DEAR DR. BLONZ: What are your thoughts about personal qualities that might determine who will be successful at losing weight? -- S.O., Los Angeles

DEAR S.O.: An instructive paper in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (November 1990) comes to mind, which examined three different types of women. The first group lost weight, but then regained it; they were called the relapsers. The second group lost weight and kept it off; these were the maintainers. The third group was the control group, who remained at the same “non-obese” weight.

The researchers looked at the subjects’ weight histories -- including prior attempts at dieting -- and their childhood food experiences, meal and snacking patterns, emotion-related eating, and how they typically handled troubling situations. The paper revealed some interesting differences that address your question.

The relapsers were more likely to take appetite suppressants and participate in formal weight-loss programs. More relapsers skipped breakfast, and they often went on restrictive diets that denied them many of the foods they enjoyed. In comparison, most maintainers did not seek help from support groups, diet partners or health professionals. If using the same approach to weight loss, relapsers adapted their lifestyle to the program, while maintainers usually tailored the program to fit their lifestyle.

During the weight-loss period, both maintainers and relapsers reported stressful events involving family or careers. Maintainers tended to confront and solve problems, while relapsers often resorted to avoidance behaviors such as eating, sleeping and/or drinking more, or merely wishing that the problem would go away.

Another significant finding was that 90% of the maintainers, versus 34% of the relapsers, engaged in exercise at least three times a week. Studies often report that the body decreases its baseline metabolic rate (the rate at which calories are burned at rest) when weight is lost. This unfortunate decrease can slow the rate of weight loss and help explain why it is hard to keep pounds off. Regular exercise helps counter this decrease, in addition to burning more calories.

These findings suggest that personality can be an essential determinant for long-term success with weight reduction. It also tells us there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all diet plan. Most commercial programs suggest their methods and products work for anyone, but their main accomplishment may only be a short-term loss of pounds. People seeking treatment for a weight problem should be screened and guided into a program that suits their personality.

One hopeful message here is that a relapser can become a maintainer. Some maintainers in this study had been relapsers at one time. New habits and behaviors had to become established for that switch to occur. For example, no longer would working out be a chore only done to lose weight; rather, it was understood and internalized as a fundamental element of a new, more healthful lifestyle.

While reflecting on this, it’s essential to appreciate that realistic goals are a part of the process; you may never drop you as low as you want to go. Healthy people often carry some extra weight. Likewise, simply because someone happens to be thin is no guarantee that they are better off.

Health is as health does, and this holds true at any weight. Society-imposed pressures to achieve a particular body type do little to promote our physical and mental health and well-being.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: My question is about blueberries -- dried blueberries, in particular. I spent a pretty penny for dried blueberries to put on my cereal every morning until a friend told me that dried berries have no antioxidant value. Can you comment on this? And what about the antioxidant value of frozen berries? -- R.L., Berkeley, California

DEAR R.L.: Dried blueberries -- and other dried berries, such as cranberries, currants and cherries -- are great, and they have considerable nutritional and antioxidant value. I don’t know where your friend got their information, but I would consider carefully any other recommendations you get from that source.

FYI, I rotate among different types of berries to add to my cereal every morning. In season, I use fresh fruit, but off-season, I use frozen or dried. It’s a great way to start the day.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I have read that shark cartilage can be effective against cancer, but my doctor had never heard of this and was cynical. I see it for sale at many vitamin stores, so I wonder why it is being offered. Are you aware of any evidence that shows that this works? If so, how much is needed? -- S.G., Phoenix

DEAR S.G.: I share the skepticism of your doctor. Please do not consider the presence of a health product at a store as evidence of its efficacy.

Shark cartilage gained fad fame as an anti-cancer compound because it was advertised to contain something unique that could prevent the development and spread of any cancer. The hypothetical mechanism was a substance in the cartilage that inhibited new blood vessels’ creation -- a process integral to cancer cells’ growth and spread. The evidence for all this is severely lacking. As support, shark cartilage proponents cite the fact that sharks do not develop cancer, but this has also been refuted.

While there is no evidence that it is harmful to take, please consider the insidious harm wrought by delay. Many early-stage cancers can be treated, but opting for a bogus remedy can give cancer a chance to grow -- and even to spread to the point where more aggressive treatments are required. At that point, the odds for success can suffer.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: What is the difference between pasteurization and ultra-pasteurization of dairy products? -- D.C., Lombard, Illinois

DEAR D.C.: Pasteurization and ultra-pasteurization are heat treatments designed to reduce the presence of potentially harmful microorganisms. The two differ in the amount and duration of heat used. Pasteurization heats a dairy product to 161 degrees (all temperatures Fahrenheit) for 15 seconds, while ultra-pasteurization heats the product to 280 degrees for up to 3 seconds. Immediately after either heat treatment, the milk gets rapidly chilled to 39 degrees.

The higher heat used in ultra-pasteurization results in a more shelf-stable product, which means it will have a longer shelf life. The product label will indicate which method was used. Neither process sterilizes the product, so once opened, both require refrigeration and will last about seven to 10 days.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: For years, my blood glucose has been in the “high-normal” range. The last couple of checkups showed elevated levels, though, and after some other tests, I was diagnosed as having Type 2 diabetes mellitus. I am 65, a bit overweight, with no family history of diabetes. I was advised to lose some weight, change my diet and do more exercise. I’m not clear about insulin resistance and how it relates to the different types of diabetes, so I am interested in your thoughts. -- F.S., Scottsdale, Arizona

DEAR F.S.: Glucose, the building block of carbohydrates, is a primary fuel for the body. It is the brain’s preferred fuel, and the only one that red blood cells can use. Entire body systems exist to help maintain blood glucose, but these systems don’t always work perfectly.

During digestion, dietary carbohydrates get broken down to glucose, which is actively absorbed into the bloodstream -- at which point it is often referred to as “blood sugar.” Glucose has a hard time getting into cells on its own. The missing factor is insulin, the hormone produced and released by the pancreas that serves as a passport to get glucose into most cells. (Insulin doesn’t help get glucose into the brain -- that’s a different story.) Once in the cell, glucose provides energy for all work, including muscle contraction, biosynthesis and repair. Once cellular energy needs are satisfied, extra glucose gets turned into lipids (fat), the most concentrated form of energy in the body. Packaged as triglycerides, these travel to storage in our fat cells.

Diabetes is present when there’s insufficient insulin to get the glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells. Type 1 diabetes is when the pancreas is unable to produce and release insulin. In such cases, replacement insulin is given, usually by injection. More common is Type 2 diabetes; this occurs when the pancreas can still produce and release insulin, but can’t keep up with the demand, so blood glucose levels remain elevated. Treatment can include diet and lifestyle adjustments or medications to stimulate the pancreas to release more insulin. Type 2 diabetes used to be known as “adult-onset” diabetes because it was seen mainly in adults, but now it is prevalent in children, as well.

Here’s the connection between Type 2 diabetes and weight: As fat cells increase in size, they tend to become less sensitive to insulin. This insulin resistance means that the body needs more insulin to clear the same amount of glucose from the bloodstream. Obesity, in essence, can overwork the pancreas until it becomes unable to keep up. Between 80 and 90 percent of those with Type 2 diabetes are obese. This also helps explain why those with this type of diabetes often experience dramatic improvements when they lose some pounds and change the way they eat.

There are short- and long-term health risks if blood glucose remains elevated. The bottom line with any diabetic condition is to keep the glucose within normal limits. This can be done with diet, exercise and medication, along with regular monitoring of blood glucose levels. For more on managing diabetes, see b.link/wb6c3.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.