Latest news with #TuftsUniversity
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Food and fitness make or break success on weight loss meds, report finds
Drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound -- GLP-1 medications typically used to treat obesity -- can lead to impressive weight loss. But a new joint advisory from four major medical groups warns that without proper nutrition and lifestyle support, people may face muscle loss, weight regain, and high long-term costs once they take themselves off GLP-1 medications. Experts from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society contributed to the report, which noted that only about half of users continue taking their GLP-1 medication after one year and only about 15% remain on treatment after two years. Many people stop taking GLP-1 medications due to side effects, cost or disappointing results -- and when they do, they often regain weight, making long-term success depend on consistent use and a healthy diet, the report stated. The report aims to guide both clinicians and patients on nutrition and lifestyle changes to improve long-term outcomes while taking a GLP-1. "We really wanted to bring in four major societies together that focus on nutrition, lifestyle, [and] obesity and come with a consensus statement on how nutrition should be thought about when prescribing these drugs," Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist, director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, and the report's lead author, told ABC News. Mozaffarian explained that for someone to achieve success on a GLP-1, they need to commit to comprehensive lifestyle changes. "The FDA says these drugs are approved for use as an adjunct to lifestyle therapy," he said. "In fact, they are prescribed the other way around with lifestyle therapy being the adjunct if being thought about at all. Doctors are not following either society guidelines or FDA guidelines if they are prescribing [GLP-1s] without lifestyle therapy." Understanding diet, nutritional needs while on weight loss drugs Before starting GLP-1 medications, the report recommended that patients work with their doctors to set goals that focus on overall health, not just weight loss. It's also important to check for any stomach or bone issues that could lead to side effects like nausea, vomiting, or muscle and bone loss, the report stated. "Registered dietitians can play really key roles in comprehensive obesity care by providing medical nutrition therapy to support GLP-1 therapy," said Emily A. Callahan, registered dietitian nutritionist and director of policy strategy for the Food is Medicine Institute. "The evidence space is growing that shows when registered dietitians deliver medical nutrition therapy, it has been associated with improvements in body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure and glycemic control." People should usually start GLP-1 medications at the lowest dose and slowly increase as needed, the report said. Patients should also be aware that nausea is common when taking these drugs and this may trigger cravings for sugary, high-calorie comfort foods that work against weight loss. To stay on track, the report recommended eating small, frequent meals and focusing on minimally processed, nutrient-rich foods. The report called for exercising special caution for anyone following an intermittent fasting diet or a low-carbohydrate "keto diet" that limits foods like breads, pastas and fruit to put the body into a state called ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbs. These individuals might be especially vulnerable to gastrointestinal side effects, the report said. The report also advised people who may not be getting enough nutrients to consider taking supplements like vitamin D, calcium and multivitamins, while increasing protein intake by 50-100% from foods such as fish, eggs, nuts and seeds. This is especially important for those eating less while on GLP-1s, since lower food intake can make it harder to get all the nutrients the body needs. The report also underscored the importance of maintaining muscle mass and bone density while losing weight. Since weight loss can also lead to muscle loss -- especially in older adults -- the report advised doing a full body strength training routine at least three times a week and getting 150 minutes of moderate cardio each week. Josh Gad opens up for 1st time about taking weight loss drug: 'It is life-changing' Focusing on nutrition, physical activity and other healthy lifestyle habits should give GLP-1 users a greater chance of achieving their goals, the report concluded. "GLP-1s have the best chance of helping people achieve and sustain lasting weight reduction when they are paired with strong nutrition guidance and lifestyle support," said Callahan. Dr. Brendan Huang serves as the chief resident physician in adult neurology at Northwell Health and is also a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Food and fitness make or break success on weight loss meds, report finds originally appeared on
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Borne identity: Looming AI threat
This erasure will be deepened if AI culls jobs on a scale not seen for decades―and across the rank and file this time. AI was supposed to take over basic and repetitive tasks, leaving workers free to supervise machines or turn to higher things. Exactly the opposite is happening. AIs can write words and code, create images from words, analyse gigantic datasets and work in mathematics, science and music. Because they learn by mimicry, they can even write poetry and literary fiction in the manner of acclaimed writers. But for want of manual dexterity, AIs are no good for everyday work. They can make fast food because it's standardised, but they can't make a home-cooked meal. Disappointingly, while the household robot has been a stock character in science fiction, intelligent machines can't perform any household function reliably, except for keeping floors somewhat clean. Jobs deemed to be low-quality may prove to be durable while a lot of white-collar roles go to machines. Even industries like the press, which depend heavily on human instincts and originality, are being affected. The buzz is about 'liquid content'―text, graphics and other components formatted to be widely shared, which can be decanted into various formats and channels. Until fairly recently in India, there were curbs on cross-media holdings for fear that media houses would do precisely this, narrowing the variety of news sources and opinion. Besides, it was assumed that the 'nose for news' on which the whole business runs is a uniquely human attribute. But some Nordic media houses are training their own AIs by a simple process: their desk staff give a thumbs up or thumbs down to incoming news to teach the AI to be a news editor. The most persuasive evidence that AIs could take white-collar jobs comes from changing attitudes to universal basic income. The idea dates back to Thomas Paine in the late 18th century and enjoys some popularity in times of economic uncertainty. At other times, it has been dismissed as a handout. But over the last decade, as AI has surged, it is again being talked up. Elites drive policy everywhere, including in technology, and the change could suggest that they know that their own AIs could make them redundant. Speakeasy Pratik Kanjilal | Fellow, Henry J Leir Institute of Migration and Human Security, Fletcher School, Tufts University (Views are personal) (Tweets @pratik_k)
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Federal judge orders ICE to release Tufts student whose detention went viral
A federal judge in Vermont has ordered the Trump administration to release a Tufts University PhD student from Turkey whose video-recorded detention earlier this year by immigration agents drew broad condemnation. Judge William Sessions ordered the release of Rümeysa Öztürk on May 9, and she is now free on a personal recognizance bond, her attorneys said. Öztürk, who is Muslim, was taken into custody by plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as she walked on the sidewalk near her Boston-area home on March 25. Shortly after Sessions' ruling, Öztürk was released from the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile. Öztürk's attorneys say she has committed no crime, and was instead targeted by ICE because she co-wrote a pro-Palestinian opinion piece in the student newspaper. Öztürk was detained in Massachusetts before being transferred to Vermont and then Louisiana, where the White House has been sending many international detainees. Her attorneys said her health has been declining since she's been detained. "When did speaking up against oppression become a crime? When did speaking up against genocide become something to be imprisoned for?' her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, said in a statement. The Trump administration had targeted multiple international students over their participation in pro-Palestinian protests, but generally declined to offer specific charges against each. The administration has also revoked the visas of more than 1,000 international students, many of whom appeared to have never participated in protests, although those revocations are now on hold. Prior to the Trump administration, people on visas like the one Öztürk holds were typically permitted to remain free during the immigration court process. Sessions' specific order was not immediately available; most of the court files are sealed. Critics said the Trump administration targeted Öztürk to scare other students. "I am relieved and ecstatic that Rümeysa has been ordered released," Khanbabai said. "Unfortunately, it is 45 days too late. She has been imprisoned all these days for simply writing an op-ed that called for human rights and dignity for the people in Palestine." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge orders ICE to release Tufts student whose detention went viral
New York Times
2 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
Should You Take Creatine Supplements?
Creatine has long been a popular supplement among athletes and body builders, who say it supplies them with quick bursts of energy needed for high-intensity workouts and helps them build muscle. But on social media, claims about creatine go beyond the weight room, with some users saying it can improve memory, help with recovery after concussions or other head traumas, or even control blood sugar in people with Type 2 diabetes. Is any of this true? We turned to three nutrition and supplement experts to help us sort it out. What is creatine? Creatine is a compound that our liver, kidneys and pancreas make on their own, but we also get it from certain animal products like red meat and fish. After it has been absorbed into the bloodstream and transferred to the muscles, it is converted into another compound called creatine phosphate, which our muscles use to generate energy, especially during high intensity activities like sprinting and weight lifting, said Roger Fielding, a senior scientist at the Jean Mayer U.S.D.A. Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Because we typically make enough creatine to survive, federal health officials don't make recommendations for how much we should consume, and it is not considered an essential nutrient, said Jose Antonio, a professor of exercise science at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. Most of our bodies require about two grams of creatine per day to perform their basic functions. If you eat meat, you probably get a good chunk of this — about one to two grams per day — from your diet. But your organs also pick up the slack. They synthesize about one to two grams on their own, Dr. Antonio said, except in people with certain rare genetic disorders that affect their ability to produce creatine or move it around the body. Does creatine boost athletic performance? Most studies on creatine supplements, which typically contain a form of the compound called creatine monohydrate, have evaluated their effects on athletic performance and muscle growth, Dr. Antonio said. For people who want to use creatine for improvements in these areas, experts typically recommend taking about three to five milligrams per day in the form of supplements. In healthy people, creatine supplements have largely been shown to be safe, said Dr. David S. Seres, a professor of medicine at the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Clinical trials and other studies have found that athletes who take creatine supplements can generate 5 to 15 percent more strength or force during short, repeated bursts of activity compared with people who don't take creatine supplements. 'This performance-enhancing effect is pretty well-documented,' Dr. Fielding said. Creatine has also been shown to help build muscle among people who do regular strength training. In a 2022 analysis and review of 35 clinical trials involving nearly 1,200 adults, researchers found that people who took creatine supplements while resistance training increased their lean body mass (or the weight of everything in their body except fat) by an average of more than two pounds. The trials involved different dosages of creatine over different lengths of time, from one week to four months. But are these improvements large enough to be noticeable or meaningful to health or exercise performance? That's the key question, Dr. Seres said. For competitive athletes, a little extra muscle or slightly better performance during, say, a sprint, could be the difference between winning and losing, Dr. Fielding said. But for recreational athletes, those differences may not matter as much. A small increase in muscle mass may, however, be meaningful for people who have low muscle mass or low muscle strength, such as older adults or those with sarcopenia, a condition characterized by age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, Dr. Fielding said. Vegetarians and vegans may also benefit from supplementing with creatine more than meat eaters, he added, because they don't eat the animal protein sources that are naturally rich in the compound. While their bodies may make enough to survive, they may not get the amount associated with additional muscle and performance benefits, he said, but more research is needed to confirm this. Does creatine help with memory, diabetes or other aspects of health? Scientists have begun to evaluate the potential ways supplementing with creatine may benefit people outside the sports realm, but the research so far is limited and the results are mixed, Dr. Fielding said. In a 2024 analysis of 16 clinical trials involving about 500 adults — some of whom were healthy and some of whom had conditions such as Parkinson's disease or schizophrenia — researchers found that various doses of creatine supplements improved people's memory and attention time, but not their overall brain function, including impulse control, planning and response time. While more research is needed, Dr. Antonio said, if you want to try using creatine for cognitive benefits, the limited data we have suggests that at least 10 milligrams per day may be a good place to start. Some studies have also hinted that creatine may help control blood sugar among people with Type 2 diabetes. And researchers are evaluating whether those with traumatic brain injuries (like concussions), neuromuscular conditions (like muscular dystrophy) or heart failure may benefit from supplementing with creatine — but more research is needed in all of these areas. Dr. Fielding said that people with kidney disease should consult a doctor before taking creatine supplements because the nutrient is processed by the kidneys and could strain them further. In fact, he said, if you have any serious medical condition, it might be worth a quick check-in with a doctor. It's always better to be safe when taking anything new, whether it's a supplement or something else, he said.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
In new battle, Rubio to refuse US visas over online 'censorship'
WASHINGTON: The United States said Wednesday it will refuse visas to foreign officials who block Americans' social media posts, as President Donald Trump's administration wages a new battle over free expression. Secretary of State Marco Rubio -- who has controversially rescinded visas for activists who criticize Israel and ramped up screening of foreign students' social media -- said he was acting against 'flagrant censorship actions' overseas against US tech firms. He did not publicly name any official who would be denied a visa under the new policy. But last week he suggested to lawmakers that he was planning sanctions against a Brazilian Supreme Court judge, Alexandre de Moraes, who has battled X owner and Trump ally Elon Musk over alleged disinformation. The administration of Trump -- himself a prolific and often confrontational social media user -- has also sharply criticized Germany and Britain for restricting what the US allies' governments term hate and abusive speech. Rubio said the United States will begin to restrict visas to foreign nationals who are responsible for 'censorship of protected expression in the United States.' 'It is unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants on US citizens or US residents for social media posts on American platforms while physically present on US soil,' Rubio said in a statement. 'It is similarly unacceptable for foreign officials to demand that American tech platforms adopt global content moderation policies or engage in censorship activity that reaches beyond their authority and into the United States,' he said. 'We will not tolerate encroachments upon American sovereignty, especially when such encroachments undermine the exercise of our fundamental right to free speech.' Rubio has said he has revoked the US visas for thousands of people, largely students who have protested against Israel's offensive in Gaza. Among the most visible cases has been Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University who had written an opinion piece in a student newspaper criticizing the school's position on Gaza. Masked agents arrested her on a Massachusetts street and took her away. A judge recently ordered her release. Rubio on Tuesday suspended further appointments for students seeking visas to the United States until the State Department drafts new guidelines on enhanced screening of applicants' social media postings. Anger at Brazilian judge Social media regulation has become a rallying cry for many on the American right since Trump was suspended from Twitter, now X, and Facebook on safety grounds after his supporters attacked the US Capitol following his defeat in the 2020 election to Joe Biden. In Brazil, where supporters of Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro similarly stormed the presidential palace, Congress and Supreme Court in 2023 after Bolsonaro's election loss, Moraes has said he is seeking to protect democracy through his judicial power. Moraes temporarily blocked X across Brazil until it complied with his order to remove accounts accused of spreading disinformation. More recently he ordered a suspension of Rumble, a video-sharing platform popular with conservative and far-right voices over its refusal to block the account of a user based in the United States who was wanted for spreading disinformation. Germany -- whose foreign minister met Wednesday with Rubio -- restricts online hate speech and misinformation, saying it has learned a lesson from its Nazi past and will ostracize extremists. US Vice President JD Vance in a speech in Munich in February denounced Germany for shunning the far-right, noting the popularity of its anti-immigrant message. In an essay Tuesday, a State Department official pointed to social media regulations and said Europeans were following a 'similar strategy of censorship, demonization and bureaucratic weaponization' as witnessed against Trump and his supporters. 'What this reveals is that the global liberal project is not enabling the flourishing of democracy,' wrote Samuel Samson, a senior advisor for the State Department's human rights office. 'Rather, it is trampling democracy, and Western heritage along with it, in the name of a decadent governing class afraid of its own people.'
