By Peggy O'Farrell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Research

Belly fat: The more fat in your diet, the more fat around your middle, say researchers at Johns Hopkins.

Researchers who reviewed food journals kept by middle-aged adults found that adults who ate more saturated fats (butter, lard, etc.) had more visceral fat surrounding their internal organs. A diet higher in polyunsaturated fats (vegetable oils) translated to less "gut fat," researchers said.

Abdominal obesity is "a powerful risk factor for diabetes and for cardiovascular diseases like heart disease and peripheral arterial disease - conditions related to cholesterol-laden plaque buildup in the arteries," said Dr. Kerry J. Stewart, senior author of the study and director of clinical exercise physiology. "Visceral fat, the unseen fat within the abdominal cavity, is an even stronger risk factor for disease than subcutaneous fat, the fat just under the skin that is noticeable."

For the study, 84 adults ages 55 to 75 recorded their food intake for a three-day period. Researchers analyzed subjects' diets and measured visceral fat using magnetic resonance imaging and other techniques.

Waist circumference was the strongest indicator of visceral fat, researchers found. Men tend to have more visceral fat, the study found, while women have more subcutaneous fat.

Resource

Less fat: The American Institute for Cancer Research is offering a free brochure, "Comfort Foods," with ideas for making favorites like mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese healthier. To order, call (800) 843-8114, Ext. 65, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays or visit www.aicr.org.

Tips

Batter up: America's favorite pastime sends thousands of players to the doctor's office every year. Try this advice from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons to reduce baseball injuries:

• Excessive pitching leads to shoulder and elbow injuries. Limit an individual's play to pitching four to 10 innings a week. Limit pitches to 80 to 100 per game, and 30 to 40 per practice. Don't let a child suffering persistent pain play again until the pain stops.

• Breakaway bases can go a long way toward preventing the $2 billion in injuries players suffer every year as they slide into bases. Breakaway bases lessen the impact a player suffers, reducing injury.

• Protective equipment does work. Remember to use batting helmets and facial protective devices. Catchers should use mitts, helmet, mask and throat guard, chest protectors, supporters and shin guards. Players in other positions should use equipment designed for that position. Use shoes with molded cleats, not spikes. Check the field for holes, glass and debris.

Shelf help

He's back: The Mars and Venus Diet and Exercise Solution (St. Martin's Press; $24.95) by John Gray looks at how that whole planetary thing influences fitness and weight-loss efforts, with gender-specific tips.

Contact Peggy O'Farrell by phone, 768-8510; fax, 768-8330, or e-mail, pofarrell@enquirer.com