July 2004

IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

• Surgery can't do the trick!
• Reader Questions and Answers
• What are the best snacks for hiking?
• Will eating eggs increase my cholesterol?
• From the Mailbox — Story of Success
• Recipe — Deviled Eggs with a Twist

COSMETIC FAT REDUCTION DOESN'T IMPROVE HEALTH

With more than 50% of Americans overweight, you might hear or read about ten different weight loss strategies in a given day. Many are sound diet and exercise plans, each with their own twist. But others are quick-fix pills and diets that are not only ineffective but can also be dangerous.

Recently, it was suggested that a surgical option might pave the way for individuals who are very overweight to achieve much-needed weight loss and also improve health. The surgery is known as liposuction, and in a recent study of 15 obese women, approximately ten kilograms (about 22 pounds) of abdominal fat was removed. The scientists targeted abdominal fat because that area of fat accumulation has been shown to increase risk for several chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Typically, if weight is lost through a reduced-calorie diet and/or regular exercise, you would expect to see improvements in cholesterol levels as well as various other biological markers of cardiovascular disease or risk for type 2 diabetes. In this case, after removing more than 20 pounds of body fat through liposuction, none of those improvements were seen.

These findings confirm what we have known all along—that the benefits of sound nutrition and regular exercise really appear to be the most potent combination for weight maintenance and for overall health.

(Reference: Klein S, Fontana L, Young LV, Coggan AR, Kilo C, Patterson BW, Mohammed SB. Absence of an effect of liposuction on insulin action and risk factors for coronary heart disease. New England Journal of Medicine 2004;350(25):2549-2557.)

Q: I am planning on doing a lot of day hikes this summer, and I was wondering if you could tell me what your favorite snacks are to bring along?

A: If it's a long day of hiking, you should plan on bringing a full lunch—perhaps sandwiches, fruit, and plenty of drink for everyone since staying hydrated throughout the day is so important. In terms of snacking, the best items to bring along are ones that will hold up in your bag for the entire day and won't perish in the heat. Good options include dried fruit, dry roasted unsalted nuts, apples, and snack bars. In terms of the snack bars, some are more akin to candy bars than a meal or snack bar; choose ones that contain more cereal and dried fruit in the bar, with at least 3 grams each of fiber and protein. Certainly, pack a little chocolate in your backpack if you like and it isn't too hot out. Especially when hiking with children, a few good treats really helps as an incentive to help them to make it to the top!

Q: I am confused about how to best manage my cholesterol levels. I have read in some places that egg consumption should be limited or even eliminated; and in other places, I have read that saturated fat in food—more so than dietary cholesterol (as found in eggs)—has a much larger impact on my blood cholesterol levels. What do you advise?

A: It is true that saturated fat consumption seems to have the greatest impact on increasing cholesterol levels in the blood. However, dietary cholesterol, as found in egg yolks, can also have an effect. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute you should limit saturated fat intake to 8-10% of total fat intake, and cholesterol intake should be limited to no more than 300mg per day. If you have elevated cholesterol levels, I recommend eating no more than 2 yolks per week; the whites, of course, are fine; and minimize the consumption of full-fat dairy foods and fattier cuts of meat.

Our StrongWomen Program Leaders and participants in Kansas were kind enough to share with us what has been happening throughout their state. These are just a few of their inspiring stories.

-- Dina writes that she has 20 people regularly participating in her new StrongWomen class. She told us, "One improved flexibility in her knees. She could do steps one at a time when she started and can now go up and down normally. Personally, I have gone from a size 12 to 8 or 10 pants. They haven't focused on weight loss but some have lost some pounds."

-- Mary tells us that she has added them to her personal exercises and has seen an improvement in her upper body strength. She was thrilled that when she was helping her husband paint it was so much easier. He was impressed with her new strength.

-- Jean in Pratt County reports that 110 women have been started the StrongWomen Program since January 2004, and a local physician is now referring women to this program.

Place eggs in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool and peel. Slice eggs in half lengthwise and remove yolks. Place yolks in a medium bowl. Mash together with yogurt, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Fill the hollowed egg whites generously with the egg yolk mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.