Researchers Learn More about Weight Control in Menopause

Maintaining a health body weight can be a significant challenge at every phase of a woman's life. Between the competing responsibilities of career, household, family, and social life, it can be hard to find the time and energy to devote to healthy eating and exercise.

To compound matters further, women's unique physiology can actually contribute to weight struggles. From the onset of puberty to the "change of life" that marks the end of the childbearing years, hormonal fluctuations can make it difficult to maintain healthy weight. As any dieter can attest, weeks out of every month can often elapse without any weight loss at all due to PMS-related bloating and water retention.

Menopause is the phase of life when middle-aged women gradually stop experiencing monthly periods. During this stage, the amount of estrogen naturally present in the body begins to decline. Although this may sound like it could eliminate some of the frustration associated with hormone-related weight gain, many women find that the onset of menopause actually makes the challenge of staying fit and healthy even more difficult.

Still, medical professionals are acutely aware of the fact that a normal body weight is a vital component of overall health as women transition to the later stages of their lives. This week, we will review some recent research that has delved into the complex challenge of weight control in menopause.

Studies Help Explain the Relationship between Estrogen Levels and Body Weight

Even after decades of dedicated research, scientists are still working to untangle the complex role that estrogen plays in the body's ability to stay within a healthy weight range. The results of a recent study conducted by an investigative team at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center may help shed new light on this issue.

According to the researchers, the rapidly fluctuating estrogen levels that often accompany menopause can wreak havoc upon the hunger receptors in the brain. When estrogen levels taper off, the part of the hypothalamus that is dedicated to regulating hunger and controlling caloric requirements can go haywire. This may account for the sharp increase in appetite, food consumption, and weight gain that many women report as side effects of entering menopause.

Although the preliminary results of this study need further confirmation before they can be applied to the treatment of menopausal women, the researchers predict that future treatments may be developed that address estrogen's role in hunger regulation. Short-term hormone replacement could also be used to help women maintain a healthy weight during the transition to menopause.

Scientists Investigate Link between Menopause, Obesity, and Heart Disease Risk

Weight gain can be distressing for emotional and psychological reasons, but from a medical point of view, it can be the harbinger of a number of serious diseases, as well. Because the hormonal fluctuations of menopause often prompt a weight gain during late middle age, many women enter their later years with enough excess weight to pose a considerable health risk. Heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and respiratory problems are all common diagnoses among older women who are overweight.

Researchers at National Cheng Kung University Hospital in China recently designed a study to determine the degree of risk for cardiovascular disease among overweight and obese menopausal women. The results showed that many menopausal women were overweight and obese, and that most of them also had the signs of elevated risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular disorders. In addition, it was found that the more fat was accumulated around the abdominal region (a condition known as 'central' obesity), the greater the degree of cardiovascular risk.

Study Probes Estrogen's Role in Hunger Regulation

The hormone estrogen is responsible for controlling a wide array of different physiological mechanisms in women's bodies. In recent years, the weight gain that many women report as a nearly inevitable side effect of entering menopause has prompted researchers to explore the connection between this hormone and weight regulation.

In one recent study, scientists at the Yale School of Medicine attempted to further define and clarify the role of estrogen in the hunger process. They found that estrogen has similar effects on the neurological experience of hunger to another hormone, leptin, which has long been identified as playing a central role in the brain's control of hunger sensations and food intake.

Based on the study's findings, the researchers hypothesized that impaired estrogen signaling in the brain may be the root cause of the weight gain that is often associated with menopause. They further predict that future drugs may be able to target these shortcomings by mimicking the action of the estrogen receptors in the brain, thus eliminating the hormonal fluctuation and minimizing the risk of a sudden weight gain as women enter menopause.

If you're concerned about the challenge of maintaining a healthy weight as you transition to menopause, a doctor, nutritionist, or another licensed professional may be able to help you develop a personalized diet and exercise plan that will meet your needs. Please check back each week for the research news you need to ensure that your journey to a healthy weight will be successful.

Recent Studies Shed Light on the Metabolism's Role in Obesity and Weight Loss

Once upon a time, it was widely believed that the prospect of weight loss was as simple as calories in, calories out. In other words, if you wanted to lose weight and keep it off, all you had to do was decrease the number of calories you were taking in and/or increase the number of calories you were burning through exercise, and you would eventually begin to shed those excess pounds.

Although this basic model of weight loss still holds some truth, most researchers now believe that the process of achieving and sustaining weight loss is much more complicated than a simple caloric equation. There are many different factors that can interfere with the way that calories are treated within the body. Existing or past illnesses, vitamin deficiencies, hormonal fluctuations, and many other variables can all serve to impede weight loss.

Perhaps the single most significant factor that can complicate the weight loss process is the metabolism. This term refers to the complex interplay of bodily systems, organs, and functions that determine the rate at which energy is burned. Although calories still count, it is often the metabolism that has the final say in determining whether and at what rate calories will be burned or stored as body fat.

Although the metabolism's role in weight loss is now widely acknowledged by most researchers, this complex mechanism is only beginning to be systematically explored in scientific investigations. This week, we'll review a few of the most pertinent recent research findings that have begun to shed light on the metabolism and its role in obesity and weight loss.

Liver Hormone Found to Play Key Role in Fat Metabolism

The seemingly paradoxical success of low-carb dieters has confounded researchers for years. The fact that men and women consuming high-calorie, high-fat diets often lost weight at rates that surpassed their low-fat, calorie-controlled counterparts seemed to fly in the face of decades of research.

For years, the answer underlying the success of low-carb diets continued to elude many researchers. However, the findings of a recent study conducted by scientists at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center may provide an important clue to the anecdotal success rates attributed to popular low-carb diet plans such as the Atkins diet, the South Beach Diet, Protein Power, and many others.

According to the researchers, mice that were fed low-carb diets had significantly increased levels of the liver hormone FGF21. Upon further analysis, the researchers determined that this substance plays a central role in the metabolization of dietary fat. When FGF21 levels are increased, body weight is diminished or maintained, regardless of the fat or calorie content of the diet. When FGF21 levels are suppressed, obesity often occurs. Although the researchers emphasize the need for further study, they acknowledged that this finding may prove to be a crucial turning point in the development of effective treatments for obesity.

New Virtual Model of Human Metabolism Used to Uncover Better Treatments for Obesity

The mysteries of the human metabolic system have long confounded scientists working on the developments of treatments for obesity and new weight loss methods. Researchers at the University of California-San Diego have come up with a novel solution to this problem, developing a highly sophisticated computer model of the human metabolism that they say can be used to better understand the system and development more targeted, effective treatments for obesity.

Although every person's metabolism is unique, the researchers used the vast database of human genome information to develop a highly accurate model that includes hundreds of thousands of interlocking mechanism and functions. The model is already being used in a number of studies on subjects ranging from the creation and distribution of body fats to the regulation of cholesterol. While the final results of these studies have not yet been tabulated, the researchers involved in the project are confident that they will advance the state of the art in obesity research when ultimately published.

Researchers Use Advanced Imaging Techniques to Better Understand Metabolic Irregularities

The skyrocketing rate of obesity in the United States and other developed nations has been partially blamed on the widespread prevalence of metabolic syndrome. This term refers to the confluence of a number of conditions that put sufferers at much greater risk for obesity, while also rendering the challenge of weight loss even more difficult. Resistance to insulin is one of the most significant symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

Hoping to gain a better understanding of metabolic syndrome, scientists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute of the Yale University School of Medicine recently put advanced medical imaging technology to work to analyze the abdominal fat cells of healthy, non-obese patients.

Stubborn belly fat is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome, and some researchers have even hypothesized that it may be the chief cause of the disorder. However, the team's findings indicate that abdominal fat may actually be the outcome, rather than the cause, of the insulin resistance that is linked with metabolic syndrome. The abnormalities in fat processing and storage that are referred to as metabolic syndrome were observed even in individuals with no significant accumulation of belly fat, prompting the researchers to conclude that the root causes of insulin resistance may lie elsewhere.

If you want more insight into the way that your metabolism works and how its function may be impacting your weight loss efforts, consult with your doctor. Be sure to check back each week for more of the diet and weight loss news you need to succeed.

New Diets Shown to Help Treat, Cure Diseases

Usually, when you hear the word ?diet,? you assume that you?re hearing about a new weight loss regimen. However, while shedding excess pounds is often the primary goal that people have in mind when they adopt a new way of eating, the lifestyle changes can also result in other significant health improvements, as well.

Food is the body?s fuel, so it makes sense that better sources of fuel would result in improved health. Think of an automobile ? higher-quality fuel can bring about better performance. The same concept holds true for the body, as well.

The link between diet and overall health has been the focus of a great deal of research in recent years. As the relationship between dietary intake and well-being has emerged as a major research concern, the health impacts of different diets have begun to make news. This week, we?ll take a look at some diets that can help you shed excess pounds -- and improve your health, as well.

Type 2 Diabetes Responds Well to Controlled Diet and Exercise

Doctors have long emphasized the importance of carefully planned diets for patients with Type 2 diabetes. However, one recent study demonstrated the significant gains in overall health for patients who actually put these suggested guidelines into practice.

Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Southern California found that patients with Type 2 diabetes who stuck closely to recommended guidelines for diet and exercise were able to lose significant amounts of weight and control their symptoms with little or no medication. Indeed, in a few cases, patients were able to reverse all of the signs of their diabetes with diligent adherence to an exercise and diet program.

Patients Can Halt Macular Degeneration by Limiting Refined Carbohydrates

Although the health and safety of low- and controlled-carb diets have been at the center of an intense controversy over the last several years, a new study has shown that they might be effective in the fight against age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University compared the health status of patients who ate a traditional grain-based diet, and those who limited refined carbohydrates such as white bread, simple sugars, and starchy snack products.

The study found that the participants who ate fewer refined carbohydrates were more likely to maintain a healthy weight. In addition, these participants also experienced fewer problems with age-related macular degeneration. AMD is a complex cluster of symptoms, the most significant outward sign of which is a loss of vision. The researchers cautiously suggested dietary guidelines that encourage the consumption of fewer refined carbohydrate for improved weight control and less pronounced symptoms of aging.

Daily Orange Juice Consumption Can Boost Health, Eliminate Kidney Stones

Nutritionists have long hailed the health benefits and weight control advantages of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. However, in recent years, some fruit juices have been vilified as unhealthy substitutes for the real thing.

The results of one recent study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology seem to indicate that orange juice may have been unfairly grouped in with less healthful fruit juices. According to the findings of the investigation, participants who drank one or more glasses of orange juice per day experienced a wide range of health benefits, including improved weight control and drastically reduced risks for kidney stones and other kidney-related disorders.

The researchers were unsure of the exact properties in orange juice that increased its health impact over other similar beverages, such as lemonade or grapefruit juice. They hypothesized that it may be the high levels of citrate in orange juice that produced the remarkable results seen in the study. Other juices contain additional ingredients that may limit the effectiveness of the citrate in the juice, whereas the citrate in orange juice can be fully absorbed. Although specific treatment guidelines have not yet been released, it appears that orange juice may be an important factor in weight control and kidney health.

Consult with your physician, nutritionist, or another health professional to develop a diet that can improve your health as you shed excess pounds. Check back each week for the breaking diet news that can help put you on the path to weight loss success.

Three Types of Fat That Can Actually Help You Lose Weight

For decades, the consensus on diets and weight loss has been simple: if you eat fat, you will become fat. Conversely, if you want to lose body fat, you should cut back on your consumption of dietary fats.

This seemingly common-sense approach gained ground quickly among nutritionists in the 1950s and 1960s. During this period, the low-fat, low-calorie approach to weight loss became increasingly popular in the United States and around the world. By the 1970s, the federal government officially adopted a guide to healthy eating based on this concept, and the low-fat craze began in earnest.

Over the next several decades, the availability of low-fat and fat-free food products increased considerably. Everything from yogurt to cookies began to appear in lower-fat versions of the originals, prompting would-be dieters across the country to rejoice.

However, even as Americans embraced the newly-established lower-fat lifestyle, the obesity epidemic that had first began to emerge in the 1970s continued to gain ground. By the early 2000s, record levels of obesity and overweight had been reached. Men, women, and children in every age group, demographic, and socioeconomic class were affected by excess weight. Today, it is estimated that as many as one in three struggle with some level of obesity.

The persistence of the obesity problem even as overall fat consumption has declined has posed a challenge for researchers. In recent years, a small group of maverick scientists have begun to re-examine many long-held assumptions about obesity and weight loss. The role of dietary fat in weight gain has been one topic that has been held up for greater scrutiny -- with some surprising results.

Not All Fats Are Equally Fattening

Although the exact role of dietary fat in causing obesity has not yet been pinned down, one of the mistakes made by twentieth-century nutritionists has since become clear: some fats are healthier than others. When the role of dietary fat was first being explored by researchers, it was widely assumed that all fats were virtually indistinguishable from one another, and thus, that they all contributed equally to the accumulation of excess body fat.

Today, however, researchers have developed a more sophisticated view of the role of dietary fats. It is now recognized that there are many variations in molecular structure and nutritional content that impact the quality and health effects of different dietary fats. For example, it is now widely recognized that while some types of fat, such as trans fats, should be avoided virtually all the time, other fats, such as the widely-lauded omega-3s, should be incorporated into a healthful diet in moderate quantities.

Fats That Can Actually Promote Weight Loss

Even more surprising to some dieters is the news that certain types of dietary fats contain special ingredients that can boost the metabolism and speed up the weight loss process. After years of being denied fatty foods, those seeking to shed excess pounds can now feel free to include select fats into a weight loss regimen. Here are several fats that have been found to promote fat metabolism in recent clinical trials.

• Nut-Based Fats and Butters. It used to be assumed that peanut butter and similar products were fat and calorie bombs that could derail a serious weight loss effort. Today, however, the dense nutritional content of these products are prompting some weight loss experts to encourage dieters to give them another look. One study conducted by researchers at Purdue University showed that peanuts, in particular, had significant metabolism-boosting powers. The potent combination of fat, protein, and healthy carbs can help increase the rate at which calories are burned.

• Coconut Oil. Long dismissed as a dieter's worst enemy because of its high saturated fat content, coconut oil was largely banished from commercial food preparation in the mid-twentieth century. However, growing recognition of the nutritional impact of some fats have prompted researchers to re-examine this once-unpopular tropical oil. Several recent studies have touted the unique metabolism-bolstering power of coconut oil, based on the unique molecular composition of its fat. In addition to its merit as an aid to weight loss, researchers are also testing its reputation as a natural miracle cure for ailments from eczema to irritable bowel syndrome.

• Newly-Developed "Designer" Oils. Now that scientists have a clearer understanding of what makes some fats healthy and others unhealthy, many are putting this knowledge to work to create custom oils that are packed with health-boosting properties. One example is the recently-released cooking oil Enova, which has two, rather than the traditional three, fatty acids. This innovative structural difference makes it easier for the body to process it without storing it as fat.

If you want more information about which oils and fats are compatible with your weight loss effort, consult with your doctor or another licensed medical professional. Don't forget to check here each week for cutting-edge diet and weight loss news.

New Studies Focus on Identifying the Most Effective Weight Loss Motivation Techniques

Most people don't have any trouble starting a new diet; in fact, recent surveys indicate that as many of one-third of all American adults consider themselves to be following a weight-loss regimen at any given time. These survey results also indicate that the most popular times to start new diets include Mondays, the first calendar day of the month, and the weeks following the New Year.

Starting a diet may not be a problem -- but staying on that diet long enough to see real results is often a major challenge for men and women seeking to shed excess pounds. Most people who start new diets quit them within a month. Even more distressing is the news that constantly starting new diets -- a practice commonly referred to as "yo-yo dieting" -- can actually have a harmful impact on health.

Taking all of this into consideration, researchers around the world have been exploring the role of motivation in weight loss, looking for the things that will help overweight and obese people stick it out until their battle is won. This week, we'll take a look at the most striking recent findings to emerge from the field of weight loss motivation.

Researchers Clash over Controversial "Park Avenue Diet"

The next in a long line of popular, "name brand" diets to emerge in recent years, the Park Avenue Diet focuses specifically on the issue of weight loss motivation. The plan's weight loss regimen in and of itself is not that revolutionary -- basically, it sticks to the basic formula of complex carbohydrates, whole grains, and low-GI fruits and veggies that many other recent diet plans have suggested.

However, what's different about the Park Avenue Diet is that it places a major focus on dieters' external appearance during the weight loss process. Along with visits for blood work and nutritional consultations, dieters who pay the $950 fee can also schedule appointments for beauty parlor pampering, such as highlights and spa treatments. The objective is to help dieters gain confidence in their appearance while shedding pounds and keep them focused on gradually improving their look over time.

While experts agree that this approach to weight loss may be motivating, some decry the diet as overly superficial. Keri Gans, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, asserted that successful weight loss efforts should focus on participants' health, rather than their hair color.

Social Support is a rucial Part of Weight Loss Motivation

In the past, it was widely assumed that willpower and determination were the most important ingredients in a successful weight loss effort. However, a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill indicates that finding a social network of like-minded weight loss buddies may be more helpful.

The researchers analyzed the weight loss data from the Framingham Heart Study, one of the largest longitudinal diet studies ever conducted. Specifically, the scientists sought to determine how the social environments of both successful and unsuccessful dieters may have played a role in the outcome of their weight loss efforts.

Across the board, the researchers found that the most successful dieters were those who had a substantial social network to fall back on during the weight loss process. Examples of healthy social environments that were identified in the study included weight-loss groups, low-fat or low-carb cooking classes, gyms, exercise classes, running clubs or outdoor enthusiast groups. Conversely, social activities that ran counter to weight loss and good health were found to stymie successful dieting outcomes.

Money May Motivate Some Dieters to Achieve Weight Loss Success

Some dieters are motivated by a desire to improve their health, while others find comfort in the thought of being able to wear more fashionable clothes. But according to a study conducted by researchers at the RTI International research institute, the promise of cold, hard cash may be the most powerful motivator for some men and women seeking to shed pounds.

With health care costs and insurance premiums rising, many companies are looking for programs that can promote healthier lifestyles among employees. According to the study's results, paying employees for pounds lost can be a very effective means of achieving this goal. Even when the payout was as little as $7 for each pound lost, the results were encouraging. The study's authors said that more companies may look to cash incentives as a solution as the obesity epidemic continues to contribute to spiraling health care costs.

If you're having difficulty with weight loss motivation, your physician or another licensed health care practitioner may be able help you connect with the professional resources you need to make your diet work. Check back each week for the breaking research news that can help you succeed in your weight loss journey.