Good results in pilot studies lead to larger trials.  Here are some of the most promising recent findings.

Body composition and mood

In the lab, mice with excess weight and fat, high blood sugar, and poor glucose tolerance showed more anxiety and depressive-type symptoms than when on a lower fat and lower calorie diet. Antidepressants were ineffective while on the high-fat and high-calorie diet. Doctors said normalizing metabolic impairments may help those with type 2 diabetes and depression feel better.

What you see is what you eat

Doctors advise overweight people to eat less and move more, but there may be a simpler, more effective way to lose weight. In a nationwide study, 500 women with at least two children under 18 at home reported what was on their kitchen counter and their weight. Women with candy, cereal, soft drinks, and dried fruit on the counter weighed up to 26 pounds more than women without these items, and those with fresh fruit on the counter weighed an average of 13 pounds  less than those without fruit.

Mediterranean diet and the brain

The brain shrinks with age, but diet may help protect brain size. In this study, 674 80-year-olds without dementia reported their diets. Doctors measured brain volume using an MRI and found those who most closely followed a Mediterranean-type diet had greater total brain volume, and larger total grey and white brain matter volume. Those who ate more fish and less meat were more likely to have more grey matter, total brain volume, and total brain surface area.



Reference: Health Education & Behavior; October, 2015, Published Online
Natural Insights for WellBeing February 2016

