by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Color your plate, so the slogan goes. A 2018 study took this advice literally, incorporating pictures of fruits and vegetables (F&V) into school lunch plates with the goal of improving F&V consumption in preschoolers.1 F&Vs are a low-calorie, nutrient-dense (macro-, micro-, and phytonutrients) food group, but the US is getting a “failing grade” when it comes to F&V intake because typical Western diets are lacking in plant-based nutrition. Health behaviors, including dietary consumption patterns,…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disorder in Western industrialized countries, can be categorized into two major groups – non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), which is not associated with significant inflammation, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is associated with hepatic inflammation.1 Both of these conditions involve hepatic steatosis. The US prevalence of NAFLD is 10-46%.1,2 Worldwide, the prevalence is estimated to be between 6-35%, with some researchers noting up to 50% incidence in the…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Obesity, a preventable condition, has tripled worldwide since 1975, with 340 million children and adolescents between 5-19 years of age with overweight or obesity in 2016 according to the World Health Organization (WHO).1 In children and adolescents, BMI-for-age growth charts are used to determine weight status; >85th and <95th percentile is considered overweight, while ≥95th percentile is obese.2 In the US, overweight and obesity disproportionally affect children of low-income households, whereas the risk of overweight and…

There is a need to identify methods to complement and enhance compliance for the ketogenic diet in order to induce and sustain ketosis. Exogenous ketone supplementation, particularly with beta-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) salts, is one such method that has grown in commercial popularity, but clinical studies that test the efficacy and safety of exogenous ketones are lacking. A pilot study1 published in the Journal of Nutritional Health & Food Engineering assessed the circulating βHB blood (capillary) concentration in response to acute, oral βHB…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMCP Guest: Mark Houston, MD, MS, FAHA, FASH, DABC Drs. Mark Houston and Deanna Minich delve into the science and proper clinical use of omega-3 fatty acids for the prevention and treatment of heart-related conditions. Dr. Houston vets the methodology and validity of 3 major meta-analyses related to omega-3s and heart health outcomes,1-3 helping to demystify the seemingly complex science and conflicting conclusions, so you can understand the data. Drs. Houston and Minich also discuss food…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN   Heart disease is killer Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of mortality globally (17.9 million deaths annually),1 so it makes sense that researchers, clinicians, and health policymakers want to hunt down the culprit(s) of the heart disease epidemic. Recognized risk factors for heart disease include overweight and obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and smoking.2 With the exception of smoking and physical activity habits, one’s nutrition choices (i.e., diet) can mitigate…

by Lewis Chang, PhD Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) vs. Continuous Energy Restriction (CER) Excess energy intake over time contributes to weight gain and the obesity epidemic; therefore, restricting food intake is essential in weight management. Although cutting calories daily can be successful for short-term weight loss, the majority of individuals regain their lost weight in the long term as a result of compensatory physiological adaptations. For example, resting energy expenditure (REE)—the minimum energy needed to maintain vital physiological functions such…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Physical inactivity prevalence among adolescents aged 11-17 years was estimated to be 81% globally in 2010, where insufficient physical activity (PA) was measured as < 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA daily per WHO guidelines.1 As part of the 60 minute/day exercise recommendation, the US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that aerobic activity should be incorporated at least 3 days/week, muscle-strengthening at least 3 days/week, and bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days/week.2 It is well…

by Christopher Moulton, PhD Depression is one of the most common mood disorders in the US and worldwide. In 2016 an estimated 16.2 million adults, or 6.7% of US adults, suffered at least one major depressive episode,1 while globally more than 300 million are afflicted.2 Further, depression is comorbid with numerous chronic disease states including cardiovascular disease,3 type 2 diabetes,4 inflammatory bowel disease,5 and cognitive decline.6 Current frontline therapies such as psychotherapy and antidepressant medications present challenges related to treatment…