BEST DIET : LOSE WEIGHT WITH BEST TRICK

This old standby about savoring a pint of ice cream to get over a breakup? Counterproductive, according to a large new study that found a link between consumption of trans fat and increased risk of depression.

For the study, researchers in Spain followed the eating habits, lifestyles and mental health of college graduates 12.059 (average 37.5 years) for six years. None of the participants had depression at the beginning of the study; in the end, the researchers identified 657 new cases, which were self-reported by the participants completed questionnaires every two years. ( More on Time.com: 5 Better-For-You Morning Meals)

The researchers found that the risk for increased depression that trans fat consumption increases. low power consumption, which barely ate at all trans fats.

The study also found that people who ate a lot of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil had a lower risk of depression - but this association decreased when the researchers controlled for other dietary factors such as the respect of the Mediterranean diet.

The data were collected as part of the "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) project - a long-term cohort study on the health study of nurses in long-term model, funded by the US government. ( More on Time.com: Can a Veggie-Rich diet make you more beautiful)

The results of the study may be particularly bad news for Americans. While the Spanish average receives about 0.4% of its calories from trans fats - mostly from dietary sources or natural, such as milk, butter, meat and cheese - Americans log a average of 2.5% of total calories from trans fats. Americans not only eat more comprehensive, but also eat food worst quality, get a lot of trans fats from sources such as processed snack foods and fried or fast foods.

The authors also note that high consumption of trans fat is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and many people with cardiovascular disease are depressed; both conditions may share a common underlying pathway. Reported the Los Angeles Times

In countries where the average trans fat consumption is high, such as the United States, the contribution of unhealthy fats to depression can be even stronger, said the researchers, universities of Navarra and Las Palmas.

Many people with heart disease also have depression, the authors noted. It could be that trans fats contribute to both disorders through a similar mechanism. Bad fat increases inflammation in the body. In the heart, which contributes to the accumulation of plaque which may cause heart disease. In the brain, substances secreted by inflammation can interfere with the neurotransmitters that affect mood.

The study can not say for sure if eating trans fats contributing to depression or whether people who were predisposed to depression ate more poor quality schemes. But the authors excluded depression cases that were diagnosed in the first two years of the study, which reinforced the association. ( More on Time.com: 10 New Diet Books 2011)

"When you exclude the first case, you can be sure that the event occurred after four, five years are not present at the beginning, "said study author Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez on National post suggesting that," first, it is the trans fat, then it is depression. "

therefore, by devouring a carton of chocolate ice cream might make you feel good in the moment, you may just be trading short-term pleasure for long term risk increased depression.

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Losing is hard enough. Keeping it off is even harder. Now a new study by Penn State researchers suggest that the techniques that work for losing weight are not necessarily the same as those that help you stay slim.

First, researchers surveyed more than 1,100 people who had reached a significant loss of weight and kept it. The researchers identified 36 practical weight loss and weight-maintenance at least 10% of the group used.

Next, the researchers conducted a national telephone survey of overweight (with a BMI of 25 or higher) who had tried to lose weight and keep it with varying success: about 11% reported losing weight successfully, defined as the loss of at least 10% of body weight, and 21% were able to maintain that loss for at least one year. The researchers asked how often they used their 36 previously identified techniques: "Rarely or never" "often or very often" or

The survey found that people who have lost weight. successfully done so to participate in weight loss programs, reductions on sugar and carbohydrates, eat healthy snacks, not skipping meals and participation in different types of exercise.

no all techniques that led to the initial weight loss, however, were associated with weight maintenance ,. Continually setting up an exercise regimen helped people lose weight, for example, but those who have kept the weight off tend to stick with a consistent exercise program. This may be because testing with a variety of workout routines can help people as they try to lose weight, but once they found what works for them, they tend to stick with it for maintenance.

The study noted that four strategies have been associated with weight maintenance, but no loss:

• A diet rich in low-fat proteins
• Following a consistent exercise program
• Rewarding yourself to diet and exercise
• remind you why you need to lose weight

"It seems a little like love and marriage," study author Dr. Christopher Sciamanna, professor of medicine and public health sciences at Penn State College of medicine, told WebMD. "What you come to the altar is likely to be quite different from what helps you stay married long term. [And] not recognizing this transition and adaptation of different practices also get you in trouble "

Yet, say many experts in nutrition and obesity, the underlying fundamentals of weight loss and maintenance are the same :. You have to eat a healthy diet and increase your exercise. People who lose weight and keep it tend to eat healthier foods significantly and do a lot more than the average American exercise.

But what can move between phases of weight loss and maintenance is the state of mind of a person, rather than focus on the loss of an active short-term weight, the people need to start focusing on the long term, permanent lifestyle changes and behavior if they want to keep the weight that was lost. The key, experts agree, is motivation, not necessarily the details of your weight loss program.

The study had some limitations, including the fact that the weight and behavior of all respondents were self-reported. The study appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine .

it doesn 't take much to understand why healthier menu options like salads and apple slices are not selling as well as burgers, fries and double Downs at fast food joints. "If I wanted something healthy, I would not even stop at McDonald's," Jonathan Ryfiak, a 24 year old trapeze instructor in New York, told AP reporter Affairs Christina Rexrode.

Ryfiak "watching his diet at home, but the comfort controls foods like chicken nuggets and fries when he hits a fast food," Rexrode reported.

So most people. that's why we're going to fast-food joints first. Although we plan to order the healthier option, once we cross the threshold of the restaurant, which can resist the smell of floating egg and cheese, fried chicken and freshly grilled, juicy meat "food choices are often made on impulse, not intellect," Rexrode noted - which helps explain why two-thirds of adults in the States STATES are overweight or obese

LIST:. Health-Washing :? Is 'healthy' Fast Food for Real

According to a survey by food research firm Technomic of 47% of Americans say they want healthier restaurant options, but only about 23% actually order them. The reasons, as listed AP:

• Eating is a treat for people reward themselves accordingly
• People do not believe "healthy" menu options are actually healthy (in fact, did you know that fruits and Maple Oatmeal McDonald contains more sugar than a Snickers bar?)
• health products cost much more than the burger and fries
• peer pressure

peer pressure? Rexrode reported:

Jason Sierra, who was eating a Whopper hamburger and fries at a Burger King in New York recently, said he's cut back on unhealthy foods because his rate cholesterol and blood pressure were getting too high. But when his office buddies for lunch, he opts for "man food" like pizza to fit in.

"One day I tried to order a salad," said Sierra, 40 , who works in tech support. "And I caught hell for that.

fast food restaurants have had the same problem: they are trying to offer healthier options in response to customer interest, to be slammed down. "The burger chain Wendy Co. led the way in the mid-1980s with a short-term effort to sell tomato halves filled with cottage cheese and pineapple chunks on lettuce leaves," Rexrode reported. No wonder these sounds unappetizing creations are not selling.

PLUS When a salad is not a salad? Why Dieters are easily confused by labels

But back to the point of Ryfiak, if you want to eat something healthy, do not stop or Wendy McDonald. Eat at home. It is, you can cook healthy food in your own kitchen for a fraction of the cost of a fast food meal supposedly cheap. Almost every American has the funds to do so. Check it out :. The New York Times Mark Bittman did the math for you

The problem of course is that this solution requires the actual cooking a chore that many people, regardless of income , say they do not have time for. Bittman did the math and countered this point too.

If you go to McDonald at all, one can not really blame you for fries instead of apple slices. But the real problem regarding obesity in the United States is not that people choose bad fast food menu items; it is that they go to fast food restaurants first. To avoid temptation, people should make it a habit to cook dinner at home instead. - A change that requires major political and cultural action

MORE: If you thought that oats could not be bad for you, Guess Again

As Bittman said: "the campaign is smart not to get McDonald's to better serve the food, but to get people to see cooking as a joy rather than a burden, or at least as part of normal life . "

Meredith Melnick is a reporter at TIME . Find her on Twitter at @MeredithCM. You can also continue the discussion on TIME Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.

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Sora is far away, but John launched the podcast with a discussion of a new study showing that obesity can actually damage the brain of a way that makes it much harder to lose weight. -Obesity Ads. Announcements feature unflattering pictures of overweight children dressed in tight clothing. You can see some pictures here.

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For the first time in 13 years, a new weight -loss pill prescription looks set to hit the US market.

Wednesday, an advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that the agency approve Qnexa, a combination pill of two existing drugs - Epilepsy Drug drugs topiramate and phentermine appetite suppressant - to facilitate the loss of clinically obese patients weight. The FDA often follows the recommendation of its advisory committees, but are not required to do so; the agency has until April 17 to make a final decision.

20-2 vote by the Panel for approval was a decisive reversal of the decision of a previous panel in 2010, when Qnexa was rejected over concerns of increased heart rate and birth defects. That panel concluded that the benefits of the drug for weight loss do not outweigh its potential risks.

MORE: Whither Qnexa? A brief history of diet pills and the FDA

In clinical trials, Qnexa led to a 10% weight loss over a year, but it has also been linked to a frequency increase heart and birth defects when taken during pregnancy. According to recent studies, one of the components of the pill, topiramate increases the risk of oral clefts of two to five times when taken by pregnant women, the FDA said.

This is why, if approved, the drug's maker, Vivus, carefully restrict its potential health risks. To reduce the risk of birth defects, women of childbearing age who use drugs will be encouraged to use contraception at the same time and to obtain monthly pregnancy tests. Patients will also be asked to stop taking the medication after three months if it does not.

Doctors and health care providers who prescribe the drug will be trained on the risks and benefits of the medication, and the pill will be available only to registered pharmacies, the pharmacists were educated about prescribing particular circumstances of the drug and agreed to ask doctors to respect them.

The drug is targeted at people with a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or more - clinically obese. Those with a BMI of 27 or more - considered overweight - would also be eligible if they have other health problems related to weight, such as diabetes or sleep apnea

MORE: The Dilemma Diet Pill-

Qnexa is obviously not for everyone, but with more than 35% of American adults now tipping the scales into obesity, certain experts believe that a new diet drug is greatly needed -. as many have pointed out, there is currently no treatment that bridges the gap between diet and exercise, which does not work for many, and bariatric surgery

"There an urgent need for better pharmacologic options for individual patients with obesity, "Elaine Morrato, assistant professor of health systems management and policy at the University of Colorado and a member of the Advisory Committee of the FDA, said, CBS News. "I believe Qnexa demonstrated a significant efficacy benefit and that there are consequences to not treating obesity."

The need appears quite urgent that the panel voted to approve Qnexa without requiring Vivus to conduct studies on the potential heart risks of the drug prior to approval. instead, the panel urged the company to study once Qnexa is on the market. "of all the drugs against obesity it has the highest efficiency in terms of weight loss, so that shifts the balance in terms of requiring a post-approval study rather than a pre-approval study, "Sanjay Kaul, a professor of cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Cedars Sinai Medical Center, told Bloomberg.

MAGAZINE: Getting to No: The Science of Building Willpower

Other panel members are wary of the potential side effects of Qnexa, however, and voted against approval, arguing that other safety studies are needed first. If the agency approve the drug without these data, Dr. Michael Lauer, a committee member and director of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, told the Los Angeles Times "it would be a decision based on hopes, surrogates and suppositions. "

Whether or not Lauer reason, the decision now lies with the FDA. If the agency follows the advice of the expert group, it would be good news for the legions obese Americans who have few other options. Currently, the only other diet drug is available by prescription Xenical, which works by preventing the body from absorbing fat from food (it is also available over the counter in lower doses under the brand name Alli), but is rarely used.

Qnexa could fill a crucial need. As Joe Nadglowski, President and CEO of Obesity Action Coalition, a group of patient advocacy, told WebMD: it is

Alice Park is a "significant gap Weight of treatment Watchers [bariatric] surgery. " writer at TIME. Find her on Twitter at @aliceparkny. You can also continue the discussion on TIME's Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.

just eat a potato chip earth takes some serious self-control, so that researchers from Cornell Food and Brand Lab at the University came up with a new way to keep from overindulging snackers :. edible insertion "stop signs" in packaged stacks

The researchers conducted two studies in a total of 98 undergraduate students: both, the students received Lays tubes stacked nosh chips all watching video clips in class. In the first study, the researchers inserted dyed red chips at regular intervals in the stack - or to mark seven chip (one serving) or every 14 chips (two servings). A control group received a regular unmarked pile of chips. In the second study, the red chips were inserted every five to 10 tokens.

( PLUS Why Sleep deprivation leads to overeating)

None of the participants said that the red chips were for, but in both studies, students who got the tubes with stop signs subconscious ate less -. about 50% less than those of control groups

In the first study with indicators of seven and 14-chip, students ate on average 20 and 24 chips, respectively, compared to 45 tokens consumed by the control group. In the second study, those with the five chip and 10-chip marker ate chips 14 and 16, respectively, compared to the average of 35 tokens consumed by the control group.

The students snacking smart pipes with stop signs also have estimated more precisely the number of chips they had eaten. They were able to guess their total consumption in a single chip, while students in underestimated their power control groups by about 13 chips.

People generally eat what is put in front of them if it is acceptable, the authors write. "When you eat something small like chips, the process begins to become automatic and you get into a cycle," says researcher Paul Rozin study from the University of Pennsylvania.

( PLUS How do people Pleasing can lead to overeating)

This stupid habit of eating helps explain why some people go to sea ​​while nibbling. Other reasons the study notes: people are not good at self-monitoring how much they eat they eat or what they believe - wrongly - is an appropriate part of

"By inserting visual markers in a food snack pack, we may be helping them to monitor how much they eat and stop their eating semi-automatic habits," lead researcher Brian Wansink, director of Cornell Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More than We Think said in a statement

Overall, the researchers say, the edible stop signs reduces intake by about 250 calories snackers.

( PLUS Study: Overeating May double the risk of memory loss)

"Generally, people tend to eat a" "something," said Rozin. "People will eat a piece of fruit, a sandwich. Using markers with food, you can specify :. '. This is a" The authors call for further research on what other foods could be easily segmented to help people consume less

They conclude in the document:

the effect demonstrated and replicated in these studies stands as perhaps the greatest possible steps to reduce food consumption in literature ... [A] manipulation of the sort we used could lead to a weight loss of more than one book a year, much of the uS annual weight gains in the past years.

The study was published online by the journal Health Psychology .