Latest news with #NHANES
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This Nutrient May Help Lower Your Stroke Risk by 36%, New Study Says
Reviewed by Dietitian Annie Nguyen, M.A., RDA new study suggests that eating the right amount of zinc may help reduce stroke risk. Having more than the recommended amount did not further reduce stroke risk. Zinc is found in foods like seafood, meat, poultry, dairy, nuts and year, nearly 800,000 Americans have a stroke—it's one of the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S. The good news is that some strokes can be prevented through lifestyle habits. For example, getting plenty of physical activity, managing your stressors, not smoking, limiting salt and alcohol and eating plenty of fiber and seafood each week have all been linked to lower stroke risk. We also know that certain eating patterns, like the Mediterranean diet, are linked to lower risk factors for stroke, including blood pressure and cholesterol. Researchers sometimes hone in on one particular nutrient, as opposed to an eating pattern, to take a closer look at associations between it and certain conditions. In this case, researchers from China examined the relationship between dietary zinc intake and stroke risk. They recently published their findings in Scientific Reports. Let's break them down. Researchers drew data from a long-running U.S. study called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). After weeding through potential participants, they ended up with 2,642 for this current assessment. Around 54% of them were female, and participants had an average age of 63. For NHANES, participants completed several 24-hour dietary recalls, documenting what they had eaten the previous day. For this study, researchers took those recalls and looked for foods containing zinc, as well as zinc-containing supplements. The average of two 24-hour dietary recalls was used for each participant's total zinc intake. Researchers then divided participants into four quartiles (or groups) based on zinc intake: less than 6.08 mg/day (Q1), 6.08-8.83 mg/day (Q2), 8.84-13.02 mg/day (Q3) and more than 13.02 mg/day (Q4). The assessment of stroke was also self-reported and based on whether a health professional had ever diagnosed the participant with a stroke. During statistical analyses, researchers adjusted for factors including age, gender, race or ethnicity, BMI, smoking history, average caloric intake, health history and some other factors. After running several statistical analyses, researchers state that those who consumed about 6 to 9 mg per day of zinc had a lower risk of stroke compared to those who consumed less than 6 mg per day. Specifically, those in Q2 had 36% lower odds of having a stroke compared to those in Q1. Interestingly, higher zinc intake—more than 9 mg per day (Q3 and Q4)—did not provide any more protection against stroke risk than consuming 6 to 9 mg per day (Q2) did. That suggests that moderation is key when it comes to zinc consumption. This study has several limitations, including the fact that everything was self-reported, including dietary intake, stroke diagnosis and medical history. This always leaves room for bias and inaccuracies in remembering. The study sample size of participants used was also small, which tends to lower the statistical power and accuracy of the results. Finally, this study cannot establish cause and effect. In other words, it cannot be said that lower zinc intake increases stroke risk; it can only be concluded that there appears to be an association between zinc intake and stroke risk. Related: The #1 Food You Should Limit to Reduce Stroke Risk, According to Dietitians The recommended intake for zinc is a minimum of 8 mg/day for women and 11 mg/day for men. So it's interesting that the benefits of zinc were seen even for those who fell under the minimum recommended amount. The upper limit for zinc is 40 mg/day for both men and women—eat or take more than that, and it can be harmful and cause some nasty side effects, including headaches, upset stomach and vomiting. Lower stroke risk isn't the only thing zinc may help with. We previously reported that people who had recommended levels of zinc intake had slower biological aging compared to those with too little or too much zinc. And its positive effects multiplied when people were also getting enough physical activity. It's important to note, though, that those taking more than the recommended upper limit of 40 mg/day showed an increase of 7 years of biological aging. Again, more is not necessarily better, and it can result in overdosing, even with vitamins and minerals. Zinc is important because it's involved in many processes in the body, including immunity, growth and development and wound healing. It's also necessary for proper cell development and for manufacturing DNA. Zinc is found in many foods, including meats, poultry, seafood, dairy, nuts and seeds. Eating patterns like the Mediterranean diet, DASH diet (a diet specifically for healthy blood pressure) and the MIND diet, which is a fusion of the DASH and Mediterranean diets, all provide plenty of zinc-rich foods and limit sodium, added sugars and processed and red meats—all factors that play into disease risk, including stroke. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke. If you're trying to manage your blood pressure, give this 7-Day High-Protein Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for High Blood Pressure a go. Physical activity, stress and sleep also play major roles in managing blood pressure and stroke prevention, so assess which areas need some attention. Choose one or two areas and start with small, sustainable changes so that you can gradually build on your success over time. Related: 7 Habits to Reduce Your Risk of Stroke, According to Doctors and Dietitians This study suggests that the minimal daily recommended amount of zinc was associated with a reduced risk of stroke compared to those with lower levels; the benefits plateaued, and those with higher levels than the minimal recommended amount did not show any additional benefits regarding stroke risk. Include foods rich in zinc each day, like meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, nuts and seeds. If you think your zinc intake might be too low or too high, meet with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider who can help figure that out. A dietitian can also help you determine if a supplement would be helpful if you're having trouble eating enough foods rich in zinc. Read the original article on EATINGWELL
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
SHOCKING! Experts observe THIS link between working women and heart attacks
A recent UCLA study reveals that self-employed women exhibit fewer cardiovascular disease risk factors compared to salaried women. Analyzing data from the NHANES, researchers found self-employed women, particularly women of color, experienced significant declines in obesity, physical inactivity, poor diet, and sleep duration. These findings underscore the impact of work environment on women's heart health. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death globally, with cardiovascular diseases accounting for 17.9 million deaths worldwide in 2023. Of these, a staggering 85% were attributed to heart attacks and strokes. A recent study has now shown that the risk of heart attack varies in women based on their employment status. A recent study, conducted by researchers at UCLA, found that self-employed women have fewer risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to their salaried counterparts. Women and heart health The researchers analyzed data from 19,400 working adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Unlike many previous studies that relied primarily on self-reported health data, this research incorporated biological and physical measurements, such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and glucose tolerance, which provide more reliable indicators of cardiovascular health. They also looked at the association between self-employment and CVD risk factors that included elevated cholesterol, hypertension, glucose intolerance, obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity, smoking, binge drinking, sub-optimal sleep duration, and poor mental health. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Though the findings showed some positive associations between health outcomes and self-employment among white men, the researchers found women had the most favourable CVD risk profile associated with being self-employed, possibly because they are more likely than men to experience stress and time demands related to balancing responsibilities across work and home. The researchers also found that self-employed women had cardiovascular risk profile than salaried women. This was especially pronounced among women of color. However, self-employed. Compared to their non-self-employed peers, self-employed white women experienced: A 7.4 percentage point decline in obesity A 7.0 percentage point decline in physical inactivity A 9.4 percentage point decline in poor sleep duration Also, self-employed women of color showed improvements in other important areas: A 6.7 percentage point decline in poor diet A 7.3 percentage point decline in physical inactivity An 8.1 percentage point decline in poor sleep duration What are the experts saying Dr. Kimberly Narain, the lead author, said, 'There is a relationship between self-employment and heart disease risk factors and this relationship seems to be stronger in women relative to men. It is imperative to increase our understanding of how the work environment gets under our skin so we can come up with ways to ensure that everyone has access to a healthy work environment.' Previous studies have shown an association between the structure of employment and cardiovascular disease risk. For instance, high-strain jobs with higher psychological demands and less autonomy have been linked with hypertension and CVD. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rotten result? Kids' cavities would increase by millions if every state banned fluoride
The long-term effects of banning fluoride from public drinking water across the country could cost families billions of dollars and result in millions of rotten teeth, a new analysis predicts. The study, published Friday in JAMA Health Forum, shows that if all 50 states stopped community water fluoridation programs, kids in the U.S. could expect to develop 25.4 million more cavities within the next five years. That's the equivalent of a decayed tooth in 1 out of every 3 children. The number of cavities would more than double in 10 years, to 53.8 million. 'That is a tremendous increase,' said Dr. Tom Reid, president of the Wisconsin Dental Association. 'It's another bit of proof that what we've been saying for over 80 years is 100% accurate: Proper dosing of community water fluoridation prevents cavities.' Reid was not involved with the new research. Fluoride is under increasingly intense fire despite its dramatic ability to prevent tooth decay. Two states, Utah and Florida, have already banned the addition of fluoride to public water systems. Others, including Kentucky, Massachusetts and Nebraska, could follow — all buoyed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new role as head of the Department of Health and Human Services. Under Kennedy's leadership, HHS gutted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's oral health division, which provides funds to states and local jurisdictions to promote good dental health practices, including the use of fluoride. 'We thought this was a really important time to be able to put some numbers to the discussions' about fluoride, said Dr. Lisa Simon, an author of the study and internal medicine physician at Mass General Brigham in Boston. She and a colleague analyzed data on 8,484 children, from birth through age 19, from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. NHANES is conducted every year by the CDC and includes interviews about what people eat and extensive details about their blood work, doctor's exams — and dental visits. The team created a model to predict what could happen under two scenarios: if every public water system had optimal fluoride levels, and if there is a total national ban on fluoride in water systems. Filling those cavities to fix that level of decay would cost money: $9.8 billion within five years, and $19.4 billion within a decade. 'It's actually a pretty conservative estimate,' Simon said, because it doesn't take into account related issues, like whether a child has to go under general anesthesia, the lifetime costs of replacing fillings and implants, or if parents have to miss work to take children to the emergency room because of extreme toothaches. Tooth decay goes beyond a simple cavity that needs to be filled. In severe cases, teeth crack, making it difficult for people to chew food properly. It can also lead to gum disease and widespread infection. Simon said that low-income families who struggle to afford dental care and kids on Medicaid would be disproportionately affected. 'It harms everyone to eliminate fluoride, but harms those children and families the most,' she said. The potential fallout from fluoride bans isn't just mathematical magic. The Canadian city of Calgary, for example, experienced a significant rise in kids' cavities after its leaders removed fluoride from public water systems in 2011. Within a decade, they voted to reinstate community water fluoridation. 'I hate to see us not learn from history,' Reid said. 'It doesn't take immense intellectual ability to realize that, boy, there are communities that have done this and regretted their decisions.' The U.S. has been adding fluoride to drinking water for decades. The CDC, as well as doctors and dentists, heralds the mineral as one the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. But fluoride has been demonized, particularly among conservative groups who maintain that it's a toxin that, at best, is causing tooth discoloration and, at worst, driving down kids' intelligence. Kennedy frequently cites a study published in 2019 that suggested IQ levels were slightly lower in kids whose mothers had higher measures of fluoride in their urine during pregnancy. The JAMA study is also included in the 'Make America Healthy Again' report recently released by the health secretary. The research, however, was far from conclusive. Similar studies were done in other countries with much higher levels of water fluoridation than the U.S. No studies in the U.S. have flagged any measurable decreases in children's cognitive development since fluoride was introduced. The new analysis didn't include possible cognitive effects — good or bad — of a total ban on fluoride because current levels of fluoride in public water systems, the authors wrote, 'are not definitively associated with worse neurobehavioral outcomes.' They did look at the issue of tooth discoloration. Excessive amounts of fluoride can cause white or sometimes brown marks on teeth called fluorosis. It's a cosmetic problem, not a physical one. The modeling study found that banning community water fluoridation wouldn't make a big splash in reducing fluorosis: just 200,000 fewer cases over five years. This article was originally published on
NBC News
4 days ago
- Health
- NBC News
Kids' cavities would increase by millions if every state banned fluoride, study finds
The long-term effects of banning fluoride from public drinking water across the country could cost families billions of dollars and result in millions of rotten teeth, a new analysis predicts. The study, published Friday in JAMA Health Forum, shows that if all 50 states stopped community water fluoridation programs, kids in the U.S. could expect to develop 25.4 million more cavities within the next five years. That's the equivalent of a decayed tooth in 1 out of every 3 children. The number of cavities would more than double in 10 years, to 53.8 million. 'That is a tremendous increase,' said Dr. Tom Reid, president of the Wisconsin Dental Association. 'It's another bit of proof that what we've been saying for over 80 years is 100% accurate: Proper dosing of community water fluoridation prevents cavities.' Reid was not involved with the new research. Fluoride is under increasingly intense fire despite its dramatic ability to prevent tooth decay. Two states, Utah and Florida, have already banned the addition of fluoride to public water systems. Others, including Kentucky, Massachusetts and Nebraska, could follow — all buoyed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new role as head of the Department of Health and Human Services. Under Kennedy's leadership, HHS gutted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's oral health division, which provides funds to states and local jurisdictions to promote good dental health practices, including the use of fluoride. 'We thought this was a really important time to be able to put some numbers to the discussions' about fluoride, said Dr. Lisa Simon, an author of the study and internal medicine physician at Mass General Brigham in Boston. She and a colleague analyzed data on 8,484 children, from birth through age 19, from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. NHANES is conducted every year by the CDC and includes interviews about what people eat and extensive details about their blood work, doctor's exams — and dental visits. The team created a model to predict what could happen under two scenarios: if every public water system had optimal fluoride levels, and if there is a total national ban on fluoride in water systems. Filling those cavities to fix that level of decay would cost money: $9.8 billion within five years, and $19.4 billion within a decade. 'It's actually a pretty conservative estimate,' Simon said, because it doesn't take into account related issues, like whether a child has to go under general anesthesia, the lifetime costs of replacing fillings and implants, or if parents have to miss work to take children to the emergency room because of extreme toothaches. Tooth decay goes beyond a simple cavity that needs to be filled. In severe cases, teeth crack, making it difficult for people to chew food properly. It can also lead to gum disease and widespread infection. Simon said that low-income families who struggle to afford dental care and kids on Medicaid would be disproportionately affected. 'It harms everyone to eliminate fluoride, but harms those children and families the most,' she said. Real-world impacts The potential fallout from fluoride bans isn't just mathematical magic. The Canadian city of Calgary, for example, experienced a significant rise in kids' cavities after its leaders removed fluoride from public water systems in 2011. Within a decade, they voted to reinstate community water fluoridation. 'I hate to see us not learn from history,' Reid said. 'It doesn't take immense intellectual ability to realize that, boy, there are communities that have done this and regretted their decisions.' The U.S. has been adding fluoride to drinking water for decades. The CDC, as well as doctors and dentists, heralds the mineral as one the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. But fluoride has been demonized, particularly among conservative groups who maintain that it's a toxin that, at best, is causing tooth discoloration and, at worst, driving down kids' intelligence. Kennedy frequently cites a study published in 2019 that suggested IQ levels were slightly lower in kids whose mothers had higher measures of fluoride in their urine during pregnancy. The JAMA study is also included in the ' Make America Healthy Again ' report recently released by the health secretary. The research, however, was far from conclusive. Similar studies were done in other countries with much higher levels of water fluoridation than the U.S. No studies in the U.S. have flagged any measurable decreases in children's cognitive development since fluoride was introduced. The new analysis didn't include possible cognitive effects — good or bad — of a total ban on fluoride because current levels of fluoride in public water systems, the authors wrote, 'are not definitively associated with worse neurobehavioral outcomes.' They did look at the issue of tooth discoloration. Excessive amounts of fluoride can cause white or sometimes brown marks on teeth called fluorosis. It's a cosmetic problem, not a physical one. The modeling study found that banning community water fluoridation wouldn't make a big splash in reducing fluorosis: just 200,000 fewer cases over five years.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This Type Of Work May Lower Heart Attack Risk For Women, Says New Study
A new study suggests that being self-employed can have an impact on your heart health. Specifically, it can help improve cardiovascular risk factors like obesity, sleep, and activity. Experts have a few theories why this might be, including lower stress and greater freedom to follow a healthy lifestyle. We all know there are a lot of factors that can influence your heart health, from what you eat to your family history, but new research suggests that your work environment might actually have a big influence how likely women are to develop cardiovascular disease. The findings, which are published in the journal BMC Public Health, suggest that being self-employed can have a noticeable influence on factors that lead to your risk of heart attack, stroke, and more. Right now, the study only establishes an association—so don't quit your day job and strike out on your own based purely on these findings. But they do raise a lot of questions about how your workplace can impact your heart and overall health. Here's what the research suggests, plus what doctors want you to keep in mind about the fascinating findings. Meet the experts: Jennifer Wong, MD, cardiologist and medical director of Non-Invasive Cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA; Kimberly Narain, MD, MPH, PhD, lead study author assistant professor-in-residence of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Yanting Wang, MD, an associate professor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and director or the Women's Heart Program and Cardio-Obstetrics Program at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. For the study, researchers analyzed data from 19,400 working adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The researchers crunched the data to look at the link between being self-employed and having cardiovascular risk factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, glucose intolerance, obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity, smoking, binge drinking, sub-optimal sleep duration, and poor mental health. Researchers discovered lower rates of certain cardiovascular risk factors between people who were self-employed and those who were salaried. White women who were self-employed had a 7.4 percent lower risk of obesity, 7 percent lower risk of being physically inactive, and 9.4 percent drop in having poor sleep. The change in risk was slightly different for self-employed women of color. These women had a 6.7 percent lower risk of having a poor diet, 7.3 percent lower risk of being physically inactive, and 8.1 percent lower risk of getting poor sleep. Self-employed white men also saw a drop in certain factors, although it wasn't as noticeable. (Minority men didn't see the same benefits.) The study didn't explore this exact question beyond just finding a link, but there are a few theories, according to Kimberly Narain, MD, MPH, PhD, lead study author assistant professor-in-residence of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. One is that women who are self-employed may be able to dictate their work schedule more and have less stress as a result, she says. Self-employed women with more free time may possibly have 'less perceived stress compared to women with less autonomy,' says Jennifer Wong, MD, cardiologist and medical director of Non-Invasive Cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. (Chronic stress is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease on its own, but it can also raise the risk of developing other factors that contribute to the condition, like obesity or trouble sleeping.) Women also tend to be caregivers and as such, have more responsibilities at home, Dr. Narain points out. 'When you're trying to combine that high level of demand and employment that doesn't have autonomy and flexibility, it can be stressful,' she says. 'It can potentially manifest in higher levels of blood pressure and less sleep.' Unfortunately, both of those raise your risk for cardiovascular disease. Women who are self-employed may have greater freedom to take on healthy lifestyle habits, like being more physically active and making medical appointments to stay on top of their health, says Yanting Wang, MD, an associate professor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and director or the Women's Heart Program and Cardio-Obstetrics Program at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Finally, Dr. Narain says that self-employed women may not have to deal with micro-aggressions that can happen in the workplace—and that can also lower stress. Dr. Narain says the findings suggest that your work environment can have an impact on your cardiovascular health. 'We really need to be thinking about the meaning people get from their work and what that may mean for their health outcomes,' she says. But Dr. Wong says the study also stresses the importance of taking care of your health, no matter what your job is. 'In any job, women should try to take the time to optimize their cardiovascular health focusing on a heart healthy diet, exercise, and adequate sleep,' she says. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
