Research Shows that Diet Matters When it Comes to Disease Risk

Every week, it seems as if a new study has linked yet another favorite food to a dreaded disease, illness, or health condition. In fact, the number of disease-food connections that researchers have made in the last decade along is truly staggering. There are so many health advisories floating around about different foods that the prospect of selecting a disease-preventing diet can be quite confusing.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that some of the most longstanding food-disease links have been overturned by new research in recent years. Products like processed vegetable oils and margarines, for example, which were once thought to limit disease risk by reducing saturated fat intake, are now being regarded as possible health suspects.

Indeed, the task of keeping track of which foods scientists say are linked to heightened risk of disease can be a formidable challenge. This week, we'll review some of the latest findings that have shed light on the connection between diet and disease.

Diets High in Processed Carbohydrates Linked to Prostate Cancer and Tumor Growth

Over the course of the last decade, a great deal of controversy has swirled around the low-carb diets popularized by Dr. Atkins and other similar plans like the South Beach Diet, Protein Power, and Sugar Busters.

Although the scientific community is still divided over the health and safety of diets that largely eschew fruits, grains, and other carbohydrates, the results of one recent study seem to indicate that high-carb diets may promote prostate cancer and prostate tumor growth.

The study compared the rate of prostate cancer tumor growth in two groups of mice fed different levels of carbohydrates. In the high-carb group, the spread of the cancer was observed to be much more rapid and severe than in the group of mice fed a low-carb diet. The researchers speculated that the difference could be attributed to fluctuating insulin levels, which are a common side effect of the standard high-carb way of eating.

Low-Quality Diets Found to Increase Cancer Risks for Poor Minority Women

It has long been known that poor and socioeconomically disadvantaged people often fare worse when it comes to health than do their more affluent counterparts. However, the results of a study that were recently released by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health pinpointed specifically how poor dietary choices can play a major role in impeding the health of impoverished people.

The study followed a population of more than 150 African-American women living in public housing in and around Washington, D.C. It tracked dietary intake, as well as a number of other common measures of overall health.

According to the researchers, the women in the study typically had diets that deviated significantly from the generally accepted standards of healthy eating. In fact, more than 60% of the participants did not meet any of the recommended government guidelines for a healthy diet.

The researchers connected the participants' poor diets to the group's higher-than-average cancer risk. According to the scientists who led the study, poor African-American women have a greater risk of cancer mortality than any other ethnic or demographic group in the United States. Most of the women who participated in the study later joined in a related investigation in which they attended nutrition and health-promotion classes.

High-Fiber Diets Found to Decrease Diabetes Risks

While researchers have long recognized that diet plays a major role in the origins and management of Type II diabetes, recent studies have focused on delineating the specific impact of certain eating patterns on the disease.

A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine sought to assess the connection between a higher-fiber, lower-carb dietary pattern and diabetes development and regulation. The investigation drew on data that had been collected as part of the massive, multi-state Black Women's Health Study.

According to the study's findings, women whose diets included high-carb, low-fiber foods with an overall higher glycemic index were more likely to develop diabetes. Conversely, women whose diets included lower-carb and higher-fiber menu selections appeared to enjoy a measure of protection against the disease.

It is not necessary to cut out carbs and grains altogether to prevent diabetes, the researchers cautioned. However, by choosing higher-fiber foods that take longer to digest and do not impact the blood glucose levels as severely, the diet can play an important role in protecting against the development of the disease.

If you have more questions about the relationship between diet and disease, talk to your doctor or a licensed nutritionist to work out an eating plan that's tailored to your health profile. Don't forget to check back here each week for more of the health science news you need.

Researchers Learn More About Origins and Treatment Options

for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

For the more than 600,000 Americans who struggle with ongoing gastrointestinal pain and discomfort, inflammatory bowel disease is no laughing matter. Those diagnosed with this disorder regularly suffer from troubling symptoms such as diarrhea, cramping, bloating, bleeding, and weight fluctuations.

For IBD sufferers, even the simple act of eating a favorite meal can suddenly trigger a painful attack. Despite decades of dedicated research, the exact causes of the disease remain unknown to scientists, so the development of a universally effective treatment plan has proven to be an elusive challenge.

Although several prescription drug regimens have been introduced to help those diagnosed with IBD cope with their symptoms, complete alleviation of all IBD-related discomfort is rare. For most patients, a diagnosis of IBD can result in a lifetime of chronic gastrointestinal pain that can hinder their ability to function independently and significantly hamper quality of life.

Scientists around the world remain focused on the challenge of uncovering more information about inflammatory bowel disease. This week, we'll review a few of the most promising findings from this field.

Recent Study May Signal a Breakthrough in IBD Treatment

Despite years of research, the search for an effective pharmacological treatment for inflammatory bowel disease and its most severe form, Crohn's disease, has long been unsuccessful. However, according to the results of a recent study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, a new treatment protocol based on the drug Infliximab has shown significant promise.

According to the Italian research team that led the study, a treatment method based on Infliximab has many of the same benefits and none of the long-term side effects associated with corticosteroids, the long-time standard treatment method for IBD sufferers. The study demonstrated that scheduled doses of Infliximab can induce and maintain a long-term state of remission with none of the flare-ups that are often observed in patients being treated with corticosteroids. In addition, none of the major negative health impacts of extended corticosteroid use were observed in the patients treated with Infliximab.

There are some documented health concerns associated with the new treatment regimen, including a concern that opportunistic infections and autoimmune reactions could develop with extended use. However, the researchers remain optimistic that these findings could hold promise for millions of IBD sufferers worldwide.

Researchers Recommend Revised Criteria for IBD Surgery

For patients with severe forms of inflammatory bowel disease, surgical removal of selected sections of the colon is a frequently used form of treatment. Although the surgery has a lasting impact on the patient's gastroenterological function, it sometimes represents the only effective way to quell the inflammation and chronic pain that can hinder the health and well-being of IBD patients.

Traditionally, the selection criteria used to determine which IBD patients should be considered for partial colon removal have been quite strict. Because the surgery is a drastic measure that impacts the entire digestive system, doctors usually reserved the procedure for only the most severely impacted patients.

However, according to the results of a recent study published in the British Medical Journal, the current standards of determining who should qualify for the surgery may be overly stringent. The researchers found that many patients who do not fit the currently accepted criteria could potentially benefit from the procedure.

They found that patients who underwent elective colon surgery had improved longevity, less chronic pain, and better quality of life than their counterparts who either did not undergo the surgery, or who were forced to have emergency surgery as the result of a severe flare-up. As a result of these findings, the researchers recommended a large-scale reassessment of current surgery qualification procedures.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Shares a Genetic Link with Arthritis

A great deal of recent research activity has been directed towards the challenge of uncovering the origins of inflammatory bowel disease. In hopes of developing preventive treatments, scientists have sought to pinpoint the genetic components of IBD.

One significant breakthrough was recently achieved by a team of Icelandic researchers at Landspitali University Hospital. In the midst of conducting a genetic case study of the disease among the small nation's population, it was found that inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis often clustered together in family groups.

However, although this finding does represent an important step forward in IBD research, it creates almost as many questions as it answers. The researchers confirmed the importance of moving forward with further investigation into the genetic components of IBD and possible gene therapies based on the findings.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, it's important to work closely with a skilled medical team to ensure optimal treatment. Be sure to check back each week for more of the health science news that matters to you.