Weight-loss plan developed at Penn State lands No. 2 ranking
1/14/19
Volumetrics, a diet developed by Penn State’s Barbara Rolls, was ranked the No. 2 weight loss plan in this year’s U.S. News & World Report's Best Diets.
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diet
Sensational servings: Researcher to explain ice cream and our senses
8/17/18
Alyssa Bakke, a staff sensory scientist in the Department of Food Science who has expertise in food choice and consumer behavior, will be speaking at August's Science on Tap event at 7 p.m. on Aug. 21 at the Liberty Craft House in State College.
Gut microbes may partner with a protein to help regulate vitamin D
6/28/18
Microbes in the gut may use a protein in a process that helps the body regulate vitamin D production.
Volumetrics ranked No. 2 diet for weight loss in annual rankings
1/8/18
The Volumetrics diet plan — developed by Barbara Rolls, professor of nutritional sciences and Helen A. Guthrie Chair in Nutrition at Penn State — ranks as a No. 2 weight loss plan in U.S. News & World Report's Best Diets of 2018.
Like it or not: Broccoli may be good for the gut
10/13/17
Cruciferous vegetables -- such as broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage -- may help trigger a receptor in the gut that can improve gut function. In a study on mice, eating broccoli led to a better ability to withstand digestive irritants. The researchers also suggest that the mechanism might improve barrier function -- keeping nutrients in and toxins out of the intestinal lining -- and that could limit the damage of inflammation.
Using a pig model to study chronic diseases may help minimize drug failure rate
7/20/17
Pigs have gut bacterial profiles and immune systems similar to humans. Using a pig model, in addition to mice models, may help minimize the failure rate of drugs for diseases linked to high-calorie diets, such as colon cancer and type 2 diabetes, say researchers.
Grape-based compounds kill colon cancer stem cells in mice
6/19/17
A compound made from grape skins and grape seeds killed colon cancer stem cells in mice, according to researchers. The study, along with previous studies on the low incidence of colon cancer in populations that tend to eat plants, may also offer clues to the role that foods play in suppressing and treating cancer.
Facebook Live session to discuss, demonstrate research on canola oil and weight
1/16/17
If the resolve for your New Year's healthy weight loss resolution is already starting to crack, you may want to watch this week’s Penn State Facebook Live session. Penn State researcher Penny Kris-Etherton will talk about research on how canola oil and a healthy diet may lead to weight loss at noon on Jan. 18 via the Penn State Facebook page.
Volumetrics ranks No. 2 for weight loss
1/5/17
The Volumetrics diet -- created by Barbara Rolls, professor of nutritional sciences and Helen A. Guthrie Chair in Nutrition at Penn State -- has been ranked No. 2 for weight loss out of 38 diets in U.S. News & World Report's Best Diets of 2017.
Mother's diet influences weight-control neurocircuits in offspring
3/30/15
Maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation may prime offspring for weight gain and obesity later in life, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers, who looked at rats whose mothers consumed a high-fat diet and found that the offsprings' feeding controls and feelings of fullness did not function normally.
Bite into Volumetrics to lose the pounds; weight-loss book ranks No. 6
1/6/15
Barbara Rolls' Volumetrics received the No. 6 spot for best overall diets by U.S. News and World Report for 2015. The Volumetrics approach focuses on feeling full on fewer calories, and food is divided into four categories based on energy density. Volumetrics has made the U.S. News & World Report’s top 10 diet lists since 2011.
Probing Question: Is being overweight always bad for your health?
3/6/13
Can being overweight really be so bad? According to Gordon Jensen, head of Penn State’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, the answer may be "no" -- at least for those of us who are lucky enough to live to the grand old age of 75 and beyond.
Humans unequipped for high-salt diet, food scientist contends
12/13/11
Humans are physiologically unprepared for the amount of sodium found in manufactured foods in the modern food supply, contributing to the diet-related diseases observed today. That's the conclusion of an article titled "Successful Sodium Reduction," recently published in The World of Food Ingredients. Coauthored by John Hayes, assistant professor of food science in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, the piece outlines some basic strategies to reduce the sodium content in preprocessed foods. Sodium is essential for human functioning, and for much of human history this mineral was relatively scarce, resulting in humans and animals needing to actively seek out appropriate sources, according to Hayes. But now most people consume far too much, he noted.
Vitamin A is available from many sources in diet, not just animals
11/13/11
Recent surveys show that a growing number of people are deciding to abstain from consuming animal products. But if they're not careful, that decision can result in deficiencies of certain nutrients needed for optimum health, according to a nutrition expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
Probing Question: Why did the USDA recently change its nutritional guidelines?
7/28/11
The main criticism of the old food pyramid was that it was too complicated, and some perceived it as outdated, says Terry Hartman, an associate professor of nutrition at Penn State. Enter "MyPlate".