Latest news with #SteveKinyon
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Squeaky clean Utah shuns booze and drugs - but why are its residents addicted to 'dirty sodas'?
Utah is battling an addiction crisis - but it's nothing to do with booze, drugs, or fast food. Instead the Beehive State is hooked on soda. Now YouTuber Tyler Oliveira has delved deeper into why the sugary drinks have thousands in their grip, and what inspired the craze. In his film, one man named Steve Kinyon admits sometimes he guzzles more than 5 gallons of diet soda a day and he spends $300 a week on soda alone. Steve, a father-of-two with over 66,000 Instagram followers on his food-centric account, says even his young sons — ages four and two — love soda. His wife, Kephren, is 'concerned' about the habit. Tyler explains that the state's large Mormon population plays a central role. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are typically forbidden from drinking alcohol and hot caffeinated drinks like coffee or tea. But soda, especially cold caffeinated soda, falls into a gray area — one that many Utahns have embraced enthusiastically. Enter 'Dirty Sodas,' a wildly popular beverage trend in the state. These are essentially soda-based mocktails, with concoctions made using base sodas like Dr Pepper, Sprite, or Coca-Cola, spiked with flavored syrups, purees, creams, and fruit. 'These are basically cocktails without the alcohol,' one woman explains in Oliveira's documentary. A popular pick at the soda drive-thru chain Swig is the Mojito Mama, a tropical mix of lemonade, coconut puree, coconut cream, mint, and fresh lime. A 44oz cup can pack more than 600 calories — similar to a fast food meal. But while many in the community view their vice as much safer than drugs or alcohol, copious amounts of soda has its risks. Obesity, diabetes, increased blood pressure, and kidney disease are just some of the hazards. Meanwhile, caffeine in caffeinated soda drinks can cause anxiety, increased heart rate and higher blood pressure. Along with the health impact of drinking so much soda, there is also a financial repercussion. 'If he started going into debt for this, it would be divorce,' Kephren says in one scene, as Steve is seen unloading a haul of soda from the trunk of his car. When Oliveira visits several soda drive-thrus across Utah one morning, he finds long lines and loyal customers who say they rely on their daily fix. One woman reveals her boss drinks two 44oz sodas every day. Another says her workplace caters to the habit with built-in 'soda breaks.' She tells Tyler outside a drive-thru in the largely Mormon city of Provo: '[Soda is] literally people's entire world. 'I'm [working] at an office right over here. We shut down twice a day so that everybody can go get their dirty sodas.' Meanwhile, one man likens soda culture in Utah to coffee culture in other parts of the world, but he highlights that soda culture is even more unique as it is 'much more customizable'. 'There's nothing else like it,' he says. But while it may feel like a harmless cultural quirk, the habit could be taking years off people's lives. A University of Michigan study found that just two sugar-sweetened beverages per day could cost someone 24 minutes of life expectancy. Over time, that adds up. If someone starts drinking soda at age five and continues for 50 years, they could lose nearly a year off their life — about 304 days. Getting their hit: Many people reveal that they drink soda on a daily basis and one woman says that her boss drinks two 44oz servings a day According to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics, roughly half of Americans over the age of two drink two sugary beverages a day on average. The health risks are well documented: added sugars are linked to obesity, certain cancers, chronic kidney disease, and heart disease. And even artificial sweeteners may carry similar risks. Despite its booming soda craze, Utah's obesity rate is slightly lower than the national average. In 2023, the age-adjusted obesity rate in Utah adults was 31 per cent, while the prevalence for US adults was 33.1 per cent. Meanwhile, the American Diabetes Association reports that 191,658 people in Utah, or 7.9 per cent of the adult population, have diagnosed diabetes. This is also below the national average, which is currently just over 11 per cent. However, experts believe the number of people suffering with diabetes could be much higher with an additional 51,000 people in Utah going undiagnosed, 'greatly increasing their health risk.' Diagnosed diabetes costs an estimated $1.7 billion in Utah each year. Commenting on the University of Michigan findings, food safety expert Dr Darin Detwiler previously told 'This study reinforces that making small, consistent changes in beverage habits may add years to life expectancy and improve overall health.' He added: 'Taking this study literally, a healthy 20-year-old person — whose life expectancy may be 79 years — who starts drinking two sodas a day may, according to the study, lose three to four years of life due to the impacts of those drinks.' Still, Dr Detwiler emphasized that the study's findings are 'observational not scientific,' meaning they don't prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Even so, he urges the public to take the results seriously. 'Cutting out soda or reducing consumption might extend life expectancy,' he said. 'But one thing that is for sure, is that removing these sugary drinks will definitely improve your quality of life, including reducing risks of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses.' He also points to better weight management and overall health as benefits of quitting soda, using a vivid analogy: 'Think of soft drink consumption as driving a car without regular maintenance. 'While it doesn't guarantee a breakdown, over time the likelihood of a serious problem increases - especially if combined with other unhealthy habits.' Dr Detwiler added that the findings could support new public health messaging: 'Perhaps this study could support public awareness campaigns about risks. 'I could also see this as a driving force behind policies to reduce soft drink availability in schools and workplaces.' For now, Utah's Dirty Soda craze shows no signs of slowing down. But with new health warnings and rising awareness of the long-term costs, the state's sugar-fueled habits may soon be put to the test.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
State with 'clean' image faces unexpectedly severe addiction problem
A surprising US state is battling a crippling addiction crisis —but it's not fueled by alcohol, drugs, or fast food. In Utah, the substance of choice for hundreds of thousands of residents is soda. And not just the occasional can — many drink it in astonishing quantities. YouTuber Tyler Oliveira decided to investigate the effect that the sugary drinks are having on the population and what inspired the craze. In his film, one man named Steve Kinyon (Pictured) admits sometimes he guzzles more than 5 gallons of diet soda a day and he spends $300 a week on soda alone. Steve, a father-of-two with over 66,000 Instagram followers on his food-centric account, says even his young sons — ages four and two — love soda. His wife, Kephren, is 'concerned' about the habit. Tyler explains that the state's large Mormon population plays a central role. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are typically forbidden from drinking alcohol and hot caffeinated drinks like coffee or tea. But soda, especially cold caffeinated soda, falls into a gray area — one that many Utahns have embraced enthusiastically. Enter 'Dirty Sodas,' a wildly popular beverage trend in the state. These are essentially soda-based mocktails, with concoctions made using base sodas like Dr Pepper, Sprite, or Coca-Cola, spiked with flavored syrups, purées, creams, and fruit. 'These are basically cocktails without the alcohol,' one woman explains in Oliveira's documentary. A popular pick at the soda drive-thru chain Swig is the Mojito Mama, a tropical mix of lemonade, coconut purée, coconut cream, mint, and fresh lime. A 44oz cup can pack more than 600 calories — comparable to a fast food meal. But while many in the community view their vice as much safer than drugs or alcohol, copious amounts of soda has its risks. Obesity, diabetes , increased blood pressure, and kidney disease are just some of the hazards. Meanwhile, caffeine in caffeinated soda drinks can cause anxiety, increased heart rate and higher blood pressure. Along with the health impact of drinking so much soda, there is also a financial repercussion. 'If he started going into debt for this, it would be divorce,' Kephren says in one scene, as Steve is seen unloading a haul of soda from the trunk of his car. When Oliveira visits several soda drive-thrus across Utah one morning, he finds long lines and loyal customers who say they rely on their daily fix. One woman reveals her boss drinks two 44oz sodas every day. Another says her workplace caters to the habit with built-in 'soda breaks.' She tells Tyler outside a drive-thru in the largely Mormon city of Provo: '[Soda is] literally people's entire world. 'I'm [working] at an office right over here. We shut down twice a day so that everybody can go get their dirty sodas.' Meanwhile, one man likens soda culture in Utah to coffee culture in other parts of the world, but he highlights that soda culture is even more unique as it is 'much more customizable'. 'There's nothing else like it,' he says. But while it may feel like a harmless cultural quirk, the habit could be taking years off people's lives. A University of Michigan study found that just two sugar-sweetened beverages per day could cost someone 24 minutes of life expectancy. Over time, that adds up. If someone starts drinking soda at age five and continues for 50 years, they could lose nearly a year off their life — about 304 days. According to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics, roughly half of Americans over the age of two drink two sugary beverages a day on average. The health risks are well documented: added sugars are linked to obesity, certain cancers, chronic kidney disease, and heart disease. And even artificial sweeteners may carry similar risks. Commenting on the University of Michigan findings, food safety expert Dr Darin Detwiler previously told 'This study reinforces that making small, consistent changes in beverage habits may add years to life expectancy and improve overall health.' He added: 'Taking this study literally, a healthy 20-year-old person — whose life expectancy may be 79 years — who starts drinking two sodas a day may, according to the study, lose three to four years of life due to the impacts of those drinks.' Still, Dr Detwiler emphasized that the study's findings are 'observational not scientific,' meaning they don't prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Even so, he urges the public to take the results seriously. 'Cutting out soda or reducing consumption might extend life expectancy,' he said. 'But one thing that is for sure, is that removing these sugary drinks will definitely improve your quality of life, including reducing risks of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses.' He also points to better weight management and overall health as benefits of quitting soda, using a vivid analogy: 'Think of soft drink consumption as driving a car without regular maintenance. 'While it doesn't guarantee a breakdown, over time the likelihood of a serious problem increases—especially if combined with other unhealthy habits.' Dr. Detwiler added that the findings could support new public health messaging: 'Perhaps this study could support public awareness campaigns about risks. I could also see this as a driving force behind policies to reduce soft drink availability in schools and workplaces.' For now, Utah's Dirty Soda craze shows no signs of slowing down. But with new health warnings and rising awareness of the long-term costs, the state's sugar-fueled habits may soon be put to the test.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
State with squeaky clean image grappling a VERY surprising addiction epidemic... it's not fast food or drugs
A surprising US state is battling a crippling addiction crisis —but it's not fueled by alcohol, drugs, or fast food. In Utah, the substance of choice for hundreds of thousands of residents is soda. And not just the occasional can — many drink it in astonishing quantities. YouTuber Tyler Oliveira decided to investigate the effect that the sugary drinks are having on the population and what inspired the craze. In his film, one man named Steve Kinyon admits sometimes he guzzles more than 5 gallons of diet soda a day and he spends $300 a week on soda alone. Steve, a father-of-two with over 66,000 Instagram followers on his food-centric account, says even his young sons — ages four and two — love soda. His wife, Kephren, is 'concerned' about the habit. Tyler explains that the state's large Mormon population plays a central role. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are typically forbidden from drinking alcohol and hot caffeinated drinks like coffee or tea. But soda, especially cold caffeinated soda, falls into a gray area — one that many Utahns have embraced enthusiastically. Enter 'Dirty Sodas,' a wildly popular beverage trend in the state. These are essentially soda-based mocktails, with concoctions made using base sodas like Dr Pepper, Sprite, or Coca-Cola, spiked with flavored syrups, purées, creams, and fruit. 'These are basically cocktails without the alcohol,' one woman explains in Oliveira's documentary. A popular pick at the soda drive-thru chain Swig is the Mojito Mama, a tropical mix of lemonade, coconut purée, coconut cream, mint, and fresh lime. A 44oz cup can pack more than 600 calories — comparable to a fast food meal. But while many in the community view their vice as much safer than drugs or alcohol, copious amounts of soda has its risks. Obesity, diabetes, increased blood pressure, and kidney disease are just some of the hazards. Meanwhile, caffeine in caffeinated soda drinks can cause anxiety, increased heart rate and higher blood pressure. Along with the health impact of drinking so much soda, there is also a financial repercussion. 'If he started going into debt for this, it would be divorce,' Kephren says in one scene, as Steve is seen unloading a haul of soda from the trunk of his car. When Oliveira visits several soda drive-thrus across Utah one morning, he finds long lines and loyal customers who say they rely on their daily fix. One woman reveals her boss drinks two 44oz sodas every day. Another says her workplace caters to the habit with built-in 'soda breaks.' She tells Tyler outside a drive-thru in the largely Mormon city of Provo: '[Soda is] literally people's entire world. 'I'm [working] at an office right over here. We shut down twice a day so that everybody can go get their dirty sodas.' Meanwhile, one man likens soda culture in Utah to coffee culture in other parts of the world, but he highlights that soda culture is even more unique as it is 'much more customizable'. 'There's nothing else like it,' he says. But while it may feel like a harmless cultural quirk, the habit could be taking years off people's lives. A University of Michigan study found that just two sugar-sweetened beverages per day could cost someone 24 minutes of life expectancy. Over time, that adds up. If someone starts drinking soda at age five and continues for 50 years, they could lose nearly a year off their life — about 304 days. Many people reveal that they drink soda on a daily basis and one woman says that her boss drinks two 44oz servings a day According to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics, roughly half of Americans over the age of two drink two sugary beverages a day on average. The health risks are well documented: added sugars are linked to obesity, certain cancers, chronic kidney disease, and heart disease. And even artificial sweeteners may carry similar risks. Commenting on the University of Michigan findings, food safety expert Dr Darin Detwiler previously told 'This study reinforces that making small, consistent changes in beverage habits may add years to life expectancy and improve overall health.' He added: 'Taking this study literally, a healthy 20-year-old person — whose life expectancy may be 79 years — who starts drinking two sodas a day may, according to the study, lose three to four years of life due to the impacts of those drinks.' Still, Dr Detwiler emphasized that the study's findings are 'observational not scientific,' meaning they don't prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Even so, he urges the public to take the results seriously. 'Cutting out soda or reducing consumption might extend life expectancy,' he said. 'But one thing that is for sure, is that removing these sugary drinks will definitely improve your quality of life, including reducing risks of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses.' He also points to better weight management and overall health as benefits of quitting soda, using a vivid analogy: 'Think of soft drink consumption as driving a car without regular maintenance. 'While it doesn't guarantee a breakdown, over time the likelihood of a serious problem increases—especially if combined with other unhealthy habits.' Dr. Detwiler added that the findings could support new public health messaging: 'Perhaps this study could support public awareness campaigns about risks. I could also see this as a driving force behind policies to reduce soft drink availability in schools and workplaces.' For now, Utah's Dirty Soda craze shows no signs of slowing down. But with new health warnings and rising awareness of the long-term costs, the state's sugar-fueled habits may soon be put to the test.
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
GOODBYE, BALDILOCKS? Growing trend has more men chasing hair-loss solutions
The bald truth is that hair loss affects nearly all men by the time they hit age 50. According to the American Hair Loss Association, 85% of American men experience some semblance of a chrome dome by 50, while two-thirds have noticeable shedding by age 35 and 25% notice some hair loss before turning 21. However, there's a growing trend among the balding types to seek out both invasive and non-invasive cosmetic hair restoration treatments. 'I'm pretty confident, but having longer, fuller hair adds an extra boost,' Steve Kinyon, a 34-year-old married dad of two, recently told the New York Post in an exclusive interview, while explaining his decision to board a plane and travel to Turkey for a $5,000 hair transplant. Those looking to shed the 'Baldilocks' appearance can lean in on some top hacks used by men trying to get their hair back. DERMA STAMPING Microneedling with a derma stamp is a DIY tool that features a stationary cartridge with a bed of tiny needles. When applied to balding spots, they create superficial punctures in the scalp. According to the Cleveland Clinic, in response to the pokes, the body increases blood flow to the triggered areas, stimulating collagen production to promote hair growth. Researchers from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine found that a combination of microneedling and minoxidil 'showed a significant increase in hair count' across 472 participants in a March 2024 study. PRP 'For PRP, they extract your blood, spin it (in a centrifuge) to separate the platelet-rich plasma, and reinject it into your scalp to facilitate growth and ensure your follicles are strong and active,' 32-year-old New York consultant Turner Allen told the Post. Michael Pollak and Steve Klebanow are the co-founders of Great Many, which launched in June 2024. They said PRP has risen as their studio's 'hero' anti-baldness technique. 'It's like an all-natural fertilizer for your scalp,' Pollak told the Post. RIGHT ON CUEBALL: New study points to possible cure for baldness SMOOTH OPERATOR: Maple Leafs' Max Domi pokes fun at bald opponent after fight TURKEY TRANSPLANT Kinyon travelled to Istanbul for 4,000 grafts of hair implants. 'Some of my friends had previously gone and had great experiences,' the Utah software salesman said. 'And it was super affordable.' Specialists garner healthy follicles from a donor area — often located in the back of the head — and embed them into balding areas. Patients' scalps are numbed prior to the op, which can take up to 12 hours depending on how much hair needs to be transplanted. ROBOTIC IDEA Some baldies in New York are accessing non-human hands for help. ARTAS iX is a robot used by board-certified plastic surgeon Michael Wolfeld. The AI-enabled machine's job is to identify the best grafts for Follicular Unit Extraction transplants. Strands are then harvested by the thousands and deposited where they're most needed. 'Patients chose the robotic system because they want great quality grafts and great outcomes,' the hair restoration specialist told the Post of the minimally invasive, virtually painless procedure that can take up to 10 hours.
