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Medical News Today
04-08-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
Mediterranean, DASH, or AHEI: Which diet lowers diabetes risk the most?
The Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and the AHEI diet can all lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new researchers who conducted it analyzed the medical histories of over 800,000 people across 33 studies to arrive at its three diets share one common principle: reducing the consumption of unhealthy fats, sugars, and processed to a new meta-analysis, or study of studies, following any of three healthy diets can reduce the risk of developing type 2 whose food consumption closely adhered to the eating patterns established in the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and the AHEI diet had lower chances of developing greatest reduction of diabetes risk, 23%, came for those closely following the DASH diet, followed by the AHEI diet, 21%, and the Mediterranean diet, 17%.The researchers analyzed the findings of 33 reports describing associations between diet and diabetes, encompassing the medical histories of over 800,000 important finding of the meta-analysis is that its conclusions applied across a broad range of populations, including African, Asian, European, and Hispanic ethnic groups. This is noteworthy because these groups have different food cultures and different levels of diabetes limitation of the analysis is that the decrease in risk, though apparent, did not reach a level of statistical significance for Hispanic people or mixed ethnic groups. The researchers suggest that this may be due to having less data for these populations in the original studies. They say further investigation, particularly for these populations, is results of the meta-analysis will be presented in September 2025 at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria. They are yet to appear in a peer-reviewed do the Mediterranean, DASH, and AHEI diets have in common?Perhaps the best-known of the three diets cited in the meta-analysis is the Mediterranean diet. This diet is based on the eating patterns practiced by long-lived people living in the vicinity of the Mediterranean is characterized by an emphasis on unprocessed foods, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and lean sources of DASH diet, as its full name — Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension — suggests, helps a person reduce their intake of sodium and to increase their consumption of magnesium, calcium, and potassium to help maintain a healthy blood pressure. It is in many ways not very different from the Mediterranean the least familiar diet mentioned in the metastudy is Harvard University's AHEI Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian and heart health expert at Entirely Nourished, not involved in this research, explained what the AHEI diet is:'The AHEI (Alternative Healthy Eating Index) diet is a research-based scoring system developed to assess diet quality based on how well it aligns with dietary patterns that have been shown to lower chronic disease risk. It encourages high consumption of fiber-dense foods like vegetables, whole fruits excluding juice, whole grains, nuts, legumes; healthy fats like polyunsaturated fats, and lean proteins, specifically fish and poultry. It limits red and processed meats, refined grains, sodium, and sugar-sweetened beverages.'All three diets share some underlying concepts, said Jason Ng, MD, BA, who teaches endocrinology and metabolism in the Department of Medicine at the University of all, 'contain the common theme of focusing on healthy fats, more plant-based foods like vegetables and fruits, and staying away from processed foods and keeping away from high sugar and added sugars to foods, which are all cornerstones of type 2 diabetes management,' said Ng, who was likewise not involved in this does diet contribute to diabetes?The foods people consume are a major driver of diabetes, said Ng. 'Type 2 diabetes is caused by increasing insulin resistance.''Carbohydrates,' he explained, 'especially processed sugars, for example, lead to extra work for the body to process. Over time, potential insulin resistance increases, which forces the pancreas to make more insulin to compensate. When the pancreas cannot make enough insulin to manage blood sugars, you develop [type 2 diabetes].'Routhenstein noted that some popular foods are particularly likely to cause this to occur, citing sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains such as white bread and pastries, processed and red meats, and fried and fast addition, she said, 'diets high in added sugars and sodium but low in fiber-rich whole foods significantly increase diabetes risk by promoting inflammation, impairing insulin sensitivity, contributing to weight gain, and disrupting gut health, all of which play a role in poor glucose regulation.'Why the DASH diet may decrease diabetes risk the most'The DASH diet has a slightly higher emphasis on sodium intake that may indirectly worsen insulin resistance,' Ng hypothesized, 'so an emphasis on low sodium may indirectly help insulin sensitivity and, thus, improve [type 2 diabetes].'Routhenstein was drawn to another aspect of the DASH diet, pointing out that it 'has the unique offering of honing into certain micronutrients.''For example,' she explained, '[the DASH diet] is abundant in both potassium and magnesium that not only supports healthy blood pressure but also plays a key role in glucose metabolism, enhancing insulin sensitivity, facilitating cellular glucose uptake, and reducing systemic inflammation, creating a metabolic environment less prone to diabetes development.'Will these diets help if you already have diabetes?Ng suggested it is unclear if these diets can reverse diabetes once it has developed, but suggested it makes sense to give one a noted that 'although reversing [type 2 diabetes] is a complex process, any diet that emphasizes healthy eating, which all of these do, can only help reduce the progression of [type 2 diabetes] and obtain better sugar control and improved insulin sensitivity.'
Medscape
10-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Which Brain Stim Offers the Best Outcomes With Depression?
TOPLINE: Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) was associated with reduced depressive symptoms in a new meta-analysis – but individual types of tES were linked to different outcomes. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was associated with greater improvements in patients with psychiatric or medical comorbidities compared to those with major depressive disorder (MDD) alone, while transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) was associated with reduced MDD symptoms and increased response rates. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 88 randomized clinical trials. The data included more than 5500 participants (mean age, 43 years; 60% women) with MDD, depression with medical comorbidities, or depression with psychiatric comorbidities. The investigators evaluated tES modalities, including tDCS (79 trials), tACS (six trials), and transcranial random noise stimulation, or tRNS (three trials), compared with sham or other treatment modalities. Primary outcomes included depression severity, rates of response and remission, and adverse events (AEs). TAKEAWAY: tES overall vs sham or no treatment was associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms (standardized mean difference [SMD], -0.59) and a greater improvement in patients with medical (SMD, -1.05) or physical comorbidities (SMD, -0.78). Mild to moderate AEs were more frequent with tES vs sham treatment. tDCS was associated with significantly reduced depressive symptoms in patients with medical (SMD, -1.05) or physical comorbidities (SMD, -0.88), but not with MDD only. Active tDCS plus antidepressant use vs sham tDCS plus the medication was linked to a reduction in MDD symptoms (SMD, -0.51) and an increase in response rates (odds ratio [OR], 2.25). Compared with sham treatment, tACS was linked to a significant reduction in MDD symptoms (SMD, -0.58) and to a greater likelihood of increased response rates (OR, 2.07). Anodal left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation was associated with improved outcomes. Transcranial random noise stimulation was not associated with significant improvements in any type of depressive symptoms or response rates. IN PRACTICE: "These findings suggest that tES is well-tolerated, associated with mild to moderate AEs, and poses a minimal risk of serious AEs. Future research should study ideal stimulation parameters and individualize tES interventions," the investigators wrote. SOURCE: The study was led by Caili Ren, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. It was published online on June 18 in JAMA Network Open. LIMITATIONS: Limited data on tACS and tRNS, with most of the studies' findings reflecting tDCS, led to an inability to perform robust subgroup analyses. Other limitations included potential confounding in categorizing tDCS monotherapy vs combined therapy when medication use was unspecified; a lack of stratification by depression severity; incomplete safety profiling because more than 40% of the studies did not report AEs; and potential publication bias in tDCS vs sham comparisons, especially in depression with medical comorbidities. DISCLOSURES: The study was funded by the Mayo Clinic and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. One investigator reported numerous disclosures, including being a paid member of corporate scientific advisory boards and a co-founder and/or chief medical officer of another company. He also reported receiving grants from several foundations and holding patents on real-time integration of transcranial magnetic stimulation with electroencephalography and MRI. Additional disclosures are fully listed in the original article. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Medscape
27-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Pollution, Weather Linked to Atopic Dermatitis
TOPLINE: In a meta-analysis of 42 studies, exposure to air pollutants and high temperatures was associated with higher risk for clinic visits and worsened symptoms in adults with atopic dermatitis. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review of 42 studies from 14 countries between 1985 and 2024. They included cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies that examined associations between environmental exposures and atopic dermatitis outcomes in adults. Researchers assessed exposure to ambient air pollutants: Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), particulate matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less (PM 10 ), PM with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less (PM 2.5 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), ozone (O 3 ), temperature, precipitation, sunlight or solar radiation, humidity, secondhand smoke, seasonal variations, and pollution from traffic or industrial sources. TAKEAWAY: Outpatient clinic visits for atopic dermatitis increased with every 10-µg/m 3 increase in PM 10 (risk ratio [RR], 1.008; 95% CI, 1.003-1.012; high certainty evidence) and SO 2 (RR, 1.029; 95% CI, 1.020-1.039; high certainty evidence). increase in PM (risk ratio [RR], 1.008; 95% CI, 1.003-1.012; high certainty evidence) and SO (RR, 1.029; 95% CI, 1.020-1.039; high certainty evidence). High temperatures were also associated with moderate (OR, 2.39; 95%CI, 1.40-4.09) and severe atopic dermatitis (OR, 3.91; 95% CI, 2.20-6.96). Higher precipitation and humidity levels demonstrated probable associations with increased atopic dermatitis severity. Secondhand smoking exposure and traffic-related pollution showed probable associations with increased atopic dermatitis prevalence. IN PRACTICE: 'Increased air pollution and other environmental factors were associated with increased prevalence and activity of atopic dermatitis,' the authors wrote. These findings, they added, 'have direct public health implications, adding to the impetus to decrease pollution and mitigate climate change worldwide.' SOURCE: The study was led by Megan Park, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was published online on June 25 in JAMA Dermatology. LIMITATIONS: Limitations included heterogeneity in air pollutant measurement and reporting across regions. Only moderate-to-severe disease was likely captured. Socioeconomic data was not available and inconsistent lag reporting restricted analysis of short-term and long-term effects. DISCLOSURES: The authors did not disclose any funding source. One author reported receiving consulting fees and research grants from the British Journal of Dermatology, American Academy of Dermatology, Canadian Dermatology Today, National Eczema Association, Eczema Society of Canada, Canadian Dermatology Foundation, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, National Institutes of Health, and Physicians Services Incorporated Foundation. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Medscape
26-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
MRI Detects Missed Cervical Injuries After Negative CT
TOPLINE: MRI identified missed cervical spine injuries in 17% of patients with trauma who had negative CT results, prompting treatment changes in 4% of them. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 36 studies involving 6784 patients with trauma who underwent cervical spine MRI after a negative CT scan. Most included studies were retrospective (n = 29). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with missed injuries. Changes in treatment due to MRI findings were also evaluated. TAKEAWAY: MRI identified missed injuries in 17% of patients with initially negative CT findings. Most injuries were soft tissue injuries, with 40.1% involving the intervertebral disk and posterior ligamentous complex and 2% due to prevertebral edema. Missed injuries were more common in children than in adults (32% vs 13%). Alert patients had a higher rate of missed injuries than obtunded patients (28% vs 14%). MRI findings led to treatment changes in 4% of patients, most of which were related to the intervertebral disk and the ligaments supporting the spine, highlighting the role of MRI in reducing missed injury rates through its superior soft tissue visualization compared with CT. IN PRACTICE: "While there was no established algorithm for the indication of MRI after negative CT findings, MRI should be considered under certain circumstances to prevent missing injuries. This includes the pediatric population, obtunded patients, patients experiencing persistent pain, and when there are uncertain clinical examination findings," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Jung Hahn Yong, National University of Singapore, Singapore. It was published online on May 23, 2025, in European Spine Journal. LIMITATIONS: Most included studies were retrospective. Variability in patient age groups and incomplete reporting of MRI findings leading to treatment changes could have limited the generalizability of the results. Researchers also noted moderate-to-high heterogeneity between studies. DISCLOSURES: This study did not receive any funding. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Revealed How Much Exercise You Need to 'Offset' Sitting All Day
We know that sitting for long periods of time isn't good for us, but just how much exercise is needed to counteract the negative health effects of not escaping our desk all day? Research suggests about 30 to 40 minutes of building up a sweat should do the trick. Committing to a good half our or so of "moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity" at some point each day ought to balance out 10 hours of sitting still, the research says – although any amount of exercise or even just standing up helps to some extent. That's based on a meta-analysis study published in 2020 analyzing nine previous studies, involving a total of 44,370 people in four different countries who were wearing some form of fitness tracker. Watch the video below for a short summary: The analysis found the risk of death among those with a more sedentary lifestyle went up as time spent engaging in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity went down. "In active individuals doing about 30-40 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity, the association between high sedentary time and risk of death is not significantly different from those with low amounts of sedentary time," the researchers explained in their paper. Related: Too Much Sitting Can Still Be Harmful Even if You Exercise, Study Warns In other words, putting in some reasonably intensive activities – cycling, brisk walking, gardening – can lower your risk of an earlier death right back down to what it would be if you weren't doing all that sitting around, to the extent that this link can be seen in the amassed data of many thousands of people. While meta-analyses like this one always require some elaborate dot-joining across separate studies with different volunteers, timescales, and conditions, the benefit of this particular piece of research is that it relied on relatively objective data from wearables – not data self-reported by the participants. At the time, the study was published alongside the release of the World Health Organization 2020 Global Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour, put together by 40 scientists across six continents. The British Journal of Sports Medicine (BHSM) also put out a special edition to carry both the study and the revised guidelines. "As these guidelines emphasize, all physical activity counts and any amount of it is better than none," said physical activity and population health researcher Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney in Australia. "People can still protect their health and offset the harmful effects of physical inactivity." The research based on fitness trackers is broadly in line with the 2020 WHO guidelines, which recommend 150-300 mins of moderate intensity or 75-150 mins of vigorous intensity physical activity every week to counter sedentary behavior. Walking up the stairs instead of taking the lift, playing with children and pets, taking part in yoga or dancing, doing household chores, walking, and cycling are all put forward as ways in which people can be more active – and if you can't manage the 30-40 minutes right away, the researchers say, start off small. Making recommendations across all ages and body types is tricky, though the 40-minute time frame for activity fits in with previous research. As more data gets published, we should learn more about how to stay healthy even if we have to spend extended periods of time at a desk. "Although the new guidelines reflect the best available science, there are still some gaps in our knowledge," said Stamatakis. "We are still not clear, for example, where exactly the bar for 'too much sitting' is. But this is a fast-paced field of research, and we will hopefully have answers in a few years' time." The research was published here, and the 2020 guidelines are available here, in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Further information is available here. An earlier version of this article was published in November 2020. Social Media Might Impair Your Recovery From Injury. Here's Why. Cat Parasite Can Seriously Disrupt Brain Function, Study Suggests New Treatment May Cure Severe Type 1 Diabetes, Study Finds
