PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Popular blood type diet debunked

2014-01-16
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Michael kennedy
m.kennedy@utoronto.ca
416-946-5025
University of Toronto
Popular blood type diet debunked Researchers from the University of Toronto (U of T) have found that the theory behind the popular blood type diet--which claims an individual's nutritional needs vary by blood type--is not valid. The findings are published this week in PLoS One.

"Based on the data of 1,455 study participants, we found no evidence to support the 'blood-type' diet theory," said the senior author of the study, Dr. Ahmed El-Sohemy, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Nutrigenomics at the U of T.

"The way an individual responds to any one of these diets has absolutely nothing to do with their blood type and has everything to do with their ability to stick to a sensible vegetarian or low-carbohydrate diet," said El-Sohemy.

Researchers found that the associations they observed between each of the four blood-type (A, B, AB, O) diets and the markers of health are independent of the person's blood type.

The 'blood-type' diet was popularized in the book Eat Right for Your Type, written by naturopath Peter D'Adamo. The theory behind the diet is that the ABO blood type should match the dietary habits of our ancestors and people with different blood types process food differently. According to the theory, individuals adhering to a diet specific to one's blood type can improve health and decrease risk of chronic illness such as cardiovascular disease. The book was a New York Times best-seller that has been translated into 52 languages and sold over 7 million copies.

The U of T researchers took an existing population of mostly young and healthy adults who provided detailed information about their usual diets and provided fasting blood that was used to isolate DNA to determine their ABO blood type and the level of cardiometabolic risk factors, such as insulin, cholesterol and triglycerides. Diet scores were calculated based on the food items listed in Eat Right for Your Type to determine relative adherence to each of the four 'blood-type' diets.

El-Sohemy says that a previous lack of scientific evidence doesn't mean the diets didn't work. "There was just no evidence, one way or the other. It was an intriguing hypothesis so we felt we should put it to the test. We can now be confident in saying that the blood type diet hypothesis is false." Last year, a comprehensive review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found no evidence to support the 'blood-type' diet and called for properly designed scientific studies to address it.

### END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Geosphere examines volcanic zones, the Sierra Nevada, and Utah's Confusion Range

2014-01-16
Geosphere examines volcanic zones, the Sierra Nevada, and Utah's Confusion Range Boulder, Colo., USA – New Geosphere papers posted online 14 Jan. cover the San Joaquin Basin in California, the Catalan Volcanic Zone in Spain, the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand, the Confusion ...

Brain regions 'tune' activity to enable attention

2014-01-16
Brain regions 'tune' activity to enable attention The brain appears to synchronize the activity of different brain regions to make it possible for a person to pay attention or concentrate on a task, scientists at Washington University School of ...

Food processors beware: Salmonella biofilms incredibly resistant to powerful disinfectants

2014-01-16
Food processors beware: Salmonella biofilms incredibly resistant to powerful disinfectants Once Salmonella bacteria get into a food processing facility and have an opportunity to form a biofilm on surfaces, it is likely to be extraordinarily difficult, if not ...

When a doctor's visit is a guilt trip

2014-01-16
When a doctor's visit is a guilt trip UC San Diego study examines patient reactions to physician-inspired guilt and shame Have you ever left a doctor's office feeling ashamed or guilty? Chances are one in two that you answered "yes," according to research ...

Does taking multiple medicines increase your risk of being admitted to hospital?

2014-01-16
Does taking multiple medicines increase your risk of being admitted to hospital? Patients with a single illness who take many drugs have an increased risk of being admitted to hospital, but for patients with multiple conditions, taking many medicines is now associated with ...

How much does it cost to have a baby in a hospital?

2014-01-16
How much does it cost to have a baby in a hospital? UCSF study examines charges for uncomplicated deliveries Women giving birth in California can face a huge cost difference in their hospital bills, according to a new UC San Francisco ...

In the blink of an eye

2014-01-16
In the blink of an eye CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Imagine seeing a dozen pictures flash by in a fraction of a second. You might think it would be impossible to identify any images you see for such a short time. However, a team of neuroscientists from MIT has found ...

More than meets the eye

2014-01-15
More than meets the eye Researchers at UCSB and University of Bristol have found that when it comes to vision, the brain can perform more than one function without sacrificing time or accuracy Many studies suggest that pushing your brain ...

Loyola study provides guidance on drug holidays from popular osteoporosis treatments

2014-01-15
Loyola study provides guidance on drug holidays from popular osteoporosis treatments Doctors commonly recommend drug holidays, or breaks, from certain osteoporosis drugs due to the risks associated with these treatments. Yet little has been known about the ...

Joslin finds metabolic clues to diabetic kidney failure

2014-01-15
Joslin finds metabolic clues to diabetic kidney failure Metabolomics study examines factors that may lead to end stage renal disease BOSTON - January 15, 2013 - About 33 percent of people with type 2 diabetes suffer kidney damage that progresses to end stage renal ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Global analysis shows hidden damage from men’s alcohol use

DRI recognizes Ashley Cornish as the 2025 Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award Winner for Women in Atmospheric Sciences

Unlocking the blueprint for a powerful plant-based drug

Bringing modern science to vitamin biology: Isha Jain wins NIH Transformative Research Award

University of Houston scientists learn that rare bacterium ‘plays dead’ to survive

Introduced animals change how island plants spread, new global study finds

Mayo Clinic researchers discover ‘traffic controller’ protein that protects DNA, and may help kill cancer cells

Protein sidekick exhibits dual roles in stress granule assembly and disassembly

New hope for MS

Kennesaw State professor receives grant to study cancer origins

Pain and antidepressant drug combo linked to increased seizure risk in older adults

Cancer researchers shape new strategies for immunotherapy

Physical exercise can ‘train’ the immune system

Calm red brocket deer can learn to "Come" and other commands - but the flightiest, most restless individuals struggle

China, the world's largest tea producer, is predicted to experience increases in land suitable for tea-growing under climate change, with the overall range shifting northwards, per AI modeling study

Composing crews for Mars missions

Early humans butchered elephants using small tools and made big tools from their bones

1,000-year-old gut microbiome revealed for young man who lived in pre-Hispanic Mexico

Bears and pandas in captivity develop significantly different gut microbiomes compared to their wild counterparts, and giant pandas in particular have less diverse microbiomes than their wild counterp

Prenatal and postnatal support apps might not work

Dancing dust devils trace raging winds on Mars

Raging winds on Mars

Real-time biopsies uncover hidden response to glioblastoma therapy

Repeated brain tumor sampling uncovers treatment response in patients with glioblastoma

Novel immunotherapy combination destroys colorectal liver metastases

Farmed totoaba could curb poaching

Avalanches: user-carried safety device increases survival time fivefold

It’s all in your head: Select neurons in the brainstem may hold the key to treating chronic pain

Time-restricted eating can boost athletes' health and performance

Burning issue: study finds fire a friend to some bees, a foe to others

[Press-News.org] Popular blood type diet debunked