Diet & Weight Loss Archive

They're linked to calorie absorption, high blood pressure, and heart trouble.

For weight-conscious people who love the bite of carbonation and the taste of various soft drinks, the advent of sugar-free sodas 60 years ago seemed a blessing: if there were no calories, you didn't have to worry about weight gain—and the diseases that go along with obesity, like diabetes and heart disease. "But there are growing doubts about whether diet sodas really help people lose weight and avoid diabetes," says Dr. Anthony Komaroff, editor in chief of the Health Letter.

Some first-generation diet pills proved risky to the heart. New drugs may have expanded the options for treating obesity.

You can get some of the same benefits of a low-glycemic-index diet by avoiding highly processed foods.

The glycemic index is a number that indicates how rapidly the body digests a particular type of food and converts it into blood sugar (glucose). Some studies suggest that lower-glycemic-index diets may offer important health benefits for men—like a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes.

A study published in the Jan. 27, 2015, issue of The BMJ challenges the longstanding notion that weight gain protects against postmenopausal fractures. Data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) indicate that weight gain, as well as weight loss, is associated with increased risk of fractures in postmenopausal women. The analysis also suggested that which bones were most likely to break depended on whether women have gained or lost weight.

WHI researchers analyzed data on over 120,000 healthy postmenopausal women ages 50 to 79 at the start of the study. Each year, participants were weighed and asked to report fractures of their arms, legs, hip, pelvis, and spine.

Aerobic exercise is not enough to fight belly fat, according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health. They say that weight training is also key to fighting the battle of the bulge. Researchers analyzed physical activity, weight, and waist circumference data for more than 10,000 men ages 40 and older, and found that healthy men who did 20 minutes of daily weight training had less of an increase in age-related abdominal fat compared with men who spent the same amount of time doing aerobic activities. Aerobic exercise alone was associated with less weight gain compared with weight training. The best results came from combining weight training and aerobic activity. The findings were published online Dec. 22, 2014, in Obesity. "Engaging in weight training or, ideally, combining it with aerobic exercise could help older adults lessen abdominal fat while increasing or preserving muscle mass," says Dr. Rania Mekary, the study's lead author and a researcher in Harvard's Department of Nutrition.

Abdominal fat is linked to heart disease, diabetes, bone loss, and decreased bone strength. You can fight back by aiming for the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week and starting a weight-training program if your doctor approves.

This popular beverage may have benefits beyond a morning buzz. But be careful with your add-ins.

Coffee drinkers around the world savor the bitter brew on a daily basis. But are there any grounds for concern regarding coffee's effects on the heart? On the contrary: the case for drinking coffee seems to be growing. Straight coffee—minus the cream and sugar—is a nearly calorie-free beverage brimming with antioxidants. It might ease artery-damaging inflammation and may deliver a substance that helps the body regulate blood sugar.

"The evidence for the benefits of coffee consumption is even more convincing than it was five years ago, especially when it comes to preventing type 2 diabetes and reducing risk of heart disease and stroke," says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Cutting back on carbohydrates can help shrink a bulging midriff.

Pants getting a little snug? It's not just you: Americans' waistlines have ballooned over the past decade or so, to an average of just under 40 inches for men and almost 38 inches for women, according to a large federal study.

The proper role of fat in diet is not that complicated.

Atkins, South Beach, paleo, high-protein, low-carb, gluten-free—the march of the media darlings of dieting never ceases, along with the scientific controversy over which one works best. But for many health-conscious men, maintaining a lean physique isn't the only consideration when making dining decisions. What diet protects you best from heart disease and stroke?

Q. I am more than an inch shorter than I was a few years ago, but my weight has remained constant. I noticed that my body mass index (BMI) is just above 25. Does that mean than I am now overweight even though I haven't put on any pounds?

A. Technically, it does. Generally, people with a BMI between 25 and 30 are considered overweight, and those with a BMI of 30 and over are considered obese.