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January 28 – February 5

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Show Hours:

Saturday, January 28: 9am – 10pm
Sunday, January 29: 9am – 8pm
Monday, January 30 – Friday, February 3: 12noon – 10pm
Saturday, February 4: 9am – 10pm
Sunday, February 5: 9am – 6pm

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Show Location:

The Pennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia PA 19107
(Click here for directions)

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Ticket Prices:

Adults (age 13 and up): $12
Children (age 7-12): $6
Children (age 6 and under): FREE
Seniors (age 62 and up): $6 (weekdays only)

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The study appears in the June 23, 2011, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Read the study.

Prior research has often focused on methods for weight loss after obesity has developed. Less is known about factors linked to long-term term weight gain.

“An average adult gains about one pound per year. Because the weight gain is so gradual and occurs over many years, it has been difficult for scientists and for individuals themselves to understand the specific factors that may be responsible,” said lead author Dariush Mozaffarian, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology at HSPH and Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), and Harvard Medical School. (Watch a video of Mozaffarian discussing the findings.)

The researchers evaluated changes in multiple specific lifestyle factors and weight gain every four years over 12 to 20 years of follow-up in three separate large cohorts, the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS II), and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). The final analyses included 50,422 women in the NHS, 47,898 women in NHS II, and 22,557 men in HPFS, all of whom were free of obesity or chronic diseases at the beginning of the study. Study participants gained an average of 3.35 lb during each four-year period, which corresponded to a weight gain of 16.8 lb over the 20-year period.

When relations of lifestyle changes with weight gain were evaluated, the findings were strikingly similar in all 3 studies.

For example, the foods associated with the greatest weight gain over the 20-year study period included potato chips (for each one increased daily serving, +1.69 lb more weight gain every 4 years), other potatoes (1.28 lb), sugar-sweetened beverages (1.00 lb), unprocessed meats (0.95 lb), and processed meats (0.93 lb). Of note, several foods associated with less weight gain when their consumption was actually increased, including vegetables (−0.22 lb), whole grains (−0.37 lb), fruits (−0.49 lb), nuts (−0.57 lb) and yogurt (−0.82 lb). Evaluating all changes in diet together, participants in the lower 20% of dietary changes gained nearly 4 lbs more each 4 years than those in the top 20% —an amount equivalent to the average weight gain in the population overall.

For diet, focusing only on total calories may not be the most useful way to consume fewer calories than one expends, say the researchers. Other yardsticks, such as content of total fat, energy density, or sugars, could also be misleading. Rather, they found that eating more healthful foods and beverages—focusing on overall dietary quality—was most important.

The most useful dietary metrics for preventing long-term weight gain appeared to be:

• Focus on improving carbohydrate quality by eating less liquid sugars (e.g. soda) and other sweets, as well as fewer starches (e.g. potatoes) and refined grains (e.g. white bread, white rice, breakfast cereals low in fiber, other refined carbohydrates).
• Focus on eating more minimally processed foods (e.g. fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, yogurt) and fewer highly processed foods (e.g. white breads, processed meats, sugary beverages).

Such a more healthful dietary pattern could influence long-term weight gain in many ways, including, for example, through biologic effects such as changing hunger, insulin levels, or satiety, or by improving eating behaviors related to average portion sizes and patterns of foods and beverages consumed.

“These findings underscore the importance of making wise food choices in preventing weight gain and obesity,” said Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH and senior author of the paper. “The idea that there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods is a myth that needs to be debunked.”

The results also showed that changes in physical activity and TV-viewing influenced changes in weight. Also, those who slept 6-8 hours a night gained less weight than those who slept less than 6 or more than 8 hours.

Overall, the weight-changes associated with any one lifestyle change were fairly small. However, together they added up, especially for diet. “Small dietary and other lifestyle changes can together make a big difference – for bad or good,” said Mozaffarian. “This makes it easy to gain weight unintentionally, but also demonstrates the tremendous opportunity for prevention. A handful of the right lifestyle changes will go a long way.”

Support for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health and the Searle Scholars Program.

“Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men,” Dariush Mozaffarian, Tao Hao, Eric B. Rimm, Walter C. Willett, Frank B. Hu, NEJM, June 23, 2011.

For more information:

Todd Datz
617.432.8413
tdatz@hsph.harvard.edu

Visit the HSPH website for the latest news, press releases  and multimedia  offerings.

photo: iStockphoto.com/johnnyscriv

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Harvard School of Public Health is dedicated to advancing the public’s health through learning, discovery and communication. More than 400 faculty members are engaged in teaching and training the 1,000-plus student body in a broad spectrum of disciplines crucial to the health and well being of individuals and populations around the world. Programs and projects range from the molecular biology of AIDS vaccines to the epidemiology of cancer; from risk analysis to violence prevention; from maternal and children’s health to quality of care measurement; from health care management to international health and human rights. For more information on the school visit www.hsph.harvard.edu.

HSPH on Twitter: http://twitter.com/HarvardHSPH
HSPH on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/harvardpublichealth
HSPH on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/HarvardPublicHealth
HSPH home page: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu

I often go to sleep thinking about the cup of coffee I’m going to have the next morning. I adore it! Whether your morning coffee is an estate-grown brew or just the best supermarket blend you can afford, these basic rules from EatingWell Magazine’s editors and contributors will help you learn how to make coffee to prevent unwanted bitterness and virtually guarantee a satisfying cup of coffee every time.

Don’t Miss: 4 Health Reasons to Keep Drinking Coffee (and 4 Cons to Consider)

Rule 1: Buy fresh beans.
Without question, coffee is best when used within days of being roasted. Buying from a local roaster (or roasting your own) is the surest way to get the absolute freshest beans. Be wary of buying bulk coffee from supermarket display bins. Oxygen and bright light are the worst flavor busters for roasted beans, so unless the store is conscientious about selling fresh coffee, the storage tubes get coated with coffee oils, which turn rancid. Coffee beans packaged by quality-conscious roasters and sold in sturdy, vacuum-sealed bags are often a better bet.

Rule 2: Keep coffee beans fresh.
Always store opened coffee beans in an airtight container. Glass canning jars or ceramic storage crocks with rubber-gasket seals are good choices. Never refrigerate (roasted beans are porous and readily take up moisture and food odors). Flavor experts strongly advise against ever freezing coffee, especially dark roasts. Optimally, buy a 5- to 7-day supply of fresh beans at a time and keep at room temperature.

Rule 3: Choose good coffee.
Snobbism among coffee drinkers can rival that of wine drinkers, but the fact is that an astonishing world of coffee tastes awaits anyone willing to venture beyond mass-marketed commercial brands. Specialty coffees that clearly state the country, region or estate of origin can provide a lifetime of tasting experiences. By all means look for 100% pure Arabica beans. The cheap alternatives may contain Robusta beans, noted for their higher caffeine content but harsh flavors. “Nasty” is a term commonly linked to Robusta coffees by Arabica devotees.
Don’t Miss: How to Brew a Greener Cup of Coffee

Rule 4: Grind your own.
Coffee starts losing quality almost immediately upon grinding. The best-tasting brews are made from beans ground just before brewing. Coffee connoisseurs prefer to grind in expensive burr mills (e.g., Solis, Zassenhaus, Rancilio), but affordable electric “whirly blade” grinders (e.g., Braun, Bodum) will do a serviceable job, especially if the mill is rocked during grinding to get a fine, even particle size. (Scoop for scoop, finer grinds yield more flavor.)

Rule 5: Use good water.
Nothing can ruin a pot of coffee more surely than tap water with chlorine or off flavors. Serious coffee lovers use bottled spring water or activated-charcoal/carbon filters on their taps. Note: Softened or distilled water makes terrible coffee-the minerals in good water are essential.
Related: How Important Is Filtering Water for Your Health?

Rule 6: Avoid cheap filters.
Bargain-priced paper coffee filters yield inferior coffee, according to the experts. Look for “oxygen-bleached” or “dioxin-free” paper filters (e.g., Filtropa, Melitta). Alternatively, you may wish to invest in a long-lived gold-plated filter (e.g., SwissGold). These are reputed to deliver maximum flavor, but may let sediment through if the coffee is ground too finely.

Rule 7: Don’t skimp on the coffee.
The standard measure for brewing coffee of proper strength is 2 level tablespoons per 6-ounce cup or about 2 3/4 tablespoons per 8-ounce cup. Tricks like using less coffee and hotter water to extract more cups per pound tend to make for bitter brews.
Don’t Miss: Coffee Shop Drinks You Can Make At Home

Rule 8: Beware the heat.
Water that is too hot will extract compounds in the coffee that are bitter rather than pleasant. The proper brewing temperature is 200°F, or about 45 seconds off a full boil. (Most good coffeemakers regulate this automatically.) Once brewed, don’t expect coffee to hold its best flavors for long. Reheating, boiling or prolonged holding on a warming platform will turn even the best coffee bitter and foul-tasting.

Rule 9: Keep your equipment clean.
Clean storage containers and grinders every few weeks to remove any oily buildup. At least monthly, run a strong solution of vinegar or specialty coffee-equipment cleaner (e.g., Urnex) through your coffeemaker to dissolve away any mineral deposits. Rinse thoroughly before reuse.

Recipes to Try: Healthy Grab and Go Breakfasts to Enjoy with Your Coffee

What’s your best tip for a perfect cup of coffee?

By Jessie Price

Jessie Price is the deputy editor of food for EatingWell magazine, where she directs all food content. Besides her work on 11 other EatingWell books, she is the author of the James Beard Award-winning The Simple Art of EatingWell and EatingWell One-Pot Meals. She lives in Charlotte, Vermont where she stays busy growing her own vegetables in the summer and tracking down great Vermont food products when she’s not working.

Recipes to Try: Healthy Grab and Go Breakfasts to Enjoy with Your Coffee

What’s your best tip for a perfect cup of coffee?

By Jessie Price

Revelers in Australia, Asia, Europe and the South Pacific island nation of Samoa, which jumped across the international dateline to be first to celebrate, welcomed 2012 with booming pyrotechnic displays. Fireworks soared and sparked over Moscow’s Red Square, crowds on Paris’ Champs-Elysees boulevard popped Champagne corks at midnight, and up to a million revelers were expected to jam New York’s Times Square for the famed crystal-paneled ball drop.

(AP) Revelers in Spain greeted 2012 by eating 12 grapes in time with Madrid’s central Puerta del Sol clock, a national tradition observed by millions who stop parties to follow the chimes on television.

Tens of thousands of young people in the Spanish capital gathered at six indoor “macro-parties” the city council had authorized in big venues such as the city’s main sports hall.

Milena Quiroga was to be among the many there happy to move on. “I am glad to see 2011 go because it was a tough year; my restaurant laid off almost half of the staff,” said the 25-year-old waitress.

The mood was festive in the South Pacific island nation of Samoa, where, for once, revelers were the first in the world to welcome the new year, rather than the last.

Samoa and neighboring Tokelau hopped across the international date line at midnight on Thursday, skipping Friday and moving instantly to Saturday. The time-jump revelry that began at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 31 spilled into the night.

Samoa and Tokelau lie near the dateline that zigzags vertically through the Pacific Ocean; both sets of islands decided to realign themselves this year from the Americas side of the line to the Asia side to be more in tune with key trading partners.

In Europe, suffering an unprecedented economic crisis that has put the euro’s existence in question, officials promised no reprieve for 2012.

“A very difficult year is coming,” said Greece Prime Minister Lucas Papademos, whose government has imposed especially harsh austerity measures. “We must continue our effort decisively. So that our sacrifices will not have been in vain.”

In light of the warning, Nicholas Adamopoulos, who works as a manager at a pharmaceuticals company, couldn’t muster a sunny outlook for the new year.

“You want optimistic people, you go to Brazil,” he said.

But across the world, people battered by weather disasters, joblessness and economic uncertainty hoped the stroke of midnight would change their fortunes.

“What I see is that prices are going up, and all I hope for is to keep working and for my family to enjoy good health,” said Joaquin Cabina, 53, a car mechanic in Madrid.

In Times Square, Fred Franke looked forward to saying goodbye to 2011.

“2012 is going to be a better year. It has to be,” said Franke, 53, who was visiting New York with his family even after losing his job in military logistics this month in Jacksonville, Fla.

World leaders evoked 2011′s events in their New Year’s messages. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said dealing with Europe’s debt crisis would bring its countries closer. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin wished well being and prosperity to all Russians “regardless of their political persuasion” after large-scale protests against him.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who polls suggest will be defeated by his Socialist challenger in spring elections, warned Europe’s crisis is not finished and “that 2012 will be the year full of risks, but also of possibilities.”

That ambivalence echoed at the Vatican, where a gold-robed Pope Benedict XVI marked the end of 2011 with prayers of thanks and said humanity awaits the new year with apprehension but also with hope for a better future.

“With the spirit filled with gratitude, we prepare to cross the threshold of 2012, remembering that the Lord watches over us and takes care of us,” Benedict said. “In him this evening we want to entrust the entire world. We put into his hands the tragedies of this world of ours and we also offer him the hopes for a better future.”

The first major fireworks celebrations started in Auckland, New Zealand and in Sydney, where more than 1.5 million people watched the shimmering pyrotechnic display designed around the theme “Time to Dream”.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate for a massive party complete with live performances from the Scorpions and other bands and a spectacular firework display.

In New York, the crowd cheered as workers lit the crystal-paneled ball that drops at midnight Saturday and put it through a test run, 400 feet (122 meters) above the street. The sphere, now decorated with 3,000 Waterford crystal triangles, has been dropping to mark the new year since 1907, long before television made it a U.S. tradition.

Some revelers, wearing party hats and “2012″ glasses, began camping out Saturday morning, even as workers readied bags stuffed with hundreds of balloons and technicians put colored filters on klieg lights.

As the country prepared for the celebration, glum wasn’t on the agenda for many, even those that had a sour year.

“We’re hoping the next year will be better,” said Becky Martin, a former elementary school teacher who drove from Rockford, Ill., with her family to attend the Times Square celebration after spending a fruitless year trying to find a job. “We’re starting off optimistic and hoping it lasts.”

Security checkpoints at the city’s bridges and tunnels were beefed up in anticipation of the celebration, and the New York Police Department planned to deploy 1,500 rookie officers to blend into the crowd at Times Square.

Cities prepared for celebrations both traditional and unusual. Atlanta was expecting to welcome thousands to its downtown, where a giant peach is dropped every New Year’s Eve at midnight. Las Vegas prepared to host hundreds of thousands of partiers on the Strip with rooftop fireworks and celebrity-studded parties at nightclubs. Miami has its own fruit, The Big Orange, a neon citrus with a new animated face that will rise up the side of a downtown hotel as fireworks go off nearby.

In Europe, around 80,000 partygoers at the Hogmanay street party in Edinburgh were welcoming 2012 at the stroke of midnight before erupting into a mass rendition of Auld Lang Syne. In London, some 250,000 people gathered to listen to Big Ben chime at the stroke of midnight during London’s scaled-back New Year’s celebrations. Fireworks are set off from the London Eye, the giant wheel on the south bank of the river.

You know those religion-neutral “holiday greetings” aired by network TV every December? Back in the 60s, there wasn’t any tip-toeing around the C-word. On Dec. 24,1968, “60 Minutes” aired this story about Christ’s physical appearance, and correspondent Harry Reasoner dove right in with the opening line: Tomorrow is Christmas.

Reasoner mused on the question, What did Jesus Christ really look like? He searched for the answer in paintings, poems, and letters. For Christians who are dismayed by holiday tidings that “take the Christ out of Christmas,” we present this classic piece, just in time for…(yes, we’re really going to say it) Christmas

 
To View the video, CLICK HERE