HEALTH CAPSULES
Spinach extract aids weight loss

A spinach extract containing green leaf membranes can dramatically decrease cravings for unhealthy foods and increase weight loss, says a new study. The study at Lund University, Sweden, found that the extract decreases hedonic hunger with up to 95 per cent and increases weight loss with 43 per cent. Hedonic hunger is another term for the cravings people experience for unhealthy foods such as sweets or fast food, a common cause of obesity and unhealthy eating habits. The study shows that the intake of green leaf membranes, called thylakoids reinforces the body's production of satiety hormones and suppresses hedonic hunger, which leads to better appetite control, healthier eating habits and increased weight loss. "Our analyses show that having a drink containing thylakoids before breakfast reduces cravings and keeps you feeling more satisfied all day," said Charlotte Erlanson-Albertsson, Professor of Medicine and Physiological Chemistry at Lund University. The study involved 38 overweight women and ran for three months. Every morning before breakfast the participants had a green drink. Half of the women were given 5 g of spinach extract and the other half, the control group, were given a placebo. "The control group lost an average of 3.5 kg while the group that was given thylakoids lost 5 kg. The thylakoid group also found that it was easier to stick to three meals a day — and they did not experience any cravings," said Erlanson-Albertsson. Modern processed food is broken down so quickly that the hormones in the intestines that send satiety signals to the brain and suppress cravings cannot keep up. The green leaf membranes slow down the digestion process and communicate to the brain that we are satisfied.

You don't have to be overweight to develop diabetes

Losing weight is enough to prevent diabetes. What you eat and not just the number of calories is a significant factor in diabetes risk, says a new study. The study found that the postprandial (after eating a meal) levels of circulating metabolites in the blood of identical twins tends to be similar after a fast food meal, independent of weight difference. Researchers compared genetically identical twins — one heavier and one leaner — and found that after eating a fast-food meal, the circulating metabolites, including those related to type 2 diabetes, were found in both individuals at the same levels. These findings suggest that the onset of this type of diabetes is largely influenced by genetic factors and/or the composition of gut microbiota, said Matej Oresic, study author, Steno Diabetes Centre in Gentofte, Denmark. Scientists studied identical twin pairs, where the twins differed in weight. They were healthy young adults from a national (Finnish) study of twins. The twins ate a fast food meal, and then gave blood samples over several hours. The research was published in The FASEB Journal.

Hospital stay can impact math ability in premies

The length of time spent in hospital after birth and the use of mechanical ventilation are key indicators of reduced mathematical ability in preterm children, says a study. Preterm children's mathematic abilities decrease exponentially with a lower gestational age. "It is difficult to see how one could reduce the duration of neonatal medical treatment, as this may relate to a number of medical needs," said Julia Jaekel, University of Warwick, Britain. However, less invasive options to mechanical ventilation are available nowadays as the adverse effects of brain impairment are known. "Our findings may have significant implications for the choice of mode of respiratory support in neonates," Jaekel added. The findings are based on the fact that, on an average, a healthy full-term child who does not undergo mechanical ventilation receives a general maths score of 100 and a specific maths score of 101. On the other hand, a total of 51 very preterm children were ventilated for more than 30 days (thus the highest risk group). On an average, a preterm child receives a general score of 73 and a specific maths score of 91. The study appeared in Early Human Development. — Agencies

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