Diet, Weight Loss and the Brain Links: Weekend Reading

Here are links to a series of abstracts that I am reviewing for this month.

I will do a full post on some of the most interesting and important research on this topic over the next month. 

Clicking on the title will link you to the PubMed abstract. Most articles highlighted in this post have free full-text access.

Mediterranean Diet and Chromosome Telomere Length

This recent study from the Harvard Nurse cohort examined telomere length in reference to a score of adherence to a Mediterranean type diet. Nurses with higher Mediterranean type diets had longer telomere lengths suggesting better chromosome aging.

Genotype, Cognition and the Mediterranean Diet

This prospective study of diet intervention examined the role of genes on response to diet for changes in cognition measured by the Mini-mental Status Examination and the Clock Drawing Test. The study found positive effects of a Mediterranean diet intervention on cognition although effects were not as robust in those with the Alzheimer's linked APOE gent.

Obesity, Inflammation and Brain Disorders

This review article summarizes some of the current knowledge on the link between obesity, inflammation and potential brain effects. The authors note these effects may be due to changes in neurocircuitry, brain hormones, neurotransmitters or neurogenesis.

Brain Inflammatory Markers and Cognitive Decline

This prospective study examine levels of two blood markers of inflammation, IL-6 and CRP from the Whitehall prospective cohort. Elevated IL-6 but CRP predicted greater cognitive decline over a 6 year period. 

Water for Soda Switch Lowers Metabolic Syndrome Risk

In a prospective study of switching water for soda, the research team found reduced rates of metabolic syndrome in obese subjects but not overweight subjects. 

Effects of CPAP With or Without Weight Loss in Sleep Apnea

The authors in this New England Journal of Medicine study found superiority of adding weight loss to CPAP in the outcome of a series of subjects with sleep apnea.

Low Carb versus Low Fat Diets in Type 2 Diabetes

This study compared outcome in Type 2 diabetes between those following a low carbohydrate versus a low fat diet. The team found both groups lost similar amounts of weight but the low carbohydrate groups had superior improvement in levels of markers for inflammation.

Bariatric versus Medical Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

This study compared two types of bariatic surgery to medical weight loss intervention in one year outcome for type 2 diabetics. Surgical interventions showed superiority in weight loss and diabetes control.

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