How subliminal words affect anti-obesity campaigns

The human brain is a complex biological machine that can sometimes act in ways unexpected in response to certain types of stimuli. Researchers have discovered, for example, that subliminal words (words that appeal to the subconscious) can trigger reactions opposite to what is actually desired.

Researchers from the University of Illinois investigated people’s subconscious responses to weight loss campaigns. It seems that when people read posters with messages that promote physical activity (e.g. take a walk, work out, etc.), the triggered reaction is - to eat more!

Study participants exposed to exercise messages ate about 20% more compared to peers exposed to other types of messages which have nothing to do with physical activity.

According to lead researcher Professor Dolores Albarracín

Those designing public health campaigns are in the habit of trying to change one behavior at a time…They should be aware that “whatever they communicate is likely to influence not only the behavior they had in mind but other behaviors that might be somewhat remotely linked,”

These findings are indeed very relevant in creating advertisements campaigns and public service announcement. The current strategy in fighting childhood obesity is curbing on advertisements of unhealthy food stuffs, which are to be replaced by messages encouraging healthy lifestyles that include good nutrition and physical exercise. It would be interesting to know whether the power of subliminal words have been taken into account in these messages.

In addition, it would also be important to know how other public campaign messages affect the target group’s behaviour. Some of the posters (aside from those against obesity) that I often see here in Europe are

• campaigning for safe sex to fight AIDS
• campaigning against drug addiction
• campaigning against racism
• campaigning against violence, child abuse
• campaigning for the environment (e.g. global warming, overfishing, pollution, animal cruelty)
• campaigning against world hunger

I really wonder whether these posters are getting their messages across.

So what goes in your mind when you see posters about weight loss and physical activity? Have you noticed how they affect your behavior?

Photo credit: stock.xchng

               

CVD News Watch November 28

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Hope you are having a relaxing long weekend. Here’s your heart and stroke news round up.

CVD intervention watch

German doctors perform heart surgery sensation
Only 4 or 5 such operations are done each year and only the top heart surgeons do it. Still, the chances of survival are very low. Yet, 4-month old Katy May is alive and doing well. She was born with a heart anomaly wherein “her four-centimetre heart had turned 90 degrees in her body, causing her artery to shut off her windpipe.” If not operated upon, the baby would have died of suffocation. Another event to be thankful for at Thanksgiving.

CVD aging watch

Bittersweet milestones
The elderly are rapidly aging and many are wondering whether this will be their last Thanksgiving. According to the US Bureau of the Census, there are currently more 60,000 in the country who are at least 100 years old and this figure is expected to increase. Unfortunately, people reaching that ripe age tend to be depressed. Better quality of life for centenarians may actually depend on their caregivers, doctors, and family members.

CVD weight loss watch

Proof: high protein diet burns fat
Is this finally the answer to weight loss? Australian researchers report that protein-rich meals burn fat. This is great news because this means we can actually eat anything we want as long as they are high in protein and low in fat and sugar. According to the author, “forget the fad diets that are so fashionable these days. Instead, include lean protein from healthy foods like lean red meat, chicken and fish, legumes, eggs, nuts and reduced-fat dairy foods. People wanting individual advice on how much protein they need should see an Accredited Practising Dietitian.”

CVD health care watch

Poorest Canadians more likely to enter hospital: report
A report based on the Canadian study Reducing Gaps in Health: A Focus on Socio-Economic Status in Urban Canada says that “poorer Canadians are more likely to enter hospital for health problems such as child asthma, mental illness and diabetes, including potentially preventable conditions.” This underlines a great need for prevention measures especially among the low socio-economic groups.

CVD patient watch

Girl Survives Months Without Heart
This 14-year girl from Britain has been without a heart for almost four months now. D’Zhana Simmons is on a “bridging device”, a specially designed blood pumping device which enables her to live while waiting for a heart donor. Watch a video report on SkyNews by clicking here.

Photo credit: stock.xchng

               

CVD News Watch for the Weekend August 15

Looking forward to your second Olympics weekend? Be aware, though, that watching stressful sports events might just not be good for your heart. Happy reading!

CVD healthcare watch

Coronary CTA costs less than standard of care for triaging women with acute chest pain

Would you believe it, non-invasive CTA - short for coronary CT angiography seems to be cheaper than standard diagnostic care which consists of stress tests and cardiac enzymes screening - at least for women with low-risk profiles but acute chest pains. This is according to a report by the American Roentgen Ray Society.

CVD cholesterol watch

People with heart disease still have trouble controlling blood lipid levels

Researchers at the University of California at Irvine report that current cholesterol level management among heart disease patients is not enough to keep total blood lipid profile in control. It seems that it is not enough to lower the bad LDL cholesterol. Other lipids such as HDL cholesterol and triglycerides should be monitored as well.

CVD weight loss watch

Scientists identify another piece of the weight-control puzzle

Is it all in the brain? Neuroscientists at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston have identified that the neurotransmitter GABA may play a role in weight control. Read more about this research which will be published in Nature Neuroscience.

CVD nutrition watch

ViaViente demonstrates cardiovascular benefits in new human trial

ViaVente - this anti-oxidant product in the form of fruity beverage seems to show benefits to cardiovascular health in this new study in humans. The study was conducted by Bell Ventures.

CVD drug watch

Multaq (dronedarone) granted FDA priority review for patients with atrial fibrillation

The new drug application for dronedarone (commercial name Multaq) is now under priority review by the US FDA. Dronedarone is indicated for the treatment of atrial fibrillation or flutter. It has been developed by the French pharmaceutical company sanofi-aventis. According to the company’s press release:

“Atrial fibrillation is a major cause of hospitalisation and mortality and affects about 2.5 million people in the United States, as well as 4.5 million people in the European Union and is emerging as a growing public health concern due to an aging population. Patients suffering from atrial fibrillation have twice the risk of death, an increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular complications, including congestive heart failure. Furthermore atrial fibrillation considerably impairs patients’ lives, mainly because of their inability to perform normal daily activities due to complaints of palpitations, chest pain, dyspnoea, fatigue or light-headedness.“

 CVD pollution watch

Air pollution damages more than lungs: Heart and blood vessels suffer too

Right in the wake of the Beijing Olympics, California researchers will publish in the August  issue Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) an article that reports how air pollution can injure the heart and the blood vessels in the short- and long-term.

               

CVD News Watch for the Weekend 8 August

Enjoying your summer? Here’s some new items to read over the weekend.

CVD nutrition watch

Eating fish may prevent memory loss and stroke in old age

This study which looked at 3,660 people age 65 and above, reports that eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids lowers the risk for stroke and cognitive decline in the elderly.

The study found that people who ate broiled or baked tuna and other fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (called DHA and EPA) three times or more per week had a nearly 26 percent lower risk of having the silent brain lesions that can cause dementia and stroke compared to people who did not eat fish regularly. Eating just one serving of this type of fish per week led to a 13 percent lower risk. The study also found people who regularly ate these types of fish had fewer changes in the white matter in their brains. (Source: American Academy of Neurology)

CVD BP watch

Blood Pressure Is So Much More than Brachial

Check out this video at Medscape to know more about other types of blood pressure (other than the usual measurements on the cuff and arm), what they tell us and why are they important.

CVD infection watch

HIV infection increases risk for aortic stiffness and CAC

This study reports a link between cardiovascular health and HIV infection. The researchers specifically looked at “aortic stiffness and coronary artery calcification, two subclinical markers of atherosclerosis.”

CVD healthcare watch

Average ER waiting time nears 1 hour, CDC says

The average time you have to reckon with when waiting in an ER in the US is almost 60 minutes - up from 38 minutes of previous years. This is because the number of ER cases is up but the number of ERs is down, thus creating a bottleneck, Physorg reports.

CDC reports:

At least 10% of emergent cases (those in which patients should be seen in less than 15 minutes) and 20% of urgent cases (should be seen in 15–60 minutes) had to wait longer than 1 hour to see a physician. Blacks and Hispanics were more likely to wait for more than 1 hour in all cases other than emergent.

CVD weight loss watch

Adults who eat eggs for breakfast lose 65 percent more weight

How about eggs for breakfast? You can add a bagel on top and won’t be hungry again for hours. This new, low-calorie, high protein diet may be the next diet craze. Check out the reviews about it here.

               

CVD News Watch for the Weekend, July 25

 

Have a great weekend!

CVD nutrition watch

Margarine, pastry producers slow to reduce trans-fat levels: task force

Some food companies are resistant to lowering the trans-fat content of the food they sell, according to a task force formed by Health Canada and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Some of these food companies are listed in this CBC News report.

 

CVD pollution watch

Beijing pollution may trigger heart attacks, strokes among spectators

In this podcast, two professors of medicine at the Northwestern University, Dr. Gokhan Mutlu and Dr. Scott Budinger discuss the health risks that visitors to the Beijing Olympics might encounter. It’s not only the athletes who are in danger, it’s the spectators as well.

 

CVD biotech watch

Researchers grow human blood vessels in mice from adult progenitor cells

Another first! Researchers at Harvard have developed human blood vessels from adult blood and bone marrow stem cells for the first time. And they work. The blood vessels have been successfully implanted in mice.

 

CVD weight loss watch

Limiting fructose may boost weight loss

Researchers at the UT Southwester Medical Center report that less fructose in our diet can help get rid of those extra pounds. Fructose occurs naturally in fruits and has always been thought to be a healthier alternative to table sugar. Some food products, especially beverages use this as artificial sweetener. Now we know better.

 

CVD fitness watch

Exercise could be the heart’s fountain of youth

Previous research studies have shown that exercise can delay, even reverse aging. It is also known that the heart deteriorates with age. Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine studied how exercise can affect the heart - with very encouraging results. Endurance exercise seems to keep the heart younger! More about exercise next week.

 

CVD patient watch

Heart Surgery Survivor Looks Forward to Motherhood

Heart surgery survivor Rebecca Venis was diagnosed with a bad aortic valve at the age of 8. She underwent human aortic valve transplant in 2000. The graft started leaking and she underwent another surgery, this time a pig valve replacement. This one seems to work well and Rebecca is back to running and mountain climbing. It might even now be possible for her to get pregnant.

 

CVD treatment watch

Scientists suspect omega-3 fatty acids could slow acute wound healing

They are supposedly good for the heart, but this popular fish oil used by many as nutritional supplement seems to slow down wound healing, according to researchers at the Ohio State University. In their research, they compared the healing process of blister wounds of people taking omega-3 supplements compared to those taking only placebo. Although healing seemed to have proceeded almost at the same time in the two groups, something different was observed at the cellular level. There were more proteins associated with initiating and sustaining inflammation observed in the blister fluid of those who were taking the active supplement. The researchers expected exactly the opposite and are still trying to figure out the mechanisms behind this.

These findings are very significant because many heart patients are on omega-3 supplementation. If healing is indeed slowed down by these supplements, then such supplements are not suitable for patients scheduled for surgery.

 

Photo credit

               

What Is a Balanced Diet, Anyway?

It’s easy to balance a beam. Just put the same weight on both sides of a pivot. You can even lead a balanced life, by having a mixture of activities. But what is a balanced diet?

The same basic idea applies in all cases: not too much of this here, not too little of that there. But in the case of diet, what is it that gets balanced, exactly?

The answer is given by nutrition science, as graphically shown in the famed food pyramid. The basic guidelines are simple and based on sound nutrition. It’s this: get the right amount of carbohydrates, fats, protein, minerals and other needed compounds.

Carbohydrates are sometimes mistakenly looked at as unhealthy or not appropriate for dieters. Au contraire, carbohydrates are essential. They are the body’s foremost source of energy. Carbohydrates are broken down and put back together into various combinations of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, releasing energy along the way. That energy is used for cell repair, muscle movement and many other biological processes. In short, carbohydrates power everything we do.

About 50-60% of the total calories consumed daily should be in the form of carbohydrates. Slightly lower for those aiming at weight loss. That can be anywhere from roughly 150-400 grams per day. Every gram of carbs yields 4 calories. The wide range is the result of variation in diets. For a 2,000 calorie diet, for example, 50% is equivalent to 1,000 calories of carbs, or 250 grams. Some diets are focused on weight loss, others on muscle building, some on body fat reduction… the list is endless.

Fat often gets bad press, too. One reason is the fact that each gram yields 9 calories, so they’re ‘energy dense’. But they’re also the body’s ‘emergency energy supply’. Consumption of fat - of the right type and in the right quantities - is essential to a healthy diet. It is needed to create certain hormones and enzymes, to keep the brain and nerves healthy, to aid in storing fat soluble vitamins and a variety of other tasks.

But there are different types. A healthy, balanced diet will contain chiefly unsaturated fats, avoiding saturated and trans-fats. These should make up about 20-30% of the total daily calories intake. That’s about 25-40 grams per day.

Proteins are another vital component of the balanced diet. They’re broken down by digestion into amino acids, which are then reassembled into proteins used for growth, muscle building, cell repair and other functions. A healthy diet is comprised of 25-35% protein per day. That works out to, say, 165 grams or 660 calories daily (33%) for a diet of 2,000 calories.

Vitamins and minerals are the biochemical ‘facilitators’ in the diet. They add few calories, but are essential to getting all the needed reactions to take place. A wide variety of A, B-complex, C, D, E, K along with mineral elements like sodium, calcium, iron, zinc and others are a must. It would take an entire article just to list the names and amounts. A few of the major ones are:

Sodium: no more than 2,400 mg per day
Calcium: 1200-1500 mg per day
Iron: 15-20 mg per day
Zinc: 15-20 mg per day
Folic Acid (a B-complex vitamin): 400 mcg per day

Numbers are based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet for an average adult.

Calcium is used in bulk to build up bones. Iron is essential for making hemoglobin, a key component of red blood cells. Sodium is used to regulate the heart beat, in nerve fibers and elsewhere.

In theory a healthy, balanced diet - whether one designed for weight loss, weight training or just basic nutrition - can supply all the needed elements. But, leading busy lives can often cause individuals to forego some important aspects. Supplements, used wisely, can help in those cases.

               

Which is better - Weight Watchers or Fitness Centers?

Weight is a major factor in battling heart disease and stroke. There’s a wide range of ways to lose weight out there, from the blatant rip-offs, to the bizarre, even to the dangerous.

But there are also methods that work and people trying to lose weight would swear on or swear at weight loss programs depending on what works and what doesn’t work for them. This study by researchers at the University of Missouri compares 2 of the most popular weight loss programs: Weight Watchers or fitness centers?

“In the first study of its kind, using sophisticated methods to measure body composition, the nationally known commercial weight loss program, Weight Watchers, was compared to gym membership programs to find out which method wins in the game of good health.“

The researchers used sophisticated techniques to compare the efficacy of these 2 weight loss programs in terms of losing weight, reducing body fat and gaining health benefits. The methods used were

• the Bod Pod, which measures body composition and measure what type of weight was lost -lean weight or fat weight.
• Computer Tomography (CT) scans, which were used to evaluate changes in abdominal fat

Well, it seems that the answer to the question “Which is better - Weight Watchers or fitness centers” is not as clear cut as many of us hoped. In fact, many factors aside from numbers are actually involved in what makes a weight loss program effective.

Minus results from the Weight Watchers side:

“Participants who attended Weight Watchers for 12 weeks lost an average of 5 percent of their body weight, or about nine pounds. However, Steve Ball, assistant professor of exercise physiology in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, found that a large percentage of the lost weight was lean tissue and not fat.”

Plus results from those who regularly went to fitness centers:

“…the fitness center group lost very little weight [but] they probably improved their health because they lost a significant amount of intraabdominal fat (fat around vital organs).”

In the end, there was no improvement in the Weight Watchers participants’ body fat percentage because of the loss of lean tissue. Lean tissue is important in our metabolism and losing lean tissue slows down our metabolism. In the case of the fitness center participants, performing regular exercise seems to have a positive influence on the metabolic syndrome. Loss of intraabdominal fat is significant because this type of fat is predictive of cardiovascular disease.

However, it’s not only what and how much was lost that counts.

On the plus side for Weight Watchers, participants in this group have better group support, resulting in higher compliance and more participants finishing the program.

On the minus side, the fitness center crowd gets less group support leading to a high rate of quitting.

According to researcher Steve Ball:

“I think the outcome of the study speaks volumes about the necessity for a multi-pronged approach in order to lose weight, body fat and gain health benefits. I hope that this will be the first in a series of studies investigating commercial weight-loss programs.”

Now, if you ask me, which method I go for to maintain my weight, my answer is “neither.” I prefer jogging in the fields and the woods and yes - I do pay attention to my diet from time to time.

Photo credit

               

Diet Pills - Pros and Cons

Wouldn’t everyone love to stop worrying about dieting? Just take a pill once a day and forget about it. The pounds just melt off. Well, nutritional science isn’t quite there, yet. But it is making strides. However, anyone considering their use should be aware of both the risks and the potential benefits.

Pharmaceutical companies have taken two basic approaches to weight loss pills: those that stimulate and those that block. Stimulate what? Block what?

Appetite Suppression

In the first category are diet pills that work on the centers of the brain to stimulate the central nervous system. Several years ago these were variants of amphetamine, popularly known as ’speed’. The basic idea was to stimulate the dieter, which had the ’side effect’ of suppressing appetite.

The idea is sound. Eat less and your odds of losing weight are higher. The basic equation of dieting, no matter what method is chosen, remains the same: more calories consumed than used leads to weight gain. Consume fewer calories than you burn and the body will naturally shed pounds.

But, as with any drug, there are real side effects. Speed can produce heart palpitations, insomnia, diarrhea and lowered sexual function. In extreme cases, it may produce psychotic episodes. Over time, even the ability to depress appetite generally fades. Once the effects of amphetamine became more widely recognized, its use was discontinued.

A more contemporary prescription diet pill in this category is phentermine. It works by stimulating the hypothalamus, a gland that controls certain neurotransmitters associated with appetite. But it also plays a role in the sleep cycle, so sleeplessness can result. Still it is generally safe for short term use and the side effects are much less severe. Over a few weeks time, the desired appetite suppression is likely to fade.

Fat Blockage

The second category of weight loss pill uses an entirely different approach to eating and digestion. Here, there’s no attempt to regulate how much food is consumed, only how many calories are retained. Since every digested fat gram yields 9 calories, it is ‘energy dense’. So, removing fat from the system can help reduce the number of available calories.

Orlistat (marketed under the brand name Xenical) is a prescription diet pill that does just that. It operates by altering the body’s efficiency for absorbing fat, causing more of it to be eliminated in feces. The popular non-prescription drug, Alli, is the same drug at a lower dosage.

But, these too have side effects. Stools tend to be oily (a result of the added fat) and defecation is more likely to be spontaneous. That means it’s possible to lose control of the bowels and eliminate at undesired moments.

Summary

For many, the side effects of diet pills are well worth the benefits they give. Many users have tried a number of diet plans and find they don’t work well enough or require too much willpower. Others simply prefer to spend less time thinking about meal plans, carb to fat ratios or total calories consumed. A pill helps them diet with greater ease.

As with any approach to dieting, it’s wise to consult with your physician first before selecting a weight loss pill.

               

What Is a Calorie?

Dieters often concentrate on calorie counting. That’s wise, given that the basic equation of weight loss will always remain true: more calories consumed than used - leads to weight gain. But that statement makes it sound as if a calorie is something you eat and if you ate fewer you would lose weight. That is not quite accurate.

In simplest terms, a calorie is a measure of energy. In science, the unit that measures it is the calorie, cal. But because the amount in food is typically so large, the food calorie is actually a thousand of those or kcal (kilocalories). Food calories are sometimes denoted with a capital C to make the difference clear.

But whatever name they’re given, the basic point is that a calorie represents a certain amount of energy, not a quantity of mass or weight. So, how does that make you gain or, hopefully, lose weight? The explanation revolves around what the body does with that energy.

When food is consumed it’s digested. That much is common knowledge. What happens next is not so well known sometimes.

Part of that digestion process involves breaking down foodstuffs containing, say carbohydrates, into smaller parts. The process yields energy that the body can use to power muscle movement, cell repair and a million other vital aspects of human biological function.

Note that little phrase ‘can use’, though. What happens when there is more energy available than the body needs immediately for all those functions? It doesn’t shed (all of) the rest. It stores (some of) it. Like a battery that is ready to provide energy when a tiny motor needs it, excess energy is stored in chemical bonds. When the energy is needed later those chemical bonds are broken and the energy is released.

But chemical bonds are bonds between two or more things. In this case they are primarily the bonds between molecules in fat cells, also known as adipose tissue.

Typically, glucose in the blood stream provides all the energy the body needs. When there is a deficit the liver is stimulated to provide more. But if that process continues, the body will go after that energy stored in fat cells in a process known as ketosis.

That is, in simple terms, how body fat is reduced. Create a large enough ‘energy deficit’ for long enough and the body will make available the energy stored in fat by breaking down those fat molecules. The net result is less fat stored and a lower body fat percentage overall.

That’s the goal of most dieters whether they realize it or not. The idea isn’t simply to lose weight, per se. After all, the number on the scale isn’t that important in most cases. Building up muscle, for example, actually increases weight because it is relatively more dense. What is important is the distribution of that weight - whether too much of it is in the form of stored fat, and where that body fat is stored.

If you wonder why it can be so hard to shift that balance, one simple number tells much of the story. A single pound of body fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. That means you have to burn 3,500 calories to convert one pound of fat. That explains why a diet needs to be a long-term commitment. Burning that many more calories than you consume simply takes time.

So, reduce the number of calories taken in and the body will store less in the form of fat. Reduce them enough and it will burn the fat that is there to provide energy for life. The consequences to the dieter are a more attractive figure, ample energy for all of life’s goals and better overall health.

               

Fiber and Why It’s Good

In nutrition circles, one often hears “eat fiber, it’s good for you”. But fiber is a carbohydrate and those are supposed to be bad, or at least severely limited. What gives?

The resolution to this dilemma lies in examining more closely just what fiber is and what it does for you.

What Is Fiber?

Fiber is, it’s true, a type of carbohydrate. That is, fiber compounds are composed of molecules whose chief elements are carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in combination. But there is a key difference between fiber and other types of carbohydrate: it doesn’t break down during digestion.

Both simple sugars (simple carbs) and starches (complex carbs) are broken down by digestive enzymes, releasing energy the body uses for an infinite variety of vital processes. Fiber is not, at least not much. That simple difference leads to a number of beneficial effects.

Why Is Fiber Good?

Insoluble fiber, by definition, does not dissolve in water. As such, it moves through the digestive system where it helps increase the bulk of stools. That helps prevent constipation. It also moves through the intestines relatively fast, which generates signals to the brain that you’re full. In that way, it discourages overeating and the accompanying excess consumption of calories.

Insoluble fiber is contained in whole-wheat flour and wheat bran, many types of nut and several vegetables that contribute ‘roughage’ to the diet.

Soluble fiber, by contrast, does dissolve in water and so forms a type of gel that makes its way through the digestive system. As a result it helps regulate blood glucose levels. On route it helps cleanse the tract of bacteria.

Soluble fiber is part of a wide variety of foods, including oats and barley, carrots and peas, apples and citrus fruit, and beans.

A high fiber diet helps decrease the odds of heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol (the undesirable type).

It slows the absorption of sugar contained in food consumed, which helps smooth out any spikes. That helps improve a number called the Glycemic Index, one key to a healthy diet according to some diet programs such as the South Beach Diet.

Controlling blood glucose levels has another beneficial effect, according to many studies. Insulin levels are related to blood glucose levels. Excess glucose over long periods increases the odds of acquiring Type 2 diabetes. A high fiber diet can help decrease those odds.

Since fiber is not broken down, it adds bulk without calories. That contributes to a feeling of fullness and satiation without the accompanying potential for storing excess calories as fat. Thus, it contributes mightily to any weight loss program.

How Much Daily Fiber Is Good?

There is no official RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for fiber as there is for many other nutritional components. But official sources put the desirable amount at roughly 25 grams per day. The average consumption is often much lower, around 15 grams per day.

One study of over 500 subjects conducted at the University of Massachusetts Medical School over one year showed that those who consumed 22 grams or more were 63% less likely to have high CRP levels. High CRP (C-reactive protein) is linked with higher risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Summary

Like any aspect of diet and nutrition, the value of fiber can be (and sometimes is) overstated. But numerous studies agree that a high fiber diet has definite benefits. As with any proposed change in diet, consulting your physician first is wise.

               

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