Affordable slimming
A study in a low-income population found that
a program designed for “resource-constrained settings” helped people lose
weight and keep it off for the long term. Participants developed three goals at
the study’s start and monitored their progress on a website that included tips
on weight-loss techniques. The program also included 18 phone calls with a
health counselor over the two-year study and optional group support sessions.
People in the program lost more weight and lowered blood pressure more than
those getting usual care. While weight loss was modest, the researchers sat
that such a program is sustainable, both financially and in terms of
participants’ long-term health habits.
A
program designed for “resource-constrained
settings” helped people lose weight and keep it off for the long term
Go for the goal
Setting specific goals may help people with type
2 diabetes eat better, a study found. Researchers asked participants to eat six
or eight servings per day of low-glycemic-index foods. These foods, such as
spinach, lentils, and milk, raise blood glucose levles less than those with a
high glycemic index, such as white bread, jelly beans, and potatoes. Most
participants reached their goal and, as a result, ended up eating 500 fwer
calories a day and more fruits, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Researchers say
the key to success was being specific about how many servings participants
should eat.
Setting
specific goals may help people with type 2 diabetes eat better
Another reason to quit
Getting up the courage to stop smoking is
tough, and the specter of weight gain looms large. But a study found that
little weight is gained after quitting, generally only a few pounds. The amount
of weight gain varied depending on participants’ age, sex, and time since
quitting. For example, the young gained less than older people who quit. The
researhcers call the weight gain “trivial” and say that the pounds added are
completely trumped by the benefits or breaking the habit.
The
amount of weight gain varied depending on participants’ age, sex, and time
since quitting.
