Blog

Food Addiction and Type 2 Diabetes

Food Addiction and Type 2 Diabetes
Food addiction The idea that ultra-processed foods could be addictive gained traction over the past decade. Ultra-processed foods now account for most of the calories ingested by Americans. Higher intakes of such foods predict increased risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes. A recent review concluded that ultra-processed foods are created in much the same…
more

Light at Night

Light at Night
Accumulating evidence over the past decade suggests that light at night predicts increased risks of multiple adverse health outcomes. Why might this be so? Animal studies show that artificial light exposure at night affects melatonin signaling and disrupts sleep and circadian rhythms, potentially promoting weight gain and obesity. Would nighttime light similarly disrupt human circadian…
more

A (Behavioral) Path to Eat Better

A (Behavioral) Path to Eat Better
Factors that promote a better diet Given the massive benefits of eating better, why don’t most Australians (and Americans) eat a healthy diet? What distinguishes people who change their diet for the better and maintain those changes over the long term? Researchers in Western Australia recruited and interviewed 20 residents who self-reported significant positive changes…
more

Keep Moving to Manage Knee Osteoarthritis

Keep Moving to Manage Knee Osteoarthritis
What is knee osteoarthritis? Knee osteoarthritis involves progressive, irreversible knee joint dysfunction caused by the breakdown of cartilage in the knee joint. The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis is increases with age. The aging of the American population portends increasing prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in the coming decades. Persons with knee osteoarthritis have reduced physical function,…
more