Dr Briffa is a medical doctor whom I highly respect.  He is one of the few medical doctors with a real interest in nutrition and who has studied and applied nutrition in his work for many years.  Around ten years ago now I worked with doctor Briffa for a couple of years, helping to research his books.  Now he is publishing a new book.  For more details please see his website here.  The book is entitled Escape The Diet Trap and as his website states it includes the following chapters: Chapter 1. Diets Don’t Work We know that diets don’t work, and this chapter reviews the results of studies of conventional dieting, with or without exercise, over time. Research reveals that, even in the very overweight, eating less and exercising more bring average losses of no more than a few pounds in the long term. Chapter 2. The Obesity Paradox The body mass index (BMI) is the most commonly used measure of weight, and we’re urged to conform to normal and ‘healthy’ BMI levels. This chapter reveals why the BMI, although popular, is a wholly inadequate tool for assessing body weight. It also presents evidence that ‘bigger is better’ for overall health, especially as we age. Chapter 3. Toxic Waist Recent research shows that the location of accumulated fat determines its likely impact on health: fat packed in and around the abdomen turns out to be the most harmful for both the body and brain. This chapter explores the….

Earlier this year I wrote about the health benefits of nuts, you can read that post by clicking here.  In that post I mentioned that nuts can help in weight loss and weight reduction plans as well as having a positive impact on blood fat and cholesterol levels. A newly published study (1) has highlighted the benefits of nut consumption for people with abdominal obesity (people who carry weight around the middle), high blood sugar and high blood pressure.  The study was investigating people with metabolic syndrome – this is the name given to a cluster of risk factors including high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels and insulin resistance that can develop into cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes.  For more information about metabolic syndrome and the ways that diet and nutrition can be helpful you can read my previous articles on the topic here and here This new study (1) found, for the first time, that there was a link between eating nuts and higher levels of serotonin in the bodies of patients with metabolic syndrome.   Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that helps transmit nerve signals and decreases feelings of hunger, makes people feel happier and improves heart health. It took only 30g of mixed nuts (raw unpeeled walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts) a day to produce the good effects. Nuts are full of healthy fats, antioxidant polyphenols, minerals and fibre.  The individuals in the study who ate nuts also had other healthful changes, nut consumption reduced levels of….

There has been much written about the importance of protein in the diet, especially when it comes to weight loss.  It has previously been suggested that protein content plays an important role in determining overall energy (calorie) intake, and therefore obesity, but until a newly published study (1) was released, experimental verification had been relatively scarce. A doctor that I very much respect, Dr John Briffa, writes a blog where he frequently mentions the importance of protein for helping keep hunger at bay and balance blood sugar levels to prevent cravings and overeating.  In fact, in a recent post he writes about the fact that our ancient ancestors ate a relatively low carbohydrate diet and, of course, the carbohydrate that they did consume was not in the form of processed foods like bread, pasta, sugar or convenience meals.  The carbohydrate came from fruit, vegetables and tubers. Unprocessed protein in the form of meats, fish (especially oily fish which also delivers long chain omega 3 fatty acids), beans, pulses, nuts/seeds and eggs is important in our diets.  Protein can help balance the blood sugar to prevent cravings (and hence over eating), mood issues and much more.  Protein is also important since the amino acids it provides the body with are vital for the production of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) such as serotonin which impact our mood. In this new study (1) researchers found that, when subjects were fed a 10% protein diet, they consumed 12% more energy (calories) over four days than….

In a past post I wrote about how omega 3 fats and blood sugar levels can influence cravings and appetite.  In the post I mentioned the need to keep blood sugar (blood glucose) levels balanced.  Keeping blood sugar levels stable can also help with mood and anxiety.  A good way to do this is via looking at what you eat.  Eating three meals a day with some small snacks in between can be helpful.  It is important to eat protein with each meal and include it in the snack snack, this will help with blood sugar and will also help with neurotransmitter (feel good chemicals) production in the brain.  Eggs, beans/pulses, unprocessed meat/fish, nuts/seeds are all good sources of high quality protein.  It is also important to try and minimise processed/refined foods to help blood sugar balance – cut down on white breads/pasta, sugars etc.  Opt for wholegrains and base your meals around a portion of protein and then plenty of vegetables, pulses/beans, leafy greens, fruit – up to three pieces of fruit a day, fruit can be sugary but you can opt for berries, apples and oranges which contain less fruit sugar.  Tropical fruits release their sugar rapidly so it may be best to avoid these.  In the post mentioned above I cover Glycaemic Index (or GI) a way of classifying foods depending on how quickly they release their sugar.  Oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines are excellent to provide omega 3 – I would advise eating….

Last time I wrote about prebiotics and fibre and satiety/appetite. In 2009 I went to the Nutrition Society Summer meeting at the University of Surrey. The five day conference had concentrated on various aspects of over- and undernutrition. The symposia that I attended were exceptionally interesting and thought provoking. One of the presentations(1) was given by Dr Paul Kelly of Barts and London School of Medicine and Dentistry. He was speaking about the microorganisms in the digestive system and links to diarrhoea in individuals in developing countries. However, he briefly mentioned an animal study that linked the makeup of the bacteria in the digestive system and a propensity to obesity. This got me thinking about whether that link was present in humans. Upon returning home I had a search through the medical databases to see if there was any literature to support these thoughts. Can bacteria in the gut have anything to do with developing excess body weight or obesity? There seems to be a fair amount of recently published interest in the topic of digestive bacterial balance and the links to obesity and overweight (e.g. 2,3,4,5,6). For many years the large intestine was thought only to be important for water absorption and storage of waste. However, the adult human gut contains up to 100 trillion microbial organisms (including bacteria and yeasts) collectively known as the microbiota or microbiome. These gut bacteria seem to have an effect on the entire body and not just the health of the digestive system…..

There has been much written about the link between the bacteria in the digestive system and obesity recently. The human adult gut contains up to 100 trillion microbial organisms and it certainly seems sensible to ensure that these are mainly made up of ‘friendly’ good bacteria. The type of bacteria in the digestive system seems to have an effect on the entire body and not just the health of the gut.   One study (1) found that prebiotic supplementation was associated with reduced appetite sensation after a meal. Prebiotics act as food for the good ‘friendly’ bacteria in the digestive system and previous studies (2) suggest that prebiotics in the diet may reduce our energy and food intake, increase satiety, reduce hunger and appetite and reduce total daily calorie intakes. Prebiotics may also have positive effects on blood sugar balance in the body which can also impact appetite. This research (1) was set up to see whether prebiotic supplements affected the hormones associated with satiety. The study was very small but well designed and provided interesting results. Prebiotic treatment was associated with a three fold reduction in hunger rates and an increase in hormones which are associated with feelings of satiety/fullness.   I would like to stress that obesity is a complex disease involving many factors with no miracle cure and no easy solutions – I am not about to disillusion anyone by inferring that bacterial balance is a major factor and that probiotic or prebiotic supplements are the cure…..

Previously I wrote about some of the links between sleep and health including weight.  There is evidence which suggests that there is a relationship between short sleep duration and obesity and a new study (1) aimed to find out some of the possible reasons for the link.     The study took place in men and women who were not overweight.  The daily energy intake and sleep was assessed in the participants who were aged between 30 and 49 years old.  The individuals in the study all reported sleeping between 7 – 9 hours per night.  During the study their sleep patterns were changed so that they slept for 4 hours for 5 nights and 9 hours for 5 nights.  Interestingly the researchers found that the participants consumed more energy from food when they had short sleep duration than when they slept for 9 hours.  The change in energy intake was mainly due to an increased consumption of fat on the days they slept less.  The energy expenditure (through exercise and movement) did not change during the study.     The authors of the study conclude that “Our data show that a reduction in sleep increases energy and fat intakes, which may explain the associations observed between sleep and obesity. If sustained, as observed, and not compensated by increased energy expenditure, the dietary intakes of individuals undergoing short sleep predispose to obesity”     The study was small and preliminary and would need repeating with greater numbers of participants but….

The health benefits of the long chain omega 3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are well documented.  As you can see from my past blog posts I have a real interest in the importance of these fats. These long chain fats are found in oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel and sardines.  A new study (1), which involved over 300 Yup’ik Eskimos in Alaska, has found that a high intake of these omega 3 fatty acids may help to prevent obesity-related chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. These Eskimos have around 20 times more long chain omega 3 fatty acids compared to normal western populations.     These Yup’ik Eskimos have a traditional diet which includes large volumes of oily fish. They also have a prevalence of overweight and obesity which is actually similar to that of the general U.S population. This meant that the researchers could study whether the long chain omega 3 fats could change the association between obesity and chronic disease risk.     The study involved 330 Yup’ik Eskimos living in the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta region of southwest Alaska. *70% of these individuals were overweight or obese. *Study participants provided blood samples as well as health information. *Diet was assessed by asking participants what they ate in the past 24 hours. *Individuals were asked to keep a detailed food log for three consecutive days. *Height, weight, percent body fat, blood pressure and physical activity were measured.  ….

Learning to self-soothe in ways not involving food needs to be, I think, a vital part of any weight loss or weight maintenance plan.   Many women who begin weight loss plans have spent many years using food for comfort or to block out emotional pain or any kind of ‘feelings’.   In order to first allow feelings to come up without blocking them with food may require the help of a professional counsellor/therapist (you can search for UK professionals here: http://www.itsgoodtotalk.org.uk/therapists/).  In fact many women who first attempt to look at feelings or do ‘feelings work’ find that they have no words for certain emotions such as anger, frustration, sadness, jealousy, resentment, joy, gratitude etc there is just a sense of ‘emotion’ or ‘feeling fat’ or overwhelm.   Once feelings can be named and allowed learning to self-soothe without food is an important way to prevent and/or manage binges or over-eating.  Each individual will find their own personal recipe for self-soothing and managing their feelings.  Take time to experiment and investigate what makes you feel better or calmer when things start to feel overwhelming.  Some ideas might include: *Going for a walk in nature, alone or with a friend *Putting on soothing music and relaxing, or energetic music and dancing *Going to visit your favourite art gallery or museum *Looking at photographs that you treasure *Lying on the grass watching the clouds *Stroking a cat or dog *Taking a special, relaxing bath with candles and oils *Sitting all cuddled up on….

A new study (1) has looked at how improving body image might impact eating self-regulation and obesity.  Successful weight management involves the regulation of eating behaviour. However, the specific mechanisms underlying successful regulation remain unclear.  This study wanted to look at one potential mechanism – body image.  He results show that improving body image can enhance the effectiveness of weight loss programs based on diet and exercise.   Over 200 overweight women with an average age of about 37 took part in the study.  The study was a 12 month weight management program.  Half the women who took part in the study were given general health information about good nutrition, stress management, and the importance of looking after themselves (this was the control group). The other half of the participants attended 30 weekly group sessions (the intervention plan) where issues such as exercise, emotional eating, improving body image and the recognition of, and how to overcome, personal barriers to weight loss and lapses from the diet were discussed (2).   The women who took part in the behavioural intervention plan found that the way they thought about their body improved and that concerns about body shape and size were reduced. Compared to the other (control) group the women following the intervention plan were better able to self-regulate their eating and they lost much more weight, losing on average 7% of their starting weight compared to less than 2% for the control group (2).   In a press release Dr Teixeira,….