A global commissionof 56 experts publishing in The Lancet, endorsed by 76 medical organizations, is proposing that ‘diagnosis’ of obesity is redefined, as it acknowledges the use of Body Mass Index (BMI) to indicate whether someone is obese, is no longer fit for purpose. The new framework introduces two categories of obesity: ‘clinical obesity’—excess body fat impairing health—and ‘pre-clinical obesity’—excess fat without current illness but posing future health risks. At ANH we’ve long advocated for the use of BMI to be discontinued in favor of the waist to height ratio (WHtR), which has consistently been shown to be a far more accurate measure of body size.
The US National Toxicology Program (NTP) has published a systematic review and meta-analysis in JAMA Pediatrics reinforcing findings in its recent report that fluoride exposure is neurotoxic and can affect children’s IQ. Notably, even exposures below 1.5 mg/L were found to be associated with IQ reductions. Fluoride Alert has more.
Recent research published in Nature Medicine has looked into 3 time-restricted eating (TRE) windows for weight loss—early, late and random. Findings have shown that early intermittent fasting, specifically not eating from 5 pm to 9 am,aids weight loss and enhances cardiovascular health in obese individuals. This early fasting method, also improves blood sugar regulation and reduces subcutaneous (under the skin) abdominal fat, appears particularly helpful in regulating obese people’s metabolism, reducing their weight and ultimately, improving their overall health and wellbeing.
One of the reasons a Mediterranean-style diet, high in plant foods, is so good for us is due to the fiber content of the plants. A new study published in Nature Microbiology reinforces what nutrition practitioners have known for decades, that fiber feeds beneficial microbes in the gut that produce short-chain fatty acids, which in turn helps to inhibit harmful microbes and reduce the risk of infections due to the overgrowth of pathogenic microbes in the gut.
The theory that Alzheimer’s Disease may be an autoimmune reaction has been reinforced by a new study published in Cell Reports. The researchers found that viral proteins that enter the brain trigger the development of tau protein, a key indicator of Alzheimer’s, as the immune system attempts to protect the brain from the infection. However, the subsequent build-up of tau proteins in the brain increases the risk of actually developing Alzheimer’s disease.
