The Institute of Medicine (IOM) just released its recommendations for obesity prevention in response to the rising obesity rates in the United States, a problem that affects the military. IOM has also developed an interesting graphic that shows where significant problems lie and how we can change our communities to help solve them. See the graphic and download the free report here.

National Nutrition Month is still going strong, bringing lots of healthy eating information to the attention of Americans. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is weighing in with their “Get Your Plate in Shape” campaign, which focuses on getting the right nutrition without too many calories. Their Eat Right website page offers snack ideas, recipes, weight management tips, and exercise nutrition advice.

What do you put in your body to boost your performance, increase your energy, shed pounds, build muscle, or otherwise supplement your diet? What’s in that drink, pill, or powder? What will it do for you? What will it do to you? Is it worth the risk?

More and more Warfighters are taking dietary supplements, most without being fully informed that some of the ingredients could have harmful side effects. HPRC has just unveiled its Dietary Supplement Classification System to provide this kind of information and help you make informed decisions about a particular supplement. To start exploring this new resource, visit HPRC’s new web pages. If you have a question, contact us via “Ask the Expert.”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers to stop using multiple weight-loss products that contain the undeclared drug ingredient sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 for safety reasons and may present significant risks for those with coronary artery disease and other heart issues. The following 18 products have received FDA Public Notifications advising consumers not to purchase or use any of them:

• Lose Weight Coffee
• Dream Body Slimming Capsule
• Pai You Guo Slim Tea
• Botanical Slimming
• Fruit Plant Lossing Fat Capsule
• Sheng Yuan Fang
• Acai Berry Soft Gel ABC
• Tengda
• PhentraBurn Slimming Capsules
• Magic Slim Tea
• Magic Slim Weight Reduction Capsule
• P57 Hoodia
• Leisure 18 Slimming Coffee
• Lishou
• A-Slim 100% Natural Slimming Capsule
• Advanced Slim 5
• Ja Dera 100% Natural Weight Loss Supplement
• Slender Slim 11

For more information, see the FDA Tainted Weight Loss Products page, and click on a product name under “Public Notifications.”

Dietary supplement products containing DMAA have been temporarily removed from military stores by the AAFES, but they are still available on the public retail market. HPRC has prepared a list of many of these products to help you watch for them if you are considering the purchase of dietary supplements. DMAA is found most commonly in products sold for bodybuilding or weight loss, but it can also be found in other performance-enhancing products, as well as in recreational party pills. The list also includes other names for DMAA that may be found on product labels. To download the list, go to the Dietary Supplements Resources page under the “Resources” tab, or just click on this link to directly access “Dietary Supplement Products Containing DMAA.”

Looking for programs to help manage your weight? The Human Performance Resource Center just posted its new “Fighting Weight Strategies” page, where we have compiled a list of programs and resources, arranged by service, for maintaining overall health and body weight. You can find these helpful resources by going to the Fighting Weight Strategies page of HPRC’s website.

If you think that burning the midnight oil will also help you burn calories, think again. A recent study suggests that lack of sleep may result in burning less calories and eating more food than when fully rested. So if you are trying to manage your weight, getting adequate sleep should be an essential part of your plan. A summary of the original research article in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is also available online.

Pistachios contain the “good fat”—unsaturated (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated)—which can help blood cholesterol levels and decrease risk of heart disease. They are also a good source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. And if you’re watching your weight, pistachios can still be a healthy choice for a snack, as shown in a recent study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Read more about this study and about other pistachio health benefits at www.pistachiohealth.com.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking to bar deceptive claims made by websites posing as reputable news sites to entice consumers to buy acai berry weight-loss products. The FTC says these companies are not “news-gathering organizations” and their claims that acai berry supplements can cause rapid weight loss are unsupported. For more information, read the FTC release: “FTC Seeks to Halt 10 Operators of Fake News Sites from Making Claims About Acai Berry Weight Loss Products.”

We know about colas, coffee, tea, and chocolate, but caffeine can also be found in some over-the-counter drugs and herbal dietary supplement products. Energy drinks contain caffeine, and some also contain guarana, a plant with high amounts of caffeine. Yerba mate, green tea extract, and kola nuts are also sources of caffeine, and can be found in weight-loss and performance-enhancing dietary supplements. Be sure to read labels for hidden sources of caffeine.