Latest news with #healthrisks
CTV News
5 hours ago
- Climate
- CTV News
How air quality is measured when wildfire smoke rolls in
Wildfire smoke hangs over the Albert Street bridge in Regina on May 30, 2025. (CTV News Regina Skycam) With smoke from wildfires spreading throughout Saskatchewan, air quality statements and warnings have been and continue to be in effect for many parts of the province. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) measures air quality in several ways when determining if health risks are elevated prompting advisories to be put in effect. That includes when smoke from wildfires moves in. Meteorologist Danielle Desjardins says to simplify the process for the public, the weather office uses a scale called the air quality health index (AQHI) with a one to 10 scale. Anything from a one to a three on the scale means minimal health risks, four through six means moderate, and seven through 10 means high. Anything above 10 is rated as extreme. Desjardins said 10-plus readings have been and are expected to continue throughout the province. Fine particles represent the main health risk with wildfire smoke, ECCC says. Smoke from wildfires is a mix of gases, particles and water vapour that contain ozone, methane, sulfur and nitrogen dioxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, fine particle matter (PM 2.5) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), according to ECCC. 'When air quality gets poor, it's mainly due to something we call PM 2.5, particulate matter 2.5,' Desjardins said. The level of smoke or pollution in the air is then determined by a parts per million measurement. 'So, let's say that the PM 2.5 is 60. That means that out of a million molecules of dry air, 60 of those will be particulate matter 2.5,' Desjardins said. ECCC will issue air quality statements when the AQHI reaches moderate and high levels and warnings when it reaches extreme levels. As of Friday, the province said 16 wildfires are burning around Saskatchewan, seven of those are considered not contained. However, wildfire smoke can travel thousands of kilometres and fires from other provinces and the U.S. regularly bring smoky conditions to Saskatchewan. On Thursday, Premier Scott Moe declared a provincial wildfire state of emergency. A smoke forecast map can be seen here.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
State of Texas: Battle over THC ban intensifies as bill advances to Gov. Abbott
AUSTIN (Nexstar) – Texas lawmakers sent legislation to ban non-medical THC products to Gov. Greg Abbott for approval. Passage of Senate Bill 3, has sparked intense backlash, with opponents across the political spectrum pushing for a veto. Amid the opposition, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick held a news conference on the legislation he calls 'the most important bill this session,' to call for more media coverage on the harms of unregulated THC. Tuesday evening, Patrick sent out a memo announcing his news conference. 'Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will hold a media briefing, along with end-of-session beverages and snacks,' the one-sentence release said. Reporters shuffled into the crowded press conference room. In the center stood a table with a cloth hiding objects underneath. 'I told you we'd have snacks today. Want to lift the snacks?' Patrick asked his staffers. The removed cloth revealed THC and CBD products, including cereal bites, gummies, lollipops and drinks. 'This is everything you can buy at a smoke shop and a vape shop that will either cause potentially paranoia, schizophrenia (or) tremendous health issues,' Patrick said. 'Why have I called you here today? Because I don't think the media has taken this issue seriously. I don't think the story has been told. You talk about jobs being lost, you talk about a big industry, a big industry selling all of this to kids.' Texas House bans THC products, reduces criminal penalty for possessing intoxicating hemp Patrick then started going through the products one by one. 'It's all sold for kids — designed for kids and adults. This one, this little bag of jellies — mango, peach — for $90 a bag. Send you sky high,' he said. 'Sour bells. Slices. How about gummy worms? Gummy worms? This is what parents — you need to tell this story so that parents understand.' The Lieutenant Governor then explained how these products emerged due to a loophole in a law passed in 2019. 'We heard this horrendous testimony of one 22-year-old who bought this. I don't know what product it was, I think she said wedding cake. He stepped in front of a train and got run over and killed,' Patrick said. 'This is serious business. This is not Dan's folly. This is not Dan's priority. This is to save an entire generation of being hooked on drugs.' Patrick then proceeded to ask the room of reporters if anyone would want to buy an unknown substance that could 'change your whole mental state for the rest of your life?' Then he proceeded to gently toss a bag of 'cereal bites' to the pool of reporters. Texas Lt. Gov. announces compassionate use expansion amid THC ban 'Anybody want this bag? Okay, you want it,' Patrick said before tossing the THC snack. A reporter promptly put it back on the table. 'I don't think you want it. You wouldn't dare buy it. You wouldn't let your children, your grandchildren buy it. And by the way, come September, all this will be illegal anyway, so I'll be turning this over to the police before I leave here.' The THC snacks Patrick tossed to reporters were made by Hometown Hero, an Austin-based consumable hemp company. Cynthia Cabrera, the company's Chief Strategy Officer, took exception to Patrick's assertion that their customers cannot find out what is in their product. 'Flip it around and look at the ingredients, QR code, look at the test results. It's all there,' Cabrera said. 'I mean, that seemed like a lot of show, because everybody knows that the law requires including the law that he saw, you know, he voted for, requires that you test and you provide test results to consumers.' Jocelyn's Law fails to earn enough votes in Texas House Millions of people use our products every single day, and there has never been a death. Adverse effects are, I mean, that's not even an issue,' Cabrera said. Patrick said that the products put Texas children at risk. During the news conference, he invited Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis to share his perspective. 'They are targeting our kids, not adults, not patients but our kids,' Willis said. 'In Collin County, we see the results of it. We see the psychotic episodes. We see the suicide attempts. We sit down with parents who are heartbroken and devastated after something has happened with their child, after they consume something that everybody thought was safe.' When Houston Chronicle reporter Jeremy Wallace asked Patrick if there was a way to protect children while still giving adults access, Patrick passionately said he doesn't want adults to have access either. 'What are you crazy? You want to go home and eat a bag of this tonight, see if you're here tomorrow? We focus on kids because that's where they built the shops, but adults are buying this stuff too,' Patrick said. 'That's crazy talk. That's the kind of talk — the reason why we're here. Media that would say something as stupid as that. I'm sorry, that's just true.' The final hurdle for SB 3 — and a total THC ban — is a potential veto from Abbott. He has stayed very tight-lipped about anything regarding hemp and THC this session. Cabrera said she's hopeful that the Governor will reject the ban. 'The Governor is a very big proponent of person freedom and liberty,' Cabrera said. 'He's also a big, you know, Texas is open for business fan,' she continued, noting that Hometown Hero located in Texas because of the welcoming business climate. 'Hopefully the Governor is still of the business mind that Texas is a good place to do business, because the next question you have to ask yourself is, if they're willing to take down one industry, because somebody feels like it, what industry is next? And that will have a chilling effect on businesses coming into the state and staying in the state, because they'll no longer have any kind of security,' Cabrera said. When initially asked if he was worried about the possibility of a veto, Patrick deflected. 'I pass bills, the Governor signs or vetoes them,' Patrick said. 'I know the Governor, I know where his heart is, and I know where he wants to be to protect children and adults.' State of Texas: THC ban approved amid push to expand medical cannabis program He was then asked why he called the press conference if the bill had already passed both chambers of the legislature. 'Because there's a tremendous onslaught of pressure from an $8 billion industry that has unlimited money, and they're trying to poison the story, to stop this from happening, that's why,' Patrick said. 'I can tell you how effective they are, because most of you in this room — no criticism — personally, most of you in this room have bought into a lot of their story… I'm not worried about the Governor. I'm worried about the pressure on the media and the general public to try to keep this going in some way.' The question of Abbott's intentions then came up a third time, when a reporter asked if Patrick had spoken with him. 'I speak to the Governor every day,' Patrick said. 'About this?' another reporter asked. 'Look, I'm not going to speak for the Governor, okay?' Patrick said. 'He will do what he's going to do. I have total confidence in the Governor. You will know his decision when he makes it. The reason I'm here today is for you to tell the story. I'm not worried about the Governor understanding it. I'm worried about you all understanding it.' After the press conference, Abbott's Press Secretary Andrew Mahaleris wrote, 'Governor Abbott will thoughtfully review any legislation sent to his desk.' Legislation to bolster our state's water supply is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. But the final decision on the multi-billion dollar plan rests in the hands of Texas voters. Friday night, the Texas Senate accepted House amendments to Senate Bill 7. The bill would dedicate $1 billion in sales tax revenue toward the Texas Water Fund each year for the next 20 years. Those funds could be used for a variety of water infrastructure projects, such as fixing aging systems, building desalination plants, and expanding water supplies in our drought-prone state. Nonprofit organization Texas 2036 estimates that the state will need more than $150 billion over the next 50 years to support growing demand. Their report was cited by supporters of the legislation, who noted the potential economic impact of inaction on water policy. 'If Texas doesn't have enough water, or if we continue to suffer from the problems associated with aging, deteriorating drinking water and wastewater systems, we're looking at a multi billion dollar hit to the state's economy,' said Jeremy Mazur, Director of Infrastructure and Natural Resources Policy for Texas 2036. Mazur said the report estimated $165 billion per year in lost GDP and economic damages due to insufficient water infrastructure. Abbott made investing in water one of his priorities for the 89th Legislative Session. He is expected to sign the legislation, but there is one more step to make the plan a reality. The legislation proposes to amend the Texas Constitution, meaning Texas voters must approve a proposition in an election this coming November for the funding to take effect. Mazur is optimistic that Texas voters will say yes. He noted strong support that passed a 2023 proposition to create the Texas Water Fund. 'What we find at Texas 2036 is that water, in political terms, is a winner,' Mazur said. 'Our polling shows that there are strong majorities between both Republicans and Democrats that are overwhelmingly supportive of state investment in water infrastructure. So we're optimistic of what this proposition will be, what the outcome of this proposition will be in November.' A proposal aimed at establishing more medical examiner offices sooner in Texas died amid a flurry of bills considered on the House floor late Tuesday night, though the lawmaker who carried Senate Bill 1370 in the lower chamber plans to keep the topic alive ahead of the next legislative session in 2027. 'I think we should have an interim charge to look at this issue to bring more medical examiners to the state,' Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, told KXAN earlier this month. Anchia also filed an identical House companion to SB 1370, which did not progress this session. The idea for the interim charge came after Anchia fielded questions during a House subcommittee hearing about the availability of physicians with forensic science training who could fill the state's need for medical examiners. Experts have said there is a shortage of such doctors actively practicing, with the National Association of Medical Examiners recently telling KXAN the number was around 750 nationwide. Explore 'A Hanging on Backbone Creek,' the project that sparked SB 1370 'We just need more people who are specialized in this work, and creating an incentive program makes total sense,' Anchia said. A difference in death investigations Texas has 254 counties. Medical examiner offices are used in 14 of them to investigate and certify the cause and manner of unexpected deaths, and conduct autopsies. The state has one medical examiner district based around Tarrant County. The remaining counties use elected justices of the peace to investigate and certify deaths, and determine if a body may need to be sent for an autopsy — usually through a contract with another another county or private entity. Justices of the peace are elected, hold numerous other court-related duties and have no required prerequisite medical or death investigation experience. KXAN has reported extensively on challenges with the justice of the peace death investigation system. Medical examiner office advocates have argued these government offices – led by appointed medical doctors – provide a higher level of expertise and public service. Currently, counties are only statutorily required to have medical examiner offices when their population hits 2.5 million. SB 1370 aimed to decrease the benchmark to 1 million. This map shows which Texas counties have medical examiners and which rely on justices of the peace for death investigations. Source: Various Texas Counties/Arezow Doost (KXAN Interactive/David Barer) There are three Texas counties – Hays, Hidalgo and Williamson – that do not currently have medical examiner offices but are projected to have populations over 1 million by 2060, according to the Texas Demographic Center. Williamson County is already making preparations to build a medical examiner office before hitting the 1 million population level. Trio of bills aim to strengthen Texas death investigations The measure also would have clarified that counties can implement a medical examiner office before reaching 1 million people. Additionally, counties that share borders can pool resources to form a medical examiner district. 'By expanding the pool of counties required or able to create an office or a district, S.B. 1370 aims to strengthen investigative capacity statewide, enhance public health and safety, and improve the consistency and reliability of death investigations,' the bill's author, Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, said in its statement of intent. KXAN reached out to Parker's office for comment following the bill stalling in the House but has not received a response. Despite a 'VERY aggressive lobbying effort' by the Texas Hospital Association to kill a bill aimed at preventing vehicle crashes at emergency entrances — following last year's deadly crash at St. David's North Austin Medical Center — a state senator is pledging to refile the same safety measure next session, according to a senior staffer. Senate Bill 660, sparked by a KXAN investigation, sought to require crash-rated vertical barriers, called bollards, at Texas hospital entrances. The proposal was supported by the Texas Nurses Association, which said 'all protections should be considered' to ensure healthcare workers are safe and protected. It passed the Senate but stalled in a House committee despite a last-minute amendment to only require bollards at new hospitals in cities with a population of 1.2 million or greater. 'I am disappointed that Senate Bill 660 died in the House Public Health Committee, especially after we took so many suggestions from stakeholders on modifying the legislation,' said the bill's author, Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, who called the bollard requirement 'common-sense public safety legislation.' 'No one else will have to suffer' On Feb. 13, 2024, a drunk driver drove into the lobby of St. David's North, running over all four members of the Bernard family, including their two toddlers. The driver, Michelle Holloway, 57, was killed. After the crash, the Bernards — who were seriously injured — spoke exclusively to KXAN about their ordeal and their goal moving forward. 'That no one will have to suffer like we do,' said Nadia Bernard, who was still in a wheelchair recovering at the time. That plea led to a more than year-long KXAN investigation looking into crashes and finding solutions to prevent them. After surveying dozens of hospitals, watching bollard crash-tests at Texas A&M's Transportation Institute and learning about the strength of the security barriers, we were asked to share our findings with lawmakers as they considered SB 660, which would have required bollards at hospitals statewide. 'Without a uniform statewide approach, we found a patchwork system where some hospitals are protected while others remain vulnerable,' KXAN investigative reporter Matt Grant told a Senate panel. EXPLORE: KXAN's 'Preventing Disaster' investigation into medical center crashes 'Definitely informed the debate' Using data from the non-profit Storefront Safety council, TxDOT, police and media reports, we built our own nationwide database of crashes over the past decade. We looked at places patients receive care, according to the state's definition of 'health care provider' that includes doctors, nurses, dentists and pharmacists, among others. The result: By the start of the legislative session, we had identified more than 400 crashes since 2014 including more than 100 in Texas. Months later, as we continued to track and collect data, the list of crashes into, or at, medical-related sites had expanded to more than 580. The majority were caused by drivers who were either hurt, intoxicated — like at St. David's — or had pressed the wrong foot pedal. Nearly 160 of the crashes were at hospitals and almost half of those impacted the ER entrance area. In all, we identified at least two dozen deaths and hundreds of injuries. 'I think you've built the best dataset in the country right now,' said Ware Wendell, a consumer and patient advocate with Texas Watch. 'So, it definitely informed the debate here in Texas,' Wendell added. 'And, I wouldn't be surprised if it informs the debate all around the country as hospitals evaluate how they are protecting folks inside of their emergency rooms.' 'I have to credit you, Matt, and your team at KXAN, for doing the deep dive, for digging into the data. Ware Wendell, Texas Watch Map of crashes that have occurred at or into Texas hospitals since 2014. Source: Texas Department of Transportation, media reports, Storefront Safety Council. (KXAN Interactive/Dalton Huey) 'Unfunded mandate' The Texas Hospital Association, which represents 85% of the state's acute-care hospitals and health care systems, testified against SB 660. 'Singling out hospital emergency rooms to install bollards would not prevent, based on the statistics we're aware of, the overwhelming majority of these types of accidents because they simply don't occur in hospitals,' THA General Counsel Steve Wohleb told lawmakers in March, referring to a majority of crashes occurring at business storefronts. Behind the scenes, sources tell KXAN the industry group lobbied heavily against the proposal. In a memo sent to hospitals around the state that we obtained, the THA criticized KXAN for including other medical centers in our data, not just hospitals, and, citing autonomy and cost as a factor, called the bill an 'unfunded mandate, without evidence-based support.' 'What is the cost of life safety?' 'I would question that,' said Thomas Ustach with the McCue Corporation. 'What is the cost of life safety?' McCue is the same bollard-making company that allowed KXAN to watch its crash tests in Texas last year. The company has installed security barriers at dozens of hospitals across the country. The cost to secure an ER entrance, typically, is between $10,000 and $30,000, depending on how many bollards are needed, Ustach said. A single crash-rated bollard, on average, costs around $1,500-$2,000 to purchase and install, he pointed out. 'It's really not a difficult or costly fix to the problem,' Ustach said. 'So, I'm surprised that there's so much pushback against the bill.' Ustach said he's proud the crash-testing we witnessed last year could 'shine some light' — to the public and policymakers — on why, when it comes to bollards, testing and strict performance requirements are necessary. 'You can't leave it up to chance when you're talking life safety,' he added. 'Killed by hospital special interests' Today, the Bernard family is in the middle of a $1 million lawsuit against St. David's for not having bollards at the time. St. David's previously said it does not comment on litigation. This isn't the first time a hospital's lack of protective barriers has been the focus of a lawsuit. In 2020, a driver lost control and drove into the patient entrance of Atlanta-based Piedmont Hospital. Several people were hit and a 55-year-old woman was killed. The lawsuit blamed the hospital for its 'failure to provide bollards or other barriers' outside of its ER. Piedmont settled for an undisclosed amount and previously did not respond to KXAN's request for comment. St. David's previously told us it installed $500,000 worth of bollards at its Austin-area hospitals after last year's deadly ER crash. However, it has repeatedly refused to say if any of those bollards are crash-rated. When asked about the bollard bill not advancing, St. David's said it 'does not have anything to add to your story.' This month, the hospital system admitted for the first time that it opposed Austin's ordinance, which passed nearly six months ago, requiring crash-rated bollards at new city hospitals. 'If these hospitals won't do it voluntarily, there must be laws to protect all families from this predictable and preventable destruction.' The Bernard Family in a statement to KXAN A spokesperson for St. David's said the opposition was due, in part, to a belief the measure 'selectively targeted healthcare facilities' based on an incident at one of its hospitals. 'Our family is very disappointed that this common sense, statewide public safety bollard bill was killed by hospital special interests,' the Bernard family told KXAN. 'We are so grateful that Austin bravely acted to pass protective bollard legislation and know this proactive law will eventually pass at the statewide level,' the family added. Former Austin City Council Member Mackenzie Kelly said she is 'incredibly proud' of the local bollard ordinance she initiated. She hopes it serves as a model for other communities. 'While I'm disappointed that SB 660 did not make it out of the House Public Health Committee this session, I remain hopeful and encouraged,' Kelly said. 'Austin led the way by acting before tragedy struck again, and I firmly believe this idea's time will come at the statewide level.' 'Protecting patients, emergency personnel, and hospital visitors should never be a partisan issue — it's a matter of life safety,' she added, saying she looks forward to supporting the measure again next session. The chair of the House Public Health Committee, Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, gave the bill a hearing but did not bring it back up again for a vote, allowing it to die. His office, and the Texas Hospital Association, did not respond to a request for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Another Bodybuilder Just Died a Horrible Death
After quitting the bizarre injections that puffed up his muscles, a Russian bodybuilder has become the latest in a long and unfortunate line of pro weightlifters to meet untimely demises. As The Sun reports, 35-year-old Nikita Tkachuk hadn't injected synthol — a so-called "site enhancement oil" primarily made up of oils like paraffin or sesame alongside a local anesthetic and benzoyl alcohol that makes muscles appear bulkier without actually causing any strength or fitness benefits — before he died of a heart attack in a St. Petersburg hospital last week. The story of how he got there is tragic, even for the morbid world of weightlifting. After winning "Master of Sports" in Russia at 21, Tkachuk began injecting synthol to appear beefier. That practice is known as "fluffing," and it produces muscles that appear, as Iron Man magazine put it back in 2013, "comically inflated." Eventually, Tkachuk signed a deal with a pharmaceutical company that contractually obligated him to keep taking the shots — a deal that turned out to be deadly. After initially being diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a disorder involving tiny granules of immune cells forming on his organs, the strain from all that "fluffing" ultimately led to kidney and lung failure, and then a heart attack, his widow, Maria Tkachuk, said, per The Sun. "There were many trials over the years," said the widow Tkachuk, who is also a bodybuilder. "[His] resources ran out." Though a lot remains unclear about the man's death, including why he finally succumbed years after quitting the injections, his regret over the use of synthol — which in a 2022 video he called his "biggest mistake" — is plain as day. "If your arm is 18 inches or 20 inches, what will it change in your life?" Tkachuk said ahead of his death, per The Sun. "You're going to lose a lot of health. It's not worth it." "If I could back to 2015-2016, I would not do it," he continued. "I basically ruined my whole sporting career." Though he's joined in death by a long line of young bodybuilders who died too soon after taking various substances to either lose weight or get swole, Tkachuk's story is especially tragic because he spoke out against the injections that ultimately killed him. Now, his wife is left to pick up the pieces. "There are no other words for now," his widow said. "Only shock." More on bodybuilder deaths: If You Still Think Bodybuilding Is Healthy, This Woman Just Died at Age 20
CTV News
a day ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Poor air quality in Sarnia-Lambton due to wildfire smoke
Lambton Public Health headquarters in Sarnia, Ont. are seen on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. (Bryan Bicknell / CTV London) A special air quality statement is in effect for Sarnia-Lambton on Saturday, issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The statement was prompted by wildfire smoke present in the area, which originated in forest fires in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northern Ontario. It's expected that the smoke will clear from the area on Saturday evening and overnight, however, the Lambton Public Health Unit has issued some reminders about the risks associated with poor air quality. Those most at risk in poor air quality environments includes older adults, children, pregnant people, and those with chronic health conditions. Additionally, those that work outdoors and will spend lengthy times exposed the poor air quality are also at risk. It's recommended that those at risk limit strenuous outdoor activities, and monitor for symptoms. To help reduce chances of negative health impacts you can: drink plenty of water take extra precautions if you live near a highway or area where air quality could be impacted by traffic conditions keep windows and doors closed Symptoms include irritated eyes and difficulty breathing. If you are concerned about your health and experiencing symptoms due to exposure to poor air quality, it's recommended that you contact your healthcare provider.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
What your blood quietly reveals about your eating habits
Blood and urine tests have been found to detect the amount of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) a person eats, according to new research. Using machine learning, scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) identified hundreds of metabolites (molecules produced during metabolism) that correlated with processed food intake. The team developed a "biomarker score" that predicts ultraprocessed food intake based on metabolite measurements in blood and urine, according to Erikka Loftfield, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the National Cancer Institute in Maryland. Premature Death Linked To Certain Type Of Food, Study Reveals The researchers drew baseline data from 718 older adults who provided urine and blood samples and reported their dietary habits over a 12-month period, as detailed in an NIH press release. Next, they conducted a small clinical trial of 20 adults. For two weeks, the group ate a diet high in ultraprocessed foods, and for another two weeks they ate a diet with no UPFs. Read On The Fox News App "In our study, we found that hundreds of serum and urine metabolites were correlated with percentage energy from ultraprocessed food intake," Loftfield told Fox News Digital. The findings were published in the journal PLOS Medicine. The Worst Foods To Buy In The Supermarket And The Better Choices Instead Large-scale studies investigating the health risks of ultraprocessed foods often rely on self-reported dietary questionnaires, which can be prone to errors, per the NIH. The new blood and urine test helps to reduce human error by using objective biomarkers, a growing area of interest among researchers. Loftfield added, "It was surprising to find that UPF-correlated metabolites are involved in numerous and diverse biological pathways, underscoring the complex impact of diet on the metabolome." Ultraprocessed foods are defined as "ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat, industrially manufactured products, typically high in calories and low in essential nutrients," according to the NIH. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter Chronic diseases, obesity and various forms of cancer have been linked to diets that are heavy in UPFs. Despite promising results, the researchers emphasized that the new method will require further validation before broader use. Since the current trial focused mainly on older adults, more research is needed across various age groups and diets, the experts said. "Metabolite scores should be evaluated and improved in populations with different diets and a wide range of UPF intake," Loftfield acknowledged. This method could potentially be used in future research to link the consumption of processed foods with chronic diseases, according to the researchers. For more Health articles, visit "For individuals concerned about ultraprocessed food intake, one practical recommendation is to use 'nutrition facts' labels to avoid foods high in added sugars, saturated fat and sodium, as this can limit UPF intake and align with robust scientific research on diet and health," Loftfield article source: What your blood quietly reveals about your eating habits
