Weight management

Is Nestlé leading the charge in €4bn race for Merck’s vitamin and supplements business?

12-Jan-2018 By Nathan Gray

Multiple reports peg Nestlé as the front runner to buy Merck KGaA’s consumer health unit in a race that could result in a deal worth up to $5 billion (€4.1bn).

Could fibre stave off the effects of a high-fat diet?

08-Jan-2018 By Tim Cutcliffe

Adding a prebiotic fibre to a high-fat diet (HFD) protected mice against metabolic syndrome, according to a recent study in Cell Host & Microbe.

Link between fast food and ‘bad’ cholesterol reinforced

19-Dec-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Regular fast food consumption means more calories, less nutrients, suggests research published in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

‘Watershed moment for type 2 diabetes understanding and management’ as study confirms disease reversal is possible.

12-Dec-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

The ability to reverse type 2 diabetes (T2D) through an intensive weight management program has been proven in a groundbreaking study recently published in The Lancet.

Reduced dietary inflammation key to maintaining weight loss: Indonesian and Dutch researchers

12-Dec-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Dietary inflammation — and not dietary macronutrient composition — influences the risk of weight regain after weight loss, according to researchers in Indonesia and the Netherlands.

A good workout changes your gut bug makeup, say new studies

07-Dec-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Exercise can modify the composition of the gut microbiome, independent of diet, new studies suggest.

Satiety effect means snacking on almonds may help you avoid weight gain

28-Nov-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Previous fears about the impact of eating almonds on weight control may be unfounded, suggests eminent dietician.

Review details growing scientific backing for curcumin benefits

20-Nov-2017 By Hank Schultz

Even if one excludes the many studies on curcumin that have disease end points, the research backing for the health benefits of this potent suite of polyphenols continues to grow, the authors of a review paper assert.

Yerba mate shows promise for weight management and metabolic health: Mouse study

20-Nov-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Dietary supplementation with yerba mate alleviated diet-induced obesity and improved markers of metabolic disorders in mice, reports a new study in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

RCT backs targeted medical nutrition drink for muscle-wasting benefits

14-Nov-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

A targeted medical nutrition drink containing omega-3, vitamin D, protein and a combination of polyphenols has been found to improve symptoms of cachexia, a muscle-wasting disease that is common in COPD patients.

Nestlé, General Mills call for ‘global guidance’ on whole grain consumption

13-Nov-2017 By Katy Askew

Consumers don’t know how much whole grain they should eat each day or where to find it, new research commissioned by Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), the joint venture between Nestlé and General Mills, reveals. The group believes that global guidance...

Mouse data backs DuPont prebiotic for multiple effects

10-Nov-2017 By Will Chu

DuPont’s prebiotic fibre could exert positive benefits to the gut microbiome, according to an animal study featured in Nature which also raises future implications on skin, metabolic and even brain health.

Whole grain switch benefits weight loss and inflammation - but not gut bacteria

06-Nov-2017 By Nathan Gray

Swapping out refined grains for whole grains does not cause significant shifts in our gut microbes or better insulin resistance – but does result in weight loss, lower food intake, and reduced systemic inflammation, say researchers.

Research suggests prebiotic fiber could add to the arsenal for fighting the obesity epidemic

02-Nov-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

The stubborn rise of obesity rates in America despite the launch of a wide-range of calorie-restricting ‘diet’ products and exercise plans underscores the difficulty of weight loss, but emerging research on the role of the gut microbiota in the battle...

SCIENCE SHORT

Probiotics backed for weight loss benefits: Meta-analysis

31-Oct-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Probiotic supplementation with various strains of Lactobacillus have been shown to induce a small but statistically significant weight loss in the obese and overweight, according to a new review and meta-analysis.

ASA rules turmeric and vit A claims overstep advertising code

25-Oct-2017 By Will Chu

A raft of British firms continue to test the boundaries of UK supplement advertising as the Advertising Standards Authority take action over health claims used to market joint health and weight loss products.

Microbiome sampling could predict weight loss success – help to drive personalised diet plans

09-Oct-2017 By Nathan Gray

The make-up of our gut bacteria environment may play a key role in personalised nutrition approaches to fight obesity, according to new research.

ID Nutra receives EFSA novel food application for satiety ingredient

29-Sep-2017 By Will Chu

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has granted a novel food application for the weight loss and metabolism management hoodia parviflora.

SCIENCE SHORT

Chilli chemicals may heat up your metabolism

27-Sep-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Compounds found in chilli peppers appear to speed up metabolic rate, suggests a new study in Advances in Nutrition.

Agave fibers show gut health and weight management potential

27-Sep-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Extracts from agave may boost the diversity of the gut microbiota and help promote weight management, says a new study using lab mice. 

SupplySide West 2017

Ingredion launches new ‘slowly digestible’ carbohydrate

26-Sep-2017 By Adi Menayang

Ingredion has launched a new ingredient that will help finished product manufacturers “meet consumer demand for convenient, long-lasting energy in nutritional products,” according to the company.

Not just a sweet leaf: Stevia extracts may help tackle obesity

26-Sep-2017 By Niamh Michail

Stevia’s health benefits go beyond sugar reduction – it could also be a natural alternative for treating metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, say researchers.

Imperial network gathers expertise to tackle global nutrition issues

21-Sep-2017 By Will Chu

A new network of excellence has aims to become a beacon of nutrition research as it looks towards a renewed focus on balancing nutritional needs alongside food production in preserving population health.

Fat-regulating enzyme control protects against disease, say researchers

21-Sep-2017 By Emma Cash

Researchers have discovered that deleting an enzyme crucial in fat regulation could increase the risk of cancer, inflammation and other diseases.

Biochemists discover what makes olive oil help with weight loss

19-Sep-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Biochemist researchers at Virginia Tech have uncovered the compounds responsible for olive oil’s ability to help with weight loss, shedding new light on the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet.

The death of diet foods? EU Parliament approve laws that could 'wipe out' very low calorie diet products

04-Sep-2017 By Nathan Gray

Manufacturers and distributors of very low calorie diet (VLCD) programmes and products could be effectively wiped out by new rules passed by European lawmakers last week, warn industry leaders.

Nutrition merger: Prinsen set to acquire Gustav Berning

18-Aug-2017 By Nathan Gray

Prinsen Food Group is set to buy Gustav Berning in a deal that will see the two merge to become one of the largest manufacturers of private label and branded active nutrition products in Europe.

Med diet plus exercise could aid fatty liver disease

17-Aug-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Diet and lifestyle changes reduced liver fat and improved metabolic health in overweight patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), reveals a new study in Nutrients.

Research boost? FoodBook24 web tool could aid nutrition surveillance in Europe

20-Jul-2017 By David Anderson

A new web-based dietary tool has been developed by nutrition experts, who believe it could be the future of dietary surveillance for researchers across Europe.

Could cranberries boost your 'good bacteria'?

12-Jul-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

An indigestible carbohydrate found in cranberries may act as a prebiotic to promote beneficial bacteria in the microbiome, new research says.

Kerry innovation chief talks investment, R&D and working with start-ups

10-Jul-2017 By Niamh Michail

Following Kerry Group's $220 million (€193m) investment into research and development (R&D) last year, what's next for ingredient innovation at the Irish company? We caught up with the firm's Chief Innovation Officer.

Pathway to obesity: Study links TMAO-producing gut bacteria to obesity risk

06-Jul-2017 By Nathan Gray

The way bacteria in our gut metabolise the foods we eat could have a strong impact on obesity risk, while blocking certain pathways could lead to prevention, say researchers.

Personalised nutrition player DayTwo gains €10.6 million investment

04-Jul-2017 By Nathan Gray

Microbiome app developer DayTwo has secured €12 million (€10.6m) investment from Seventure Partners’ Health for Life Capital fund, as part of a series A round of fundraising.

Rye’s high satiety properties fit well as a weight-managing food, study says

03-Jul-2017 By Will Chu

The porous, moisture-absorbent properties of rye products such as bread, flakes and granolas are key to maintaining long-lasting satiety and effective weight management, a Finnish study determines.

Caffeine aids weight loss in mice...but at equivalent of 30 cups of coffee a day for humans

28-Jun-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Caffeine helped obese mice lose weight by suppressing appetites and increasing energy exposure — but one academic has argued an equivalent dose in humans is likely to lead to severe caffeine toxicity and perhaps even a fatal cardiac event.

Russian billionaire buys Holland & Barrett for healthy €2.0bn

27-Jun-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

US private equity firm Carlyle sells Europe’s largest health and wellness retailer to investment fund controlled by Mikhail Fridman

What’s new for the European market of sports nutrition?

27-Jun-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

The sports and health nutrition industry is booming in Western Europe as more consumers look for a healthy lifestyle, according to market intelligence agencies.

Chitosan combined with resistant starch slashes obesity and may prevent diabetes

26-Jun-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Supplementation with a combination of resistant starch and chitosan may help prevent obesity and diabetes.

Prebiotics promote satiety, but it's hard to make the claim, expert says

20-Jun-2017 By Hank Schultz

Satiety is one of the best-supported effects of prebiotic supplementation, an expert says.  But translating that into claims can be tricky.

Cinnamon’s potential anti-obesity benefits underlined by new study

20-Jun-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Cinnamon polyphenol can help tackle obesity and manage hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia, a new study on rats which were fed a high-fat diet reveals.

Heart health and weight management: Which fruit juices offer the most benefits?

14-Jun-2017 By Gary Scattergood

The types of fruit juices that appear to offer the most help in tackling cardiovascular disease and aiding weight management have been highlighted in a new academic review.

EFSA rebuffs Marks & Spencer health claim on protein-carbohydrate ratios for weight loss

13-Jun-2017 By Nathan Gray

A health claim application by leading UK retailer Marks & Spencer suggesting that consumption of a fixed carbohydrate to protein ratio of less than 1.8 could help reduction of body weight has been rejected.

Prebiotic may lower body fat in obese children

09-Jun-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Consuming oligofructose-enriched inulin (OI) alters gut microbiota, reducing body fat in overweight or obese children, according to a new RCT conducted at Calgary University.

Probiotics may counter obesity effects on vascular function: Study

07-Jun-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Supplementing the diet with probiotic Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum CECT 7765 may reverse the detrimental effects that obesity has on the function of blood vessels, suggests preliminary data from lab mice.

Bones of contention: Joint-up thinking key to market gains

31-May-2017 By Will Chu

Post-menopausal women, senior citizens both male and female. Those in the twilight of life have traditionally made up the bulk of the market for bone and joint supplements and ingredients.

Gut microbe health boosted after weight loss surgery, study finds

30-May-2017 By Will Chu

A profound shift in gut microbes and their metabolites occurs after weight loss surgery, a study finds, once again highlighting their core role in nutrient micro-management and weight control.

Looking ahead to IPA World Congress + Probiota Americas 2017

Howaru Shape: 'A new way of looking at weight management'

26-May-2017 By Stephen Daniells

DuPont Nutrition & Health’s newly launched Howaru Shape is backed up by a clinical study that found that daily supplements of the probiotic may reduce body fat by 4.5%.

VITAFOODS 2017

Seaweed swell: European interest turns tide in superfood’s favour?

24-May-2017 By Will Chu

Long considered a staple food in the Far East, seaweed and algae may finally be making gains in Europe with consumers eager to sample a nutritionally superior food with strong sustainable qualities.

Winners revealed: Find out who won out at the NutraIngredients Awards 2017!

11-May-2017 By Nathan Gray

Leading members of the functional food, supplements, and healthy nutrition industry gathered in Geneva this week to celebrate huge successes ... and find out who won out in the battle to become a winner at the NutraIngredients Awards 2017. 

'Complex link' between vitamin D2 and D3 supplementation

09-May-2017 By Eliot Beer

A new study may shed light on the differences in uptake of vitamin D variants, while also revealing absorption is higher in women than men, and two-weekly dose regimens are the most effective.