Saturated fat has long been considered detrimental to health, so when a recently published research paper suggested there is no evidence supporting the recommendation to limit saturated fat consumption, media outlets reported extensively on the subject.
Walking is an ideal exercise for many people—it doesn’t require any special equipment, can be done any time, any place, and it is generally safe. Also, many studies – including the Nurses’ Health Study, (1, 2) Health Professionals Follow-up Study, (3) Women’s Health Study, (4)Harvard Alumni Health Study, (5) National Health Interview Survey, (6) Women’s … Continue reading “Walking and bicycling your way to health”
The Forum at Harvard School of Public Health’s webcast, “Why We Overeat: The Toxic Food Environment and Obesity.”
This annual report integrates nutrition and public health, environmental stewardship and restoration, and social responsibility within the food service industry and beyond. Food is a lens through which we see the world, and our vision is increasingly focused on not only our personal health, but also the health of our planet. Our food choices reflect … Continue reading “Menus of Change full report now available”
An article risks misleading people about sodium intake. A recent New York Times article by reporter Gina Kolata calls into question the national guidelines for daily sodium intake, citing a new Institute of Medicine report that examined consequences of sodium consumption and concluded there is insufficient evidence for the health benefits of reducing sodium below … Continue reading “The new salt controversy”
In honor of World Health Day – April 7, 2013 – Dr. Walter Willett, Harvard School of Public Health Department of Nutrition Chair, participated in a discussion with Dr. Anne Lusk, Research Scientist, and Dr. Morteza Asgarzadeh, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, about hypertension. The discussion, recorded and available as video here, explores the importance of regular … Continue reading “Bicycling, walking, and hypertension”
Expert discussion at HSPH on the controversial JAMA article which claimed that being overweight leads to reduced mortality. Click here to view the video webcast presented by the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health: Does being overweight really reduce mortality? Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition assembled a panel of … Continue reading “Does being overweight really reduce mortality? No wonder the public is confused”
Here’s yet another reason why you should eat more fruits and vegetables and cut back on processed foods: A large new study finds that people who eat high sodium, low potassium diets have a higher risk of dying from a heart attack or from any cause. The study, which appears in the July 11, 2011 … Continue reading “Too much salt, too little potassium, increases risk of death”
The US government has scrapped the much-maligned food pyramid icon and replaced it with a fruit- and vegetable-rich plate, seeking a simpler way to show Americans how to eat right. While it’s a major improvement, the new icon still falls short on giving people the nutrition advice they need to choose the healthiest diets. The new … Continue reading “Out with the Pyramid, In with the Plate”
Why you should take the latest sodium study with a huge grain of salt A new study would have you believe that low-salt diets raise your risk of dying from heart disease—a surprising finding, and one that’s sure to grab headlines worldwide. The only problem is that the study’s conclusions are most certainly wrong.