Latest news with #OfficeofWomen'sHealth
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How the Mediterranean diet and exercise can protect bone health in older adults
A lower-calorie Mediterranean diet, combined with regular exercise, helped older women lose weight without causing bone density loss, new research suggests. Weight loss, especially quick or significant weight loss, is known to reduce bone mineral density and increase risk of fracture. Older women are more prone to bone loss due to drops in estrogen during menopause. Of the 10 million Americans with osteoporosis — a 'silent' disease that weakens bones and rarely causes symptoms — more than 80% are women, a quarter of whom are aged 65 or older, according to the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Women's Health. Lifestyle changes, however, could offset those negative effects by preventing muscle loss, which plays a major role in overall bone strength, said Jesús García Gavilán, co-first author of the study and biostatistician at the University of Rovira I Virgili in Spain. The research, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, builds on a 2023 study that found a similar low-calorie diet and exercise regime lowered total body and visceral fat (fat that surrounds organs) in the same study group. In the new research, 924 Spanish adults ages 55–75 who are overweight or have obesity, and have metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar — were separated into two groups. One group followed a Mediterranean diet with a 30% calorie reduction and gradually increased their physical activity to meet international recommendations for their age group. The exercise routine consisted of: 45-minute walks, six days a week. Strength, flexibility and balance exercises three days per week. 30- to 40-minute resistance training sessions two days per week. People in the control group followed a Mediterranean diet with no restrictions or exercise recommendations. A Mediterranean diet consists mostly of plant-based foods, fish and healthy fats like olive oil. Each participant had their own daily calorie intake based on their weight, height and sex, Gavilan said. They reduced their calories by cutting down on meats and sausages, sugars, white bread, packaged fruit juices and sugary drinks. All participants received special X-rays that measured their bone mineral density in their femur and lumbar spine at the start of the study and then a follow-up after three years. Overall, bone density improved the most in the lumbar spine among those in the lower-calorie diet and exercise group, Gavilán said. Women received the most benefits with a 1.8% improvement in lumbar spine bone density. Dr. Dolores Shoback, an endocrinologist with UCSF Health who was not involved in the study, called this a 'very modest effect' compared to improvements you see with drugs used to treat osteoporosis. Studies have found increases in bone density in the lumbar spine anywhere from 3–13% after a year of treatment with these medications. She said this is likely because the study participants didn't have a lot of bone loss from the start, and they also didn't lose that much weight. People in the intervention group lost 3% of their total body weight over three years, which equals to about three pounds on average, Gavilán said. Still, experts say the study sheds light on the crucial roles diet and exercise play in mitigating the effects that rapid weight loss has on bone health— a phenomenon more people are experiencing with the use of weight loss drugs. The risk of bone loss increases when a person drops a lot of weight in a short period of time, said Dr. Kristi Tough DeSapri, an internal medicine physician and osteoporosis expert with the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation. Quick weight loss means there's less resistance on the bone as someone loses muscle along with fat, said DeSapri, who was not involved in the study. Risk for bone loss depends on many factors, such as age, body weight, physical activity levels and diet. Hormonal changes associated with weight loss, as well as a lack of calcium and vitamin D in calorie-restricted diets, can also contribute to bone loss, research shows. A 10% weight loss can result in a 1% to 2% bone loss in different areas of the body, research indicates. The bone loss numbers may double or triple in people who undergo bariatric surgery or use weight loss drugs such as semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy, DeSapri said. A study published last year found that people who used GLP-1 medications without exercising experienced a significant decrease in bone density in their hip and spine; when exercise was added to the mix, bone mass was protected. Shoback said the exercise regime in the new study may 'be a big commitment every day' for older adults to realistically follow, but it could be valuable for younger adults who are at high risk for metabolic syndrome and may experience rapid weight loss with medications. Although the study was conducted in Spain, experts say the diet and exercise plan could benefit adults in the U.S. In the United States, there's a big push now for protein and supplements, DeSapri said. 'But when we're talking about obesity, metabolic syndrome and weight loss, the Mediterranean diet has already been validated as a lifestyle that can make a difference,' she said. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent group of experts who recommend health screenings, says that women 65 years and older should receive a bone density scan for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis risk can be lowered by staying physically active, not smoking, limiting alcohol use and getting enough vitamin D and calcium in the diet via milk and salmon, or supplements, Shoback said. Hormone therapy is another effective way to reduce bone loss after menopause. 'Lifestyle combined with a heart healthy diet — if people can do that, that's going to help them a lot for so many of the complications that come your way as we age,' Shoback said. This article was originally published on
NBC News
08-04-2025
- Health
- NBC News
How the Mediterranean diet and exercise can protect bone health in older adults
A lower-calorie Mediterranean diet, combined with regular exercise, helped older women lose weight without causing bone density loss, new research suggests. Weight loss, especially quick or significant weight loss, is known to reduce bone mineral density and increase risk of fracture. Older women are more prone to bone loss due to drops in estrogen during menopause. Of the 10 million Americans with osteoporosis — a 'silent' disease that weakens bones and rarely causes symptoms — more than 80% are women, a quarter of whom are aged 65 or older, according to the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Women's Health. Lifestyle changes, however, could offset those negative effects by preventing muscle loss, which plays a major role in overall bone strength, said Jesús García Gavilán, co-first author of the study and biostatistician at the University of Rovira I Virgili in Spain. The research, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, builds on a 2023 study that found a similar low-calorie diet and exercise regime lowered total body and visceral fat (fat that surrounds organs) in the same study group. In the new research, 924 Spanish adults ages 55–75 who are overweight or have obesity, and have metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar — were separated into two groups. One group followed a Mediterranean diet with a 30% calorie reduction and gradually increased their physical activity to meet international recommendations for their age group. The exercise routine consisted of: 45-minute walks, six days a week. Strength, flexibility and balance exercises three days per week. 30- to 40-minute resistance training sessions two days per week. People in the control group followed a Mediterranean diet with no restrictions or exercise recommendations. A Mediterranean diet consists mostly of plant-based foods, fish and healthy fats like olive oil. Each participant had their own daily calorie intake based on their weight, height and sex, Gavilan said. They reduced their calories by cutting down on meats and sausages, sugars, white bread, packaged fruit juices and sugary drinks. All participants received special X-rays that measured their bone mineral density in their femur and lumbar spine at the start of the study and then a follow-up after three years. Overall, bone density improved the most in the lumbar spine among those in the lower-calorie diet and exercise group, Gavilán said. Women received the most benefits with a 1.8% improvement in lumbar spine bone density. Dr. Dolores Shoback, an endocrinologist with UCSF Health who was not involved in the study, called this a 'very modest effect' compared to improvements you see with drugs used to treat osteoporosis. Studies have found increases in bone density in the lumbar spine anywhere from 3–13% after a year of treatment with these medications. She said this is likely because the study participants didn't have a lot of bone loss from the start, and they also didn't lose that much weight. People in the intervention group lost 3% of their total body weight over three years, which equals to about three pounds on average, Gavilán said. Still, experts say the study sheds light on the crucial roles diet and exercise play in mitigating the effects that rapid weight loss has on bone health— a phenomenon more people are experiencing with the use of weight loss drugs. How weight loss affects bone health The risk of bone loss increases when a person drops a lot of weight in a short period of time, said Dr. Kristi Tough DeSapri, an internal medicine physician and osteoporosis expert with the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation. Quick weight loss means there's less resistance on the bone as someone loses muscle along with fat, said DeSapri, who was not involved in the study. Risk for bone loss depends on many factors, such as age, body weight, physical activity levels and diet. Hormonal changes associated with weight loss, as well as a lack of calcium and vitamin D in calorie-restricted diets, can also contribute to bone loss, research shows. A 10% weight loss can result in a 1% to 2% bone loss in different areas of the body, research indicates. The bone loss numbers may double or triple in people who undergo bariatric surgery or use weight loss drugs such as semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy, DeSapri said. A study published last year found that people who used GLP-1 medications without exercising experienced a significant decrease in bone density in their hip and spine; when exercise was added to the mix, bone mass was protected. Shoback said the exercise regime in the new study may 'be a big commitment every day' for older adults to realistically follow, but it could be valuable for younger adults who are at high risk for metabolic syndrome and may experience rapid weight loss with medications. Although the study was conducted in Spain, experts say the diet and exercise plan could benefit adults in the U.S. In the United States, there's a big push now for protein and supplements, DeSapri said. 'But when we're talking about obesity, metabolic syndrome and weight loss, the Mediterranean diet has already been validated as a lifestyle that can make a difference,' she said. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent group of experts who recommend health screenings, says that women 65 years and older should receive a bone density scan for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis risk can be lowered by staying physically active, not smoking, limiting alcohol use and getting enough vitamin D and calcium in the diet via milk and salmon, or supplements, Shoback said. Hormone therapy is another effective way to reduce bone loss after menopause. 'Lifestyle combined with a heart healthy diet — if people can do that, that's going to help them a lot for so many of the complications that come your way as we age,' Shoback said.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Riley Gaines featured in Trump HHS website that builds on 'two sexes' executive order
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released guidance Wednesday to implement sex-based definitions across the federal government and partners to expand President Donald Trump's executive order signed last month titled, "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government." HHS announced the department will also be working "to implement policies protecting children from chemical and surgical mutilation," as well as developing a policy for women's sports. As such, HHS also launched a new web page for the Office of Women's Health featuring a video of former collegiate swimmer and activist Riley Gaines discussing keeping biological men out of women's sports. 4 Key Women's Health Issues That Have Been Neglected, Doctor Says "Thank you, President Trump and HHS for courageously defending truth, common sense and women," Gaines said in the video. "The executive order 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports' ensures the next generation of girls has a fair opportunity to compete with the safety, privacy and equal opportunity they're entitled to," Gaines said. "The clarity and decisiveness of the Trump administration sends a strong, clear message to women and girls across the country that we matter." Read On The Fox News App Other links on the new website include "Defending Women" and "Protecting Children." A screenshot taken by Fox News Digital shows the difference between the new HHS web page on Thursday versus February 2024, under the Biden administration, when a purple "Know Your Rights: Reproductive Health Care" ticker can be seen on the Office of Women's Health homepage. "This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government," HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. "The prior administration's policy of trying to engineer gender ideology into every aspect of public life is over." Trump Admin Administration Lays Out Who Exactly Was Cut At Hhs In Face Of 'Democrat Hysteria' According to the guidance, "Sex" refers to a person's immutable biological classification as either male or female. "Female" is defined as a person with a reproductive system designed to produce eggs, while "Male" refers to a person with a reproductive system designed to produce sperm. "Woman" and "Girl" represent adult and minor human females, respectively, while "Man" and "Boy" refer to adult and minor human males. The terms "Mother" and "Father" denote female and male parents, respectively. Wednesday's announcement comes as the Trump administration has been seeking to restore "biological truth" to the public sector. The topic of gender was not included in the HHS guidance. Maha Caucus Member Pledges Hearings Into 'Corruption' Of A Public Health Sector 'Captured By Big Pharma' Click To Get The Fox News App Trump's gender-related executive orders – which include banning biological men from women's sports and transgender people from the military – have sparked legal challenges, with several lawsuits filed by progressive and LGBT advocacy groups arguing that the orders violate civil rights protections for transgender article source: Riley Gaines featured in Trump HHS website that builds on 'two sexes' executive order
Fox News
20-02-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Riley Gaines featured in Trump HHS website that builds on 'two sexes' executive order
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released guidance Wednesday to implement sex-based definitions across the federal government and partners to expand President Donald Trump's executive order signed last month titled, "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government." HHS announced the department will also be working "to implement policies protecting children from chemical and surgical mutilation," as well as developing a policy for women's sports. As such, HHS also launched a new web page for the Office of Women's Health featuring a video of former collegiate swimmer and activist Riley Gaines discussing keeping biological men out of women's sports. "Thank you, President Trump and HHS for courageously defending truth, common sense and women," Gaines said in the video. "The executive order 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports' ensures the next generation of girls has a fair opportunity to compete with the safety, privacy and equal opportunity they're entitled to," Gaines said. "The clarity and decisiveness of the Trump administration sends a strong, clear message to women and girls across the country that we matter." Other links on the new website include "Defending Women" and "Protecting Children." A screenshot taken by Fox News Digital shows the difference between the new HHS web page on Thursday versus February 2024, under the Biden administration, when a purple "Know Your Rights: Reproductive Health Care" ticker can be seen on the Office of Women's Health homepage. "This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government," HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. "The prior administration's policy of trying to engineer gender ideology into every aspect of public life is over." According to the guidance, "Sex" refers to a person's immutable biological classification as either male or female. "Female" is defined as a person with a reproductive system designed to produce eggs, while "Male" refers to a person with a reproductive system designed to produce sperm. "Woman" and "Girl" represent adult and minor human females, respectively, while "Man" and "Boy" refer to adult and minor human males. The terms "Mother" and "Father" denote female and male parents, respectively. Wednesday's announcement comes as the Trump administration has been seeking to restore "biological truth" to the public sector. The topic of gender was not included in the HHS guidance. Trump's gender-related executive orders – which include banning biological men from women's sports and transgender people from the military – have sparked legal challenges, with several lawsuits filed by progressive and LGBT advocacy groups arguing that the orders violate civil rights protections for transgender individuals.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. targets transgender protections, calling sex ‘unchangeable' in new guidance
In his first few days as Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued new health guidance that defines sex as 'unchangeable' in the Trump administration's latest attack against transgender Americans. The department released guidance and a new webpage called 'Protecting Women and Children' to support President Donald Trump's executive orders recognizing only two sexes and prohibiting federal funds from going toward gender-affirming care for minors. 'A person's sex is unchangeable and determined by objective biology,' the webpage on the HHS's Office of Women's Health site states, adding that surgical interventions and hormones don't 'change a person's sex because such actions do not change the type of gamete that the person's reproductive system has the biological function to produce.' The new guidance defined 'sex' as a 'person's immutable biological classification as either male or female.' 'Female' is defined as 'person of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing eggs' while 'male' is defined as 'a person of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing sperm.' Recognizing that sex is unchangeable 'is essential to ensure the protection of women's health, safety, private spaces, sports, and opportunities,' the webpage states. The new webpage also features a video by Riley Gaines, a 24-year-old conservative political activist and former University of Kentucky all-American swimmer, who has argued that she lost unfairly in a race because she competed against a transgender woman. The HHS said its guidance also hopes to support Trump's executive order aimed at 'keeping men out of sports.' 'This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government,' Kennedy said in a statement. 'The prior administration's policy of trying to engineer gender ideology into every aspect of public life is over.' In response to the new guidance, Matthew Rose, a senior public policy advocate at Human Rights Campaign, told the Washington Post: 'It's deeply concerning that, at a time when thousands of federal health employees are being abruptly laid off without explanation and multiple public health crises break out across the country, HHS is instead focusing its time and taxpayer dollars on anti-science, anti-health PR campaigns.' Rose added: 'This approach is not only ignorant; it's deliberately harmful.' The Trump administration's attempts to roll back transgender protections have already been scrutinized or temporarily blocked by a number of federal courts. A judge last week temporarily blocked Trump's executive order restricting gender transition care for people under 19. Trump's order 'seems to deny that this population even exists, or deserves to exist,' the judge wrote. In a separate case concerning Trump's executive order effectively banning transgender troops from serving in the military, a judge Wednesday asked: 'If you were in a foxhole, would you care about these individuals' gender identity?' The government's attorney replied that it 'would not be a primary concern of mine.'
