Obesity and Diabetes
Regular intake of sugary beverages, not diet soda, associated with prediabetes
November 15, 2016
An epidemiological analysis of data from 1,685 adult Americans finds that regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, but not diet soda, is associated with increased risk of prediabetes and increased insulin resistance.
Study finds link between childhood cancer and poor dietary quality in adulthood
March 2, 2017
Survivors of childhood cancer have poor adherence to federal dietary guidelines in adulthood, a new study finds.
High variability suggests glycemic index unreliable indicator of blood sugar response
September 12, 2016
Glycemic index values can vary by 20 percent within an individual and 25 percent among individuals, according to the results of a controlled feeding clinical trial.
Healthy Fats and Improvement of Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes
July 20, 2016
Eating more healthy fats in place of either carbs or saturated fats improves risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
The Diet and Disease Connection
May 31, 2016
Alexandra Simas, a doctoral student at the Friedman School, is no novice at making connections between diet and disease. Her first patient was, well, herself.
A Closer Look at Children's Physical Activity Patterns
July 28, 2016
Children are far from meeting national guidelines for physical activity, and girls are at greatest risk of falling short of recommendations according to a study measuring the physical activity of 453 schoolchildren in Massachusetts during a one-week period.
Dangerous Drinks
June 28, 2017
In public health circles, it’s often called the low-hanging fruit. If people could just kick the sugar-sweetened beverage habit, it would make a huge dent in the number of empty calories they consume. Sugary drinks often have no nutrients other than sugar, so it’s a simple cut-it-out message that even kids can understand—no fussing with fiber grams or glycemic index rankings, no shopping for fruits and vegetables.
Restaurant Meals Tipping the Scales
July 28, 2016
Meals consumed at fast-food restaurants are often seen as one of the biggest contributors to the obesity epidemic. But according to a new study in the Journal of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 92 percent of 364 measured restaurant meals from both large-chain and non-chain (local) restaurants exceeded recommended calorie requirements for a single meal. In 123 restaurants in three cities across America, the research team found that a single meal serving, without beverages, appetizers, or desserts sometimes exceeded the caloric requirements for an entire day. 
Daily Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Habit Linked to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
January 8, 2018
A daily sugar-sweetened beverage habit may increase the risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University report today in the Journal of Hepatology. 
Cancer and Nutrition
July 27, 2016
A new study from Friedman's Fang Fang Zhang compared the dietary patterns of cancer survivors to federal guidelines, and found that they often fall short. Published in CANCER this week, and covered by the Los Angeles Times, her findings point to the need for dietary interventions in this vulnerable population.