By Sue Shellenbarger

The office may not be doing your figure any favors, I report in WSJs Work & Family column today and on WSJs Health Blog.

Some coworkers pressure dieters to eat forbidden foods. Others pass home-baked snacks desk-to-desk. Some tease colleagues about their diets, or even order them restaurant foods they arent supposed to eat.

Indeed, an ongoing poll of thousands of dieters on the weight-loss website SparkPeople cites co-workers as the second biggest source of negative pressure for dieters second only to spouses or partners.

Colleagues often mean well.Some see offering delicious food as a sign of friendship or affection, says Becky Hand, a registered dietician with SparkPeople. Many people dont understand how hard it is for others to lose weight. They might feel guilty that they arent eating a healthier diet themselves. Some might be afraid of losing a friend who changes her life by losing a lot of weight.

Whatever their motivations, co-workers can make life tough for dieters. Click here to read some of their stories.

Readers, do you work in a foodie office? Are colleagues constantly bringing in snacks, candies and pastries? Does your office tend to order in unhealthy food? How do you manage your own waistline amidst all the temptation? Or do you not worry about it in the slightest?

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Work Isn’t Doing Your Figure Any Favors

When it comes to managing children's obesity, cutting portion sizes and cutting carbohydrates can work equally well -- though carb control is tough for many kids, a new clinical trial finds.

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If there were a "Saturday Night Live" skit that sums up Kevin Roberts' life, it would have to be The Loud Family. "My family is full of loud talkers," says the 42-year-old author and educational consultant from Detroit.

Many adults have tried to win the battle of the bulge by shunning carbohydrates, especially highly refined or starchy carbs like white bread and potatoes.

But much less has been known about how those eating plans work for kids, including whether they are safe and nutritionally sound -- since low-carb diets tend to be relatively high in fat.

For the new study, researchers randomly assigned 100 obese 7- to 12-year-olds to one of three eating plans: one that followed the conventional wisdom of portion control; a low-carb diet; or a "reduced glycemic load" plan that cut down on certain carbs that typically cause surges in blood sugar -- like white bread, sweets and white potatoes.

Over one year, all three plans worked equally well in controlling kids' weight gain. The difference, researchers found, was that the low-carb plan was tough to stick with.

"All of these plans can work," said lead researcher Shelley Kirk, of the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

"But the low-carbohydrate one was really challenging for kids to follow," Kirk told Reuters Health. The diet still helped control kids' weight, she said, because they followed it to an extent -- reducing carbs and calories, but not to the strict limits of the low-carb plan.

All of that, Kirk said, suggests that a modified version of low-carb could work well for at least some kids.

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Low-carb diets help obese kids but tough to follow

In a finding that strengthens the link between environmental pollutants and rising rates of breast cancer, new research finds that women whose diets contain higher levels of cadmium are at greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who ingest less of the industrial chemical in their food.

Cadmium, a heavy metal long identified as a carcinogen, leaches into crops from fertilizers and when rainfall or sewage sludge deposit it onto farmland. Whole grains, potatoes, other vegetables and shellfish are key dietary sources of cadmium, which also becomes airborne as a pollutant when fossil fuels are burned, and is likely inhaled as well as ingested.

The new study, published by the American Assn. for Cancer Research and released Thursday, found that among 55,987 post-menopausal women, the one-third with the highest cadmium intakes were 21% more likely to develop breast cancer than the one-third with the lowest intakes.

Among obese women, the study found no increase in breast cancer rates with higher cadmium exposures.

The study offers new evidence in a large human population that environmental chemicals that mimic the effects of the female hormone estrogen may contribute to women's risk of certain cancers, including endometrial and breast cancers.

The finding comes just three months after the Institute of Medicine, a prestigious body of independent biomedical researchers, concluded that a host of other factors most within a woman's power to control, such as obesity and hormone-replacement medication were the most important sources of breast cancer risk.

The panel of experts had called it "biologically plausible" that estrogen-like pollutants promote breast cancers, but noted that evidence that they contribute significantly was inconclusive. By contrast, studies in human populations strongly point to fattening foods, hormone-replacement drugs, alcohol and cigarettes as having roles in boosting a woman's breast cancer risk.

Even this study, while showing a correlation, did not prove cause and effect, experts noted.

UC Davis epidemiologist Irva Hertz-Picciotto, chairwoman of the Institute of Medicine panel that issued its findings in December, said the study "does not move us beyond" the panel's overall conclusions.

"At this point, we have not identified the major drivers of the increase in breast cancer," Hertz-Picciotto said. If cadmium pollution truly turns out to be a cause, she added, "it's probably a small part" of a very large picture.

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Cadmium in diet is linked to higher breast cancer risk

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When it comes to managing children's obesity, cutting portion sizes and cutting carbohydrates can work equally well -- though carb control is tough for many kids, a new clinical trial finds.

Many adults have tried to win the battle of the bulge by shunning carbohydrates, especially highly refined or starchy carbs like white bread and potatoes.

But much less has been known about how those eating plans work for kids, including whether they are safe and nutritionally sound -- since low-carb diets tend to be relatively high in fat.

For the new study, researchers randomly assigned 100 obese 7- to 12-year-olds to one of three eating plans: one that followed the conventional wisdom of portion control; a low-carb diet; or a reduced glycemic load" plan that cut down on certain carbs that typically cause surges in blood sugar -- like white bread, sweets and white potatoes.

Over one year, all three plans worked equally well in controlling kids' weight gain. The difference, researchers found, was that the low-carb plan was tough to stick with.

"All of these plans can work," said lead researcher Shelley Kirk, of the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

"But the low-carbohydrate one was really challenging for kids to follow," Kirk told Reuters Health. The diet still helped control kids' weight, she said, because they followed it to an extent -- reducing carbs and calories, but not to the strict limits of the low-carb plan.

All of that, Kirk said, suggests that a modified version of low-carb could work well for at least some kids.

And the diet based on reduced glycemic load was essentially that: Certain carbs were "unrestricted" -- including fruit, vegetables low in starch and 100-percent whole grains. More limits were placed on starchy carbs, but they were still allowed.

Over one year, children in all three diet groups had similar improvements in their body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight in relation to height, after accounting for the fact that they were still growing.

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Obese kids have hard time sticking to low-carb diet

Published: March. 14, 2012 at 10:16 PM

BOSTON, March 14 (UPI) -- A diet high in fat was linked to a lower total sperm count and concentration among men, making it harder for them to have children, U.S. researchers said.

Jill Attaman, who was at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School at the time of the research, said the study of 99 men found men who ate more omega-3 polyunsaturated fats -- found in fish and plant oils -- had better formed sperm than men who ate less.

The researchers questioned the men about their diet and analyzed samples of their semen from December 2006 to August 2010, measuring fatty acids in sperm and seminal plasma in one-quarter of the men.

The study participants were divided into three groups according to the amount of fats they consumed. The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, found the one-third with the highest fat intake had a 43 percent lower total sperm count and 38 percent lower sperm concentration than men in the third with the lowest fat intake.

However, researchers warned this was a small study and the findings need to be replicated by further research.

"In the meantime, if men make changes to their diets so as to reduce the amount of saturated fat they eat and increase their omega-3 intake, then this may not only improve their general health, but could improve their reproductive health too," Attaman said in a statement. "At a global level, adopting these lifestyle modifications may improve general health, as high saturated fat diets are known to be a risk factor for a range of cardiovascular diseases; but, in addition, our research suggests that it could be beneficial for reproductive health worldwide."

Original post:
High-fat diet may reduce sperm count

14 March 2012 Last updated at 03:39 ET

A diet high in saturated fat has been linked with a reduced sperm count.

A study of 99 men attending a US fertility clinic found those eating junk food diets had poorer sperm quality.

High intakes of omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and plant oils, were associated with higher sperm concentration.

More work is needed to confirm the findings, the researchers report in the journal Human Reproduction.

The team, led by Prof Jill Attaman from Harvard Medical School in Boston, questioned men about their diet and analysed sperm samples over the course of four years.

Compared with those eating the least fat, men with the highest fat intake had a 43% lower sperm count and 38% lower sperm concentration (number of sperm per unit volume of semen).

..it does add weight to the argument that having a good healthy diet may benefit male fertility as well as being good general health advice.

Men consuming the most omega-3 fatty acids had sperm with a more normal structure than men with the lowest intake.

Prof Attaman said: "The magnitude of the association is quite dramatic and provides further support for the health efforts to limit consumption of saturated fat given their relation with other health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease."

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Diet 'linked' to low sperm counts

Toothbrush? Check. Dress shoes? Check. Your diet? That's all too easy to forget. For those whose jobs require frequent travel, a balanced diet all too often goes right out the window along with a balanced work-home life. A study published last year in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that frequent travel not only expands the waistlines of businesspeople, it can also lead to weight-related medical conditions such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, especially in those who spend at least 21 nights away from home each month. You're hardly to blame: A hectic schedule coupled with limited dining options on the road are enough to derail the most determined dieter.

But even with the odds stacked against you, there are ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on the go, says Elisabetta Politi, nutrition director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center. Planning ahead can go a long way. "If you have a plan, you're likely to do better because you're not letting your environment control you," she says. Here are a few tips to keep your regimen on track while you're on the road.

[See: Easiest Diets to Follow: in Pictures]

Pack some snacks

When packing your bags, make sure to throw in some healthy munchies. "We approach the food environment passively, and we don't do that with any other aspect of the environment," says David Katz, founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. "If it's cold, we pack warm clothes, and if it's raining, we don't just hope to stay dry. We deal with environmental changes all the time when we travel, and food is no different." Katz recommends that alongside your dress shoes and tie, you throw in some wholesome snacks--like granola or fruit--to help you curb hunger pangs while you're in transit. This will help you stay in control of what you eat. "If I get hungry, the person who's in control of my dietary destiny is me," Katz says. "Not some nincompoop who stocks the vending machine."

[See: 10 Things That Can Sabotage Your Weight Loss]

Stay on schedule

One of the most challenging feats is sticking to a regular meal schedule while traveling. Flights can get delayed or canceled, stranding you in the airport terminal with nothing but a greasy something to wolf down. Long car trips can provide no option but a rest stop. That's why having healthy snacks with you is so vital. Frequent travelers also face time changes and jet lag, which can quickly derail an otherwise perfectly timed eating schedule. According to Katz--who says this problem also plagues shift workers like nurses and security guards--it doesn't matter when you eat as long as you do so regularly. "Getting used to a new schedule is difficult, and everyone adjusts differently," he says. "If it turns out that 3 a.m. is your time for dinner, then do it. A routine really helps regulate what and how much you eat."

Stay hydrated

People often mistake thirst for hunger, says Politi. Hydrating often can help prevent overeating. The Mayo Clinic recommends that men drink roughly 13 glasses of liquids each day, while women should aim for around nine glasses. But just like your diet, your drink choices can negatively affect your weight. When the drink cart makes its way down the airplane aisle, opt for flat water instead of soda to avoid empty calories (and the tummy growls often caused by carbonation).

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Diet Tips for Business Travelers