Category: Diet and Nutrition

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Tobacco Firms Used Cigarette-selling Tactics to Globally Market Ultra-processed Foods, Study Shows

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A new study from the University of Kansas details how US tobacco corporations expanded into global food markets from the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s, using strategies honed through cigarette sales to market ultra-processed foods, which are industrially processed and contain ingredients and additives that maximise their appeal. The research appears in the American Journal of Public Health.

“We’d previously published on US tobacco company activities in relation to the US food system,” said lead author Tera Fazzino, associate professor of psychology at the University of Kansas. “In that prior study, I noted that tobacco-owned food company activities extended far beyond the United States. They had an extensive international business development strategy. Given the global conversation about ultra-processed and hyperpalatable foods saturating food systems, it felt important to investigate that international dimension. This study contributes to understanding the origin and nature of these foods and how they became widespread globally.”

For two decades, tobacco firms heavily invested in food companies, applying marketing, distribution and product-engineering strategies developed in the tobacco business.

“The scale was massive,” said Fazzino, who also serves as associate scientist at the KU Life Span Institute’s Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment. “For Philip Morris, its food business, for a substantial period of time, generated sales comparable to its tobacco business – roughly a 50–50 split. A significant portion of those food revenues came from international markets.”

Meanwhile, Fazzino said, R.J. Reynolds had closer to 30% of its portfolio in food sales.

“But it also maintained a very large international food presence,” she said. “In many of the regions where these companies operated, their food subsidiaries were among the largest players in those markets at the time.”

Fazzino’s co-authors were KU graduate students Sydney Kong and Gayeon Lee, along with undergraduate research assistant Madison Stewart.

The researchers found that tobacco companies applied their long-established business strategies directly to their food operations.

“On the business development side, they aggressively expanded and acquired local companies to build infrastructure within regions,” Fazzino said. “This allowed them to distribute their primary products efficiently. They also created coordinated product distribution and sales systems that integrated both tobacco and food operations.”

On the product-development side, tobacco companies used strategies similar to those previously applied to cigarettes.

“For example, they manipulated product size,” Fazzino said. “Just as they had introduced ‘king-size’ cigarettes to increase consumption occasions, they later used similar size strategies in food products – king-size sugary drinks, cookies and other items.”

Fazzino said tobacco firms also developed products that maintained “full flavour” while being marketed as lighter or healthier.

“In tobacco, this meant ‘low-tar’ or ‘low-nicotine’ cigarettes,” she said. “In food, it meant ‘low-fat’ or ‘light’ versions of products designed to appeal to health-conscious consumers while retaining strong flavour profiles.”

The researchers found that different tobacco firms developed their food businesses in different geographic areas, even if their marketing and product-formulation strategies were similar. According to Fazzino, the data indicate tobacco companies held leading market shares in multiple regions.

“Philip Morris expanded rapidly into Canada, where it held leading market positions in many product categories as early as the late 1980s,” she said. “Its entry into the Canadian market was swift and aggressive. The company also expanded significantly into Europe and secondarily into parts of Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. R.J. Reynolds primarily focused on Central and South America, and Mexico, and also expanded into parts of Europe and Asia. Collectively, this meant that from the late 1980s through the mid-2000s, large portions of the globe were covered by one or both companies.”

The public health implications of increased ultra-processed and hyperpalatable foods in the world’s food supply are substantial, Fazzino said.

“Globally, there is ongoing discussion among scientists, policymakers and citizens about the shift toward ultra-processed and hyperpalatable foods,” she said. “There is now strong evidence that these foods carry significant health risks. Their risk profile parallels other major contributors to morbidity and mortality, including smoking. As these products were disseminated internationally using highly refined and efficient business strategies, the potential for global health harm was significant.”

Fazzino cited rising rates of obesity and related metabolic and cardiometabolic diseases in many parts of the world.

“These increases have paralleled shifts in food systems toward more ultra-processed and hyperpalatable foods,” she said.

Although tobacco companies divested from food businesses in the early to mid-2000s, Fazzino said their influence in disseminating ultra-processed foods globally leaves a lasting legacy.

“The food companies continued operating under profit-maximizing models that had already proven successful for other addictive products,” she said. “It’s likely other food companies observed these strategies and adopted similar approaches. As a result, these practices appear to have spread across the global food industry.”

According to Fazzino, today at least 70% of the US food supply is composed of hyperpalatable foods, and their presence globally is elevated. The KU researcher said policymakers could apply lessons from tobacco regulation, including labelling, marketing restrictions and litigation.

“However, food presents unique challenges because people must eat,” Fazzino said. “In food systems saturated with ultra-processed and hyperpalatable products, such as in the US, stronger regulation of the nutrient profiles and properties that drive addictive qualities may be necessary. In contrast, South American countries, which have not experienced saturation of their food supplies, have implemented warning labels and other measures with demonstrated public health benefits.”

Source: University of Kansas

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New Evidence Offers Hope for Ketogenic Therapy in Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

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Pilot trial reports reduced eating disorder and depressive symptoms in difficult-to-treat psychiatric condition

Photo from Freepik.

A pilot study published today in Communications Medicine demonstrates the potential of a new approach to treating anorexia nervosa, a disorder for which effective treatments have been significantly limited. The research from UC San Diego School of Medicine reports that a ketogenic nutritional intervention – a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein diet – was feasible and safe for patients with weight-normalised and mildly underweight anorexia nervosa. The ketogenic intervention was well-tolerated by participants, with high adherence rates and no significant weight loss observed throughout the program.

Furthermore, significant improvements were observed in eating disorder symptoms, with nearly 3 in 4 of study completers in the recovered range at study end, no longer meeting criteria for an anorexia nervosa diagnosis, and all completers experiencing an improvement in depression scores.

Anorexia nervosa is a devastating psychiatric disorder with among the highest mortality rate of any mental illness; in the United States, a death occurs every 52 minutes as a result of this disorder or its complications. Even after successful weight restoration, patients often struggle with persistent psychological symptoms — including body dissatisfaction, an intense fear of eating, and a preoccupation with shape — that drive an alarmingly high risk of relapse.

Study lead Guido Frank, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine, who has been studying and treating anorexia patients for over 25 years, launched this study to broaden treatment options for this high-risk population. “We urgently need new approaches to anorexia nervosa. Our work with ketogenic therapy looks beyond standard therapies and potentially at the underlying physiology of the disorder,” states Dr. Frank. “Growing evidence links anorexia nervosa to neurometabolic dysfunction, and we are hopeful that direct metabolic intervention can regulate neural function and address the psychological symptoms patients experience.”

The outpatient, nationwide, single-arm clinical study delivered a supervised 14-week ketogenic intervention, with 18 of the 22 enrolled participants (82%) completing the study. No significant change in weight was observed throughout the program (as measured by BMI). By the end of the study, 72% of study completers reached the recovered range of eating disorder symptoms as measured by eating disorder scales (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, EDE-Q, and Eating Disorder Inventory-3, EDI-3) and all showed improvements in depression scores (as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory, BDI), with 72% within normal range.

For co-author Barbara Scolnick, MD, an internal medicine physician in Waban, Massachusetts, this study is the culmination of a decade-long personal journey. “The scientific inquiry that led to this research began in search of answers for my niece, Caroline Beckwith,” Dr. Scolnick shared. “Ketogenic therapy, a standard in epilepsy care, was the major catalyst, when combined with other interventions, that allowed Caroline to achieve remission after a 15-year struggle with anorexia nervosa. I am encouraged by these preliminary findings, which indicate that this treatment may provide a path forward for others like Caroline.”

While the authors acknowledge the clinical sensitivities of dietary interventions in this patient population, this study builds on prior preliminary evidence to provide proof of concept. The findings indicate that, when delivered with specialized medical supervision and trained support, ketogenic therapy holds potential for those who have failed to respond to traditional treatments.

“This study highlights the promise of dietary interventions that target normalizing underlying neurometabolic function for even the most intractable psychiatric conditions like anorexia nervosa,” said Jan Ellison Baszucki, co-founder and president of Baszucki Group, who funded the study. “We hope this work drives awareness and support for researching and delivering ketogenic therapy for eating disorders, providing new hope for patients and their families.”

A current extension of this study, for patients with both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa diagnoses, is underway and recruiting participants nationally. Those interested in learning more or joining the study can find more information at the study site.

Source: Bazsucki Group

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Common Food Preservatives Linked to Hypertension and Heart Disease

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Eating foods that contain common preservative food additives may increase the risks of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, according to research published in the European Heart Journal.

The research was led by Dr Mathilde Touvier, a research director at INSERM (the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research), and Anaïs Hasenböhler, PhD student, both from the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team at the Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité, France.

Ms Hasenböhler said: “Food preservatives are used in hundreds of thousands of industrially processed foods. Experimental studies suggest that some preservative food additives may be harmful to cardiovascular health, but we have not had enough evidence on the impact of these ingredients in humans. As far as we know, this is the first study of its kind to investigate the links between a wide range of preservatives and cardiovascular health.”

The research is part of a larger study, called NutriNet-Santé, and included 112 395 volunteers from across France. Every six months, the volunteers told researchers everything they ate and drank over a period of three days.

Researchers carried out detailed analyses of the ingredients of all the food and drink, including any preservatives. They also tracked the volunteers’ health for an average of seven to eight years to see if they developed high blood pressure or any cardiovascular disease.

Researchers found that 99.5% of the volunteers had consumed at least one food preservative within the first two years of taking part.

Overall, they found that people who ate the largest amounts of ‘non-antioxidant’ preservatives had a 29% higher risk of hypertension, compared to those who ate the least, and a 16% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke and angina. People who ate the most antioxidant preservatives had a 22% higher risk of hypertension. Non-antioxidant preservatives are designed to stop harmful microbes, such as mould and bacteria, from growing, whereas antioxidant preservatives are designed to stop oxidation, which means the food will not turn brown or become rancid.

Researchers also looked at 17 of the most commonly eaten preservatives and found that eight of these were specifically linked to high blood pressure. These were: potassium sorbate (E202), potassium metabisulphite (E224), sodium nitrite (E250), ascorbic acid (E300), sodium ascorbate (E301), sodium erythorbate (E316), citric acid (E330) and extracts of rosemary (E392). Ascorbic acid (E300) was also specifically linked to cardiovascular disease.

Dr Touvier added: “This study has some limitations inherent to its observational design. However, the findings are based on highly detailed data, and we have taken account of other factors that can increase or lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Experimental research in the literature consistently suggested that preservatives may cause oxidative stress in the body or affect the way the pancreas works.

These results suggest we need a re-evaluation of the risks and benefits of these food additives by the authorities in charge, such as the EFSA in Europe and the FDA in the USA, for better consumer protection. In the meantime, these findings support existing recommendations to favour non-processed and minimally processed foods, and avoid unnecessary additives. Doctors and other healthcare professionals play a key role in explaining these recommendations to the public.”

The researchers are now looking at how food additives and ultra-processed foods may affect signs of inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolic profile in the blood and the composition of the gut microbiota. This may help them to understand why additives may increase the risks of disease.

Source: European Society of Cardiology

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Iodine Deficiency Is Creeping Back. Vegans, Vegetarians and Pregnant Women Are Most at Risk

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José Miguel Soriano del Castillo, Universitat de València

Iodine deficiency is often seen as a problem of the past, but this isn’t entirely true. During the 20th century, the iodisation of salt became one of the most effective public health interventions for preventing conditions caused by a lack of this mineral, including goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland) and preventable damage to neurological development.

The World Health Organization (WHO) still views iodised salt as a safe and effective strategy, while UNICEF notes that it is the most widely used way of improving iodine intake worldwide.

However, the success of this simple measure means iodine has all but disappeared from public debate. And today, in several countries, signs of insufficient intake are once again being detected in certain groups, particularly in pregnant or breastfeeding women and people on restrictive or poorly planned diets.

What we are witnessing is not a dramatic resurgence of the most severe symptoms everywhere, but rather a silent risk of deficiency in contexts where vigilance has waned.

Iodine’s role in the body

Iodine is an essential micronutrient for the synthesis of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, and many physiological processes. Adequate intake during pregnancy and early childhood is particularly important for the normal development of the central nervous system and for the early stages of brain maturation.

In addition, the body’s needs increase during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to increased maternal production of thyroid hormones, greater renal excretion of iodine, and the transfer of this mineral to the fetus and the infant.

Why deficiency is on the rise again

The issue is not that people have stopped consuming salt, but rather that the type of salt they consume has changed, as have the sources of sodium in their diet. In recent years, iodised salt has been replaced in many households by “gourmet” or “natural” salts. These include sea salt, pink Himalayan salt, flaked salt and kosher salt, which are often perceived as more sophisticated or healthier, even though they are not always iodised.

In a way, iodised salt has an image problem. Compared to the culinary prestige of its trendy rivals, it has come to be viewed as something ordinary, outdated even.

Today, lot of our salt intake also comes from processed and ultraprocessed foods, meaning the use of iodised salt cannot be guaranteed. For this reason, the World Health Organization has called for coordination between policies that aim to reduce sodium intake and those that promote iodised salt.

The makeup of our diets has also changed a lot. Iodine is naturally present in all seafood, some dairy products and in eggs, though the quantity may vary from one region or food system to another. When a person reduces or cuts out several of these sources at once while not also consuming iodised salt or fortified foods, the risk of deficiency increases.

The result is that a basic, inexpensive, and effective micronutrient has fallen out of the spotlight just as certain groups are once again at risk of not getting enough iodine.

Plant-based diets

Vegetarian and vegan diets can be healthy, but they must take iodine into consideration. A 2023 review in the British Journal of Nutrition concluded that people following a plant-based diet, especially vegans, may find it hard to get the recommended amount of iodine from these foods alone.

This does not mean a plant-based diet is inherently lacking – and the solution is straightforward. Just as vitamin B12 is is commonly recommended for those who reduce their consumption of fish or dairy – or when people replace animal products with unfortified plant-based alternatives – so too should iodine.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Iodine deserves special attention during pregnancy. There is strong evidence that a severe deficiency of this micronutrient can affect fetal development and thyroid function, which is why many organisations use specific thresholds to assess iodine status in pregnant women. The US National Institutes of Health states that a urinary concentration of 150–249 micrograms per liter (μg/L) in pregnant women is considered adequate for the general population.

But there is a caveat to this. Concerns about mild or moderate deficiency are legitimate, but there is no conclusive evidence as to the cognitive benefits of supplementing all pregnant women who show a mild deficiency. Reviews and trials have indicated that there is plausible biological concern, and some studies suggest an association with poorer outcomes, but controlled experiments have not unanimously shown clear improvements in infant neurodevelopment.

Nevertheless, several scientific societies have adopted a cautious stance. The American Thyroid Association, for instance, states that women who are planning to conceive, pregnant or breastfeeding should receive 150 μg of iodine daily in prenatal or multivitamin supplements, usually in the form of potassium iodide, to help meet increased requirements.

Why ‘more salt’ is not the answer

Another important clarification is needed here. Advocating for iodised salt does not mean recommending a higher salt intake. The WHO maintains its recommendation to reduce sodium intake due to its link with high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. In terms of public health, the solution is not “more salt”, but less – though the salt we do eat should be iodised.

In fact, the WHO itself has emphasised that reducing salt intake and fortifying salt with iodine are compatible, provided the concentration of the mineral is properly adjusted and salt used by the food industry is also fortified.

This point is key because it avoids two common pitfalls: turning the issue into a nostalgic defence of table salt, or the other extreme of assuming that any reduction in sodium intake will automatically solve all health problems without any nutritional consequences. But it is possible to strike a balance between preventing cardiovascular disease and iodine deficiency.

José Miguel Soriano del Castillo, Catedrático de Nutrición y Bromatología del Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universitat de València

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Higher Dietary Soy and Legume Intake Linked to Lower Hypertension Risk

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Optimal daily amount may be about 170g of legumes and 60-80g of soy, evidence suggests

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A higher dietary intake of soy and legumes is linked to a lower risk of high blood pressure, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.

And the optimal daily amount may be around 170g of legumes, which include peas, lentils, chickpeas and beans, and 60 to 80g of soy foods, examples of which include tofu, soy milk, edamame, tempeh, and miso, the findings indicate.

Legumes and soy foods have been associated with an overall lower risk of cardiovascular disease, but the evidence on their potential for lowering high blood pressure is mixed and needs to be systematically quantified, explain the researchers.

To explore this further, the researchers scoured databases for relevant studies published up to June 2025, and found 10 publications that included data from 12 prospective observational studies.

Five studies were from the USA, 5 from Asia (China, Iran, South Korea and Japan), and 2  were from Europe (France and the UK). Nine studies included both men and women, 2 included only women, and 1 included only men.

The number of study participants ranged from 1152 to 88 475 and the number of cases of high blood pressure ranged from 144 to 35 375.

Pooled data analysis of the study findings showed that higher daily intake of legumes and soy foods was associated with a lower risk of developing high blood pressure.

Compared with those with a low intake of legumes, those with a high intake were 16% less likely to develop high blood pressure. Similarly, those with a high intake of soy foods were 19% less likely to develop the condition than those with a low intake.

When assessing the association between quantity and lower risk, a linear reduction (30%) emerged for legumes up to around 170 g/day, while most of the reduction in risk (28-29%) for soy foods was observed at between 60 and 80 g/day, with no further reduction in risk at higher intake.

One hundred grams of legumes/soy is equivalent to a serving size of about one cup or 5–6 tablespoons of cooked beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans or a palm-size serving of tofu, explain the researchers.

Using World Cancer Research Fund evidence grading criteria for evaluating the likelihood of causality, the researchers consider the overall evidence to indicate a probable causal relationship between both legume and soy intake and a reduced risk of high blood pressure.

There are plausible explanations for the findings, they say. Legumes and soy are high in potassium, magnesium, and dietary fibre, all of which are known for their blood pressure lowering properties.

And recent research has suggested that the fermentation of soluble fibre from legumes and soy produces short-chain fatty acids that influence blood vessel dilation, while the isoflavone content of soy also seems to help lower blood pressure, they explain.

The researchers acknowledge various limitations to their findings, including the variability of the studies in the pooled data analysis. This included differences in legume types, levels of intake, preparation methods, dietary contexts, and the definition of high blood pressure.

“Despite these limitations, the findings of this meta-analysis have major public health implications, given the alarming global increase in hypertension prevalence,” they point out.

“Current legume consumption across Europe and the UK remains below dietary recommendations, with average intakes of only 8–15g/day, far below the recommendations of 65 to 100g/day recommended for overall cardiovascular health,” they add.

“Although further large-scale cohorts are needed for confirmation, these findings provide further evidence in support of dietary recommendations to the public to prioritise and integrate legumes and soy foods as healthy protein sources in the diet,” they conclude.

“This research strengthens the evidence base for the cardioprotective benefits of plant-based diets. The authors have significantly added to the case for using legumes and soy as primary dietary strategies to mitigate the global burden of hypertension,” comments Professor Sumantra Ray, chief scientist and executive director of NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, which co-owns BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.

“The strengths of the study lie in its rigorous dose-response analyses, which offer practical dietary targets for use in public health guidelines and clinical practice. But we can’t entirely rule out the influence of unmeasured influential factors. And the plateauing of benefits for soy at 60–80g/day warrants further investigation, as it remains unclear if this reflects a true biological limit or is a byproduct of the smaller number of studies available for analysis.”

Source: The BMJ Group

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Cutting Calories to Slow Ageing – Without Compromising Health

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Restricting calorie intake in species such as mice, rhesus monkeys, and fruit flies has been shown to extend their lifespans. In some cases, these animals not only live longer, but are also free of disease. But when pushed too far, calorie restriction can have negative impacts. Mice that undergo 40% reduction in calorie intake, for example, are more susceptible to infections, less likely to reproduce, and experience stunted growth.

Scientists have wondered whether there is a way to reap the longevity benefits of calorie restriction in humans without its negative repercussions. And in a new study, published April 13 in Nature Aging, they found a potential answer in an immune-related protein called complement component 3 (C3).

Yale researchers have previously shown that people who undergo moderate calorie restriction – a 14% reduction in calorie intake – for two years developed better immune defence without any growth or reproductive trade-offs.

“This concept demonstrates that ageing is actually malleable and a process that can be targeted,” says senior author Vishwa Deep Dixit, PhD, Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Pathology, professor of immunobiology and of comparative medicine, and director of the Yale Center for Research on Aging (Y-Age) at Yale School of Medicine.

Calorie restriction reduces inflammation-related protein

In the new study, Dixit and his colleagues at YSM analysed the plasma samples of 42 individuals who took part in a National Institutes of Health-funded two-year trial called the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy or CALERIE.

“It’s the only trial of its kind that has been done with such rigor and control and demonstrates relevance to human physiology,” Dixit says. During the trial, participants were able to reduce their calorie intake by 11 to 14% without feeling deprived.

In their analysis, the researchers detected more than 7000 proteins in the longitudinal plasma samples. Among them was an immune-related protein called complement component 3 (C3) that was significantly reduced following calorie restriction. C3 was of particular interest to the scientists as prior studies have suggested that activation of the complement system – a network of proteins involved in the defence against pathogens – could drive chronic inflammation, a major hallmark of ageing and age-associated diseases.

“But the causal effects of C3 in ageing and chronic inflammation have not been identified. So, we were very excited to find that in our study,” says Hee-Hoon Kim, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in the Dixit lab and a co-first author of the paper.

A target to slow ageing

When comparing the protein levels before and after two years of calorie restriction, the researchers identified white adipose tissue – the main type of fat tissue in mammals – as the primary site affected by calorie restriction.

The researchers confirmed their findings in animals. As with the human plasma, they found that C3 expression increased with age in mice. Further biochemical analyses showed that visceral white adipose tissue was responsible for an increase in C3 during ageing.

“We were not expecting that because these proteins are mainly synthesised in the liver,” says Manish Mishra, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in the Dixit lab and a co-first author of the study.

Single-cell RNA sequencing further revealed that the protein is produced by age-associated macrophages within the adipose tissues.

“This whole process was unknown in the beginning,” Mishra says. “Just to narrow it down to the subtypes of macrophages responsible for this complement protein production was very challenging.”

The body’s first line of immune defence, macrophages are mostly known for their role in engulfing pathogens. These immune cells also help maintain the balance of tissue functions, Dixit adds.

The question is whether the benefits gained from a reduction in C3 can be achieved without weight loss.

The researchers initially suspected that the shedding of adipose tissue or body fat due to weight loss may have stalled C3 production and slowed down the ageing process. After all, most of the study participants lost about 8.2kg after two years of moderate calorie restriction. However, when the researchers analysed the body mass index of the study participants, they did not observe any correlation between weight loss and a decrease in complement proteins.

“This suggests that calorie restriction has a beneficial effect that is unique to adipose tissues and is likely independent of weight loss,” Kim says.

Further, when the researchers inhibited C3 activation using a drug to mimic the effect of calorie restriction, the mice experienced less age-related inflammation.

The finding demonstrates that what is beneficial early on in life can be detrimental later on, Dixit says. This theory, known as antagonistic pleiotropy, was first proposed by biologist Peter Medawar in 1952 to describe the ageing process. A prime example of this theory is growth hormone production, which is essential in early development but could also drive cancer later in life.

Proteins like C3 are evolutionarily designed to protect us from infections, but as humans live much longer than their ancestors, these molecules can come back to harm us. Lowering the level of C3 proteins may be the key to enhancing health span, Dixit says.

The researchers are now investigating whether they could hold back C3 production to slow down ageing in humans using FDA-approved inhibitor drugs. “The idea is not to remove complement systems that are required for us to fight infections,” Dixit says. “Instead, the goal is to restore the balance.”

By Kristel Tjandra

Source: Yale University

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Increasing Fruit, Fibre, Dairy and Caffeine Linked to Lower Risk of Tinnitus

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But quality of evidence low and further studies needed to verify the relationship, say researchers

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Increased consumption of fruit, dietary fibre, dairy products and caffeine may be associated with a reduced risk of tinnitus (ringing in the ears), suggests an analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal BMJ Open.

The researchers stress that their findings can’t establish a direct (causal) relationship and should be interpreted with care because of the low quality of the evidence. But they say possible reasons may involve the protective effects of these diets on blood vessels and nerves, as well as their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Tinnitus is the perception of sound (ringing, buzzing or clicking) when there’s no external source. Data suggests it affects around 14% of adults worldwide and is associated with depression, anxiety, stress, and in severe cases, suicide.

There is no cure, but treatments such as counselling, behavioral therapy, medications, and hearing aids can help to reduce symptoms.

Diet can also have a significant impact on tinnitus. It’s thought that eating high-quality nutrients can have a positive effect on hearing by improving blood flow to the inner ear and reducing oxidative damage and inflammation. But previous studies show conflicting results and it’s still uncertain which specific foods worsen or relieve symptoms.

To explore this further, the researchers trawled research databases looking for studies linking tinnitus and diet in adults published up to May 2024.

They found eight observational studies involving 301,533 people that assessed 15 dietary factors using validated questionnaires that were of suitable quality to include in their analysis.

The dietary factors included carbohydrates, caffeine, eggs, fruits, fibres, fat, meat, protein, sugar, fish, vegetables and dairy.

The combined findings revealed that increased consumption of fruit, dietary fibre, dairy products and caffeine was associated with a reduced occurrence of tinnitus. These reductions were 35% for fruit intake, 9% for dietary fibre, 17% for dairy products, and 10% for caffeine intake.

No associations were found between other dietary factors and tinnitus and results were consistent after further analyses, although the authors note that the association between caffeine intake and tinnitus remains contentious.

The authors acknowledge that due to the observational design of included studies, causality cannot be established, and the relatively small number of included studies may have led to certain conventionally accepted beneficial dietary factors (such as vegetables and eggs) not demonstrating significant differences.

However, they suggest that “the primary underlying mechanisms may involve the protective effects of these diets on blood vessels and nerves, as well as their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties” and say further large-scale studies are needed “to complement and verify the relationship between dietary intake and tinnitus.”

Source: BMJ Group

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New Report Highlights Fructose as a Key Driver of Metabolic Disease

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Researchers emphasise fructose’s unique role in obesity, metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases

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A new report, published in Nature Metabolism, is shedding light on the distinct and underappreciated role of fructose in driving disease, separate from its role as a simple source of calories.

Researchers examine how common dietary sweeteners, including table sugar (sucrose) and high-fructose corn syrup, impact human health. While both contain glucose and fructose, fructose has unique metabolic effects that may more directly contribute to obesity and related conditions.

“Fructose is not just another calorie,” said Richard Johnson, MD, professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz and study lead author. “It acts as a metabolic signal that promotes fat production and storage in ways that differ fundamentally from glucose.”

The report outlines how fructose metabolism bypasses key regulatory steps in the body’s energy-processing pathways. This can lead to increased fat synthesis, depletion of cellular energy (ATP) and the production of compounds linked to metabolic dysfunction. Over time, these effects may contribute to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that includes obesity, insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk.

Importantly, the authors emphasise that fructose’s impact extends beyond dietary intake alone. The body can also produce fructose internally from glucose, suggesting that its role in disease may be broader than previously recognised.

The findings come amid ongoing concern about rising rates of obesity and diabetes worldwide. Although some countries have seen declines in sugary beverage consumption, overall intake of “free sugars” remains above recommended levels in many regions and continues to increase in others.

While fructose may have once served an evolutionary purpose, helping the body store energy that can aid survival during times of food scarcity, the researchers argue that in today’s environment of constant food availability, these same mechanisms now contribute to chronic disease.

“This review highlights fructose as a central player in metabolic health,” said Johnson. “Understanding its unique biological effects is critical for developing more effective strategies to prevent and treat metabolic disease.”

By Kelsea Pieters

Source: Colorado University Anschutz

Categories : Diet and Nutrition Metabolic DisordersTags :

Ultra-processed Foods Linked with Greater Risk of Overweight or Obesity in Adolescents

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The conclusion comes from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 studies and 155 000 adolescents across multiple countries and regions.

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Adolescents who consume more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have significantly higher odds of being overweight or obese, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the open-access journal PLOS One by Mekuriaw Nibret Aweke of the University of Gondar, Ethiopia, and colleagues. In the most recent of the analysed studies, higher UPF consumption was linked with more than twice the odds of overweight or obesity compared to lower UPF consumption.

Being overweight or obese during adolescence raises a person’s likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. The increasing consumption of UPFs – defined as industrial products made largely from extracted, modified, or synthetic ingredients, and typically high in added sugars, salt, unhealthy fats, and chemical additives – represents one of the fastest-growing unhealthy eating patterns among young people worldwide.

In the new study, researchers systematically searched multiple databases for observational studies reporting on UPF consumption and weight outcomes in adolescents aged 10 through 19. They identified 23 eligible studies involving a total of 155 000 adolescents, conducted across 16 countries between 2008 and 2025.

In a meta-analysis of all 23 studies, the researchers found that adolescents with higher UPF consumption had 63% greater odds of overweight or obesity compared with those with lower intake (OR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.36–1.95). The positive association was consistent across all geographic regions studied, including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Subgroup analysis by year of publication showed that the most recent studies, published in 2024 and 2025, reported the highest odds ratio (OR = 2.09), suggesting the association may be growing stronger as UPF consumption rises globally.

Among other aspects, the study is limited by its reliance on observational designs, which cannot establish causation, and by variation across studies in how UPF consumption and obesity were measured.

The authors conclude that public health strategies should prioritize reducing UPF consumption among adolescents through education, policy interventions, and promotion of minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods.

The authors add: “Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to a substantially increased risk of overweight and obesity among adolescents, emphasising the need for early dietary interventions.”

“Improving adolescent nutrition today is essential to protecting long-term population health and reducing healthcare costs associated with obesity-related conditions.”

Provided by PLOS

Categories : Diet and Nutrition Lab Tests and ImagingTags :

People Who Consume Ultra-Processed Foods Have Worse Muscle Health

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Thigh muscle fat identified as a potential modifiable risk factor for knee osteoarthritis

Representative axial T1-weighted spin-echo thigh MRI scans in (A) a 61-year-old female participant and (B) a 62-year-old female participant. Both participants were of similar age and body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared). Both had Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly scores above the mean score in the study. According to the World Health Organization definition, the participant in B qualified as having abdominal obesity (abdominal circumference ≥ 88 cm). Abdominal circumference is a measure of central obesity that captures fat distribution and serves as an indicator of cardiometabolic health. Compared with the participant in A, the participant in B had a higher proportion of ultra-processed food (UPF) in their diet (87.1% vs 29.5%) and exhibited fattier thigh muscles bilaterally, with Goutallier grade (GG) for all thigh muscles summing to 25 for the participant in A and 38 for the participant in B.

https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.251129 ©RSNA 2026

Researchers found that a diet high in ultra-processed foods is associated with higher amounts of fat stored inside thigh muscles, regardless of calorie or fat intake, physical activity or sociodemographic factors in a population at risk for knee osteoarthritis. Results of the study were published in Radiology.

Ultra-processed foods usually have longer shelf lives and can be highly appealing and convenient. They contain a combination of sugar, fat, salt and carbohydrates which affect the brain’s reward system, making it hard to stop eating.

“Over the past decades, in parallel to the rising prevalences of obesity and knee osteoarthritis, the use of natural ingredients in our diets has steadily diminished and been replaced by industrially-processed, artificially flavored, colored and chemically altered food and beverages, which are classified as ultra-processed foods,” said the study’s lead author, Zehra Akkaya, MD, researcher and consultant for the Clinical & Translational Musculoskeletal Imaging group at University of California, San Francisco, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging.

Dr. Akkaya and the research team set out to assess the relationship of ultra-processed food intake and intramuscular fat in the thigh.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from 615 individuals who participated in the Osteoarthritis Initiative who were not yet affected by osteoarthritis, based on imaging. The Osteoarthritis Initiative is a nationwide research study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, that helps researchers better understand how to prevent and treat knee osteoarthritis.

“Osteoarthritis is an increasingly prevalent and costly global health issue,” Dr. Akkaya said. “It constitutes one of the largest non-cancer-related health care costs in the United States and around the world. It is highly linked to obesity and unhealthy lifestyle choice.”

Of the 615 individuals, (275 men, 340 women) the average age was 60 years. On average, participants were overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 27. Approximately 41% of the foods they consumed over the prior year were ultra-processed.

The researchers found that the more ultra-processed foods people consumed, the more intramuscular fat they had in their thigh muscles, regardless of caloric intake.

“In addition to investigating the quality of our modern diet in relationship to thigh muscle composition, in this study, we used widely available, non-enhanced MRI, making our approach accessible and practical for routine clinical use and future studies,” Dr. Akkaya said. “These MRIs do not require advanced or costly technology, which means they can be easily incorporated into standard diagnostic practices.”

Source: Radiological Society of North America