For those wishing to lose weight and keep it off, here’s a simple strategy that works: step on a scale each day and track the results.
A two-year Cornell study, recently published in the Journal of Obesity, found that frequent self weighing and tracking results on a chart were effective for both losing weight and keeping it off, especially for men.
Subjects who lost weight the first year in the program were able to maintain that lost weight throughout the second year. This is important because studies show that about 40 percent of weight lost with any dietary treatment is regained in one year, and almost 100 percent of weight loss is regained at the end of five years.
By charting daily weights on an excel spreadsheet or even a piece of graph paper, it forces awareness of the connection between eating and weight.
There was no prescription for losing weight so everyone determined their own of method of losing the weight. Some people reduced portion size, stopped snacking or skipped a meal. Losing 1 percent of body weight requires most people to cut only about 150 calories a day for two weeks.
Once they maintained that weight loss for 10 days, the program then gave them a new target to lose another 1 percent, and so on. The goal was to lose a total of 10 percent of their starting body weight.
There was a significant difference between men and women, with women losing weight on the program, but far less than the men. This method seemed to work better for men than women, for reasons the researchers were unable to determine. Overall, the researchers believe that stepping on a scale and tracking one’s weight acts as a reinforcement for some behaviors, such as eating less. This daily activity also strengthens other behaviors such as going for a walk in order to maintain body weight.
References: Carly R. Pacanowski, David A. Levitsky. Frequent Self-Weighing and Visual Feedback for Weight Loss in Overweight Adults. Journal of Obesity, 2015; 2015: 1 DOI:10.1155/2015/763680
What Is Genetic Testing?
Gone are the days of waiting to develop a disease. Genomics (the study of DNA sequencing) is offering new possibilities for diagnosing, treating and even preventing diseases. With currently available genomic testing, it is possible to know what diseases you are at risk for. With this knowledge, lifestyle changes and even early treatment can be initiated to prevent diseases. A growing understanding of human genetics holds the promise to dramatically change health care through customized preventative care and treatments.
What is The Difference Between Genetic Testing & Genomic Testing
First, it is important to understand the difference between genetic testing and genomic testing. The word genetics refers to the study of individual genes and their role in disease or inheritance. Genomics refers to an individual’s entire genetic make-up. Genomic testing is used to the study of all of a person’s genes, including interactions of those genes with each other and with the environment. Genomics can provide a better understanding of how genes, lifestyle choices, and environmental factors can impact disease. Certain environmental or behavioral factors play a role in whether a disease develop; for instance, diet, exercise stress levels, and proximity to pollutants or toxins.
What Can Genomic Testing Be Used For?
Currently, genomic testing can be used to determine risk of developing cancer, heart disease, asthma, diabetes and certain inherited diseases. This type of testing can be used to improve or maintain health and wellness as well. Targeted nutrition and exercise, as well as drug response to specific medications, can be determined via genomics. Importantly, genomic testing can indicate treatments likely to cause adverse effects, and can also indicate what treatments may be most effective.
Genomic testing can also act as a catalyst for behavioral change. Clinical studies have shown that individuals who follow a genetically appropriate diet lose weight more easily. The genomic testing offered at SoCal BHRT tests a variety of genes that influence response to diet, metabolism, and exercise, as well as the propensity to develop certain health conditions and likely response to specific medications.
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An estimated one-third of all cancers may be attributable to excess body fat – including cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, reproductive organs, urinary tract, blood, bone, and thyroid. Nour Makarem, from New York University (New York, USA), and colleagues analyzed medical and dietary data collected on 2,983 men and women enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study. To ascertain the relationship between the cancer prevention recommendations and cancer incidence, the researchers created a seven-point score based on the recommendations for body fat, physical activity, foods that promote weight gain, plant foods, animal foods, alcohol consumption, and food preparation and processing. Whereas the overall score did not associate with obesity-related cancer risk, the team did observe that when score components were evaluated separately, two different measures emerged as strong predictors of cancer risk.
Specifically, the adherence to alcohol recommendations – limiting alcoholic drinks to two for men and one for women a day — was protective against obesity-related cancers combined and against breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers.
In addition, among participants who consume starchy vegetables, eating sufficient non-starchy plant foods (fruits, vegetables, and legumes) was associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
The study authors conclude that: “Lower alcohol consumption and a plant-based diet consistent with the cancer prevention guidelines were associated with reduced risk of obesity-related cancers in this population.”
To find out more about anti aging, and the best behaviors to prevent cancer, contact the Southern California Center For Anti Aging today.
Source: Nour Makarem, Yong Lin, Elisa V. Bandera, Paul F. Jacques, Niyati Parekh. “Concordance with World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) guidelines for cancer prevention and obesity-related cancer risk in the Framingham Offspring cohort (1991–2008).” Cancer Causes & Control, 6 Jan. 2015.
