Is that beach body possible?

Charlyn Fargo, Contributor

Weight loss is always a possibility, but it's going to take diet plus exercise, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. For 13 years, the study followed a large group (34,079) of middle-aged women with an average age of 54 years. The objective of the study was to determine how much physical activity is needed over time to prevent weight gain in women consuming a typical diet.

On average, the researchers found that women gained a little less than six pounds over the course of the 13-year study. However, the only women who were successful at not gaining weight were women with a healthy body mass index (less than 25) at the beginning of the study and who exercised on average at least 60 minutes a day.

The researchers also highlight two other lessons learned from their research:

1. Once overweight, the women were unable to prevent weight gain by increasing physical-activity levels.

2. Maintaining at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day was necessary for the women to maintain their weight and potentially prevent weight gain.

The key thing to remember is that to lose weight - or prevent weight gain - you have to look at both what you eat and your physical activity. This study only observed the role of physical activity, without taking into account any changes to the participants' diets.

- Food Insight Newsletter

Sugar vs 'natural' sweeteners

Q: Is agave, a 'natural' sweetener, healthier than table sugar?

A: 'Natural' sweeteners are gaining popularity as fears about white sugar and high-fructose corn syrup sweep America. One that has been generating a lot of buzz is agave, which comes from the same plant used to make tequila.

Although it's fast becoming the preferred sweetener for health-conscious consumers and natural cooks, the truth is that agave is processed just like other sugars and is no better for you than other sugars. And don't be dazzled by the word 'natural' United States food regulators do not legally define the term, so it's left up to manufacturers.

- WebMD.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.