Tag Archives: cardiovascular disease

Saturated Fats and Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Saturated Fats and Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The diet-heart hypothesis Starting in the late 1950s, University of Minnesota physiologist Ancel Keys developed the idea that fats and, subsequently, saturated fats increased blood serum levels of cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. Many studies show significant associations between elevated blood serum LDL-cholesterol levels and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Thus, reducing dietary intake of saturated fats…
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Handgrip Strength

Handgrip Strength
Late-life disability Disability in old age can severely compromise quality of life. Research indicates that decreased muscle strength may lead to disability and functional limitations. Could handgrip strength serve as an easily measured and valid predictor of disability in old age? Researchers used data from the Honolulu Heart Program and the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study to…
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The Perils of Passive Sitting

The Perils of Passive Sitting
How much do Americans sit? We Americans sit a lot. A new study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2001 – 2016 to find out just how much. Not counting sitting while at work, in 2001 the average American adult spent 5.5 hours per day watching TV or videos or…
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Are Saturated Fats Truly Bad?

Are Saturated Fats Truly Bad?
Why saturated fats are considered “bad” Saturated fats are widely regarded as “bad” by the medical community. The reasoning goes like this. Eating foods rich in saturated fats, primarily animal products such as meat, milk, cheese, and yogurt, increases intake of cholesterol. Influential studies conducted by Ancel Keys starting in the 1960s, identified cholesterol as…
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