Weight Management

Claims relating to the benefits of whole grains are now the most sought after health claims on food packages, followed by claims about dietary fiber, according to the Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI) 2011 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report. Restaurants feature exotic rice, spelt, faro, amaranth, and other lesser known grains in everything from salads and pancakes to pizza crusts, soups, cocktails, and desserts.Read more

The quality of the emotional relationship between a mother and her young child could affect the potential for that child to be obese during adolescence, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed national data detailing relationship characteristics between mothers and their children during their toddler years. The lower the quality of the relationship in terms of the child’s emotional security and the mother’s sensitivity, the higher the risk that a child would be obese at age 15 years, according to the analysis.Read more

Just in time to help Americans keep their New Year's resolutions by making healthy food and physical activity choices, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released USDA's new nutrition SuperTracker. The SuperTracker is a comprehensive, state-of-the-art resource available at ChooseMyPlate.gov designed to assist individuals as they make changes in their life to reduce their risk of chronic disease and maintain a healthy weight.Read more

New research on the impact of folic acid in bread shows increased levels of folate in women of childbearing age and that fortification of bread is contributing to this, says Julie Collins, MAF Biosecurity, Food and Animal Welfare Policy Director.

MAF has released research that looked at whether the desired folic acid content in breads was being achieved and the impact it has on the blood folate status of women of childbearing age. The research found an increased level of folate in women of childbearing age.Read more

Obese Americans have smaller paychecks than those who aren't overweight, and this difference is especially strong among women, a new study finds.

The analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth revealed that in 2004, overall average annual incomes were $8,666 less for obese women and $4,772 less for obese men compared with normal weight workers.

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(HealthDay News) -- Fad diets may promise drastic and quick loss of weight, but may be dangerous and often fall short when it comes to long-term weight loss.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions for a selecting a healthy eating plan. 

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Eating frequency has been negatively related to body mass index (BMI). The relationship between eating frequency and weight loss maintenance is unknown. This secondary analysis examined eating frequency (self-reported meals and snacks consumed per day) in weight loss maintainers (WLM) who had reduced from overweight/obese to normal weight, normal weight (NW) individuals, and overweight (OW) individuals.Read more