Cholesterol :: Canola oil increases compliance with dietary recommendations for fatty acids

People’s intake of fatty acids – which have been linked to cardiovascular disease and other conditions – can be substantially affected by changing the type of vegetable oil they use, according to researchers at the University of Illinois and Pennsylvania State University.

Weight Loss :: A dietary quality comparison of popular weight loss diets

The Alternate Healthy Eating Index measures and compares factors in a person’s diet that are strongly linked to reducing risk for cardiovascular disease. According to researchers at the University of Massachusetts who compared the dietary quality of several popular weight-loss plans, none of the plans achieved a perfect AHEI score, “but the Ornish, Weight Watchers high-carbohydrate and New Glucose Revolution plans were among the best performers using the AHEI and traditional dietary quality assessments.”

Diabetes :: New study uncovers potential role of leptin in diabetes

A new Joslin-led study has shown that leptin, a hormone known mainly for regulating appetite control and energy metabolism, plays a major role in islet cell growth and insulin secretion. This finding opens up new avenues for studying leptin and its role in islet cell biology, which may lead to new treatments for diabetes.