Posts Tagged ‘evidence based medicine’

Have you seen the headlines this week about research that proves fasting can cure diabetes? Basic science research is building a wealth of knowledge about obesity and the metabolic dysfunction that results. Research in animals is providing invaluable clues for treating this disease. But let’s face it. Reporting on this research is sometimes abysmal. The […]

The medical benefits of bariatric surgery for teens with severe obesity has become increasingly clear as trials such as the Teen-LABS study are providing more data on long-term outcomes. In Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology this month, two more studies (here and here) provide evidence for long-term benefits. Subjective Resistance But the more difficult hurdle is […]

Today in the New England Journal of Medicine, five-year results of a randomized, controlled trial show that bariatric surgery is six times better than intensive medical treatment for controlling type 2 diabetes. That’s right. Six times better chances for success after five years. Without surgery, the outcomes were dramatically worse. This study, known as the […]

A new paper in the February issue of Pediatric Obesity probes an important question. Can a gardening, cooking, and nutrition program exert an effect on obesity risk for Latino youth? At first glance, the results are encouraging. Right there in the title, the authors answer the question. The LA Sprouts program “reduces obesity and metabolic […]

Here’s a bit of nutrition advice that holds up pretty well under close scrutiny. Whole grains have been front and center in dietary guidelines for decades now. Epidemiology studies have long found that whole grains and dietary fiber correlate with health benefits such as better glycemic control, better insulin sensitivity, less heart disease, and less weight gain. Now, two new […]

Little fibs are among the biggest challenges in nutrition research. These little fibs show up in food diaries – self-reports of what a person in a nutrition study has eaten. People misremember, they fudge, or they might write down what they wish they had eaten. Mostly, people try to be honest, but little fibs add up […]

Whether you’re reading consumer or scientific literature these days, healthy fats are a hot topic. The problem is that you’ll run into the quite a bit of conflicting information. The history is tortured. And unfortunately, even as science resolves some issues, others keep cropping up. For nearly 30 years, nutrition guidelines emphasized low-fat and low […]

As the prevalence of severe childhood obesity continues to grow, the gap in resources and guidelines for pediatric obesity care is reaching a crisis. In Clinical Obesity this month, Timothy Nissen and colleagues published an analysis of the evidence for current pediatric obesity guidelines. They found existing guidelines are out of date. The evidence supporting them is […]

Dietary supplements live in a unique regulatory space. That space lies somewhere between food and drugs. Sometimes that’s just fine. Vitamins and minerals that your body really needs can be well-regulated for purity and safety. But therapeutic agents also squeeze into this space. For example, glucosamine and chondroitin supplements advertise benefits like “joint mobility.” People with […]

Perhaps you’ve noticed that public trust has evaporated this year. Recently, Edelman reported that trust in government, business, nonprofits, and the media dropped across the board and around the world in 2016. In nearly two decades of tracking public trust, Edelman has never before seen such a broad and dramatic drop. A vigorous discussion about the […]