Sobering linkages between fat consumption and strokes, soft drinks and cancer, belly fat and dementia.

Fatty Foods, Bad for Your Heart, may be Worse for Your Brain

One very good reason to check the ingredients on packaged goods, and especially baked goods, is to spot and avoid those that are subtle fat bombs, such as crackers, cookies and fried anything. the reason: according to a report from the University of North Carolina, based on a study of 87,230 participants, women who ate the most fat each day — 95 grams or so — were 44 percent more likely to suffer a stroke than those who ate the least — around 25 grams. In the case of trans fat consumption, the difference was 30 percent.

Unfortunately, federal health stats show that middle-aged American women eat an average of around 66 grams of fat daily, putting them closer to the high end than the low. a good place to start avoiding packaged “stealth” fat is by snacking on nuts or fruit instead of that typical candy bar (15 grams fat) or 2-ounce bag of cheese doodles (20 grams).

And that goes double for that mound around your midriff. Based on a study of 1,500 women by the Sahgrenska Academy in Sweden, which was recently published in Neurology, not only do middle-aged women who carry a roll of fat around their waist run a greater risk of dying prematurely from stroke or heart attack, but even if they survive to the age of 70, they are more than twice as likely to develop dementia than their more slender peers. the telltale measurement: you are broader around the waist than around the hips. if that applies to you, it may be time to consider a weight loss program — while you can still think straight.

The Hard Reality of Soft Drinks

A study conducted by the University of Minnesota that followed over 60,000 people for 14 years found that those who consumed two or more sugary soft drinks each week run an 87 percent higher risk of getting pancreatic cancer, a particularly virulent form. You should note that those in the study live in Singapore, where soda drinkers also tend to be smokers and red meat eaters, habits also associated with the disease. even so, considering that a control group of subjects who primarily drank fruit juice and not sodas ran no increased cancer risk, and that the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is just 5 percent, the case for switching from colas to O.J. seems fairly strong.

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this entry was posted on Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 and is filed under Cancer and diet, Cancer and Weight, Obesity health dangers, Obesity research and studies, Snacks. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed. Permalink.