In a recent study, researchers analyzed DNA to create genetic risk scores for type 2 diabetes in 35,759 nurses and health professionals, then calculated each person's diet score over time.
Anyone aged 35 to 70 with overweight or obesity should get screened for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes every three years, says the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Doctors should consider screening American Indians/Alaska Natives, Blacks, Hispanics/Latinos, and Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders at even younger ages, because those groups have a higher risk, said the task force. Ditto for Asian-Americans in the upper half of the “normal” weight range, anyone who had gestational diabetes, or anyone with polycystic ovarian syndrome or a family history of diabetes.
In 2018, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans advised adults to do at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise like brisk walking, cycling, or dancing—or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous exercise like running—every week. And they recommended strength exercises at least twice a week.
Newsflash: Most of us aren’t hitting those targets. We’ll find a routine post-pandemic, after the holidays, when work calms down, when the weather is warmer (or cooler). But our bodies aren’t frozen in time while we’re not exercising. We’re paying a price.
Here are eight reasons to get moving today.
“The case against low-fat milk is stronger than ever,” said TIME.com. The evidence cited by TIME: In a study that tracked roughly 3,000 people for 15 years, those with higher levels of dairy fats in their blood had about a 45 percent lower risk of getting diabetes. What might explain that link?
“What work of genius has ever been composed on chamomile?” asks Michael Pollan in his audiobook Caffeine, as he tries to quit his habit. America runs on caffeine. Roughly 85 percent of us drink at least one caffeinated beverage every day. Here’s the latest on how caffeine affects our health.
When it comes to staying healthy, sometimes it’s hard to know what to believe. Some advice is backed by solid evidence, and some is anything but. Here’s the scoop on some recent scuttlebutt that you may have heard.
In a 2020 study, researchers randomly assigned 147 people aged 18 to 50 who had had type 2 diabetes for no more than three years to either a control group or an intervention group. All had overweight or obesity. Every day for 12 weeks, the intervention group consumed only about 800 calories’ worth of meal replacement foods (like shakes, soups, and bars), plus raw vegetables and two quarts of water.
Everyone eats. So news outlets know that the latest food study is likely to grab eyeballs. But sometimes the media doesn’t get it quite right. Sometimes they neglect to mention that the headline shocker comes from a study in test tubes or from a study that can’t prove cause and effect. Sometimes the study itself is at fault. Often, the media simply repeats a press release’s mistakes. Here are a few “Oops!” stories that confused many.
"Those at most risk for the most serious outcomes of Covid-19, including hospitalization and death, are people afflicted by diet-related chronic diseases (obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease),” wrote the experts advising the government on the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
And that includes many of us, judging by our weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Here’s a snapshot of the nation’s health.
