Animal fats are often linked with high cholesterol, but traditional cheeses appear to behave differently than other sources of animal fat, like red meat or butter. To evaluate cheese’s relationship with cholesterol, Danish researchers assigned more than 130 adults to one of three diet groups: regular diet with 2.8 oz (80g) full fat Danbo and cheddar cheese daily, regular diet with 2.8 oz (80g) reduced fat Danbo and cheddar cheese daily, or regular diet with 3.2 oz (90g) white bread and 0.9 oz (25g) sweet jam daily. At the end of the 12-week study, there was no significant difference in LDL (“bad” cholesterol), HDL (“good” cholesterol), or other metabolic syndrome risk factors between the three groups.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016 Oct;104(4):973-981. (Raziani F et al.)

Even if you don’t live in the Mediterranean, you can still benefit from a Mediterranean style diet. To see how the Mediterranean diet relates to heart disease in England, European researchers analyzed the eating habits and health outcomes of 23,902 adults (age 40-79) in Eastern England. Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were significantly less likely to develop heart disease. Based on these data, the researchers estimate that 1-6% of all heart disease cases, and 2-14% of all stroke cases can be prevented by following a Mediterranean diet.
BMC Medicine. 2016 Sep 29;14(1):135. (Tong TY et al.)

Fermented foods are gaining popularity throughout the food industry, and research is showing the benefits extend well beyond their unique flavors. To see how fermentation and probiotics might benefit common food products, scientists in Spain fermented breads with yeast and various strains of lactic acid bacteria (a popular probiotic) then exposed them to A. Parasiticus (a mold that can produce dangerous aflatoxins) and monitored their freshness for 15 days. In the breads treated with lactic acid bacteria, the mold produced 84.1-99.9% fewer dangerous aflotoxins, and some of the breads’ shelf life was improved by 3-4 days compared to breads without the lactic acid bacteria, demonstrating how traditional culinary techniques (such as long sourdough fermentation) might be applied to modern food problems and products.
Food Control. 2016 Sept;67:273-277. (Saladino et al.)

Pre-diabetes can increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease, so understanding lifestyle factors is important. To see how diet relates to pre-diabetes, scientists analyzed the eating habits of 150 pre-diabetic adults in Iran, and 150 healthy, matched controls. Two distinct eating patterns emerged: the “vegetable, fruit, legume” pattern, with lots of plant foods including produce, whole grains, nuts, low fat dairy, and fish, and the “sweet, solid fat, meat, and mayonnaise” pattern, with lots desserts, red meat, fried potatoes, and solid fats. Those whose diets more aligned with the “vegetable, fruit, legume” pattern were significantly less likely to be pre-diabetic than those whose diets more closely resembled the “sweet, solid fat, meat, and mayonnaise” pattern.
British Journal of Nutrition. 2016 Sep;116(5):874-81. (Bagheri F et al.)

If an apple a day can keep the doctor away, imagine what even more fruits and veggies can do! In a study of 108 patients with kidney disease, researchers randomly assigned patients to one of three treatment groups: receiving a sodium bicarbonate drug (standard treatment for kidney patients to neutralize lingering acid), receiving 3-4 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and receiving no treatment. After 5 years, the systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) of those in the fruit and vegetable group was 125 mm Hg, compared to 135 mm Hg in the sodium bicarbonate group, and 134 mm Hg in the no treatment group. Because those in the fruit and vegetable group were less dependent on blood pressure medication, their total spending on blood pressure drugs over the 5 year study was $80,000, compared to more than $153,000 for each of the other two groups.
Presented at the American Heart Association Council on Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2016. Orlando, FL. September 15, 2016.

An estimated 1 in 8 women in the US will develop invasive breast cancer over her lifetime, so preventive lifestyle choices are an important area of research. To see how diet plays a role, Harvard scientists analyzed the grain food choices of 90,516 pre-menopausal women, and monitored their health outcomes for 22 years. After adjusting for known breast cancer risk factors, those eating 1.5 servings of whole grains per day were 18% less likely to get pre-menopausal breast cancer than those eating hardly any whole grains (0.2 servings/day). This relationship was no longer significant after adjusting for fiber, suggesting that the fiber in whole grains may play a protective role. When looking at individual grain foods, brown rice and pasta (white or whole grain) were associated with a lower risk of overall breast cancer risk, while white bread was linked with a higher risk of overall breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 2016 Sep;159(2):335-45. (Farvid MS et al.)

The Mediterranean diet is well known for its role in heart health, so researchers wanted to know if the foundations of a Mediterranean diet specifically reduced the risk of heart failure. German researchers analyzed the diets of 24,008 middle aged European adults, and followed their health outcomes for 8 years. While a strong adherence to a Mediterranean diet was not significantly related to lower heart failure risk after adjusting for other risk factors, many components of the Mediterranean diet were linked with a lower risk of heart failure, including high fish intake, moderate alcohol intake, and low meat intake. The researchers conclude that “Minor dietary changes could be valuable primary prevention measures, particularly the increase of fish consumption while reducing the intake of meat.”
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016 Sep;70(9):1015-21. (Wirth J et al.)

To help set your kids up for academic success, don’t overlook the importance of a healthy diet. Scientists analyzed the eating habits of 161 Finnish children in first grade, then monitored their academic performance in grades 1-3. Kids with healthier diets that emphasized fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts, and low fat dairy, had better reading fluency and reading comprehension than those whose diets ranked more poorly. There were no statistically significant differences in math performance related to diet.
European Journal of Nutrition. 2016 Sep 9. [Epub ahead of print] (Haapala EA et al.)

The Mediterranean diet is well known for its role in heart disease prevention, but new research suggests that it may also be beneficial for people who already have a history of heart disease. In a preliminary study, researchers followed 1197 Italian adults who had a history of heart disease and analyzed their eating patterns and health outcomes. Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 37% less likely to die during the 7-year study period than those not following a Mediterranean diet. In fact, each 2-point increase on the Mediterranean diet score (on a scale of 0-9) was linked with a 21% lower risk of death. This is greater than the risk reduction seen by taking statins (18%), common cholesterol lowering drugs.
Presentation at the European Society of Cardiology. Rome, Italy. August 28, 2016.

To see how various fat sources relate to heart disease, Harvard researchers analyzed the fat intake and health outcomes of more than 222,000 people across 3 large cohorts. They found that while dairy fat intake in itself was not significantly related to heart disease risk, replacing 5% of calories from dairy fat with whole grains, polyunsaturated fat (found in fish, nuts, and seeds) or vegetable fat was linked with a 28%, 24% and 10% lower risk of heart disease, respectively. Additionally, replacing 5% of calories from other animal fats (such as red meat) with dairy fat was linked with a 6% lower risk of heart disease, indicating that while dairy fat might not be as harmful as red meat, replacing animal fats with plant foods could offer more protection. This supports the evidence that we consume and what we don’t consume both contribute to health outcomes. 
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016 Aug 24. pii: ajcn134460. [Epub ahead of print] (Chen M et al.)

Atherosclerosis, plaque build up in the arteries, can lead to dangerous blood clots, but diet can play an important role in prevention. Researchers analyzed the eating habits and heart health markers of 4,082 adults in Spain, and identified three distinct eating patterns: the Mediterranean diet, the Western diet, and the “social-business eating pattern,” a dietary pattern with more calories, red meat, pre-made foods, alcohol, sugary drinks, snacks, and lots of eating out. Those eating a Mediterranean diet had significantly less plaque than those eating a Western or social business eating pattern, with a social-business pattern appearing to be even worse than the typical, unhealthy Western diet (characterized by not enough fruits, veggies or whole grains, and too much red meat, desserts, and sugary beverages).
Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2016 Aug 23;68(8):805-14. 

The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a healthy diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, nuts, and legumes, and limits red and processed meat, sodium, and sugary drinks. To see if this diet might be appropriate for kidney disease prevention, scientists analyzed the eating habits of 14,882 middle aged adults in Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, and North Carolina, and tracked their health outcomes for 23 years. After controlling for demographic and lifestyle factors, including smoking and medication, those most closing following a DASH diet were 16% less likely to develop kidney disease than those not following a DASH diet. When looking at individual foods, nuts, legumes, and low fat dairy products were all significantly linked with a lower risk of kidney disease.
American Journal of Kidney Disease. 2016 Aug 1. pii: S0272-6386(16)30257-8. (Rebholz CM et al.)