Latest news with #healthstudy
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Ultra-processed food found strongly linked to early onset Parkinson's
People who regularly eat ultra-processed food may be at a higher risk of developing early signs of Parkinson's disease than those who don't, a new study suggests. Ultra-processed food includes mass-produced bread, crisps, cereals, and fizzy drinks which contain preservatives, artificial colours and flavours as well as additives like emulsifiers. Previous studies have linked frequent consumption of ultra-processed food to health problems such as obesity, heart illness, cancer, and early death. Now, a study published in the journal Neurology suggests that regularly eating ultra-processed food is strongly linked to early signs of Parkinson's disease, which could progress into more serious symptoms like tremors and slowed movement. 'Our research shows that eating too much processed food, like sugary sodas and packaged snacks, might be speeding up early signs of Parkinson's disease,' Xiang Gao, an author of the study from Fudan University in China, said. 'Eating a healthy diet is crucial as it has been associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases and the dietary choices we make today can significantly influence our brain health in the future.' The study assessed 43,000 people with an average age of 48 who did not have Parkinson's initially. Their health status was tracked for 26 years with regular questionnaires and medical exams. Researchers looked out for the participants' sleep behaviour, constipation, depressive symptoms, body pain, impairment in colour vision, excessive daytime sleepiness, and reduced ability to smell to determine if they had early signs of Parkinson's. They also had the participants complete a food diary every two to four years, detailing what they ate and how often. Researchers calculated each person's average daily intake of ultra-processed food and divided them into five categories on the basis of how much of it they ate. The first group ate 11 or more servings of ultra-processed food per day on average and the lowest-ranked category fewer than three servings a day. The first group had a 2.5-fold higher chance of having three or more early signs of Parkinson's disease compared to people consuming fewer than three servings a day, researchers found. This was after adjusting for factors such as age, physical activity and smoking. Researchers also found that eating more ultra-processed food was strongly linked to a greater risk for nearly all symptoms except constipation. 'Choosing to eat fewer processed foods and more whole, nutritious foods could be a good strategy for maintaining brain health,' Dr Gao said. Citing a limitation of the study, researchers said the participants self-reported the amount of ultra-processed food they ate, meaning they might not have accurately remembered how much they ate. 'More studies are needed,' Dr Gao noted, 'to confirm our finding that eating less processed food may slow down the earliest signs of Parkinson's disease.'
Medscape
3 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Olive Oil May Cut the Risk for Specific Breast Cancer Types
A prospective study found that increased consumption of olive oil was associated with a reduced risk for breast cancer, particularly oestrogen receptor–negative (ER−) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative (HER2−) breast cancers. A systematic review revealed that case-control studies more frequently reported this protective association, whereas prospective studies did not report any association. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analysed data of 11,442 cancer-free women (mean age, 54.7 years) enrolled in the Moli-sani Study (2005-2010) in Italy. Incident cases of breast cancer were ascertained through December 2020 via hospital discharge forms and validated through medical records and histologic reports. Total daily intake of olive oil was calculated on the basis of the participant's reported olive oil usage for cooking at home, defined as the number of tablespoons consumed per day. A systematic review was also conducted, which included 13 observational studies and one randomised controlled trial that explored the association between the consumption of olive oil and the risk for breast cancer. TAKEAWAY: During a median follow-up duration of 13.1 years, 295 incident cases of breast cancer were reported. Compared with women consuming two or more tablespoons of olive oil per day, those consuming more than three tablespoons per day had reduced multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratios (HRs): 0.71 (95% CI, 0.48-1.05) for overall breast cancer, 0.80 (95% CI, 0.28-2.28) for premenopausal breast cancer, and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.46-1.08) for postmenopausal breast cancer. Analysis of breast cancer subtypes indicated that each additional tablespoon of olive oil per day was associated with a reduced risk for ER− breast cancer (HR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.15-0.69) and progesterone receptor–negative (PR−) breast cancer (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.35-1.01). A higher intake of olive oil was also associated with a reduced risk for ER− and PR− breast cancer (HR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.13-0.77) and HER2− breast cancer (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.31-0.96). Eight of 11 case-control studies and the sole randomised controlled trial suggested protective effects of olive oil against breast cancer, whereas prospective studies reported no association. IN PRACTICE: "If confirmed by high-quality prospective studies and RCTs [randomised controlled trials], these findings could help in shaping evidence-based public health policies to promote olive oil as a component of the traditional MD [Mediterranean diet] in both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean countries," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Emilia Ruggiero, Research Unit of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Neuromed in Pozzilli, Italy. It was published online on May 24, 2025, in European Journal of Cancer. LIMITATIONS: The observational nature of the Moli-sani study could not lead to the establishment of causality. Dietary data were self-reported, which introduced potential measurement errors and recall and selection bias. Additionally, limited cases of different hormone receptor subtypes existed, which may have affected the statistical power of subgroup analyses. DISCLOSURES: This study received funding support from the Italian Ministry of Health and Fondo Crescita Sostenibile. The authors reported no relevant conflicts of interest.
The Independent
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Just three sleepless nights could be enough to strain your heart
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Annie Curtis Wednesday 28 May 2025 11:19 BST Scientists pinpoint how many hours sleep will increase your risk of heart disease A new study from Uppsala University in Sweden reveals that just three nights of restricted sleep (around four hours) can trigger changes in the blood that are linked to a higher risk of heart disease. Researchers found that sleep deprivation caused a rise in inflammatory markers in the blood, which can damage blood vessels and raise the risk of heart failure, coronary heart disease, and irregular heartbeat. The study involved 16 healthy young men who underwent periods of normal sleep (8.5 hours) and sleep restriction (4.25 hours) in a controlled lab setting. Exercise-induced boosts in healthy proteins like interleukin-6 and BDNF were weaker after poor sleep, indicating that sleep deprivation can diminish the cardiovascular benefits of physical activity. The study showed that even short-term sleep deprivation can have significant negative impacts on cardiovascular health. In full
Medscape
28-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Consider Sex of Both Parent and Child in MetS Screening
Parental metabolic syndrome (MetS) had a notable impact on the metabolic health of offspring; paternal MetS showed stronger associations with several metabolic markers in boys, whereas maternal MetS was linked to elevated triglyceride levels in both sexes but affected other markers, primarily in boys. METHODOLOGY: Multiple studies have examined the influence of parental MetS on children; however, the differential effects of maternal and paternal MetS on female vs male offspring remain unclear. Researchers conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study using a Korean database from 2007 to 2020 to investigate the influence of parental MetS on various metabolic aspects in offspring, using a sex-specific approach. They included 5245 adolescents aged 10-18 years, including 2785 boys and 2460 girls; anthropometric and clinical data were required to be available for the adolescents and their parents. MetS in adolescents was defined according to the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. The investigators used multiple logistic regression analysis to evaluate the effects of parental MetS status on the presence of MetS and cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescent offspring. TAKEAWAY: Boys with paternal MetS had higher levels of serum glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) than those without paternal MetS ( P < .01 for all); clinically meaningful effect sizes were observed only for triglycerides (Cohen's d = 0.231) and HDL-C (Cohen's d = −0.208). < .01 for all); clinically meaningful effect sizes were observed only for triglycerides (Cohen's = 0.231) and HDL-C (Cohen's = −0.208). Adolescents with maternal MetS showed higher levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL-C and lower levels of HDL-C than those without maternal MetS, in both sexes. In boys, the differences were significant and clinically meaningful for systolic blood pressure (Cohen's d = 0.213), triglycerides (Cohen's d = 0.332), and HDL-C (Cohen's d = −0.284). = 0.213), triglycerides (Cohen's = 0.332), and HDL-C (Cohen's = −0.284). Girls with maternal MetS showed a clinically significant increase only in triglyceride levels (Cohen's d = 0.286). = 0.286). The odds of MetS and many of its components were substantially elevated in boys in the presence of paternal or maternal MetS; girls showed limited effects, with maternal MetS linked only to elevated triglycerides and paternal MetS to elevated blood pressure. IN PRACTICE: 'These results suggest that the inheritance mechanism of MetS is highly complex and that both parental and offspring sex should be considered in future screening and prevention of MetS,' the authors concluded. SOURCE: This study was led by Jun-Hong Park, Ajou University School of Medicine in Suwon-si, Republic of Korea. It was published online on May 21, 2025, in Scientific Reports . LIMITATIONS: This study had a cross-sectional design and lacked detailed data on hormonal profiles and dietary factors. The dataset lacked information on prenatal exposures known to affect the cardiometabolic health of offspring, such as gestational age, weight gain, diabetes status, and birth weight. DISCLOSURES: This study received no specific funding. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest.
CNA
28-05-2025
- General
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - How healthy are Singaporeans compared to their ASEAN neighbours?
CNA938 Rewind On the Morning Report, Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman examine the data from a newly released joint health study collating information from across the region over three decades with Associate Professor Marie Ng, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.
