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Miriam Hospital study shows how to make statewide health campaigns more effective

    Researchers from The Miriam Hospital have found that adding evidence-based weight loss strategies to a statewide wellness campaign improves weight loss outcomes among participants. The study and its findings are published online in advance of print in the American Journal of Public Health. Lead researcher Tricia Leahey, Ph.D., and her colleagues chose to conduct a study among participants in Rhode Island’s annual, three-month statewide health campaign. Called Shape Up Rhode Island (SURI), the campaign was founded in 2005 and takes a grass roots approach in reaching Rhode Islanders. Leahey says, “Given their reach, statewide wellness initiatives like Shape Up Rhode Island have the potential to improve health in large numbers of individuals; however, weight losses produced are typically modest. Thus, we examined whether adding evidence-based weight loss strategies to a statewide wellness campaign improves weight loss outcomes. We found that such an approach was effective and could, therefore, significantly improve the public health impact of these campaigns.” As a researcher with the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center of The Miriam Hospital, Leahey led the randomized trial. For the study, 230 participants were recruited from the 2011 SURI campaign and were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the standard SURI program, the SURI program plus an evidence-based internet behavioral weight loss program, or SURI plus the evidence-based internet program with the option to attend weekly group weight loss sessions.

    Eating prunes can help weight loss

      Research by the University of Liverpool has found that eating prunes as part of a weight control diet can improve weight loss. Consumption of dried fruit is not readily recommended during weight loss despite evidence it enhances feelings of fullness. However, a study by the University’s Institute of Psychology, Health and Society of 100 overweight and obese low fibre consumers tested whether eating prunes as part of a weight loss diet helped or hindered weight control over a 12-week period. It also examined if low fibre consumers could tolerate eating substantial numbers of prunes in their diet, and if eating prunes had a beneficial effect on appetite.

      3 extra ways to burn fat

        Need help losing weight? Here are 3 key fat burning tips from the experts.

        18-6-diet-thinkstock

        1. Get more sleep
        You’re less likely to hit your maximum intensity if you feel like crawling into a hole. Melanie McGrice, from the Dietitians Association of Australia, says tired people are less likely work out.

        “It makes it really easy to think of an excuse not to go to the gym.” There’s also a good physiological reason to get enough kip. “We know that lack of sleep decreases the production of leptin, which is a hormone that helps us to know when to stop eating, and we know that it increases the production off ghrelin, which is a hormone which increases our appetite,” McGrice warns.

        Meditation can help with fat loss - Women's Health & Fitness
        2. Meditate
        If you’re stressed, you may find fat loss harder. Stress hormone cortisol “triggers the brain chemical neuropeptide Y that increases food cravings, and high levels of cortisol causes us to hold onto abdominal fat,” O’Neil says. “I’ve seen really good weight loss results when people address their stress. It’s like the cortisol was hanging on to all the fat and when cortisol was lowered the gates opened and the fat flowed out.”

        Protein can help you lose weight - Women's Health & Fitness
        3. Eat more protein
        Here’s where those protein shakes come into their own. Of all the macronutrients, protein ‘costs’ the most calories to digest. In other words, a higher proportion of the calories in a protein shake are used up just to digest it than those in a muesli bar.

        “Thermogenesis is basically the production of body heat,” explains McGrice. “Thermo, relates to temperature, and genesis to production. So if you think of the body as a machine, when it’s working and active it produces heat and burns kilojoules. When we are exercising or digesting food our body undertakes thermogenesis.”

        But beware ‘thermogenic enhancers’, which often claim to stimulate fat loss. “The commonly promoted thermo bars and drinks and products that target brown fat and increase metabolism have no substance,” says Matt O’Neil, exercise physiologist and dietitian.

        Next: 20 sure-fire ways to lose weight>>

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        Alkaline diet review

           The Alkaline diet promotes a healthy pH balance within the body. But does it help with weight loss?

          The lowdown
          The theory is that you need an optimal pH balance (balance between acid and base, also known as alkaline) in your body to help you lose weight and avoid certain diseases. Doing the Alkaline Diet is meant to help you create this balance. In reality, this means cutting out ‘acid-producing’ foods, including meat, dairy, sugar, alcohol and wheat.

          What’s it doing to your body?
          “I’ve not seen any data that [this diet] is useful,” says Dr Stephen Thornley, endocrinologist at Southern Endocrine in Sydney. He says organs such as our kidney and liver help to create our acid-base balance naturally. “So we do a pretty good job of maintaining that balance ourselves without going on that sort of a diet.”

          Nutritionist Zoe Bingley-Pullin says there are good bits to cherry pick. “What they’re encouraging you to do is eat more of a raw-style diet,” notes Bingley-Pullin, who doesn’t object to the raw bit. But you won’t necessarily lose weight because you’ve got a ‘better’ acid-base balance going, she cautions.  

          Besides, Bingley-Pullin notes, we need an acidic environment in our gut to aid digestion.

          Verdict?
          While neither expert thinks this diet can do much harm, they don’t think you’ll benefit much from it either.

          NEXT: We review the Paleo diet>>

          Author: Dr Evelyn Lewin

           

          5 sensible diet tips

            Weight loss coach and author Sally Asher offers her top tips.

            1. Eat nutritious foods

            Eat nutritious foods rather than sugary foods, which produce a rush of energy followed by a crash and, probably, cravings for more sugar.

            2. Give food your full attention

            Make eating an occasion rather than eating on the run or while distracted. Give food your attention when it’s time to eat, notice what it tastes and feels like and when you’ve had enough.

            3. Eat at the table

            Only eat sit down at the table and unplug all electronics.

            4. Fill up on protein

            Include protein at every meal because it is the most satiating food and helps to tide you over to the next meal rather than leaving you seeking an emergency snack.

            5.Go for quality over quantity

            With treats like dessert, welcome them into your life but go for quality over quantity – savouring a little bit of something you genuinely enjoy is far more pleasurable than wolfing down a block or tub of cheap chocolate or ice cream. The key is to embrace it and not buy into any guilt.

            NEXT: 20 ways to stay diet strong>>

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            Expect changes in appetite, taste of food after weight loss surgery

              Changes in appetite, taste and smell are par for the course for people who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery during which one’s stomach is made smaller and small intestines shortened. These sensory changes are not all negative, and could lead to more weight loss among patients, says Lisa Graham, lead author of a study by researchers from Leicester Royal Infirmary in the UK. Their findings, published in Springer’s journal Obesity Surgery showed that after gastric bypass surgery, patients frequently report sensory changes. Graham and her colleagues say their day-to-day experience with patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery suggested these changes, but surprisingly little has yet been written about it in scientific literature. To this end, questionnaires were sent out to patients who had undergone the procedure at the University Hospitals of Leicester between 2000 and 2011. In total, 103 patients answered the 33 questions about appetite, taste and smell set to them. Of the respondents, almost all (97 percent) reported changes to their appetite after having the surgery. Their experiences varied, with subjects reporting that their sense of smell and taste were either unchanged, heightened or reduced. Forty-two percent of respondents said their sense of smell changed. Seventy-three percent of patients noted change in the way food tasted, and especially in their sweet and sour palate. Respondents especially noted a change in the taste of chicken, beef, pork, roast meat, lamb or sausages, while fish, fast foods, chocolate, greasy foods, pasta and rice were also high on the list. Three out of every four (73 percent) patients noted that they had developed an aversion to specific foods after the surgery. Meat products topped the list, with one in every three patients steering away from chicken, minced beef, beef steak, sausages, lamb, ham or bacon. Starches such as pasta, rice, bread and pastry and dairy products such as cream, ice cream, cheese and eggs were a no-no for almost 12 percent of respondents. Only 4 percent of respondents reported having an aversion for vegetables, 3 percent for fruit, and 1 percent for tinned fish.

              GSK recalls weight-loss drug Alli in U.S. on tampering concerns

                GlaxoSmithKline is recalling all supplies of its non-prescription weight-loss drug Alli in the United States and Puerto Rico after customers reported finding other pills and tablets in some bottles. The news is a fresh blow for a product once touted as a potential blockbuster but which has had disappointing sales over the years – aggravated, in part, by a separate supply problem two years ago. The British group said it believed that some U.S. bottles of Alli might not contain authentic product, adding that it was working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the retailer-level recall. News that bottles had been tampered with first emerged on Wednesday.

                Pete Evans’ slim food tips

                  Learn how to make healthy food choices at restaurants and cafés with Pete Evans’ top tips.

                  Pete Evans - Healthy food choices - Women's Health & Fitness

                  1. Beware of portion size

                  Portion size is extremely important. Humans are often guilty of overeating and eating too fast as well.   

                   

                  Chocolate-eclairs

                  2. Avoid sugar

                  I don’t tend to count calories, but I do avoid sugar, whether it be honey, agave or anything that says ‘sweet’ on the menu, as fructose is the real enemy that we should all be trying to avoid.  

                   

                  Go easy on the sauce - Pete Evans' weight loss tips - Women's Health & Fitness

                  3. Go easy on the sauce

                  Choose dishes without sauces, or ask for them to serve it on the side, as that’s where many of the hidden calories reside.  

                   

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                  4. Watch out for ‘low fat’ labels

                  I look for very low sugar, high saturated fats and low polyunsaturated fats – watch out for low fat labels, which usually mean higher sugar levels and hidden calories.  

                   

                  Grilled-swordfish salad - Pete Evans' weight loss - Women's Health & Fitness

                  5. Choose grilled not fried

                  I always choose for my fish to be grilled, and I ask for a wedge of lemon and no sauce.

                  Above recipe: grilled swordfish salad>>

                   

                  Free-foods-live-well

                  6. ‘Fresh’ is your best friend

                  I look for ‘freshly’ made salads, with the dressing on the side, and I avoid ingredients like croutons, crumbed chicken, or crumbed fish.

                  If the salads on the menu aren’t tickling your fancy, order a basic one along with a side of freshly cooked vegetables. Broccoli is great in a salad as are snow peas, asparagus, and cauliflower.

                  NEXT: 20 ways to stay diet strong>>

                   

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                  New online care from dietitians helps control weight

                    A rich chocolate cake is tempting you, but where is a dietitian when you need one? The e-Care for Heart Wellness study sought to solve this problem. In the study, Group Health patients who were overweight and had hypertension were more likely to have lost 10 pounds in six months if they had secure online access to a dietitian than if they received only information and usual care. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine published the e-Care study. “One patient said, ‘It’s like having a dietitian in your pocket,’” said Beverly B. Green, MD, MPH, a family doctor at Group Health, an associate investigator at Group Health Research Institute, and an assistant clinical professor in family medicine at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine. “The patients really loved this intervention – and having access to a dietitian to work with them toward a healthier lifestyle.” In addition to team-based care led by a dietitian, the patients in the intervention group were given a home blood pressure monitor, a scale, and a pedometer. They each had one in-person visit with a dietitian where, together, they created a plan to reduce their heart risk, including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, with eight to 10 servings of vegetables and fruits per day. The DASH diet is not about eating less food, just more of the right food, Dr. Green said, quoting a patient who said: “All those fruits and vegetables kept me full and less likely to eat something I might regret later.”

                    5 ways to stay on track

                      How to mentally prepare yourself for weight loss.

                      »    Think about your core values and what you want out of life.

                      What brings you happiness? Perhaps you rank health as a high priority and want to feel good and have more energy? Now look at small steps you can take to live in line with these values.

                      »    Find something that suits you

                      Hate the gym? Then don’t force yourself to go. Instead find something you enjoy (maybe yoga, bushwalking, pole dancing or underwater hockey is more your style?). If you indulge in fitness pursuits that you value and enjoy you will be happier and more motivated.

                      »    Be open to change

                      Just because running half marathons worked for you five years ago, doesn’t mean that running is still the best option for you now. Listen to the needs of your body and switch to a new fitness routine if necessary.

                      »    Have realistic expectations

                      If you weigh under 100kg then it’s not safe or realistic to try losing more than 0.5kg per week. If you weigh between 100 and 150kg, 1kg per week is achievable, and if you’re over 150kg, 2kg per week is considered healthy.

                      »    Try to eat every three hours: three main meals per day with two small snacks.

                      When possible, exercise before breakfast on an empty stomach, and then eat breakfast within an hour of exercising. When starting or changing an exercise regime, watch that you don’t eat more. Your body will naturally crave more food initially but after a few days your appetite will settle down.

                      NEXT: 10 tummy flattening foods>>

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