Home

On:

We always thought that Chinese food was healthy, but now we’re beginning to wonder. New findings show that MSG, a flavor enhancer commonly used in Asian dishes, may make you fat!

People who use monosodium glutamate, or MSG, as a flavor enhancer in their food are more likely than people who don?t use it to be overweight or obese even though they have the same amount of physical activity and total calorie intake. Researcher Ka He says, “Animal studies have indicated for years that MSG might be associated with weight gain. Ours is the first study to show a link between MSG use and weight in humans.

“The US Food and Drug Administration and other health organizations around the world have concluded that MSG is safe, but the question remains?is it healthy?”
read more

On:

…or caused by a virus? – Are you fat? It may not be your fault. If you were a fat child, it’s probably genetic. It could even be due to the kind of bacteria you have in your intestines! Maybe you even “caught” it when you were exposed to a virus. But no matter how you got it, you DO need to do something about it, because being fat makes you more likely to get cancer.

In LiveScience.com, Christopher Wanjek reports that UK researchers looked at 300,000 cases of cancer and found that being overweight increased the risk of developing 20 different kinds of cancer. BBC News reports that overweight children are more likely to be that way because of their genes than their lifestyle.
read more

On:

Coming your way soon? – The perfect diet would be one in which you keep eating the same amount, but still lose weight! It sounds impossible, but Australian scientists say they have discovered how to do just that.

By manipulating fat cells in mice, and removing a particular enzyme, they were able to speed up their metabolism, so they would burn more calories while eating the same diet. Hopefully, scientists will soon be able to do the same for US! In BBC News, Nick Bryant reports that the drug they used to do this is one of the same drugs that is ALREADY being used to treat high blood pressure in humans.
read more

On:

Why do some people get fat, while others?who may eating the same diet and exercising just as much?don’t? Researchers have found that a single gene might control whether or not individuals tend to pile on fat, a discovery that may point to new ways to fight obesity and diabetes.

Biologist Jonathan Graff says, “From worms to mammals, this gene controls fat formation. It could explain why so many people struggle to lose weight and suggests an entirely new direction for developing medical treatments that address the current epidemic of diabetes and obesity. People who want to fit in their jeans might someday be able to overcome their genes.”
read more