Although many people think of osteoporosis as a woman’s disease, it is also a serious health problem for men. Losing height or breaking a bone may be the first sign of osteoporosis.

May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, to help educate people about the importance of preventing and treating high blood pressure.

How does bone loss occur? Who is most at risk? What can you do to prevent osteoporosis? Find these answers and more in this two-page fact sheet.

In their quest for finding new therapies for treating cancers, researchers in the LSU AgCenter and the LSU Health Sciences Center have found several natural compounds that can reduce tumor development by inhibiting angiogenesis. One of the latest is an extract from the black raspberry.

Older adults who consume nearly three servings of whole-grain foods daily are significantly less likely to have "metabolic syndrome," a condition that increases the chances of developing diabetes and heart disease.

Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Heli Roy says declining levels of physical activity may help explain why childhood metabolic diseases are becoming more common.

Recent clinical trials and ongoing studies have emphasized the importance of physical activity or combined physical activity and improved diet in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Carbonated beverage intake has increased significantly among America’s youth over a 20-year period. One soft drink a day has been linked to 60 percent increase in the development of obesity over time, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Heli Roy.

Young and mature adults, ages 18-44, who get type 2 diabetes are 14 times more likely to have a heart attack and up to 30 times more likely to have a stroke.

Eating foods rich in antioxidants is one part of a diet and exercise program that protects against chronic diseases, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Heli Roy. A recently published study bears out this claim.