New research published in the Journal of Physiology suggests that eating breakfast regularly decreases the activity of genes involved in fat metabolism and increases how much sugar your body’s fat cells body take up, reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The researchers also discovered that fat cells in people who are obese don’t respond as well to insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels.

For this small study, 49 adults – 29 lean and 20 obese – were asked to either eat a high-carb breakfast within two hours of waking up and before 11 a.m., or fast until mid-day each day for six weeks. Before and after the study period, the researchers measured metabolism, body composition, appetite responses, and cardiovascular and metabolic health markers. They also measured the activity of 44 genes and key proteins in participants’ fat cells and evaluated the ability of the cells to take up glucose in response to insulin.

The researchers hope that by learning more about how fat cells respond to what and when we eat, we can discover new ways to minimize the harmful effects of body fat.

Sourced from: The Journal of Physiology

A small study conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada suggests that pedometers built into iPhones miss about 1,340 steps during a typical day compared with accelerometers that are worn on the waist. Health app accuracy is becoming increasingly important as more and more people – including medical professionals – are using them to track fitness levels and other health information.

The two-part Canadian study involved 33 participants. In the laboratory portion of the study, participants carried two iPhones, one personal and one provided by the lab, and walked on a treadmill for 60 seconds at various speeds. The step counts on the two phones were compared and the participants’ steps were also counted manually. According to the researchers, personal iPhones underestimated steps by 9.4 percent and the shared phones underestimated steps by 7.6 percent at the slowest walking speed. At faster walking speeds, the iPhones were less than 5 percent inaccurate.

For the second part of the study, participants wore accelerometers on their waists for three full days and recorded iPhone step readings at the beginning and end of each day. At the end of the study period, the iPhones underestimated the data from the accelerometers by about 21.5 percent – 1,340 steps per day.

Sourced from: The University of British Columbia

From October 1 to November 25 of this year, there have been 5,070 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza in the United States – more than twice as many as the 2,510 flu cases diagnosed during the same time last year, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since many people who come down with the flu don’t go to the doctor to be tested, the actual number of cases is probably higher, confirming fears that this flu season could be particularly severe.

Of additional concern: this year’s flu vaccine may be less effective than in past years. Last year, the flu vaccine was only about 46 percent effective in the U.S., according to the CDC.

Research published in Eurosurveillance in October suggests the vaccine used in Australia this year, which has the same composition of the one being used in the United States, was only about 10 percent effective. However, flu strains that predominate in North America this year may not be the same as the strains that hit Australia.

Sourced from: CNBC