Latest news with #StudioRomantic
New York Post
3 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
It's official: Your diet is making you depressed, according to science
Skipping dessert really can leave you down in the dumps. No one who's been on a diet has ever said, 'I love calorie restriction,' but a new study has found a not-so-surprising link between low-cal eating and depression. And some people have it worse than others. 3 Researchers found that men and those whose BMI classified them as overweight were particularly susceptible to diet-linked depression. Studio Romantic – The dietary habits and depressive symptoms of 28,000 US adults were analyzed for the study, published in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health. Of these adults, 29% had a healthy weight, 33% were deemed overweight, and 38% were considered obese. The dietary patterns were divided into four categories: calorie-restrictive, nutrient-restrictive (AKA low in fat), sugar, salt, or carbs, established dietary pattern, or not on a diet at all. The majority of participants, 87%, did not follow any specific diet, 8% followed a calorie-restrictive diet, 3% opted for nutrient restriction, and 2% followed an established dietary pattern. Using questionnaires from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers found that 8% of participants reported depressive symptoms. Those on calorie or nutrient-restrictive diets exhibited higher scores of emotional and physical distress than their cohorts who were not on a specific diet, suggesting that unsupervised restrictive diets may negatively affect mental health. Researchers found that men and those whose BMI classified them as overweight were particularly susceptible to diet-linked depression. 3 Besides affecting your quality of life and relationships, depression can raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse. bravissimos – 'The findings suggest caution with overly restrictive or unbalanced diets, particularly for people already experiencing weight-related stress or challenges,' said lead study author Dr. Venkat Bhat, psychiatrist, clinician-researcher, and director of the Interventional Psychiatry Program at St. Michael's Hospital and University of Toronto. Researchers found that the quality of diet had a direct bearing on depression risk. Those whose diet was rife with ultra-processed foods (UPFs) were more likely to report higher levels of depression. Recent research revealed that 60% of Americans' daily caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods. UPFs often contain high levels of sodium, refined sugars, cholesterol-spiking fats and other lab-based ingredients. A 2023 study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that people who consume nine or more servings of UPFs a day have a 50% higher risk of developing depression than those who eat four or fewer daily servings. 3 Previous studies have established that a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, veggies, nuts, fish, and plants can slash depression risk by a third. Eightshot Images – In contrast, this latest study revealed that those who followed a Mediterranean diet exhibited lower rates of depression. Previous studies have established that a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, veggies, nuts, fish, and plants can slash depression risk by a third. In a 2023 Gallup poll, 29% of US adults reported having been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lifetime, while 17.8% of Americans said they have depression or are being treated for it. Besides affecting your quality of life and relationships, depression can raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, anxiety disorders and substance abuse. Given the results of this study, Bhat suggests dieters abstain from strict caloric restriction and instead opt for,' balanced, sustainable dietary changes that meet nutritional needs.' Researchers note that their findings only reveal associations, not definitive data. Further, due to the survey format, there's no way to verify that participants truly adhere to caloric restriction. Still, Bhat and his team are hopeful that future studies will continue to examine the relationship between calorie restriction and mental health.
New York Post
21-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Quick test is a ‘significant predictor' of a potentially life-threatening condition
What's in your gut might just break your heart — literally. For years, doctors have used body mass index (BMI) as the standard tool for measuring obesity and assessing a patient's risk of developing heart failure. But new research suggests that a simple ratio involving your waistline may be an even better predictor. The best part? You can calculate it yourself at home — here's how. 3 There is no cure for heart disease, but early intervention can slow progression and improve patient outcomes. Studio Romantic – Gut check Research presented this week at the European Society of Cardiology's scientific congress looked at 1,792 adults aged 45 to 73. Participants were split into three groups: those with normal blood sugar, prediabetes and diabetes. Over a 13-year follow-up period, 132 developed heart failure. Here's the kicker: researchers linked a larger waist relative to height to a 'significantly increased' risk of heart failure. In fact, those with a waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) of 0.65 or higher were nearly three times more likely to develop the potentially deadly condition. 'BMI is the most common measure of obesity, but it is influenced by factors such as sex and ethnicity, and does not take into account the distribution of body fat,' said study co-author Dr. John Molvin of Lund University in Sweden. 3 The circumference of your waist should be less than half your height. íÅ¡í¸íâ¬í¸í»í» í íâ¹í¶í¾í² – Unlike BMI, WtHR targets central adiposity, or excess fat in the abdomen that surrounds internal organs. This fat poses a stronger risk for health problems such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and even an early death compared to general obesity. 'We found that WtHR was a significant predictor of incident [heart failure],' said Molvin, adding that it may be a more reliable measure than BMI to identify those at risk and who could benefit from obesity treatments. Next, the researchers plan to explore whether WtHR can predict other health issues, like Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Killing millions, costing billions Heart failure is a progressive condition that occurs when the heart muscle is damaged and can no longer pump enough blood and oxygen to the body's other organs. It's extremely common in the US, with rates climbing steadily over the last decade, particularly in younger populations. 3 Heart disease is a major public health concern and a growing economic burden in the US. Nadzeya – Some 6.7 million Americans over 20 are living with heart failure. That number is expected to jump to 8.7 million by 2030 and a staggering 11.4 million by 2050, according to the Heart Failure Society of America. Key risk factors include an age over 65, a family history and high blood pressure or coronary artery disease. Obesity also plays a major role, with studies linking it to 11% of heart failure cases in men and 14% in women. While there's no cure for heart failure, early detection is critical. Timely treatment can slow progression, improve quality of life and prevent complications. Without it, heart disease can be fatal. It's a top killer in the US, responsible for 8.5% of cardiovascular-related deaths. How to calculate your waist-to-height ratio To calculate your WtHR, all you need is a tape measure (and maybe a calculator). Simply measure the circumference of your waist and divide it by your height. Experts say your waist should be less than half your height, with a healthy WtHR falling between 0.4 and 0.49. 'Having a waist measurement that is less than half your height is ideal,' Molvin said. For example, if you're 170 centimeters tall, your waist should ideally be under 85 centimeters.
New York Post
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Mom enraged over new sleepover act: ‘Not what I expected'
When her son came to her begging for a sleepover, this mom pictured sleeping bags, popcorn, and the familiar chaos of overtired kids giggling into the night. Instead, she got six children who looked like they were running an IT department. Advertisement 'Half of the kids brought devices. iPad or Nintendo Switch,' she said. It was a harsh wake-up call to what a slumber party in 2025 actually entails. 5 When her son came to her begging for a sleepover, this mom pictured sleeping bags and the familiar chaos of overtired kids giggling into the night. Instead, she had six children with technology. standret – 'This is NOT what I expected to happen' 'They are not playing together. Everyone is doing something different, yet they are all trying to simultaneously corral other friends into doing their thing,' she explained. Advertisement 'One kid has been staring at his Switch playing a game, and I've had to check on him a few times just to make sure he's breathing.' 5 'Half of the kids brought devices. iPad or Nintendo Switch,' the mom said. Studio Romantic – Baffled by the whole situation, the mum took to Reddit to vent and to ask if this is just the new normal. It was her first time hosting a party like this, and it clearly didn't go as imagined. Advertisement 'What is this? This is NOT what I expected to happen,' she expressed. 5 'One kid has been staring at his Switch playing a game, and I've had to check on him a few times just to make sure he's breathing,' she continued. Farknot Architect – 'Hand them Monopoly' Looking for advice, she turned to the parenting forum for guidance. The responses were very supportive. 'Next time, just set a no-device rule beforehand. My kid's friends' parents are usually relieved when I say 'no screens at our sleepover.' Plan some actual activities instead. We did fort building and flashlight tag at my son's last one and the kids had a blast. They'll survive without their devices for one night,' came one solid suggestion. Advertisement 5 Looking for advice, she turned to the parenting forum on Reddit for guidance. be free – 'Make an outdoor movie night, no iPads or switches allowed, or god forbid, hand them Monopoly,' a second commenter wrote. A third pointed out that the other parents might not have thought anything of it: 'That's really disappointing, and I would have been caught off guard too. The other parents might have thought they were doing you a favor if their kids are addicted to screens.' One thing's for sure: this mom doesn't plan on making the same mistake twice. 5 'Make an outdoor movie night, no iPads or switches allowed, or god forbid, hand them Monopoly,' one commenter wrote. deagreez – 'Shame on me for not saying 'leave your devices at home, please'? This is our first party like this and probably our last,' she explained. And for parents getting ready to pack their kids' bags for their next sleepover, she had one simple message: 'Hey parents, don't do this to other people. It sucks,' she warned.
New York Post
25-04-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Your risk of having a stroke before age 50 shoots up if you have this common condition shared by 8M Americans
Rates of young people suffering from strokes have been on the rise, with a CDC report last year finding a 14.6% increase in people aged 18-44 and a 15.7% increase from ages 45-64. Even more troubling is that in many cases, these people lack traditional risk factors. 'Up to half of all ischemic strokes in younger adults are of unknown causes, and they are more common in women,' said Dr. Jukka Putaala, head of the stroke unit at Helsinki University Hospital in Finland and lead author of the study. A new study aimed to figure out which risk factors have the biggest impact — and found a surprising link to a fairly common condition. 3 About 120,000 Americans under age 45 have strokes each year. Studio Romantic – The team looked at 12 traditional risk factors (including ones like diabetes, smoking and obesity) and 10 nontraditional factors — which include autoimmune disease, IBS, chronic kidney disease, and having migraines with aura. They found that each nontraditional risk factor a patient had increased their stroke risk by a whopping 70%. It's even worse for people who also have a common heart defect called patent foramen ovale (PFO), which affects 1 in 4 people. For them, those nontraditional risk factors more than double their stroke risk. And among all those nontraditional risk factors, the researchers found migraines with aura to be the worst. 'We were aware of the important role of migraine with aura in this patient population based on earlier knowledge but were surprised that it was so profound, especially when its prevalence and strength of association were put in perspective with traditional stroke risk factors,' lead investigator Dr. Jukka Putaala told Medscape Medical News. About 39 million Americans suffer from migraines, and 20% experience an aura, in which intense headaches are accompanied by sensory issues like flashing lights and blind spots. That means roughly 8 million people in the US could be at an increased risk of stroke due to this condition. And migraines in general are more common in women, who account for more than three times as many cases as men. 3 Roughly 8 million Americans suffer from migraine with auras. fizkes – 'Why migraine carries a high risk of cryptogenic stroke in the young is a complex question and warrants further research,' Putaala added, noting that young women should be asked about their migraine history by doctors. 'For effective prevention, careful and routine assessment of both traditional and nontraditional risk factors in younger people is critical,' he said. Women-specific factors like gestational diabetes or pregnancy complications also played a major role, increasing stroke risk by 70% regardless of whether the risk was traditional or nontraditional. But before you rush to the doctor because you're seeing bright spots or zigzagging lines with your headache, keep in mind that the study has some limitations. First off, it was observational, meaning the researchers were reviewing existing data, so they can't prove cause and effect, just a correlation. The findings also rely on self-reported risk factors, which can be unreliable. Plus, the study sample was mostly white, which limits how broadly the results can be applied to other demographics. 3 Aura migraines cause vision changes like zigzagging lines, flashing lights and splotches. New Africa – Strokes aren't just for seniors Every year, more than 795,000 Americans suffer a stroke — that's one every 40 seconds. Strokes claim about 140,000 lives in the US annually, making it the fifth leading cause of death and a major driver of disability. While strokes in seniors over 65 remain the most common, the number of strokes in younger adults is rising. Some studies show a increase of up to 15% in recent years. Doctors have speculated that the surge could be linked to poor diets, lack of exercise, growing obesity rates and a rise in chronic health conditions among younger adults. However, this new study suggests that nontraditional risk factors are also playing a role. 'Recognizing specific risks that affect women and those not commonly seen … could change our approach to screening for these risks and educating our patients throughout their lives,' said Dr. Tracy E. Madsen, American Heart Association chair of the Clinical Cardiology/Stroke Women's Health Science Committee, who was not involved in the study. This could have a major impact on improving stroke outcomes—or even preventing them altogether. Experts estimate that about 80% of strokes are avoidable with lifestyle changes and proper management of risk factors.
