health news

Here's some good news if you're wondering how you'll be meeting your New Year's resolution of getting into supermodel shape: a new study says that people who are slightly overweight live longer than those who are normal weight.

The study, published this week in Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzed BMI data for almost three million people in several studies around the world and found that those who had a BMI of 25-29 (classified as overweight) had a six percent lower risk of dying than those with normal-weight BMIs (18.5-24). Even those who were slightly obese (BMIs of 30-34) had the same risk of dying as normal-weight people.

While the study does suggest that you shouldn't stress over a few extra pounds, it doesn't mean that you should abandon your healthy-living initiatives. Researchers believe that one reason why overweight people live longer is because they are at risk for developing more weight-related complications and are therefore at the doctor's office more frequently. The study's authors, however, did suggest that there may be a protective benefit to certain types of fat, and that not all people who are overweight or obese need to lose weight — an opinion echoed in studies last year that said it's possible to be healthy obese.

A new study shows weight loss doesn't always have to be about counting calories — just lowering fat intake pays off. A recent British review of 33 randomized and controlled studies, involving over 73,000 participants, discovered some heartening and healthful patterns associated with decreasing the amount of fat consumed.

Over the course of at least six months, researchers weighed participants and measured their waistlines to see if only lowering fat intake would make a significant difference. Participants ate their typical amount of food each day, but half of the group had less fat in their meals. The results for the study group with less fat in their meals averaged a 3.5-pound weight loss, slimmer physiques, and the weight stayed off for seven or more years. The belly measurements, in particular, were noticeably smaller on the participants who received the diet lower in fat. So could reducing your fat consumption alone be better than dieting? Here are the tips that this team of researchers discovered.

Saturated Fat: Although there was no bias between different types of fats in the study, researchers believe that cutting back on saturated fat is the most beneficial. This is the type of fat that contributes to heart disease and strokes, so slowly weaning off of this type can be a simpler approach to health.

See the rest of the tips after the break!

By now, you know that the grocery store can be full of tricks to get you to spend more or otherwise choose unwisely. From extra-large carts that encourage you to buy everything in sight to placing expensive packaged foods at eye level, there are many sneaky ways your grocery store is making you spend (and eat) more. A recent opinion piece in the New England Journal of Medicine talks about another well-known mind trick that groceries play on you that just may be making you fat: those impulse buys at the cash register.

Impulse buys — usually candy, sodas, chips, and other "emotion-related" foods — spur reflex-like decision-making, much faster than when you mull over healthy foods like fruits or vegetables. Studies have shown that you're more likely to give into these bad-for-you foods since these products are placed at the end of a shopping trip, conveniently after you've exhausted your healthy decision-making skills. The constant barrage of these sugar-, fat-, and salt-laden foods makes it hard to not give in, even if you're normally conscious about making healthy-eating decisions.

The authors make an interesting point: impulse-buy tricks don't just affect people who lack self control, but are in fact so sneaky and permeating that they are hard to resist. Have you fallen victim to these high-calorie impulse buys, or do you usually recognize and ignore the strategic marketing?

When buying products, reading labels may be one of the best ways to figure out if something contains chemicals that you'd rather avoid. But a study released earlier this year found chemicals in many everyday products that may increase your risk of developing cancer or disrupt reproduction, and many of those chemicals weren't listed on product labels. As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we wanted to revisit the findings of the study to help make us more aware of hidden risks.

Partly funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, tested 213 commercial products in 50 different categories. The study included many popular consumer products, including "alternative" products marketed as being safer and more eco-friendly.

The results were worrying; the study found that the products contained high levels of chemicals that have been linked to higher breast cancer risk, reproduction and growth problems, and asthma — even in those alternative products thought to be safer — including BPA, parabens, glycol ether, triclosan, and synthetic fragrances. And since many of these chemicals weren't listed on product labels, it can be hard for people to tell how much of a possibly unsafe chemical is in their favorite brands.

Want to know which types of products to try to avoid? Read on for the list.

If popping an omega-3 pill is part of your morning ritual, you may be better off throwing out the bottle. A new study claims that omega-3 supplements may not be giving the life-extending protection once believed.

Many people take fish oil or other omega-3 fatty acid supplements since the nutrient — found in seafoods, nuts, beans, and seeds — has been shown to help protect the heart and lower cholesterol. But a recent review of 20 studies of over 68,000 people, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that omega-3 supplements did not reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, or death.

More studies have reported similar results, and other comprehensive studies have found that omega-3 supplements did not help older adults slow mental decline. Since omega-3s are a much-needed nutrient, however, make sure you are getting enough through your food. Fish like tuna, salmon, and sardines are all high in omega-3s, but if you're not a fan of seafood, check out our list of vegan sources of omega-3s.

Reading a book can help you drift off to sleep, but you've always been told to power down your electronics at least 20 minutes before you'd like to go to sleep — a confusing proposition if you've eschewed paperback books in favor of your iPad.

A new study confirms that you should, in fact, stack your nightstand with books rather than your tablet. The small study found that two hours of exposure to the light from your tablet or laptop reduced melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your sleep cycle, by 22 percent. Melatonin suppression can lead to disruptive sleep and changes in your circadian rhythm; that's why it's important to avoid things like artificial light that can alter your body clock. So if you're used to reading a few chapters before bed on your tablet and are finding it hard to get quality sleep, switch to a good old book instead. If you can't part with technology, e-ink readers like a text-only Kindle or Nook are fine to use since they don't emit light.

Getting enough sleep is a much-needed factor for functioning well in your day-to-day life, and it's something many of us strive for when it's time to settle in for the night. If you're among the need-more-sleep set, new research has found even more worrisome news for the sleep-deprived: lack of z's is linked to an increased risk of an aggressive form of breast cancer.

The study, published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, surveyed 101 postmenopausal women with breast cancer and found that those who reported sleeping the fewest hours a night in the two years before their diagnosis had higher tumor recurrence scores. The higher scores correlated to a higher risk of recurrence as well as more-aggressive tumor types, and the authors note that the study is the first to show that lack of sleep increases your risk of developing more-aggressive breast cancer. The link, however, was only seen in postmenopausal women; there was no correlation between lack of sleep and aggressive cancer in women who had not gone through menopause.

Not getting enough sleep has been shown to affect all aspects of your life (including whether you'll be more likely to live a long life!), so keep these expert tips for getting more sleep in mind if you're sleep-deprived.