians say no specific feline breed is prone to pudginess.

Stamper outlined some ways to determine if your pet is at a healthy weight. Look at your pet from above to see if it has a definite waist.

"If not, and her back is broad and flat like a footstool, she is likely overweight," Stamper said.

Run your hands along your pet's side. Can you easily feel the ribs, or do you have to push hard to feel them? Check your pet's abdomen/stomach. If you can easily grab a handful of fat, that's a sign your pet is overweight.

If you're concerned about your pet's weight, or want to know how to keep your pet at a healthy weight, talk to your veterinarian, Stamper said.

More information

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention has more on pets and weight.

SOURCE: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, news release

Another Obesity Downside: Higher Esophageal Cancer Risk

WEDNESDAY, March 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight 20-somethings dramatically increase their risk of esophageal and stomach cancer if they become obese later in life, a new study suggests.

The research indicated that people who were overweight in their 20s had a 60 percent to 80 percent increased risk of developing these cancers, compared with those who maintained a normal weight throughout their life, researchers said.

And those who then gained more than 40 pounds by age 50 doubled their risk of esophageal cancer and moderately increased their risk for stomach cancer, the study found.

But, it was those individuals who progressed from overweight at age 20 to obese at age 50 and older who had three times or more increased risk for esophageal and stomach cancer, the study found.

"These findings underscore the potential of weight control programs for decreasing the likelihood of developing esophageal and stomach cancer, which both have extremely poor survival," said lead researcher Jessica Petrick, from the U.S. National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md.

Excess weight can trigger acid reflux problems and heartburn that can lead to cancer, Petrick said.

It can also change the levels of such hormones as estrogen and testosterone and can cause levels of insulin to rise and lead to inflammation, she said, noting all have been associated with increased cancer risk.

The report, based on data on more than 400,000 people, was published recently in the British Journal of Cancer.

However, Dr. Patrick Okolo, chief of gastroenterology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, cautioned that the study did not prove that weight gain causes either cancer. There only appears to be an association between putting on the pounds and an increased risk for the rare cancers.

But, he added, "Without a doubt, there is an association between increased weight and cancer.

"If you gain weight like most adults, typically 40 pounds or more, you approximate the risk for these cancers of someone who has been heavy all their life. So not only is being heavy bad, but weight gain is also bad," Okolo said.

Everyone should do everything in their power to maintain a healthy weight, he added.

"To those people I look after, I often preach to them that your desire to lose weight should not be based on these studies, but on the benefits on your quality of life. Behavior should often be driven by the immediate benefits, and if you gain those immediate benefits, then other long-term benefits will accrue to you in terms of cancer prevention," Okolo said.

In the United States, esophageal cancer is rare, accounting for only 1 percent of all new cancers diagnosed each year, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute. But, the five-year survival rate averages only about 18 percent, because it's a cancer often diagnosed at an advanced stage.

Stomach cancer, likewise, is also rare, accounting for fewer than 2 percent of all new cancer cases each year. The five-year survival rate for stomach cancer is also relatively low, at about 30 percent, the institute says.

More information

For more on cancer and weight, visit the American Cancer Society.

SOURCES: Jessica Petrick, Ph.D., U.S. National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md.; Patrick Okolo, M.D., chief, gastroenterology, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Feb. 15, 2017, British Journal of Cancer

Another Obesity Downside: Higher Esophageal Cancer Risk

WEDNESDAY, March 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight 20-somethings dramatically increase their risk of esophageal and stomach cancer if they become obese later in life, a new study suggests.

And those who then gained more than 40 pounds by age 50 doubled their risk of esophageal cancer and moderately increased their risk for stomach cancer, the study found.

But, it was those individuals who progressed from overweight at age 20 to obese at age 50 and older who had three times or more increased risk for esophageal and stomach cancer, the study found.

Excess weight can trigger acid reflux problems and heartburn that can lead to cancer, Petrick said.

The report, based on data on more than 400,000 people, was published recently in the British Journal of Cancer.

But, he added, "Without a doubt, there is an association between increased weight and cancer.

Everyone should do everything in their power to maintain a healthy weight, he added.

More information

For more on cancer and weight, visit the American Cancer Society.

Too Much Screen Time May Raise Kids' Diabetes Risk

TUESDAY, March 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Kids who get too much screen time may be more likely to have risk factors that increase their chances of type 2 diabetes, new research says.

Watching television, playing video games or sitting in front of a computer or other device for more than three hours each day was linked to more body fat and insulin resistance. Those factors mean the body is less able to keep blood sugar levels under control, the British researchers said.

They said limiting children's screen time could be necessary to prevent health issues later on.

"Our findings suggest that reducing screen time may be beneficial in reducing type 2 diabetes risk factors, in both boys and girls and in different ethnic groups from an early age," wrote the study authors, led by Claire Nightingale, from St. George's University of London.

"This is particularly relevant, given rising levels of type 2 diabetes, the early emergence of type 2 diabetes risk, and recent trends suggesting that screen time-related activities are increasing in childhood and may pattern screen-related behaviors in later life," the researchers said.

Previous research has shown that adults who spend excessive amounts of time in front of a TV or computer are at greater risk for weight gain and type 2 diabetes, Nightingale's group explained.

Since young people are increasingly using devices such as tablets and smartphones, the study authors investigated if this risk also applied to children.

The study included health information on nearly 4,500 children between 9 and 10 years old. The youngsters were from three cities in the United Kingdom -- Birmingham, Leicester and London.

The children's cholesterol, insulin resistance, fasting blood sugar levels, markers of inflammation, blood pressure and body fat were measured. The kids were also asked to detail their daily use of televisions, computers, video games and other devices.

About 4 percent of the children never watched TV or used an electronic device. Slightly more than one-third reported getting less than one hour of screen time each day. Of the remaining children, 28 percent spent up to two hours in front of a screen, 13 percent got up to three hours and 18 percent spent more than three hours each day sitting in front of a television or electronic device.

Excessive screen time was far more common among boys than girls. Children of African or Caribbean descent were also more likely to spend three or more hours in front of a screen than white or Asian children, the researchers reported.

The researchers found that total body fat among the kids increased along with their screen time. Specific indicators of body fat -- such as skin fold thickness and fat mass -- were all higher among the kids who got more than three hours of screen time each day than those who got just one hour or less.

Screen time was also linked to the kids' levels of leptin -- a hormone that's involved in appetite control and insulin resistance, the researchers said. This was true regardless of other factors that could affect the kids' type 2 diabetes risk factors, such as household income, puberty stage and level of physical activity.

The authors noted their findings don't prove a cause-and-effect relationship, but they could have important implications for public health as more children are routinely using electronic devices.

The study was published online March 13 in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics provides more information on screen time for kids.

SOURCE: BMJ, news release, March 13, 2017

Gene Variant From Africa Linked to Black Obesity

TUESDAY, March 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say they've identified an Africa-specific gene variant associated with obesity.

The team found that about 1 percent of West Africans, American blacks and others of African ancestry have this variant of the semaphorin-4D (SEMA4D) gene.

The researchers said people with the variant are about 6 pounds heavier than those without it.

Most genetic studies on obesity focus on people of European ancestry, even though people with African ancestry have a higher risk of obesity, the researchers said.

"We wanted to close this unacceptable gap in genomics research," Charles Rotimi, director of the Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, said in an NIH news release.

Study co-lead author Ayo Doumatey said, "By studying people of West Africa, the ancestral home of most African-Americans, and replicating our results in a large group of African-Americans, we are providing new insights into biological pathways for obesity that have not been previously explored." Doumatey is a research fellow at the center.

"These findings may also help inform how the African environments have shaped individual genomes in the context of obesity risk," she added.

The newly identified gene variant overlaps a region of DNA called an "enhancer" that can be activated to increase the work of a particular gene, Rotimi said.

The researchers are planning larger studies of DNA sequencing of this gene in different human populations in an attempt to identify other genetic factors that may be associated with obesity.

"Eventually, we hope to learn how to better prevent or treat obesity," Rotimi said.

The study was published March 13 in the journal Obesity.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more on overweight and obesity.

SOURCE: U.S. National Institutes of Health, news release, March 13, 2017

Cystic Fibrosis Survival Better in Canada Than in U.S.

MONDAY, March 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- People with cystic fibrosis are living longer than ever, but those in Canada live nearly 10 years longer than those in the United States, a new study finds.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive tract. It causes the production of a thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs. This may cause life-threatening lung infections. People with cystic fibrosis also have difficulty properly breaking down and absorbing nutrients from food, the researchers explained.

Between 2009 and 2013, the average Canadian with cystic fibrosis lived to just under 51 years. In the United States, someone with the lung disorder could expect to live an average of close to 41 years, the study found.

Why the difference?

Although the study didn't specifically look at the reasons behind the gap, possible reasons include diet, better access to lung transplants and universal health insurance, according to study lead author Dr. Anne Stephenson and her colleagues. Stephenson is a cystic fibrosis researcher at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

The study authors noted that people with cystic fibrosis in Canada began eating a high-fat diet in the 1970s, something not implemented in the United States until the 1980s. Consuming more calories improves nutrition, which has been linked to improved survival in people with cystic fibrosis, the researchers said.

Normally, progressive lung disease is a common cause of death for cystic fibrosis patients, the researchers added.

But, people with cystic fibrosis in Canada are more likely to receive a lung transplant. A transplant is one of the few treatments that can have an almost immediate positive impact on survival, the study authors explained.

"Achieving a better understanding of the drivers behind differences in survival rates is critical to our mission to improve and extend the lives of people with cystic fibrosis," said lead study investigator Dr. Bruce Marshall. He is senior vice president of clinical affairs for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

"As a result of this study, we will be conducting further research to better understand the role of nutrition and insurance status -- and are encouraged that the findings reinforce the central goal of our lung transplant initiative, a comprehensive effort to improve transplant outcomes for people with cystic fibrosis in the United States," he concluded in a St. Michael's Hospital news release.

The study included data from more than 45,000 people in the United States and nearly 6,000 people in Canada with cystic fibrosis. The study data stretched from 1990 to 2013.

After taking into account factors such as age and how sick a person was, the risk of death among patients was 34 percent lower in Canada than in the United States, the findings showed.

Canada has universal health care. When Canadians with cystic fibrosis were compared to people in the United States with the disease who had private health insurance, there was no survival difference, the study authors said.

But the risk of death for Canadians with the lung condition was 44 percent lower than for U.S. cystic fibrosis patients who had continuous Medicaid or Medicare coverage, 36 percent lower than for people with intermittent Medicaid or Medicare coverage, and 77 percent lower than for people without health insurance or unknown coverage status, the researchers reported.

The study was published March 14 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

More information

The American Lung Association has more on cystic fibrosis.

SOURCE: St. Michael's Hospital, news release, March 13, 2017

Mediterranean Diet May Ease Chronic Pain of Obesity

FRIDAY, March 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- People who are overweight and plagued by chronic pain may find relief in a Mediterranean diet, new research suggests.

The study of 98 men and women between the ages of 20 and 78 builds on growing evidence that a diet heavy on fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans provides significant health benefits. It also sheds new light on why eating these foods might reduce pain associated with obesity.

Because obese people with chronic pain usually also have a high degree of inflammation, lead researcher Charles Emery suspects the foods' anti-inflammatory properties might explain the reduced pain levels.

"Although the relationship of body fat and pain has been well-documented in prior studies, the mechanism is not known," said Emery, a professor of psychology at Ohio State University.

"One possibility is the stress of body weight on joints. A second possible mechanism is via inflammatory factors in the bloodstream, because both body fat and pain are known to be associated with elevated inflammation," he said.

Slightly more than 70 percent of American adults are overweight, with 38 percent considered obese (at least 30 pounds overweight), according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For the study, Emery and his Ohio State colleagues reviewed participants' eating habits and their answers on a short questionnaire about the pain they experience. The researchers also considered the participants' age, mental health and use of pain medications.

The upshot: No matter what they weighed, those who ate more fish and plant-based proteins such as nuts and beans had less pain.

While adjusting their findings to account for age-related pain among older participants, the researchers found that a Mediterranean diet benefited men and women of all ages.

Emery said the study had limitations, however: The researchers did not account for chronic pain that lasted more than a month and did not take blood samples to study signs of inflammation. More research is needed to support the initial findings.

Also, only an association was seen between diet and pain, not a cause-and-effect link.

"The next step is to conduct a study with blood markers of inflammation," Emery said. "Then it would be ideal to conduct an intervention study to evaluate change in body fat, inflammation and pain."

A nutrition expert who reviewed the study said it reinforces the health benefits of a diet centered on seafood and plant-based proteins.

"This study provides an early look at a possible role diet might play in offsetting pain, but more research is needed," said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis.

"Studies are needed in healthy adults to see if inflammatory markers are the same with similar pain as they are in obese adults," she said. "Studies are needed that look at diet over a longer period of time."

Diekman said it would be beneficial to know, for example, if following a Mediterranean diet while young affected a person's pain as an adult.

Still, Diekman said the new findings help drive home the point that what you __eat matters.

"The bottom line here is that this is an interesting study, it gives us something to think about as we counsel clients -- diet might help your pain. But it doesn't give us a clear answer to whether if you lose weight your pain will go away," she said. "We need more research to make that connection."

The study was published recently in the journal Pain.

More information

Find out more about the Mediterranean diet at the American Heart Association.

SOURCES: Charles Emery, Ph.D., director, Cardiopulmonary Behavioral Medicine Program, Department of Psychology, Ohio State University; Connie Diekman, M.Ed., director of university nutrition, Washington University in St. Louis; February 2017, Pain

Heart Disease Kicks in Earlier for Obese People

THURSDAY, March 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight and obese people tend to develop heart disease at an earlier age, living with chronic illness for much longer than those of a healthy weight, a new study shows.

People carrying excess pounds do tend to live similar or only slightly shorter life spans compared to folks with normal body weight, the researchers found.

But heart disease begins 1.8 years earlier in overweight middle-aged women compared with normal-weight women, and 4.3 years earlier for those who are obese, they added.

Meanwhile, obese middle-aged men suffer heart disease 3.1 years earlier than normal-weight men. However, overweight men tended to develop heart disease at about the same rate and live about as long as normal-weight men.

These findings show that even though some may benefit from an "obesity paradox" -- where people with excess weight live longer than those of normal weight -- those extra years of life could be filled with illness and misery, said lead researcher Dr. Sadiya Khan, an instructor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

"Individuals in the overweight category really live about the same amount of time," Khan said. "It was really the difference about how long they lived with cardiovascular disease because they developed the disease earlier in life."

For this study, Khan and her colleagues pooled together participants from 10 different research projects, coming up with a group of almost 73,000 middle-aged people with an average age of 55. All participants were healthy and free of cardiovascular disease when they enrolled in the study.

Average body mass index or BMI (a measure of body fat based on weight and height) was 27.4 for men and 27.1 for women. A BMI above 25 is considered overweight, and above 30 obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

During years of follow-up, just over 13,450 people suffered a heart health event, defined as either heart failure, a stroke or a diagnosis of heart disease.

Compared to people with normal BMI, lifetime risks for developing heart disease were higher in overweight and obese adults, the researchers found.

For example, overweight middle-aged women were 32 percent more likely to develop heart disease in their lifetime compared to women of normal weight, while overweight men were 21 percent more likely to develop heart disease. Obese men and women were 67 percent and 85 percent more likely to develop heart disease, respectively.

On average, people with normal BMI also tended to enjoy more years free of heart disease.

The overweight and obese people "developed [heart disease] at a younger age and lived longer with [heart disease], with a higher risk of conditions like coronary artery disease and heart failure," Khan said.

People with excess weight likely benefit from a heart health event, in that their heart attack or stroke forces their doctor to step up their medical care, said Dr. Robert Eckel, chair of atherosclerosis at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus. He was not involved with the study.

"If you're obese or overweight, your years of survival after you have a cardiovascular disease event may be a bit higher, but I think that's because these people are more aggressively treated for risk factors," said Eckel, who is also director of the Lipid Clinic at the University of Colorado Hospital.

Khan was to present the findings at the an American Heart Association meeting in Portland, Ore. Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

For more about BMI, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: Sadiya Khan, M.D., instructor, medicine, Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago; Robert Eckel, M.D., chair, atherosclerosis, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, and director, Lipid Clinic, University of Colorado Hospital; March 9, 2017, presentation, American Heart Association meeting, Portland, Ore.

Genes Plus Erratic Sleep May Raise Odds for Obesity

FRIDAY, March 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Yet more evidence of a link between poor sleep and excess weight: A new study finds that people who are genetically prone to obesity are more likely to be overweight if they have unusual sleep habits.

"These data show that in people with high genetic risk for obesity, sleeping for too short or too long a time, napping during the day, and shift work appears to have a fairly substantial adverse influence on body weight," said researcher Dr. Jason Gill of the University of Glasgow, Scotland.

Gill, who is with the university's Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, and colleagues looked at statistics on nearly 120,000 people in the United Kingdom.

The investigators said they found that sleeping fewer than 7 hours a night or more than 9 hours a night boosts the risk of obesity among those who are especially prone to it because of their genes.

Among those with a genetic propensity toward obesity, those who slept more than 9 hours a night were almost 9 pounds heavier than similar people who slept 7 to 9 hours. Meanwhile, those who slept less than 7 hours were a little more than 4 pounds heavier than their better-rested peers, the findings showed.

Although the study doesn't establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship, the researchers found this effect persisted regardless of diet, health problems or income level.

"However, the influence of adverse sleep characteristics on body weight is much smaller in those with low genetic obesity risk -- these people appear to be able to get away with poorer sleep habits to some extent," Gill said in a university news release.

The study was published March 1 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

More information

For more about sleep and obesity, see the National Sleep Foundation.

SOURCE: University of Glasgow, news release, March 1, 2017

1 in 7 Obese People Has Normal Blood Pressure, Cholesterol

THURSDAY, March 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Can people really be healthy and obese?

In one of the largest studies to date, researchers quantified the number of U.S. adults who are overweight or obese but don't have typical risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

Of 1.3 million overweight and obese people studied, 14 percent had normal blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure readings, the study found.

Doctors use these "cardiometabolic" measures to help identify people at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke or developing type 2 diabetes.

But calling these people "healthy obese" is a misnomer, said lead author Gregory Nichols.

"Just because they don't currently have risk factors doesn't mean they're not going to," said Nichols, a senior investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore.

The study suggests that might be true: Less than 2.8 percent of overweight and obese people age 80 and older had zero risk factors, versus more than 29 percent of those ages 20 to 34.

The absence of risk factors doesn't mean they're healthy, either, Nichols added.

"They still have more joint problems; they're more likely to get certain cancers; they're at risk for kidney disease, and so on," he explained.

Plus, prior research has shown that obese people are more likely to die prematurely than people of the same age who are not obese.

Scientists don't know exactly why these fat-but-seemingly-fit people have normal blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.

Nichols said diet and exercise or genetics may play a role. Or, he added, it may be a matter of timing.

The study provided a snapshot of overweight and obese adults at a point in time. Nichols said if he and his team had followed the study population over an extended period, they may have found that some people develop risk factors very quickly, while others take much longer to do so.

Dr. Carlos Lorenzo, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, suggested there may be significant variation in this population.

"Obese individuals who are metabolically healthy might represent one end of the spectrum of obesity," said Lorenzo, who was not involved in the study. Identifying people at greater risk for heart disease and diabetes based on their risk factors "may be important for prevention and treatment," he noted.

Endocrinologist Dr. Tracey McLaughlin said there is an "increasing movement" to identify subgroups of overweight and obese people at greater risk of metabolic disease who may benefit from weight loss.

"The jury is still out as to whether healthy overweight individuals benefit from weight loss," added McLaughlin, an associate professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

The new study involved 1.3 million overweight and obese adults served by four health systems in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Using each person's weight and height, researchers calculated body mass index (BMI), an estimate of body fat.

The large sample size allowed researchers to categorize obese adults by the severity of their obesity.

Using electronic medical record data, researchers looked for four risk factors: elevated blood pressure; elevated triglycerides (a type of fat found in blood); low HDL, or "good" cholesterol; and elevated blood sugar.

The study excluded people who already had diabetes. Nichols said that may explain why black adults, who are known to be at greater risk for diabetes than whites, were 28 percent less likely than whites in the study to have risk factors.

Across all overweight and obese adults in the study, the presence of risk factors varied widely. But with increasing levels of obesity, the likelihood of having at least one risk factor also increased.

Among participants who were overweight, 18.6 percent had no risk factors, but among obese participants, almost 10 percent had no risk factors. Among those considered morbidly obese, less than 6 percent had no risk factors, according to the study.

Nichols said additional research is needed to understand who's most at risk and whether the measures used to assess risk factors are appropriate across different ages, races and ethnicities.

"If you're struggling with obesity and you don't have any of these risk factors, keep doing what you're doing," he said. "But don't assume that your health is really any better. You still need to think about diet and exercise."

The study appears in the March issue of Preventing Chronic Disease, an online journal of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute can tell you more about metabolic risk factors.

SOURCES: Gregory Nichols, Ph.D., senior investigator, Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente, Portland, Ore.; Carlos Lorenzo, M.D., assistant professor, medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio; Tracey McLaughlin, M.D., associate professor, medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, Calif.; March 9, 2017, online, Preventing Chronic Disease

Health Tip: Fruit and Veggies May Help Shed Pounds

(HealthDay News) -- Ditching pasta or rice in favor of fruit and vegetables can help you shed pounds and feel healthier.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests:

Extra fruit and veggies will help you feel full and satisfied, while cutting back on calories.
Fruit and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals, fiber and other substances that are key to good health.
Steam veggies, using low-cal dressings. Add herbs and spices for more flavor.
Choose whole fruit over dried, which loses a lot of the original fiber.
Make sure your dinner plate is a typical size, not larger than it should be.

Obesity in Pregnancy Tied to Cerebral Palsy Risk in Kids

TUESDAY, March 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Women who are overweight or obese during pregnancy may be increasing the chances that their baby could be born with cerebral palsy, a new study suggests.

Researchers looked at information on more than 1 million children born to Swedish women who were followed for nearly eight years.

"The overall risk of cerebral palsy was about 2 cases per 1,000 babies born," said lead researcher Dr. Eduardo Villamor, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. "Women with the most severe forms of obesity who have babies born at full term may have about twice that risk."

Moreover, the prevalence of cerebral palsy has increased in children born at full term, he noted.

However, Villamor stressed that the study findings only show an association between a woman's weight during pregnancy and the risk of cerebral palsy, not that maternal obesity causes the condition.

"Although the effect of maternal obesity on cerebral palsy may seem small compared with other risk factors, the association is of public health relevance due to the large proportion of women who are overweight or obese worldwide," Villamor said.

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect the ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It's the most common motor disability in childhood. The condition is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects the ability to control muscles, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many people with cerebral palsy also have other health problems, such as intellectual disability, seizures, issues with vision, hearing or speech, changes in the spine, or joint problems.

Overweight and obesity in early pregnancy may increase the risk for a number of complications and can adversely affect the health of mothers and children, Villamor said.

Some studies suggest that weight loss before pregnancy may decrease some of these risks, he said.

"Although we don't know yet if this also applies to cerebral palsy, weight loss before pregnancy among overweight and obese women may offer some health benefits during and after pregnancy," Villamor said.

One obstetrician concurred.

"There continues to be evidence of many different repercussions and outcomes associated with being overweight or obese," said Dr. Siobhan Dolan, a medical advisor at the March of Dimes.

"All the data is pointing to the same issue -- that it's good to get to a healthy weight before pregnancy and to gain the right amount of weight during pregnancy," she said.

For the study, Villamor and colleagues collected data on more than 1.4 million children born in Sweden from 1997 through 2011. More than 3,000 children were eventually diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

For infants born at full term, who accounted for 71 percent of all cerebral palsy cases, the association between maternal obesity and cerebral palsy was statistically significant. But it was not statistically significant for preterm babies, the researchers noted.

About 45 percent of the association between maternal weight and cerebral palsy in full-term children was seen in infants who had breathing complications, they added.

The report was published March 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

A cerebral palsy expert said maternal obesity isn't the only risk factor for the condition.

"About 30 to 40 percent of cerebral palsy is genetic," said Dr. David Roye, executive director of the Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center at Columbia University in New York City. He is also the medical director of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.

But environmental factors linked to obesity, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and hormonal abnormalities, might trigger a genetic predisposition for the condition, he added.

"As you are planning a pregnancy and entering pregnancy you want to be healthy," Roye said. Being at your best includes maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking and alcohol and continuing to exercise, he said.

The time to lose weight is before you become pregnant, Roye stressed.

"It would be wrongheaded for someone, particularly after they became pregnant, to decide they are going to lose weight -- that's not a good plan," he said. "You should be at your best and fittest before you go into the pregnancy."

More information

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on cerebral palsy.

SOURCES: Eduardo Villamor, M.D., professor, epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; David Roye, M.D., executive director, Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center, Columbia University, New York City, and medical director, Cerebral Palsy Foundation; Siobhan Dolan, M.D., medical advisor, March of Dimes; March 7, 2017, Journal of the American Medical Association

Dining Out Can Doom a Diet

TUESDAY, March 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Sticking to a diet is tough enough, but eating out with friends or family may up the odds of cheating by about 60 percent, a new study suggests.

"When you're in a restaurant, you're probably more vulnerable than you think you are," said study author Lora Burke, a professor of nursing at University of Pittsburgh.

"Whenever you're in a high-risk situation, you could easily __eat beyond what you'd planned to," she added.

More than 70 percent of American adults over age 20 are overweight or obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And an estimated 45 million Americans diet each year, according to Boston Medical Center's Nutrition and Weight Management Center.

In the study, Burke and her colleagues estimated both the rate of diet temptations and the probability a lapse would follow based on dieters' location -- such as home, a restaurant or workplace -- as well as whether they were alone or with others.

The researchers had 150 adults use a smartphone app to report when they felt temptation, and whether or not they succumbed to that temptation. Ninety percent of the volunteers were women. Eighty percent were white.

The study participants' average body mass index (BMI) was 34, putting them in the obese category. BMI is a rough measure of a person's body fat calculated with weight and height measurements. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal. From 25 to 29.9 is overweight, and a BMI of 30 or over is considered obese.

As an example, a 5-foot-4 woman weighing about 200 pounds, or a 5-foot-9 man weighing 230, both have a BMI of 34 (the study average), the researchers said.

Diet temptations were defined as eating a food or an amount of food inconsistent with a weight loss plan. Diet temptations occurred most often in a restaurant while eating with others or in sight of others who were eating, the study showed.

Temptations didn't occur as frequently in another person's home as in a restaurant. But there was still nearly a 65 percent likelihood of a diet lapse in someone else's house.

"They're probably paying more attention to the social situation and the conversation and not as much to what they're eating, so they __eat more," said Penny Kris-Etherton. She's a registered dietician and professor of nutrition at Penn State University. She wasn't involved in the new research.

"I would never tell anybody not to go out and eat with friends," she added. "That's not the message -- friends are so important. But be mindful of what you're eating."

The odds of a diet lapse were lower in other locations, such as work (about 40 percent) and in a car (about 30 percent). But, the study participants cheated on their diets nearly half the time when alone as well.

Burke and Kris-Etherton both urged people to frame their healthier eating plans as a lifestyle rather than a diet. Changing that mindset, they agreed, can help ease the pressure to perfectly adhere to dietary goals.

"If you know you want to go out on Friday night, have less to eat on Thursday and Saturday," Burke suggested. "Bank your calories. You can take a break. It's about balance."

Mary Williams is a registered dietitian in the department of family and community medicine at Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, Del. She noted that restaurant dining is more challenging for those aiming to cut calories when they don't arrive with a plan in mind.

"Many times people go into a restaurant and have never looked at the menu, so they don't have a game plan in mind," said Williams, who wasn't part of the new research. "I often tell our clients to review the menu beforehand so they have some idea of what to pick so they're not unduly influenced by everyone [else]."

Kris-Etherton said those trying to lose weight can still enjoy eating out with friends by making a few small tweaks that can save them from consuming too many calories.

"If everyone is ordering alcoholic beverages, don't order a Long Island iced tea, which can have 800 calories," she suggested. "Order a glass of wine or something with far fewer calories."

"Also, you don't need dessert, especially if you have an appetizer," Kris-Etherton added. "If everyone's ordering dessert, maybe split one and take a couple of bites."

The study was to be presented on Tuesday at an American Heart Association meeting in Portland, Ore. Research presented at scientific conferences typically hasn't been published or peer-reviewed, and results are considered preliminary.

More information

For more strategies on eating out while dieting, go to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

SOURCES: Lora Burke, Ph.D., M.P.H., professor, nursing, department of health and community systems, University of Pittsburgh; Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., registered dietician and professor, nutrition, Penn State University, University Park, Pa.; Mary Williams, M.S., R.D., registered dietitian, department of family and community medicine, Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, Del.; March 7, 2017, presentation, American Heart Association meeting, Portland, Ore.

Do 'Early Birds' Get the Healthier Worm?

FRIDAY, March 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Early birds may have a leg up over night owls when it comes to health and weight, new research suggests.

Investigators in Finland found that morning people tend to __eat better and earlier in the day than late-to-bed types.

The result: a higher risk of obesity for the night owls, said study lead author Mirkka Maukonen, of the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Helsinki.

"We found that night owls had postponed timing of food intake, and less favorable eating patterns with higher intakes of sucrose, fat and saturated fat in the evening hours than early birds," said Maukonen, a doctoral candidate in the department of public health solutions. Sucrose is a type of sugar.

Registered dietitian Lona Sandon, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, wasn't surprised by the findings. She said physiology and biology likely play a role.

"Past research has shown that hormones that impact appetite and metabolism -- the way our body uses or stores energy -- are produced at different levels throughout the day and night," said Sandon, who wasn't involved in the study.

"The amount of sleep and time period of sleep may affect the production of these hormones, and therefore drive differences in appetite or food choices as well as body composition and weight," she explained.

So what's a night owl to do?

"Changing sleep habits, just like changing dietary habits, is tough for many people," said Sandon. "But it just may be worthwhile for people to try for one's health."

The researchers found that night owls also engaged in less routine physical activity, had more difficulty sleeping, and were more likely to smoke. And fewer night owls ranked themselves as being in good overall health or shape, relative to morning people.

The study team focused on nearly 1,900 Finnish adults ages 25 to 74 who had participated in a national nutritional study or a national heart disease study in 2007.

For the nutrition study, participants completed 48-hour food diaries that tallied daily caloric intake and consumption of carbohydrates, sugar, fiber, protein, fat and saturated fatty acids, and alcohol.

Weekday and weekend meal times were also recorded.

The other study looked at total hours slept daily and routine wake-up time. The time of day participants worked and/or performed hard physical tasks was also evaluated.

Nearly half the participants were deemed to be morning people, while just 12 percent qualified as night owls. About 39 percent fell somewhere in between, the researchers said.

Total daily caloric consumption was similar for early and late risers. But night owls consumed 4 percent fewer calories before 10 a.m. each day and had less energy in the morning, a pattern that continued throughout the earlier daylight hours.

"It could be that this lighter eating generates increased feelings of hunger during the late afternoon and evening hours and thus leads to less healthy food choices with more sugar and fat," Maukonen said.

Night owls tended to consume fewer carbohydrates, proteins and fats throughout the day, with one exception: sugar. They took in significantly more sugar in the morning and after 8 p.m. than early birds. They also gravitated toward more fat and saturated fatty acids at night.

On weekends, the nutritional gap widened, the study found.

This doesn't mean that late nights will doom you to obesity, however. The study only found an association between night owl habits and risk for poorer health, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Still, tweaking your schedule can't hurt, suggested Maukonen.

"Whether you are an early bird or a night owl, it is influenced half and half by your genes and by your daily timetables you want to adopt," Maukonen said. "Therefore, one thing that could benefit night owls is a greater flexibility in working time schedules, so that night owls may live more according to their internal biological time and not against it."

The study results were published recently in the journal Obesity.

More information

There's more on the relationship between sleep and diet at the National Sleep Foundation.

SOURCES: Mirkka Maukonen, MSc, Ph.D. candidate, department of public health solutions, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland; Lona Sandon, R.D., program director, and assistant professor, clinical nutrition, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; Feb. 23, 2017, Obesity

Exercise Beats Weight Loss at Helping Seniors' Hearts

WEDNESDAY, March 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Seniors who want to give their hearts a healthy boost may want to focus on exercise first, a new study suggests.

The research found that getting active may do more for cardiovascular health in older adults than losing weight does.

"Any physical activity is positive for cardiovascular health, and in elderly people of all weights, walking, biking and housework are good ways to keep moving," study author Dr. Klodian Dhana said in a news release from the journal European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The findings were published in the journal on March 1.

In the study, Dhana's team tracked 15-year outcomes for more than 5,300 people. Participants were between 55 and 97 years old, and free of heart disease when the study started.

Over the 15 years of follow-up, 16 percent of the participants developed heart problems.

In this group of older people, the researchers found no link between their body mass index (BMI) alone and heart disease. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on weight and height -- the higher the number, the more fat.

However, the study did find that physical activity was tied to a lower risk of heart disease, no matter what a person's BMI was.

"Overweight and obesity is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and it is recommended to lose weight," said Dhana, who is a postdoctoral researcher at Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

However, "in the elderly this is slightly different because weight loss, especially unintentional, is associated with muscle loss and death," the researcher explained.

She said the study's authors aren't refuting the idea that overweight and obesity can raise heart risk in the general population.

But, "our results show that physical activity plays a crucial role in the health of middle age to elderly people," Dhana said. "Those who are overweight and obese without adequate physical activity are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease."

Expert guidelines currently recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity physical activity to decrease the risk of heart disease, she said.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers a guide to physical activity.

SOURCE: European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, news release, March 1, 2017

Colon Cancer on the Rise Among Gen Xers, Millennials

TUESDAY, Feb. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Americans in their early 50s and younger -- Gen Xers and millennials -- are experiencing significant increases in colon and rectal cancer, a new study reports.

And this may portend an overall increase in colon and rectal cancer in the years to come, the study authors said, adding that an old foe might be to blame -- the obesity epidemic.

People born in 1990 now have double the risk of colon cancer and four times the risk of rectal cancer, compared with those born around 1950 when the risk was lowest, the researchers said.

"The increase in these rates coincides with the obesity epidemic," said lead researcher Rebecca Siegel, strategic director for surveillance information services at the American Cancer Society.

"What might be going on is that the same factors that caused the increase in obesity -- like changing dietary habits and a more sedentary lifestyle -- are also risk factors for colon and rectal cancer," she suggested.

These cancers were once largely confined to people in their late 50s and older. In the early 1990s, rates of colon and rectal cancer among people 50 to 54 were half those of people 55 to 59. But by 2012-2013, the rates for younger Americans were just 12 percent lower for colon cancer and equal for rectal cancer, Siegel said.

In 2013, about 10,400 cases of colon and rectal cancer were diagnosed in people in their 40s, and 12,800 cases were diagnosed in people in their early 50s, she said.

And the long-term outlook isn't good, Siegel noted. Children and teens today have high rates of obesity, which might mean more cases of colon and rectal cancer in the years ahead, she said. "We don't know how long it takes for the effects of obesity to act on cancer promotion," she added.

With screening, colon cancer can be caught early, when it's curable. Currently, screening is recommended to start at age 50. But given the findings of this and other studies, the American Cancer Society is reassessing its guidelines, Siegel said.

It's important for primary care doctors to be aware of this trend and act on symptoms of colon cancer even in their younger patients, she said.

"We know that young patients are much more likely to be diagnosed at a late stage of disease because they don't seek treatment quickly. And even when they do seek treatment, there are delays because cancer isn't on their radar or the radar of their doctors," Siegel explained.

The report was published Feb. 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Andrew Chan is an associate professor of medicine and gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He added a bit of perspective to the study findings.

For starters, he said, "Although relative rates are rising in younger people, the absolute risk is still low in the younger population."

And whatever is driving the study results may be due to changes in diet, lifestyle or other environmental factors, said Chan, who is also an associate professor in the department of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

"So it would be premature to recommend the initiation of screening at a younger age," Chan said.

But if these trends continue, it would be wise to do more research to determine what the public health impact would be of starting screening earlier, he added.

"At this point, younger individuals should continue to pursue a healthy lifestyle -- stay lean, physically active, and __eat a healthy and well-balanced diet," Chan said.

"If they are particularly concerned about their individual risk of colorectal cancer, for example, if they have a family history of the disease, they should talk to their doctor about whether to start screening earlier," he said.

For the study, Siegel and her colleagues collected data on more than 490,000 U.S. men and women aged 20 and older who were diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer between 1974 and 2013.

Although overall rates of colon cancer started decreasing in 1974, in the mid-1980s the rates started rising 1 percent to 2 percent a year among people aged 20 to 39, the researchers found.

Among those 40 to 54, colon cancer rates increased by 0.5 percent to 1 percent per year from the mid-1990s through 2013.

Rates of rectal cancer have been rising longer and faster than colon cancer for younger Americans, Siegel said. Starting in about 1974, the rate has been increasing by about 3 percent a year among people aged 20 to 29. Since 1980, the rate has been increasing by the same degree among those aged 30 to 39, the researchers found.

Among people 40 to 54, rectal cancer rates increased by 2 percent annually from the 1990s to 2013. Rectal cancer rates in adults 55 and older, however, have been dropping for at least 40 years, Siegel said.

More information

For more on colorectal cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.

SOURCES: Rebecca Siegel, M.P.H., strategic director, surveillance information services, American Cancer Society; Andrew Chan, M.D., MPH, associate professor, department of medicine, Harvard Medical School, and associate professor of medicine, gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Feb. 28, 2017, Journal of the National Cancer Institute

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