News

Independent and Small-Chain Restaurant Meals Exceed Recommended Daily Calorie Needs

 BOSTON, MA (May 13, 2013, 4pm EDT) – As the restaurant industry prepares to implement new rules requiring chains with 20 or more locations to post calorie content information, the results of a new study suggest that it would be beneficial to public health for all restaurants to provide consumers with the nutritional content of their products.  Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University analyzed meals from independent and small- chain restaurants, which account for approximately 50% of the nation’s res

Eggs, even with their cholesterol, are a good source of protein for most people

Nutrition expert Alice Lichtenstein talks about the health benefits of eating eggs.

Omega-3 fatty acids tied to longer life: study

Nutrition expert Alice Lichtenstein comments on a potential connection between consumption of fish and longevity. 

Workplaces can be good weight-loss sites, researchers say

A Tufts study found that work-based weight loss programs are highly successful. 

Babies of Obese Mothers at Risk for Iron Deficiency

A new study has found that obese women are more likely to have babies with lower levels of iron, a mineral that is crucial for nervous system development in the early stages of life.

The cause may be the low-grade, chronic inflammation that is associated with obesity.

Inflammation, an abnormal immune response to extra fat in the body, raises levels of hepcidin, a hormone that helps balance iron levels. Obese people tend to make too much of it and also tend to have less iron in their blood.

Little Locavores

A few years ago, the Square One child-care centers in Springfield, Mass., made some adjustments to their menus. The changes brought arguments from the kids, although not the kind you might expect. Food Service Director Sara Teece recalls some of the 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds insisted that the pears they were gobbling up were not pears. They had eaten pears, they said—pale, squishy chunks swimming in juice—not these things that looked like they may have come off a tree.

“They had never seen a fresh pear before,” Teece says.

Michelle Obama, Tufts Make New Push For More Active School Kids

ChildObesity 180, led by Christina Economos, will award grants to schools to launch a selection of award-winning physical activity programs. 

Persuading Moms to Breastfeed

One of the federal government’s goals in tweaking the content of its food packages for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program was to encourage more new mothers to breastfeed. The changes, which took effect in 2009, produced mixed results, however.

For many years, WIC has provided low-income new mothers with monthly checks or vouchers to purchase healthy foods to supplement their diets and those of their infants. Mothers have also been offered supplies of infant formula.

Study finds menu labels may influence how much diners eat

Nutrition expert Lorien Urban comments on a new study finding printed calorie counts on menus steered the least healthy diners to better dishes.

Calcium supplements may be bad for a man's heart

Tufts research found that too much calcium intake can have a negative effect on men's heart health. 

Is dieting or exercise better for losing weight?

Are you diligently exercising but seeing no results around your midsection? It’s not just you.

Two new studies may explain why many people who begin exercise programs often lose little to no weight in the long run.

You Are 'When' You Eat, New Study Finds

Tufts collaborated on a study that found people who ate large meals later in the day had more difficulty losing weight than those who ate later.

Work It Off

Michael was athletic as a kid. As an adult, he biked, skied and hiked. “I was very skinny all my life until I got married,” he says. “And then I just...exploded,” packing an extra 60 pounds onto his 5-foot-9-inch frame. He tried cutting out soft drinks, drinking a lot of water, eating more fruits and vegetables. But, he says, “whatever I did didn’t make much difference.”

So when he spotted a notice at his company seeking subjects for a Tufts research study on weight loss, the 55-year-old software project leader was intrigued.

Carriers of Gene Variant Appear Less Likely to Develop Heart Disease

BOSTON – Scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University have discovered a new gene mechanism that appears to regulate triglyceride levels. This pathway may protect carriers of a gene variant against cardiovascular disease, especially among those with greater intakes of polyunsaturated fat (PUFA).

Mild Vitamin B12 Deficiency Associated with Accelerated Cognitive Decline

BOSTON— Being mildly vitamin B-12 deficient could be an indication that some older adults are at a greater risk for accelerated cognitive decline, an observational study from researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University suggests.

How to maintain a healthy weight: A (not so) secret source

Nutrition expert Susan Roberts offers advice to women on how to maintain a healthy diet during pregnancy.

Fat Molecule Ceramide May Factor in Muscle Loss in Older Adults

BOSTON–As men and women age, increasing quantities of fat tissue inevitably take up residence in skeletal muscle. A small study of older and younger men conducted at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University suggests that a build-up of a fat molecule known as ceramide might play a leading role in muscle deterioration in older adults. The results of the study were published online this month by the Journal of Applied Physiology, a publication of the American Physiological Society.

The Search for Foods that Soothe

See the related story on chronic inflammation, “The Body on Fire.” >>

There is some evidence that what we eat can affect inflammation. Perhaps not coincidentally, many of these foods are the same ones you’ve heard recommended as defenders against heart disease and cancer.

Get out and walk more to meet activity guidelines

Nutrition expert Miriam Nelson gives tips to people who walk for exercise. 

Lawsuit claims Pork Producers Council scammed $60 million from farmers

Nutrition expert Parke Wilde discusses the government's "contradictory" nutrition policies.

New WIC Policy Followed by Mixed Changes in Infant Feeding, Researchers Find

BOSTON─ In 2009, the federal government’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) changed the make-up of its food packages to meet several nutritional goals, including stronger promotion of breastfeeding. For new mothers participating in WIC, there were mixed outcomes after implementation of the policy change, according to an analysis from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science Policy at Tufts University and the global research and program implementation firm Abt Associates.

It's not just how many calories, but what kind, study finds

Nutrition expert Susan Roberts comments on a study that found food type can be just as important as the calorie quantity for weight loss. 

Tufts’ School Opens Obesity Clinic for Pets

GRAFTON, Mass.--The nation’s obesity epidemic reaches far beyond adults and children to our pets, who share our homes and often our dietary habits and lack of exercise. To address this, the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University has created the nation’s first obesity clinic geared especially for pets and overseen by a full-time, board-certified veterinary nutritionist.

Watching Your Weight

The average American spends more than 150 hours a month in front of the television—that’s six days—and never mind other sedentary hours we spend with computers or mobile devices. As our screen time has exploded, so has the national waistline. Two thirds of adults are overweight, and childhood obesity has more than doubled in the last 20 years.

Study: Organic food no more nutritious

Nutrition professor Miriam Nelson comments on a study that found organic produce is not more nutritious that non-organic produce.   

Fat but Fit

Being overweight doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t shoot hoops and run bases like the rest of them. For overweight or obese children, it seems being or becoming fit may even lead to a healthier weight as they grow.

Olympians Hanging Up Cleats Risk Drug Addict-Like Ills

Nutrition experts at Tufts found that exercise, when taken to the extreme, can have addictive like properties.

Improving the Odds for Ethiopia’s Children

Aided by a $7.3 million grant, the largest in its history, the Feinstein International Center at the Friedman School will conduct on-the-ground research aimed at breaking the centuries-old cycle of child hunger and malnutrition in Ethiopia by strengthening existing nutrition interventions.

New York City Trans Fat Ban Can Serve as Model for Creating a Healthier U.S. Food Supply

BOSTON – By requiring commercial food establishments to replace trans fats with oils and spreads that are low in trans and saturated fats, New York City provides a good template for initiating public health measures to improve the quality of meals purchased outside the home, Tufts University Nutrition Scientist Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, writes in an editorial published July 17 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Weighing a Fat Tax

As health-care providers and law-makers struggle to deal with the nation’s ongoing obesity epidemic, the debate continues on whether taxing unhealthy foods would encourage us to eat better. If we have to pay more for a Coke or a Twinkie, we’ll back off from buying some of the soda and junk food, or so the thinking goes.

Supersized servings a big concern

Nutrition expert Susan Roberts discusses the health hazards with large food portions.

UK experts: Tax soda to fight obesity epidemic

Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein warns that a soda tax may cause soda drinkers to switch to other equally unhealthy beverages.

Fresh vs. Canned: Can You Get Healthy Food from a Can?

New research by Nutrition professor Cathy Kapica has shown that canned foods over fresh are a more convenient source of nutrients.

In Poppy War, Taliban Aim to Protect a Cash Crop

David Mansfield from the Feinstein International Center researched the benefits of poppy farming for families in Afghanistan.

Is your social network sabotaging your health?

Nutrition expert Miriam Nelson says that "social networks" impact people's nutrition choices, in good and bad ways.

Tufts U Sciences Knowledgebase Goes Open Source

Susan Albright, director of Tufts University’s Sciences Knowledgebase (TUSK) discusses how the system is now open source.

Superfruit, or just a plain old Clark Kent fruit?

Nutrition professor Barbara Hale comments on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of "superfruits."

A Nutrition Label for the News

Nutrition expert Sean Cash discusses nutritional labeling.

Corner Store Makeovers

Walk into most any convenience store and you’ll face a colorful array of chips, candy and other calorie-laden snacks. Now imagine, instead, baskets of bananas and oranges and in place of a cooler stocked with soda, a refrigerator packed with green peppers, apples and lettuce.

Are the bacteria that make food smell and taste bad the same ones that make you sick?

Taste and smell are not reliable indicators of food safety. Some bacteria that cause food-borne illness do not have off-flavors associated with them. Clostridium botulinum, for example, produces a tasteless but deadly toxin. One clue that it may be present is a bulging lid on canned food. Any cans with bulging lids should be discarded without opening, and disposed of beyond the reach of children and pets. However, botulinum poisoning is not limited to canned foods. It can occur in other foods stored improperly.

Ben and Jerry's joins Greek yogurt craze

Nutrition expert Miriam Nelson debunks the myth that all Greek yogurts are nutritious.

Warning: Sitting is hazardous to your health

Nutrition expert Miriam Nelson warns that 30 minutes a day of moderate activity is not enough to cancel out 7-8 hours of constant sitting.

Tufts Center’s Largest Funding Award Addresses Chronic Child Hunger in Ethiopia

BOSTON -- The Feinstein International Center (FIC) at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University will lead on-the-ground research aimed at breaking the centuries-old  cycle of child undernutrition in Ethiopia by strengthening existing nutrition interventions. The FIC’s $7.3 million award is the largest in the center’s 15-year history.

Too Much of a Good Thing?

When the FDA mandated the fortification of grain products with folic acid in 1996, it resulted in a dramatic 40 to 50 percent decrease in the number of babies born with neural tube defects, one of the most common birth defects. But the protection of our children may have come at the expense of our elderly. High folic acid intake may be harming older adults in ways that the FDA didn’t predict.

Gingrich Labeling Obama as 'Food-Stamp President' Draws Critics

Nutrition professor Parke Wilde is surprised by Newt Gingrich's derision towards the popular food stamp program.

Groceries hire companies to score foods' nutritional value

Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein says that more consumer research is needed before any new nutritional value scoring system can be released.

Body by Boston: Eat Right

The Friedman School's Robin Kanarek led a study about mood response to "good" and "bad" foods with equal calories.

The Politics of Famine

The news made headlines in July: The United Nations declared famine in drought-stricken Somalia, warning that up to 750,000 people, most of them young children, could perish. It brought memories of Ethiopia in the mid-1980s, with pictures of starving children and massive shipments of food aid.

Is Being Fat Contagious?

Did you know there is a growing body of evidence that being fat is contagious?

In 2007, researchers at Harvard Medical School released a study that found a person’s chance of becoming obese appeared to climb by 57 percent if a friend of the same sex was obese. Among close mutual friends, the risk of obesity climbed by 171 percent.

A 2008 study found similar results among adolescents, with a teen’s body weight tending to be similar to that of his or her closest friends. This was especially true among girls.

Eat Against the Clock

“Sure, you may want to eat better, lose weight or set a better example for your kids, but those noble goals fall by the wayside when you’re dealing with an iPhone that chirps every two minutes.” So writes Patricia Bannan, N99, on the opening page of her recent book Eat Right When Time Is Tight (NorLightsPress), a nutrition guide for people who are too “overbooked, overloaded and overwhelmed” to figure out a healthy eating plan.

AMD-like Lesions Delayed in Mice Fed Lower Glycemic Index Diet

BOSTON (November 14, 2011) -- Feeding older mice a lower glycemic index (GI) diet consisting of slowly-digested carbohydrates delays the onset of age-related, sight-threatening retinal lesions, according to a new study from the Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University.

Eat Well, Age Well

If you are what’s called an “older adult”—in the neighborhood of 70 and northwards—and want to know the best diet for someone your age, nutritionists at Tufts University have your back. They’ve just released the latest recommendations based on MyPlate, the federal government’s new food group symbol, but specifically tailored for older Americans.

Sustainable Me

As a student in the Agriculture, Food and Environment Program, Asta Schuette, N10, studied companies that seamlessly weave environmental responsibility and local resources into their business models, reducing and recycling their way to a utopia of sustainability.

“You read these case studies and you think ‘This is great; this is awesome!’ ” Schuette said. “To put it into practice, it’s a whole other story.”

Label Plan Offered to Rate Food Nutrition

Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein is part of a USDA panel that is recommending a food rating system to inform consumers about nutritional content.

Virtual Trip To 'Local' Food Market Can't Beat The Real Thing Yet

Parke Wilde from the Friedman School comments on online food markets that offer local produce options.

Are vitamin supplements healthy or deadly?

Nutrition professor Jeffrey Blumberg is a participant in a brief Q&A prompted by two recent observation studies linking supplement use with mortality and cancer risk.

Nutrition Scientist Touring the U.S. to Inspire Healthier Communities

BOSTON– A small Alaskan city that prides itself on world-class King Salmon fishing is the starting point of a 10-week, cross-county tour for Miriam E. Nelson, PhD, director of the John Hancock Research Center on Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Beginning today in Kenai, Alaska, Nelson’s StrongWomen Across America tour aims to initiate grass-roots, community-wide changes in the food and physical activity environments of eight rural communities.

'Change Clubs' get Americans moving

Nutrition professor Miriam Nelson is criss-crossing the country to motivate people to choose healthy lifestyles.

USA becomes Food Stamp Nation but is it sustainable?

Nutrition professor Parke Wilde talks about how federal budget cuts could affect the food stamp program.

Price Check on Aisle 9

Does it seem like you need a second mortgage to fill your cart at the grocery store these days? Are these price spikes that hit us at the checkout line for real, or not as bad as they seem?

A lot depends on which prices you consider. Take the old standby of meat and potatoes. According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over the past two years a pound of ground beef went from an average of $2.23 per pound to $2.77, an increase of almost 25 percent. By contrast, potato prices rose over the past two years from $.63 to $.69 per pound, an increase of only 8 percent.

Study: Healthy eating is privilege of the rich

Nutrition professor Parke Wilde comments on research about the high cost of maintaining a balanced diet.

Can eating a high-sodium diet still hurt me even if I don’t have high blood pressure?

Although you are not hypertensive now, there are some reasons why it would be a good idea to start moderating your sodium intake. As we age, our blood pressure tends to rise. This does not happen to everyone, but it does happen to the majority of people.

In addition, as we age, it can become more and more difficult to change food habits. Gradually lowering sodium intake over a few years can make the transition easier. Limited data also suggest that even people with normal blood pressure benefit from a modest reduction in sodium.

Bowing To Pressure, McDonald's Makes Happy Meals More Healthful

Nutrition expert Eileen Kennedy responds to McDonald's redesigned Happy Meal.

Somali Famine Crisis

Friedman school Dean Patrick Webb is a guest on a radio program about famine in Somalia.

Nutrition Researchers Examine Restaurants' Calorie Counts

BOSTON  − Disclosing the calories in restaurant foods to customers holds promise as a strategy to lower the nation’s obesity rate. However, a new study of food items from national chain restaurants found that while stated calories on restaurant menus and websites were accurate on average, 19% of individual samples differed from laboratory measurements by more than 100 calories and lower calorie foods tended to contain more than listed.

Salt diet dangers may be influenced by potassium

Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein warns about the link between high salt intake and heart disease.

Eradication of a Global Disease

Joining in today’s United Nations celebration of the world’s second eradicated disease are three Tufts University researchers whose pioneering work allowed a rinderpest vaccine to traverse the Sahara in the world’s most remote areas and save cattle from the disease.

The Surf and Turf Connection

What do farmers and fishermen dream about? A bumper crop of zucchini and calm seas? Perhaps. But both lose sleep over some of the same things: finding markets for their products, transporting their goods cheaply, tapping into the local foods movement and protecting the natural resources on which they both depend.

Impossible to please

Nutrition professor Susan Roberts applauds restaurant patrons who specify their dining needs in order to stay healthy.

Stress-busting drinks take off

Nutrition expert Alice Lichtenstein warns against the fad of "relaxation drinks."

Sussing Out Calcium Supplements and Heart Disease Risk

According to nutrition professor Bess Dawson-Hughes, recent research "can't provide any definitive answers about whether calcium supplements are tied to heart disease."

A Running Theme

The day dawned crisp and cool in Hopkinton, Mass., the starting point for the 115th Boston Marathon on April 18. Approximately 200 members of the Tufts President’s Marathon Challenge ran the 26.2-mile course for the ninth consecutive year.

Students, staff, faculty, alumni, family and friends from across the country trained together under the guidance of Coach Don Megerle and raised money in support of nutrition, medical and fitness programs at Tufts. The challenge, the brainchild of Tufts President Lawrence S. Bacow, has raised nearly $3 million since its inception.

Interim Dean Named at Friedman School

The Tufts University psychologist Robin Kanarek, who has gained international acclaim for her work in nutrition and behavior, has been named interim dean of the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, effective July 1. A member of the faculty for 34 years, Kanarek is a former dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

The current dean, Eileen T. Kennedy, announced earlier this year that she would step down June 30 after leading the school for seven years.

Radiation no reason to load up on supplements, health experts say

According to nutrition expert Jeffrey Blumberg, antioxidants cannot reverse the effects of radiation poisoning.

Diet-Exercise Combo Seems to Work Best for Obese Seniors

Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein comments on new research that found obese seniors lost weight with a program emphasizing diet and exercise.

Many Obese Moms and Kids Underestimate Their Weight

According to nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein, American perceptions of what is a "normal" shape are shifting as the country becomes more overweight.

Health Buzz: U.S. Life Expectancy Hits All-Time High

Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein comments on the new American life expectancy of 78 years.

Grocery-shopping mistakes to steer clear of

Tufts researchers found several nutritional benefits associated with eating whole grains.