A reduction in carbohydrate consumption can promote the loss of belly fat, even with little or no weight loss, according to a new study.

When paired with weight loss, however, a moderately-reduced carbohydrate diet can help achieve a reduction of total body fat.

University of Alabama researchers say that these changes could help reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, stroke and coronary artery disease, which can all be spurred by excess abdominal fat.

Lead researcher Barbara Gower, PhD, a professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and her team observed 69 overweight but healthy men and women over a period of 16 weeks.

Participants either received a low-fat diet or a reduced-carb diet.  The low-fat diet contained 55 percent of calories from carbohydrates and 27 percent from fat, while the reduced-carb diet contained 43 percent calories from carbohydrates and 39 percent calories from fat.  Protein made up the remaining 18 percent of calories in each diet.

Over the course of 16 weeks, the reduced-carb diet resulted in a 15 percent greater loss of deep abdominal fat than the low-fat diet.

“A modest reduction in carbohydrate-containing foods may help [dieters] preferentially lose fat, rather than lean tissue,” Gower said in a press release. “The moderately reduced carbohydrate diet allows a variety of foods to meet personal preferences.”

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.

Whether it’s Hershey’s, Skittles or Reese’s, candy is often the bane of health-conscious parents who want to instill healthy eating habits in their children.  However, new study suggests that kids who eat candy actually weigh less and are less likely to be overweight than those who don’t.

Louisiana State researchers tracked the eating habits of more than 11,000 children aged two to 17 between the years of 1999 and 2004.  They found that children and teens who ate candy were 22 percent less likely to be overweight and 28 percent less likely to be obese.

Despite the findings, lead researcher Carol O’Neil warned that parents and children should still follow proper food guidelines and eat candy sparingly.

“The results of this study should not be construed as a hall-pass to overindulge,” O’Neil said. “Candy should not replace nutrient-dense foods in the diet; it is a special treat and should be enjoyed in moderation.”

O’Neil speculated that the children who ate candy were able to balance “calories in, calories out” over time, meaning they ate other foods that were lower in calories.

Another potential explanation was that the children who ate more candy and weighed less were more active than the children who did not eat candy and weighed more.

Overall, however, she said the whole group had very poor eating habits – a likely contributor to the U.S. obesity epidemic.  O’Neil recommended that parents not only keep tabs on their children’s candy consumption, but also on their consumption of other high fat foods, such as potato chips, and on the amount of time per day they spent being sedentary.

The study was published in the Food & Nutrition Research journal.

They’re both popular fruits ideal for easy snacking, but in terms of getting fit and staying healthy, it’s better to swap out grapes for blueberries, according to nutrition experts.

Blueberries are known for being a fantastic source of antioxidants, which help fight free radicals in your body.  They also help boost concentration and memory.

Furthermore, one cup of blueberries has less calories (79 cals per serving) and carbohydrates (18.9 g per serving) than red grapes but nearly four times the fiber.  This means they keep you full for longer.

Blueberries make a great topping for a number of healthy breakfast foods, like oatmeal or Greek yogurt.  Just stay away from that blueberry muffin!

Sometimes, it’s the little things that add up.

According to new research, simple, daily activities such as walking to the photocopier and fidgeting while sitting a desk can improve cardiorespiratory fitness.

Of course, as with all exercise, duration and intensity of the physical activities are related to their effectiveness, with intensity being particularly important.

Just a 30-minute increase in moderate physical activity can offer significant benefits for fitness and long term health, the researchers said.

“It’s encouraging to know that if we just increase our incidental activity slightly, we can really benefit our health in the long-term,” said Ashlee McGuire, lead researcher and a graduate student in the Canadian School of Kinesiology and Health Studies.

“Best of all,” she added, “these activities don’t take up a lot of time, they’re not difficult to do, and you don’t have to go to a gym.”

Other incidental activities, besides fidgeting, include doing housework, climbing stairs, or walking around the office.

However, the researchers said, it is still important to keep up healthy diet and exercise habits in order to combat obesity and improve general health.

The study was published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

When it comes to health and weight management, not all calories are created equal.

Doctors and nutritionists have long known that some foods are simply better for you than others, even when their nutritional information seems to match up.

Sure, sometimes that’s an easy distinction to make.  For example, a 150 calorie serving of fruit is clearly preferable over a twinkie – also 150 calories.  But other times, the line is blurred, especially when it comes to “healthy” foods.

This week, as part of a series called “This vs. That”, let’s take a look at two popular snacks among conscientious dieters: Pretzels vs. Pistachios.

Seems easy, right?  Pistachios are higher in fat than pretzels – surely a diet buster.

Wrong!

When faced with these party snacks, reach for that bowl of pistachios.  It’ll support your weight goals and promote heart health.  Pistachios come with 30 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients and are a terrific source of fiber, which makes them a healthy and filling snack.

Need more proof?  In a recent study, researchers put 52 overweight participants on a diet.  As part of the regimen, the participants were either assigned to a daily snack of 75 pistachios (240 calories) or a similar 220 calorie serving of pretzels.

They found that the group eating pistachios had better success with their weight goals compared to the pretzel group – even though the pistachios had a higher amount of calories from fat.  Something for snackers to keep in mind is that almost 90 percent of the fat found in pistachios is the healthy unsaturated type.

They’re both popular standbys for dieters, but which is the better healthy snack to munch on: carrots or celery?

Well, it depends on what you’re trying to achieve, quite simply.

In terms of picking the vegetable that’s lowest in calories, sugars and carbs, celery is the better choice.

One cup of celery only has 16 calories, 3 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of sugar, compared to the 52 calories, 12 grams of carbs, and 6 grams of sugar you’ll find in an equal serving of carrots.  Both have comparable amounts of protein, and no grams of fat.

As an added bonus, celery contains a compound called apigenin, which scientists believe may delay or stop the growth of tumors in the breast.

However, if you want to make sure you’re getting enough of certain other nutrients in your diet, reach for the carrots.

Carrots contain 428 percent of your vitamin A needs (compared to a measly 9 percent in celery).  They also have double the vitamin C and iron levels of celery.

And if that weren’t enough, carrots are also a great source of beta-carotene, which makes your skin look great.

Either way, both these vegetables are obviously good for you.  Just be careful (and sparing) with any dressings or toppings.