May 7, 2018 marked a milestone for public health in the United States. It’s the date that mandatory nutrition and calorie information took effect for most chain restaurants, enabling consumers to compare menu items before ordering and, hopefully, make smarter choices. Some cities across the country had already required restaurants to post calorie counts so…  read on >

Americans’ love affair with fast food continues, with 1 in every 3 adults chowing down on the fare on any given day. That’s the finding from a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When asked by researchers, 37 percent of adults said they’d eaten fast food at least once over…  read on >

Want to get consumers hungry for a chocolate-covered ant or crunchy cricket snack? New research suggests that if you’re marketing protein-rich insects as edibles, emphasizing flavor and luxury is key. So finds an advertising experiment that aimed to get 180 Germans to embrace entomophagy, a verbal mouthful that basically means “eating insects.” Aware of the…  read on >

People with type 2 diabetes who are taking common drugs called diuretics may be at a significantly increased risk of losing a foot or leg, according to a new French study. Researchers found that taking a diuretic raised the odds of having an amputation, or requiring an angioplasty or bypass, by 75 percent or more,…  read on >

MONDAY, Oct. 1, 2018If your weight, blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar levels fluctuate, you may have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and premature death than people with more steady readings, new research suggests. According to the study, during nearly six years of follow-up, men and women whose readings changed the most were…  read on >

Losing weight often comes down to changing the patterns and habits that led to overeating. And that usually takes self-control, or the ability to resist temptation. Think of self-control as the inner voice that keeps you from indulging in high-calorie food and prompts you to stick to your diet. But having to constantly resist temptation…  read on >

When you’re hungry, everything’s annoying and tempers can get short. Now, animal research might help explain why. Researchers working with rats found that the sudden drops in blood sugar that occur with hunger make people “hangry.” That drop in blood sugar — and the ensuing mood changes — may also be a key to depression…  read on >

Calories in must be less than calories out — that’s the basic rule of dieting. But there’s more to losing weight because more than hunger often motivates people to eat. So how can you find effective motivation to change your eating habits and lose weight? Try these five keys to weight-loss success. Monitoring your diet…  read on >

Promises of healthier kids’ meals have drawn increasing numbers of families back to fast food restaurants, but most kids are still being served unhealthy options, a new survey finds. Nine out of 10 parents had purchased lunch or dinner for their child in the past week at one of the big four fast food chains…  read on >

MONDAY, Sept. 24, 2018Reminding people to eat less or exercise usually gets their back up. That’s one reason why public health messages fall on deaf ears, researchers say. But investigators think they’ve found a better way. They suggest leaving your ego behind because it might open your mind to healthy activities that your natural defensiveness…  read on >