Ultra-processed foods—such as processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, and trans fats—are widely consumed and often high in calories, added sugars, unhealthy fats, and salt. These foods have been consistently linked to chronic conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer. A recent study found that consuming even modest amounts of processed meat—just over half an ounce per day—was associated with an 11% higher risk of type 2 diabetes and a 7% higher risk of colorectal cancer. Researchers conducted an analysis using "burden of proof" methods—a statistical framework th... cancer diabetes diet
Read moreEven if you work out, spending most of your day sitting may still adversely affect your health in ways that don't become apparent until later in life. A recent study found that 35-year-olds who engaged in 30 minutes of vigorous exercise each day had cholesterol levels comparable to those of sedentary 30-year-olds, suggesting that vigorous exercise can offset up to five years of age-related decline in heart health. Researchers analyzed data from adults aged 28 to 49 who participated in the Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan Behavioral Development and Cognitive Aging (https://www.colorado.... exercise aging heart disease genetics exercise snacks
Read moreRoughly 60% of the human brain is made up of fat, which plays a crucial role in the structure and function of brain cells. In Alzheimer's, fat metabolism in the brain becomes altered, influencing disease progression. A recent study found that a modified Mediterranean ketogenic diet boosted healthy fats in the brain and lowered Alzheimer's-associated markers. The study included 20 adults with prediabetes who were at risk for developing Alzheimer's. Participants followed the modified Mediterranean ketogenic diet or the American Heart Association diet for six weeks. After a six-week break, they ... nutrition brain alzheimer's diet ketogenic diet
Read more"Seeing stars," "getting your bell rung," and "knocked for a loop" are everyday phrases often used to describe experiencing a concussion. However, these expressions can downplay that even a "mild" concussion is a traumatic brain injury with the potential for lasting, harmful effects, including dementia. A recent study found that 17% of people who have had a concussion have microbleeds—tiny hemorrhages—in their brains. The study involved more than 600 middle-aged adults with normal cognitive function. Researchers asked the participants if they had ever experienced a concussion—defined as a blo... brain dementia concussion blood-brain barrier
Read moreAlcohol use disorder accounts for approximately 2.8 million deaths worldwide. It's a chronic condition marked by a strong desire to drink and persistent alcohol use despite its harmful effects. A recent study found that a ketogenic diet reduces alcohol cravings in people with alcohol use disorder. The study involved 33 adults with an alcohol use disorder enrolled in a three-week inpatient alcohol detoxification program. Slightly more than half of the patients received a ketogenic diet, while the remainder received a standard American diet. Once a week, using functional magnetic resonance imag... brain alcohol addiction ketogenic diet
Read moreAdvanced glycation end-products (AGEs) form when the sugars, amino acids, and fats in food encounter heat. The molecules in the foods rearrange, forming brown polymers (a process known as the Maillard reaction) and creating the deep flavors of browned barley in beer, roasted coffee, seared meats, and French fries. A recent study in worms shows that dietary AGEs promote overeating and reduce lifespan by as much as 30 percent in those genetically susceptible. Researchers investigated the health effects of AGEs in Caenorhabditis elegans, a type of roundworm often used to model human aging. Spec... nutrition diet aging diabetes ketogenic diet
Read moreFast food during pregnancy harms both mother and offspring and interferes with milk production. Fast foods – burgers, fries, pizzas, sugar-sweetened drinks, and many others – are often high in calories, saturated fat, added sugars, and salt. Regular consumption of fast foods is associated with an increased risk for many chronic diseases (https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/71/5/310/2460221). Findings from a recent study suggest that eating fast food during pregnancy negatively influences maternal health during pregnancy and undermines the nutritional quality of a mother's breast... diet breast milk lactate
Read moreThe trillions of microbes that inhabit the human intestine, known collectively as the gut microbiota, play critical roles in health. Research demonstrates that the microbiota provides protection against infections by preventing pathogenic colonization in the gut. Findings from a new study indicate that taurine facilitates the gut microbiota's immune response to infection. Maintaining a "friendly" population of gut microbes is essential for good health. An imbalance in the number of harmful versus helpful microbes, a condition known as dysbiosis, drives many disease states (https://www.ncbi.nl... antibiotics gut microbiome taurine
Read moreObesity, or having excess body fat, is a known risk factor for a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and dementia. Findings from a new study indicate that having brown fat is linked with lower risk of some chronic diseases. Brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue, is found in all mammals and is particularly abundant in newborns. Unlike white fat, brown fat is a metabolically active tissue that is rich in mitochondria. It helps maintain body temperature during cold exposure, during which its uptake of glucose is eightfold higher than that of muscle tissues (https://www.fr... obesity cold stress brown fat
Read moreResearchers in the field of aging have posited several theories to explain how and why the body ages. One of these theories, the somatic mutation theory of aging, is based on the idea that DNA damage accumulates over time – the result of day-to-day living and oxidative stress. A variety of mechanisms within cells can repair DNA damage and prevent potentially harmful mutations. These repair mechanisms become less efficient as the body ages, however, promoting age-related disease and decline. A new study suggests that loss of the body's capacity to repair itself starts during adolescence and cou... aging dna damage
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