Highest ultra-processed food risks
Researchers who have tracked people’s habits for more than 30 years have found four categories of ultra-processed foods that raise the risk for health concerns.
After examining the eating habits of more than 100,000 U.S. adults with initially no history of major health concerns such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, researchers from multiple universities including the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, found that those who ate the most ultra-processed foods had a 4% higher risk of death by any cause.
Foods with the strongest associations with increased mortality were ready-to-eat meat, sugary drinks, dairy-based desserts and highly processed breakfast foods. Ultra-processed foods tend to have additives such as artificial colors and flavors and emulsifiers as well as higher levels of sugar and saturated fats.
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Source: British Medical Journal
Exercise different for males and females
Though most understand that exercise is good for the body, how it affects women’s and men’s bodies is the focus of a study by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Researchers looked at thousands of analyses on 19 rat tissue types that identified changes in genes, proteins and metabolites. They found that exercise affected almost every tissue type in the body, but the differences between the genders were greater than expected.
Researchers say that results sampled from brain, adrenal gland, lung and fat tissues could help map customized exercise routines to help cure different ailments.
Source: UT Health San Antonio
Be wary of TikTok medical advice
If you found medical advice on TikTok, chances are it’s inaccurate.
A new study by the fitness app MyFitnessPal and researchers from Dublin City University in Ireland found that only about 2% of health and nutrition information on TikTok is accurate.
Researchers used artificial intelligence to examine 67,000 health and nutrition videos found on the popular app. In 2023, MyFitnessPal surveyed 2,000 Millennials and Gen Zers and found that 87% use TikTok for health advice.
Source: MyFitnessPal
Heart disease a threat for 90% of U.S. adults
A new study shows that the vast majority of U.S. adults are at risk for developing heart disease.
The American Heart Association recently alerted physicians that a condition called cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome can affect multiple areas of the body. Researchers identified people at high risk by using the criteria for this syndrome that shows a strong link between heart disease and conditions such as obesity, diabetes and kidney disease.
Research shows that nearly half of participants in a study were at stage 2 of CKM, which meant that they were at moderate risk of developing heart disease because they had a condition such as high blood sugar or high cholesterol.
Source: JAMA
Score another win for olive oilÂ
By taking a spoonful of olive oil each day, individuals can lower their risk of dying from dementia.
Researchers at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health observed more than 92,000 adults over 28 years. Those who consumed at least 7 grams, or a little more than half a tablespoon, of olive oil each day had a 28% lower risk of dying from dementia than those who never or rarely consumed olive oil.
Those who replaced 5 grams, or 1.2 teaspoons, of margarine or mayonnaise with olive oil each day experienced an 8% to 14% lower risk of death from dementia.
Source: JAMA Network Open
