Fish Oil, Weight Loss, Coffee, and Thou

Today's newsfeed doesn't have a single study that's really worth digging into deeply. So let me just mention a few headlines that advance our understanding a bit.

Headline: Many Americans Maintain Weight Loss
Details: A federal survey suggests some people who lose weight can keep some of it off. Why is this not dismissed quickly to the Duh Files? A detail suggested that exercise seemed to be the key to keeping weight off. Sedentary weight losers were more likely to put the pounds right back on.

Headline: Coffee Associated with Lower Liver Cancer Risk
Details: So you're actually going to drink coffee (more than 2 cups per day) because it's linked to a 43 percent lower risk of liver cancer? We didn't think so. This was a meta-analysis suggesting an association only, not cause and effect. If you have a family history of liver cancer, there's nothing here: The link is not proven, merely a hypothesis for more research. Like coffee? Drink it.

Headline: Folic Acid Doesn't Prevent Polyps
Details: But it may contribute to them. This JAMA study proves once again that you should not fool with vitamins beyond a multi unless you've talked to your doctor and really know what you're doing.