Latest news with #chronicDisease
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning as thousands risk chronic disease this summer just by skipping the doctor
Thousands could be at risk of suffering from a chronic disease this summer simply by skipping the doctor, research has suggested. About 476,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the US every year, an infection caught from tick bites that causes muscle pain, brain fog and fatigue. But new research from Oregon found that only 35 percent of patients who continued to suffer symptoms beyond two months stayed in contact with their doctor. They also found only 34 percent of patients got a positive result for the disease at their first test, despite all being infected — in another sign tests for the illness are often inaccurate. The findings are the latest blow to current testing methods, which critics have long warned are missing a large chunk of cases, leaving patients undiagnosed and untreated. Researchers are now urging doctors to stay engaged with their Lyme patients and consider a second round of antibiotics for those still suffering symptoms, suggesting the infection may not have been fully cleared the first time. Roughly one to three percent of tick bites lead to Lyme disease, which often begins with a bullseye-shaped rash. But while symptoms usually appear within 3 to 30 days, the illness can quietly linger and wreak havoc if not treated properly. Lyme disease is rarely fatal, with just 10 deaths reported in the US since 1985, but for those left untreated, the long-term consequences can be devastating. For the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, the researchers extracted data from the Lyme Disease Biobank, which holds blood and saliva samples from people diagnosed with the disease. They examined samples from 253 people from Long Island, New York, and Central Wisconsin, who were infected with Lyme disease between 2014 and 2023. All participants received antibiotics to treat their disease. Overall, 78 percent said they had no symptoms of Lyme Disease when they returned for their second test two to four weeks later. But among the 22 percent who reported ongoing symptoms, most said they were no longer visiting their doctor. About 10 percent of people in North America are thought to have been infected with Lyme disease at least once in their lives, data has shown. Those individuals have been left with serious complications after battling undiagnosed Lyme disease for years. In one case, Meghan Bradshaw, from Charlotte, North Carolina, revealed it took doctors four years to diagnose her illness, by which time Lyme disease had sparked arthritis in her body. Now age 32, Bradshaw has already undergone 16 joint replacements due to the infection affecting her shoulders, knees, hips, and ankles She now refers to herself as the 'bionic woman' because of all the surgeries, saying she has been practically 'reconstructed' from the waist down. In another case from 2022, an 'outdoorsy' father-of-two died from Lyme disease after it took doctors nine months to diagnose his condition. Russell Bell, then 65 and living in Raleigh, North Carolina, was tested for Lyme disease in 2016 after developing sudden mood swings, but the results came back negative, and doctors instead suspected early-onset Alzheimer's. The computer scientist's condition worsened over time, leaving him unable to remember alarm codes or solve basic math problems. He was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease and began antibiotic treatment, which led to a quick improvement. But just 18 months later, his symptoms returned,and his health began to deteriorate once again. His wife, Nicole, told TODAY in 2022: 'Because Russ was very outdoorsy, and because I knew he had ticks on him over the years, Lyme disease was actually one of the first things that came to mind when I started looking into the symptoms of my husband's cognitive decline. '[But then] my husband, Russ, who picked up the kids from school each day, had arrived home and wasn't able to turn the blaring alarm off. 'I got home later that day and everything was fine. 'But I noticed Russ asking repetitive questions. Forgetting what time to pick up the kids. And he couldn't remember the alarm code, the same one we had used for years.'
The Guardian
08-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Inside RFK Jr's conflicted attempt to rid America of junk food
Over the space of the last year, Robert F Kennedy Jr. has made the term 'ultra-processed foods' something of a household phrase. Once a term only used by nutritionists and food policy researchers to describe the most processed foods in the supply chain (think: chips and sodas, packaged bread, microwave dinners and even some yogurts), ultra-processing has become a calling card of the 'Make America Healthy Again' ('Maha') movement. The movement, which is focused on addressing 'America's escalating health crisis' by investigating food, pharmaceuticals, vaccines and environmental contaminants (and has frequently platformed pseudoscience), found a home in Donald Trump's administration after Kennedy endorsed the president. Indeed, during his confirmation hearings to become head of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kennedy called ultra-processed foods 'poison' and the main culprit of the United States's 'chronic disease epidemic'. Many food experts were surprised, and grateful, to find an ally in Trump's administration. Today, ultra-processed foods make up 73% of the US food supply and are linked to a range of health conditions including diabetes, obesity, depression and certain cancers. Despite this rhetoric, experts are skeptical that ultra-processed foods will go anywhere. Rather than reining in ultra-processing, the Trump administration's food policy has mostly undermined Maha's stated goals. The first report of the Maha commission made headlines in May when it raised concerns about a 'chronic disease crisis' in children. Echoing language that Kennedy campaigned on, the report argued that 'the American diet has shifted dramatically toward ultra-processed foods' and that 'nearly 70% of children's calories now come from UPFs, contributing to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions'. (The report also received criticism for including fake citations, though those in the food policy sections appeared accurate.) Those are concerns that food policy experts share – and the report listed many expert-backed solutions to rein in ultra-processing. 'The greatest step the United States can take to reverse childhood chronic disease is to put whole foods produced by American farmers and ranchers at the center of healthcare,' the report found. It went on to describe the dismal state of nutrition research in the United States: 'Government funding for nutrition research through the NIH is only 4-5% of its total budget and in some cases is subject to influence by food industry-aligned researchers.' It is 'extraordinary' how quickly Kennedy's Maha commission has 'made chronic disease, specifically big food' a political priority, said Jerold Mande, a nutrition professor at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and a former food policymaker who served under Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Barack Obama. 'It's a bit breathtaking and refreshing to see this administration put out a report where they just clearly say a root cause of all of this sickness and death is the industry.' As head of the Maha commission, Kennedy has also promised to introduce regulatory reforms, including phasing out synthetic food dyes, ending a loophole for untested food additives, introducing a new regulatory program and restricting how supplemental food funding is spent. Under Kennedy's direction, the Food and Drug Administration has begun asking companies to voluntarily stop using six common food dyes, and outright banned two others. Food policy advocates have long called for greater regulations on synthetic dyes, and some states, most notably California, have already begun banning certain dyes. Kennedy has ordered the FDA to explore how to eliminate a policy that allows food companies to decide themselves whether food additives are safe, called the Generally Recognized as Safe (Gras) loophole. 'That's a really, really big deal,' says Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. 'Ninety-nine per cent of compounds in food were added through this loophole.' In May, the FDA and National Institutes of Health also announced a new joint Nutrition Regulatory Science Program (plans to form such a program were finalized under the Biden administration). In recent weeks, the program issued requests for research proposals specifically tied to two themes: contaminants in school meals and exercise (food companies have emphasized the individual responsibility to exercise as a distraction from reformulating food). Meanwhile, at Kennedy's encouragement, several states are also pursuing policies that would limit spending from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap) on 'junk food'. To date, the federal government has approved waivers for six states to ban such purchases. Mande thinks that's an effective strategy to motivate food companies to reformulate their products. 'Snap is just by far the biggest lever the government has that the food companies are going to do what Snap policy requires of them,' he said. Despite the Maha report and other recent moves by Kennedy to call out ultra-processed food and its role in the chronic disease crisis, some food policy experts warn that the administration's actions are undermining that goal. That came into focus earlier this year when Trump appointed several nominees who favored deregulatory policies, or had outright ties to the food industry, to his cabinet. One of the key ways to rein in ultra-processing is to make sure that youth have access to fresh produce, says Mande. Yet the administration has slashed the very programs that do that. In March, Trump's agriculture department cut a host of previously approved grants, including the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant and Local Food for Schools and Childcare program, which paid farmers and ranchers to supply schools with local foods and build gardens. Those cuts don't only harm schools, but farmers as well, says Marion Nestle, a professor emerita at New York University and author of the book 'Food Politics'. Mozaffarian called the choice to cut the Farm to School Grant 'a bizarre decision that goes completely against the goals to make America healthy again'. Nestle believes that misalignment between promise and practice is purposeful. The Trump administration and Maha movement have 'hijacked the food movement in order to use it as publicity for the kind of cuts that are being made', she said. It's also being used to 'forward an agenda which is exactly the opposite of what you would hope' – one that's focused more on cutting programs than reforming industry. Nestle says the administration's calls to end subsidies for 'junk food' with Snap are disingenuous, and just a guise for cutting the program altogether. 'The business about taking sodas out of Snap is a cover for cutting Snap benefits,' she said. The current Republican budget bill, which Trump signed into law last week, proposes a 20% cut to the program. In addition to increasing access to fresh produce, the other most effective way to tackle ultra-processed foods, Mande says, is robust industry regulation – which also hasn't happened. 'It's become a pattern that they announce ambitious plans, they say a lot of the right things about what the problem is and what we broadly need to do about it, but the specifics are either missing or really not properly aligned to the task,' said Mande. 'It's still early, but it's happened repeatedly enough to be concerning.' The Trump administration's announcements about combatting food dyes and additives, for instance, have not been paired with specific plans or funding details or regulations. 'Historically, Republican administrations have been reluctant to use some levers of government, particularly funding and regulation to advance policy, but there is no way to tackle this issue successfully and effectively without funding and regulations,' said Mande. 'At each juncture, when one would expect or hope to see funding or regulation as a step to achieving a policy that they played out, they haven't done that.' Even with funding, Nestle wonders how effective those reforms will be 'when the FDA's workforce has been decimated'. In April, the Department of Health and Human Services laid off 10,000 workers, about an eighth of its workforce. More than a third of those fired were at the Food and Drug Administration. In the wake of those layoffs, the National Institutes of Health's leading nutrition researcher, Kevin Hall, opted to take an early retirement offer. Hall has conducted one of the most cited studies on ultra-processed foods, which found that people who ate an ultra-processed diet consumed nearly 500 calories more a day than those who did not, and had other projects in the pipeline. 'Unfortunately, recent events have made me question whether NIH continues to be a place where I can freely conduct unbiased science,' Hall wrote in a social media post announcing his decision. In an interview with the New York Times, Hall described multiple incidents where NIH officials censored his work, including altering his responses to journalists and asking him to remove language about 'health equity' from his research (he opted to remove his name from the paper instead). In May, he told Stat News that he's unlikely to return to the scientific agency. That said, Mozaffarian believes there are still powerful ways the Trump administration could regulate ultra-processed foods with minimal staff or funding. Funding and a plan are key to making that work successful, he said, but if that's not possible, the agency could take other actions. He suggests three such alternatives for ending the Gras loophole: requiring 'public notice and public disclosure of all the safety data that would then be put on a searchable public database' that other groups, like academics and consumer watchdogs, could review themselves; implement stricter standards for which foods are allowed to call themselves 'generally recognized as safe'; or adopt the food regulations of other countries, such as Europe, Australia, New Zealand or Canada which have already banned 'many substances that are allowed in the US'. Nestle is more skeptical that incremental change could tackle ultra-processing and chemicals in the food supply. Addressing color additives, for example, she says is a 'no brainer' because companies are already 'using alternatives in Australia and New Zealand.' What could be more difficult is getting other chemicals out of food, like the mercury, arsenic and other heavy metals emitted by coal-burning power plants that also contaminate soil and waterways. 'Nobody has ever been able to get coal burning power plants to clean up their emissions' and in fact the Trump administration has directed the Environmental Protection Agency to relax controls on those emissions, she adds. 'There's no policy here.'
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
6 nutrition deficiencies you might not notice, according to a dietitian — and how seniors can get these important nutrients into their diet
Nutrition can often be an overlooked key to longevity for older adults. Prioritizing proper nutrition as we age can help prevent or manage chronic disease, improve quality of life and support a healthy lifestyle as we get older. As a registered dietitian who has worked in long-term care for the better part of the last decade, I've worked with many seniors on reviewing and optimizing their diet. I've noticed that six nutrients are commonly neglected, missed or not consumed in adequate amounts to support healthy aging. From fibre to calcium, below are the nutrients you should ensure you're getting enough of. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. The majority of people don't consume enough fibre, and the same is true for older adults. The recommendations for women over age 51 is 21 grams per day, and it's 30 grams for men in the same age group. Fibre's most notable role is keeping bowels regular, but it can also help lower cholesterol and control blood sugar levels. If you're experiencing constipation, uncontrolled diabetes or high cholesterol, it might be time to focus on fibre. And if you do start prioritizing this nutrient, be sure to increase your fluids at the same time. Fluids help fibre move through our system without us getting constipated, or feeling bloated. To get more fibre into your diet, try to include one or two options below for each meal, along with one option for snacks: Beans and lentils Fruits and vegetables Avocado Bran cereal Oats Prunes Whole grains As we age, the amount of protein we eat tends to decrease. This can be for a number of reasons: Decreased appetite, difficulty chewing, financial restrictions or physical limitations impacting our ability to shop or cook. However, getting enough protein as an older adult is key to maintaining muscle mass, supporting bone health, wound healing and delaying overall frailty. Protein recommendations are individualized based on weight, health goals and age, but in general, aim for 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal, so approximately 75 to 90g protein per day. Include a source of protein from the list below with every meal. If you're aiming for more protein in your diet, try eating the following foods: Greek yogurt Cottage cheese Beans and lentils Soy products (tofu, edamame, soy milk) Chicken Fish Lean red meat Eggs Hemp hearts Nuts and seeds The recommended amount of fluids we need decreases as we age. However, most older adults don't even meet that amount. Decreased thirst sensation, mobility issues, impaired taste sensation, medications or concerns about incontinence are all factors that may cause us to drink less as we age. Dehydration is much more than just feeling thirsty. It can cause constipation (especially if you've started eating more fibre), along with cognitive and functional decline. Most people at risk of dehydration are those over age 85, but for the average person, eight to 10 cups of fluids per day is recommended (unless another amount has been suggested by your health-care practitioner). To tell if you're properly hydrated, check your urine. It should be pale yellow, or almost clear. If you struggle to drink enough fluids, try setting alarms to remind you to drink throughout the day, have a glass of water first thing in the morning and keep a reusable bottle or glass nearby to sip on. When aiming for more fluids, water will always be the first choice. But if you don't like plain water, try flavouring it with lemon, or sugar-free flavourings. Still, all liquids technically count towards our fluid goal, including coffee, tea, soup, smoothies and milk. Fruits and vegetables with a high water content — like watermelon, peaches, oranges, cucumber, lettuce and tomatoes — also provide fluids. This vitamin is found primarily in animal protein sources, and as we discussed above, many older adults do not eat enough protein. Additionally, as we age, the amount of vitamin B12 our body absorbs decreases. This means older adults are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, with an estimated six to 15 per cent of seniors having a confirmed deficiency. Even if you eat sufficient amounts of protein and have a good appetite, a vitamin B12 supplement may be recommended. If you don't eat meat, fish or seafood, or you have any medical conditions that impact digestion or absorption of foods, I recommend talking to your health-care team about starting a B12 supplement. Some great foods to focus on if you need more vitamin B12 include: Shellfish, like mussels and clams Fish, including sardines, trout, salmon and tuna Red meat Eggs Dairy and fortified non-dairy milks Nutritional yeast These two micronutrients are best known for their role in supporting bone health and preventing osteoporosis, although there is evidence to suggest they do more than just that. Calcium can be found in more foods than just dairy products, but vitamin D is found in very few foods, so supplementation is generally recommended. Continue to include foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D, but also talk to your health-care provider and pharmacist about taking a supplement. If you're taking a vitamin D supplement, it's best absorbed when taken with a source of fat (like oil, butter, nuts, seeds, avocado or nut butter). I encourage people to take it with their largest meal of the day, which is usually dinner, and tends to include a good source of fat. To get more of these micronutrients, opt for foods like: Dairy products and fortified non-dairy milks Calcium-set tofu Fish, like salmon and canned sardines with bones Kale White beans Chia seeds As we age, our dietary needs change, and it's easy for some nutrients to get overlooked. Protein, fibre, fluids, vitamin B12, calcium and vitamin D are common nutrition gaps among older adults, so it's important to be aware that you're getting enough of these nutrients. By being mindful of how much you're consuming and making a point to include them in your daily diet, it can help support healthy aging and help you feel your best.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
6 nutrition deficiencies you might not notice, according to a dietitian — and how seniors can get these important nutrients into their diet
Nutrition can often be an overlooked key to longevity for older adults. Prioritizing proper nutrition as we age can help prevent or manage chronic disease, improve quality of life and support a healthy lifestyle as we get older. As a registered dietitian who has worked in long-term care for the better part of the last decade, I've worked with many seniors on reviewing and optimizing their diet. I've noticed that six nutrients are commonly neglected, missed or not consumed in adequate amounts to support healthy aging. From fibre to calcium, below are the nutrients you should ensure you're getting enough of. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. The majority of people don't consume enough fibre, and the same is true for older adults. The recommendations for women over age 51 is 21 grams per day, and it's 30 grams for men in the same age group. Fibre's most notable role is keeping bowels regular, but it can also help lower cholesterol and control blood sugar levels. If you're experiencing constipation, uncontrolled diabetes or high cholesterol, it might be time to focus on fibre. And if you do start prioritizing this nutrient, be sure to increase your fluids at the same time. Fluids help fibre move through our system without us getting constipated, or feeling bloated. To get more fibre into your diet, try to include one or two options below for each meal, along with one option for snacks: Beans and lentils Fruits and vegetables Avocado Bran cereal Oats Prunes Whole grains As we age, the amount of protein we eat tends to decrease. This can be for a number of reasons: Decreased appetite, difficulty chewing, financial restrictions or physical limitations impacting our ability to shop or cook. However, getting enough protein as an older adult is key to maintaining muscle mass, supporting bone health, wound healing and delaying overall frailty. Protein recommendations are individualized based on weight, health goals and age, but in general, aim for 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal, so approximately 75 to 90g protein per day. Include a source of protein from the list below with every meal. If you're aiming for more protein in your diet, try eating the following foods: Greek yogurt Cottage cheese Beans and lentils Soy products (tofu, edamame, soy milk) Chicken Fish Lean red meat Eggs Hemp hearts Nuts and seeds The recommended amount of fluids we need decreases as we age. However, most older adults don't even meet that amount. Decreased thirst sensation, mobility issues, impaired taste sensation, medications or concerns about incontinence are all factors that may cause us to drink less as we age. Dehydration is much more than just feeling thirsty. It can cause constipation (especially if you've started eating more fibre), along with cognitive and functional decline. Most people at risk of dehydration are those over age 85, but for the average person, eight to 10 cups of fluids per day is recommended (unless another amount has been suggested by your health-care practitioner). To tell if you're properly hydrated, check your urine. It should be pale yellow, or almost clear. If you struggle to drink enough fluids, try setting alarms to remind you to drink throughout the day, have a glass of water first thing in the morning and keep a reusable bottle or glass nearby to sip on. When aiming for more fluids, water will always be the first choice. But if you don't like plain water, try flavouring it with lemon, or sugar-free flavourings. Still, all liquids technically count towards our fluid goal, including coffee, tea, soup, smoothies and milk. Fruits and vegetables with a high water content — like watermelon, peaches, oranges, cucumber, lettuce and tomatoes — also provide fluids. This vitamin is found primarily in animal protein sources, and as we discussed above, many older adults do not eat enough protein. Additionally, as we age, the amount of vitamin B12 our body absorbs decreases. This means older adults are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, with an estimated six to 15 per cent of seniors having a confirmed deficiency. Even if you eat sufficient amounts of protein and have a good appetite, a vitamin B12 supplement may be recommended. If you don't eat meat, fish or seafood, or you have any medical conditions that impact digestion or absorption of foods, I recommend talking to your health-care team about starting a B12 supplement. Some great foods to focus on if you need more vitamin B12 include: Shellfish, like mussels and clams Fish, including sardines, trout, salmon and tuna Red meat Eggs Dairy and fortified non-dairy milks Nutritional yeast These two micronutrients are best known for their role in supporting bone health and preventing osteoporosis, although there is evidence to suggest they do more than just that. Calcium can be found in more foods than just dairy products, but vitamin D is found in very few foods, so supplementation is generally recommended. Continue to include foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D, but also talk to your health-care provider and pharmacist about taking a supplement. If you're taking a vitamin D supplement, it's best absorbed when taken with a source of fat (like oil, butter, nuts, seeds, avocado or nut butter). I encourage people to take it with their largest meal of the day, which is usually dinner, and tends to include a good source of fat. To get more of these micronutrients, opt for foods like: Dairy products and fortified non-dairy milks Calcium-set tofu Fish, like salmon and canned sardines with bones Kale White beans Chia seeds As we age, our dietary needs change, and it's easy for some nutrients to get overlooked. Protein, fibre, fluids, vitamin B12, calcium and vitamin D are common nutrition gaps among older adults, so it's important to be aware that you're getting enough of these nutrients. By being mindful of how much you're consuming and making a point to include them in your daily diet, it can help support healthy aging and help you feel your best.
CNN
26-06-2025
- Health
- CNN
Food dyes: Removing them doesn't make products healthy
In the crusade to reduce chronic disease and neurobehavioral issues in the United States, synthetic food dyes are a hot target. California began paving the way for legislation against petroleum-based synthetic dyes a few years ago, based on health concerns including a potentially increased risk of cancer and neurobehavioral issues in children and animals. Gov. Gavin Newsom banned red dye No. 3 in 2023 and six other common dyes from school foods in 2024. Since then, 25 other states have followed in California's footsteps with legislation — some signed into law, others still in progress — that would either ban, restrict or require labels for food dyes. Some state legislators were inspired by the scrutinization of artificial food dyes by the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement launched by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The US Food and Drug Administration announced in April its plans to work with industry to phase out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the food supply. But experts find it important for policymakers and the public to remember that dyes are just one component of highly engineered ultraprocessed foods. Accordingly, 'removing synthetic food dyes does not automatically transform the products into healthy foods or beverages,' said Dr. Jennifer Pomeranz, associate professor of public health policy and management at the New York University School of Global Public Health, via email. A new study helps quantify Pomeranz's sentiment, finding that foods and beverages with synthetic dyes contained 141% more total sugar on average compared with products without synthetic dyes. Sodium and saturated fat, however, were lower in foods with dyes, according to the study published Wednesday in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The results indicate that synthetic food dyes can be considered a 'red flag' for a product that is likely less healthy overall, said Dr. David Andrews, acting chief science officer at the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit health and environmental advocacy organization, via email. Andrews was not involved in the study. Like many lawmakers legislating against food dyes, lead study author Dr. Elizabeth Dunford's pursuit of this research was driven by both 'a personal and professional curiosity,' she said via email. 'I am a mom of two young kids — aged 7 and 5 — and definitely notice behavioral changes, in my son in particular, after eating or drinking sugary products colored with synthetic dyes,' said Dunford, a consultant for The George Institute for Global Health's food policy division. 'But also my main professional research area is examining the healthiness of food supplies, with a specific interest in nutrient profiling and the use of food additives.' Ultraprocessed foods, or UPF, comprise up to 70% of the US food supply and are made with industrial techniques and ingredients 'never or rarely used in kitchens,' according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. These foods are typically low in fiber and high in calories, added sugar, refined grains and fats, sodium, and additives, all of which are designed to help make food more appealing. Additives often include preservatives to maintain freshness and texture or resist mold and bacteria, and emulsifiers to prevent ingredients from naturally separating. Other common additives include fragrance and flavor enhancers and agents for anti-foaming, bleaching, bulking, gelling and glazing. Numerous studies published over the past several decades have linked consumption of ultraprocessed foods to diseases or health issues including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, premature death, cancer, depression, cognitive decline, stroke and sleep disorders. And the risks for some of these problems begin at just one daily serving of ultraprocessed foods, according to multiple studies. This evidence is why some of the states with laws or bills restricting food dyes have included popular additives, such as brominated vegetable oil or propylparaben. It's also why experts caution against eating such foods even if they're colored with natural dyes, which industry is shifting toward amid federal and state pressure. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law on Sunday first-of-its-kind legislation that requires labels on foods or beverages containing 44 dyes or additives. Additionally, the Kraft Heinz Company will phase out synthetic dyes from the roughly 10% of its US portfolio that still contains them before the end of 2027, the company told CNN Wednesday. 'The percentage of products with synthetic dyes is much lower than the percentage of products that are UPF, thus natural colors enabling the overeating of UPF are a problem,' Dr. Jerold Mande, CEO of Nourish Science, a nongovernmental organization focused on nutrition crises in the US, said via email. Mande wasn't involved in the study. The primary focus of the new study led by Dunford was measuring the use of synthetic dyes in 39,763 food and beverage products sold by the top 25 manufacturers in the US, using 2020 data from Label Insight, a NielsenIQ company for product insights. Up to 19%, or 1 in 5, of the products contained anywhere between one and seven synthetic dyes, the researchers found. The most used artificial dye was red dye No. 40, followed by red dye No. 3 and blue dye No. 1. The food categories with the highest usage of dyes were sports drinks (79%), beverage concentrates (71%) and confectionery (54%). 'Carbonated beverages represented the largest proportion of total sales of products containing synthetic dyes (30%), due to it being the highest- selling category,' the authors wrote. But some manufacturers have pointed out that changes in the marketplace since 2020 may impact the current percentages. Still, dyes are still a significant part of the food system, and many of these products remain on the market. To some extent, the study is likely still 'a good picture of the landscape since it typically takes 18 months for big companies to change their supply chain to enable reformulation,' said Mande, who is also an adjunct professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The research also provides baseline information for change in light of the national spotlight on removing certain colorants from the food supply, especially from schools, said Pomeranz, who was not involved in the study. 'It is critical that regulatory agencies continue to prioritize research that is peer reviewed and relevant to health and human safety,' Sarah Gallo, senior vice president of product policy at the Consumer Brands Association, said via email. 'The makers of America's household brands are constantly innovating to meet consumer demand and offer a number of product options with natural ingredients in the marketplace.' The association represents the food industry. 'Additionally, the industry has invested in consumer transparency tools such as SmartLabel and Facts up Front so that families can review product ingredients and nutrition information and make decisions best for them,' Gallo added. People concerned about food dyes and ultraprocessed foods should move toward whole foods and unsweetened drinks and away from ultraprocessed foods and beverages, as much as they can afford to given high costs, Pomeranz said. Increase your intake of whole fruits, veggies, grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes. You should also be aware of how much sodium you're eating and how certain foods make you feel — ultraprocessed foods can keep you wanting more, while whole foods are more satiating. Read ingredient labels when you shop, experts said. 'One thing that did surprise me was the presence of synthetic dyes in products I was not expecting them — such as plain hot dog buns, taco shells, bagels, waffles etc.,' said Dunford, adjunct assistant professor in the department of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Some experts have argued that to truly improve the nation's health, there also needs to be a larger focus on making healthy foods more accessible. However, the MAHA movement 'has made big-food-caused chronic disease a political priority. That's a policy game-changer,' Mande said. 'Focusing on colors is a reasonable first step to disrupting the ultra-formulation food business model.' But 'MAHA will need to take on ultra-formulations more directly, for example, limiting them in school meals, to succeed in improving child health,' he added. EDITOR'S NOTE: Sign up for CNN's Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life. CNN's Sandee LaMotte contributed to this story.
