World Cancer Research Fund’s cancer prevention package!
Did you know that being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing 11 different types of cancer? In fact, after not smoking, being a healthy weight is the most important thing people can do to reduce your cancer risk.
As part of the CCH network, you can take advantage of World Cancer Research Fund’s cancer prevention package! – This FREE package will help you to raise awareness of cancer prevention and support people who want to reduce their cancer risk.
The free package includes:
- Access to online cancer prevention training (worth £45)
- A free bundle of publications, including booklets, leaflets and posters plus a 50% discount on future orders
- Subscription to Informed, a cancer prevention newsletter which mails every four months
- Updates on the latest cancer prevention news and health information resources
“Working together we can beat cancer”– Community Health Trainer
Click here! – to get your free resources and training.
Please note that the package is only available to health professionals based in the UK.
If you have any questions about World Cancer Research Fund’s cancer prevention package please contact them on 020 7343 4200 or informed@wcrf.org
Cancer mutation uses fat for fuel
New research published in Cell Metabolism has found that a certain melanoma mutation will cause the cancer to grow faster in a high-fat diet. The study was conducted on mice and found that cancers driven by a mutation in BRAF V600E (which is found in 60% of all melanomas) would thrive when the mice were given high-fat diets, alternatively, when they were fed lipid-lowering diets, the growth of the cancers slowed considerably. Most cancer cells display high glucose uptake, and recently low-carbohydrate diets have been tried as a therapeutic strategy against cancer. This research highlights that other factors could be at play, such as the BRAF V600E gene mutation; in this case a low-carbohydrate diet would not be helpful.
The research highlights the idea that diets can be specifically tailored to an individual’s needs, especially to prevent or delay tumour progression. Whilst human cancers can differ slightly in their metabolic properties, the researchers stress that this data could lead to more research into the designing of dietary regimens for cancer patients. At this point the researchers cannot be clear about which types of diets may trigger this, however they have managed to identify a compound known as acetoacetate as one of the triggers of this phenomenon, more research is being conducted.
Read MoreCancer-fighting drugs help weight loss
Researchers from the Mayo clinic have found that two common anti-cancer drugs have caused significant weight loss in mice. This effect was seen even though the mice continued consuming a high-fat diet. Originally, this research was conducted to address obesity’s impact on cancer treatment, however the shift of focus occurred once the weight loss was observed. The two drugs, methotrexate and cyclophosphamide were dosed to a level that reversed obesity, but without detectable toxicity. They also tested the drugs in mice without cancer and observed the same results.
The researchers were especially surprised by the ease in which they were able to reverse obesity, when compared to current strategies. They also controlled for other factors that may have influenced the outcome, such as ensuring that the mice were moving the same amount and consuming the same number of calories. The multiple effects of methotrexate and cyclophosphamide all came together to produce this outcome by depleting fat cell precursors. The researchers hypothesised that treatment with these drugs can lead to the liver burning off fat rather than keeping it in storage, however more research must be carried out to explore the full mechanisms of the drugs.
Read MoreBlood tests can help predict surgery outcome
New research suggests that by calculating the ratio of circulating fatty acids, we may be able to predict the outcome of bariatric surgery. The study examined whether the ratios of serum stearic acid/palmitic acid (S/P) would be a reliable marker in predicting diabetes remission and assessing metabolic status. Two independent cohorts were assessed, totalling 413 participants. It was found that patients who had a higher level of S/P before surgery had a greater chance of diabetes remission.
By adding S/P ratio to HbA1c levels and fasting C-peptide the predictive potential of these tests has increased significantly. A similar measure was found in the second cohort of patients, highlighting the possible use of S/P ratio as a novel marker in preoperative assessment. The researchers are hoping that this study could help inform healthcare providers on who would benefit most from bariatric surgery.
Read MoreNew detoxifying diet results in significant weight loss
Researchers from Skidmore College have developed a new ‘protein-paced’ diet (P-CR) that is based on consuming a low number of calories and intermittent fasting. They found that P-CR not only helps weight loss, but also enhances heart health, releases toxins from the body and reduces oxidative stress. P-CR itself involves consuming four to six meals a day, each with 20-25 grams of protein. The lead author, Paul Arciero, has also found that P-CR demonstrated sustained improvements in body weight, heart health and toxins when compared to traditional ‘heart-healthy’ diets.
Previous research has shown that weight loss can in fact release toxins into the blood, which is a natural reaction; P-CR is able to counter this by subsequently releasing those toxins from the body. Importantly, Arciero wanted to highlight that scientific evidence is now available that confirms that the quality of your diet matters, and through P-CR you can address a range of metabolic issues through diet alone.
Read MoreDoes obesity affect your memory?
A new study from Indiana University has found that memory training has only a third of the benefit to older adults with obesity than it does to their normal weight counterparts. The researchers followed cognition over a period of 10 years and compared the trajectories of a sample of adults. They are unsure as to the specific mechanism of this, with one hypothesis being that obesity reduces the size of the hippocampus, so there is less capacity for new memories. Approximately 2,800 individuals with an average age of 74 took part in the study.
Whilst much research has been done to develop weight loss programs, this research highlights the importance of protecting memory function, especially with the growing age of the population and the ever increasing rate of obesity. Different types of memory training were used in the study, such as memory, reasoning and speed of processing, but the largest change was seen in the memory field.
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