Popular statin Crestor now recommended for low cholesterol…HUH?

Whenever you read a study that calls for an increase in the use of a prescription drug for an even larger group of people, look out. You can almost bet the funding for such a study comes from the pharmaceutical company that stands to profit the most from such a proclamation (I’ve previously blogged about this happening in the artificial sweetener industry). And that is precisely what happened on Monday when drug manufacturer AstraZeneca released the results of a study about their cash cow pill for high-cholesterol called Crestor at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, Louisiana.

There’s a whole lot more to this story than what you read about online or heard on your evening news. To get the full scoop on this study and what it means, click here.

According to a study by Morgan Stanley analysts, many consumers continue to watch their carb intake after going off the diets, which could have lasting implications for food and beverage companies.

bq. Experience with a low-carb diet appears to radically change many consumers’ self-discipline, awareness of nutrition issues, and even taste preferences, according to the survey. This may mean high-carb categories with some nutritional value such as oatmeal or yogurt may recover as the number of active dieters decline, according to the analysts. However, other categories such as carbonated soft drinks and candy could remain hurt by the trend.

“Our consumer research indicates that new low-carb product introductions that have legitimate nutritional credentials may have staying power, whereas those in inherently indulgent categories are more likely to fail,” said food analyst David Adelman.

According to a new survey, most low-carb dieters are actually eating more carbs than such diets recommend. The study of 11,000 consumers released by market research firm NPD Group Monday said only one out of every four low-carb dieters “are actually significantly cutting carbs.”

bq. But adults who are reducing their carb intakes are still eating about 128 grams of refined carbohydrates a day, the study found. That compares with the estimated 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day recommended by some low-carb diets. Refined carbohydrates are total carbs minus dietary fiber.

The New York Times has published an article questioning whether low-carb diets are really the way to go to drop those extra pounds. The paper cites a new study