Health Journal Online

Tag: Study

  • Exposure To Air Pollution During Pregnancy And Childhood Have Lasting Effects On Brain: Study

    Exposure To Air Pollution During Pregnancy And Childhood Have Lasting Effects On Brain: Study

    Long-term exposure to air pollutants is known to affect physical well-being, increasing the risk of respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. A recent study revealed that early-life exposure to air pollution has lasting effects on the brain.

    According to the research led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) during pregnancy and childhood can lead to significant changes in the microstructure of the brain’s white matter. Alarmingly, these alterations can persist into adolescence, raising concerns about the long-term impact of air pollution on brain development.

    Earlier studies have explored the impact of air pollutants on the brain’s white matter, but most were limited to a single time point and did not track participants throughout childhood.

    The latest study published in Environmental Research involved 4,000 participants in Rotterdam, the Netherlands who were part of the Generation R Study and were followed up since birth. Based on the participants’ location, the team estimated the amount of exposure to 14 different air pollutants during pregnancy and childhood.

    To examine changes in white matter microstructure, researchers conducted brain scans on 1,314 children, once around the age of 10 and again around 14.

    “Following participants throughout childhood and including two neuroimaging assessments for each child would shed new light on whether the effects of air pollution on white matter persist, attenuate, or worsen,” said ISGlobal researcher Mònica Guxens in a news release.

    The results revealed that higher exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy, as well as elevated levels of PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5-10, and NOx during childhood, led to a reduction in fractional anisotropy, a measure of how water molecules diffuse within the brain. In more mature brains, water tends to flow more in one direction, resulting in higher values for this marker. This association persisted into adolescence, indicating a long-term impact of air pollution on brain development.

    “Every increase in exposure level to air pollution corresponded to more than a 5-month delay in the development of fractional anisotropy,” the researchers wrote.

    “We think that the lower fractional anisotropy is likely the result of changes in myelin, the protective sheath that forms around the nerves, rather than in the structure or packaging of the nerve fibers,” said first author of the study, Michelle Kusters.

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  • Three cups of coffee daily boosts heart health, reduces cardiometabolic multimorbidity risk: study

    Three cups of coffee daily boosts heart health, reduces cardiometabolic multimorbidity risk: study

    Can’t start your day without coffee? A recent study reveals that your morning ritual might do more than just wake you up, it could also benefit your heart health. The research found that moderate caffeine intake, or three cups of coffee daily, significantly reduces the risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity.

    Cardiometabolic multimorbidity refers to having at least two coexisting cardiometabolic diseases. Studies indicate that having a single cardiometabolic condition doubles the risk of death from all causes. In contrast, individuals with cardiometabolic multimorbidity may face a risk of all-cause mortality that is four to seven times higher.

    According to the latest study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, any level of coffee and caffeine consumption could play an important protective role in all phases of cardiometabolic multimorbidity development.

    After analyzing the caffeine consumption of over 500,000 participants from the UK Biobank who are part of a detailed longitudinal dietary study, researchers noted that compared with non-consumers or those who take less than 100mg of caffeine per day, moderate consumption of coffee, meaning three drinks per day or 200–300 mg of caffeine had the lowest risk for new-onset cardiometabolic multimorbidity.

    The study focused on participants aged 37 to 73, excluding those with unclear caffeine intake data. This resulted in a pool of 172,315 individuals free of cardiometabolic diseases at the start, for analyzing caffeine effects. Additionally, a separate group of 188,091 participants was included to examine the impact of coffee and tea consumption.

    The results suggest that those who drank three cups a day experienced a 48.1% reduction in risk, while those consuming 200–300 mg of caffeine daily saw a 40.7% decrease, compared to individuals who either did not consume caffeine or had less than 100 mg per day.

    “Consuming three cups of coffee, or 200–300 mg caffeine, per day might help to reduce the risk of developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity in individuals without any cardiometabolic disease,” said the study’s lead author, Chaofu Ke in a news release.

    “The findings highlight that promoting moderate amounts of coffee or caffeine intake as a dietary habit for healthy people might have far-reaching benefits for the prevention of cardiometabolic multimorbidity,” Ke said.

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  • Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet May Help Weight Loss, But Study Says It Raises Diabetes Risk

    Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet May Help Weight Loss, But Study Says It Raises Diabetes Risk

    Cutting down on carbohydrates and increasing fat intake is a popular weight loss strategy for many. However, researchers now say that in the long run, it may raise the risk of type 2 diabetes.

    A recent study published in the journal Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, which followed around 40,000 participants in Melbourne, Australia, found that a low-carb, high-fat diet is linked to a 20% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

    Increased carbohydrate intake is known to raise diabetes risk. Earlier studies have focused on examining how a low carbohydrate diet could be used in managing or remission of type 2 diabetes. Studies have also shown that low-carbohydrate eating patterns could be effective for quick weight loss.

    However, the long-term effects of a low-carb diet on the risk of developing diabetes were not known. The latest findings suggest that while low-carb diets may aid in diabetes management, they might be ineffective in preventing the disease.

    “Studies to date have only focused on examining low carbohydrate for managing and/or remission of type 2 diabetes. Instead, this study reveals that low carbohydrate diet intake might increase the long-term risk of type 2 diabetes through obesity, potentially through increased eating of fats and foods low in fiber. Our study also highlights the need to look at the quality of carbohydrates, proteins and fats,” said Professor de Courten, a researcher of the study in a news release.

    The study was conducted on participants aged 40–69, who were part of the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (MCCS) between 1990 and 1994. Researchers analyzed the percentage of carbohydrates in their diets using a Low Carbohydrate Score (LCD) and estimated the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. A higher score indicated a lower percentage of carbohydrates contributing to energy intake. The health of participants was reviewed during two periods: 1995–1998 and 2003–2007.

    Participants whose diets consisted of 38% carbohydrates had a 20% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those with 55% carbohydrates in their diet. The increased risk is attributed to a higher incidence of obesity, resulting from high-fat and low-fiber content in the diet.

    Based on their findings, researchers suggest that there should be an adequate review of dietary approaches for those wanting to lose weight and avoid diabetes.

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  • Eating Fish During Pregnancy May Cut Offspring’s Autism Risk, Not Omega-3: Study Says

    Eating Fish During Pregnancy May Cut Offspring’s Autism Risk, Not Omega-3: Study Says

    Prenatal consumption of fish may reduce autism risk in children, but omega-3 supplements may not have the same effect, a recent study revealed.

    Including fish in the diet during pregnancy is linked to a 20% reduction in the risk of autism spectrum disorder and a decreased risk of autism-related traits in children, with particularly notable benefits for female offspring, according to the study published in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition.

    “Our study contributes to a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the role that prenatal diet can play in autism-related outcomes in offspring,” said the researcher Dr. Emily Oken in a news release.

    To understand how intake of fish and omega-3 supplements during pregnancy affects neurodevelopmental outcomes, researchers evaluated the dietary information of around 4,000 participants. Based on the frequency of fish consumption, the participants were grouped into four: less than once a month, more than once a month but less than weekly, weekly, and two or more servings per week.

    Around 25% of them never ate fish or consumed it less than once a month, and most of the participants never took omega-3 fish oil supplements during their pregnancy.

    The researchers then examined the incidence of autism diagnoses in children and parent-reported autism-related traits, which were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), a widely used survey completed by parents or caregivers.

    “Consuming fish during pregnancy was associated with a lower likelihood of offspring being diagnosed with autism and a slight decrease in total SRS scores compared to not eating fish. These results were consistent across all levels of fish consumption, from “any” amount or “less than once per week” to “more than twice per week,” the news release stated.

    However, the researchers could not find any significant association between omega-3 conception and autism diagnosis, or traits.

    “This study provides yet more evidence for the safety and benefit of regular fish consumption during pregnancy. Other proven benefits include lower risk for preterm birth and improved cognitive development,” said Dr. Oken.

    “Given the low fish intake in the United States general population and the rising autism prevalence, these findings suggest the need for better public health messaging regarding guidelines on fish intake for pregnant individuals,” the researchers concluded.

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  • Study Says Even Light Smoking During Pregnancy Affects Newborn’s Health

    Study Says Even Light Smoking During Pregnancy Affects Newborn’s Health

    Smoking during pregnancy is known to raise the risk of preterm delivery, low birth weight, and restricted growth of the fetus. But can light smoking during pregnancy, just one or two cigarettes, still harm the newborn?

    A study published in Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggests “that there is no safe period and no safe level of cigarette smoking shortly before or during pregnancy.” The new study provides further evidence of the harmful effects of smoking during pregnancy, emphasizing the need to completely quit the habit for the baby’s health.

    The research team utilized data from the US National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) that has recorded a total of 15,379,982 live births between 2016 and 2019. After filtering out factors such as multiple births, high blood pressure or diabetes before pregnancy, and lack of information on the smoking status 3 months before and during their pregnancy, the researchers narrowed it down to 12,150,535 mother-infant pairs.

    The study noted that over 9% of them reported smoking cigarettes before pregnancy, 7% during the first trimester, 6% in the second trimester, and around 6% in the third trimester. The intensity of smoking was measured based on the number of cigarettes smoked per day: 0, 1–2, 3–5, 6–9, 10–19, and 20 or more.

    “The women who smoked had more risk factors for neonatal health issues: they tended to be younger, non-Hispanic White, unmarried, and obese, and to have low educational attainment, more previous births, and fewer attendances for prenatal care,” the news release stated.

    The estimated prevalence of neonatal health issues was around 9.5%. Neonatal health issues included cases where newborns required immediate assisted ventilation, ventilation for more than 6 hours, NICU admission for continuous mechanical ventilation, surfactant replacement therapy, as well as cases of suspected sepsis, seizures, or serious neurological problems.

    “Smoking either before pregnancy or in each of the 3 trimesters of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of major neonatal health issues, either separately or combined, after adjusting for potentially influential factors, including age, ethnicity, and weight (BMI) before pregnancy,” the news release stated.

    In cases where expectant mothers smoked before pregnancy, there was more 27% higher risk of having more than one major neonatal health issue. The risk was 31-32% higher if she smoked at any time during her pregnancy.

    When compared to expectant mothers who did not smoke at all, both smoking before pregnancy and during any point of pregnancy puts newborns at higher risk of having more than one health issue.

    “Even light smoking—1–2 cigarettes a day—was associated with a heightened risk of major neonatal health issues. For example, among mothers who smoked 1–2 cigarettes a day before pregnancy, the risk was 16% higher, rising to 31% higher if they smoked 20 or more a day,” the news release stated.

    When an expectant mother smokes just one or two cigarettes a day, the newborn’s risk of admission to intensive care is 13% higher. This risk increases to 29% for those who smoke 20 or more cigarettes daily.

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  • Study Says Reducing Red Meat Could Lower Risk

    Study Says Reducing Red Meat Could Lower Risk

    Iron is beneficial for health, but the source of iron can affect your diabetes risk, according to a study. Researchers found that heme iron, which is present in red meat and other animal products, could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, non-heme iron in plant-based food does not pose a similar risk.

    The latest study conducted by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health adds more evidence to previous studies that have identified diabetes risks associated with red meat.

    The research evaluated 206,615 adults enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Studies I and II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study for their dietary details over 36 years. The iron intake of the participants including the total, heme, non-heme, dietary, and supplemental was noted along with their type 2 diabetes status. The results were published in Nature Metabolism.

    “The study found a significant association between higher heme iron intake and T2D risk. Participants in the highest intake group had a 26% higher risk of developing T2D than those in the lowest intake group,” the news release stated.

    The results also showed that heme iron accounted for more than half of the type 2 diabetes risk associated with unprocessed red meat and also contributed moderately to the risk from various dietary patterns related to type 2 diabetes. However, there was no significant association between intakes of non-heme iron from diet or supplements with diabetes risk.

    “Compared to prior studies that relied solely on epidemiological data, we integrated multiple layers of information, including epidemiological data, conventional metabolic biomarkers, and cutting-edge metabolomics. This allowed us to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the association between iron intake and T2D risk, as well as potential metabolic pathways underlying this association,” said lead author Fenglei Wang, research associate in the Department of Nutrition.

    The researchers also raised concern about the addition of heme to plant-based meat alternatives to enhance their meaty flavor and appearance. As these alternatives gain popularity, they suggest that further investigation into the health effects is needed.

    “This study underscores the importance of healthy dietary choices in diabetes prevention. Reducing heme iron intake, particularly from red meat, and adopting a more plant-based diet can be effective strategies in lowering diabetes risk,” said corresponding author Frank Hu, Fredrick J., Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology.

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  • Diabetic Remission Possible Through Soups And Shakes Diet, Says Study

    Diabetic Remission Possible Through Soups And Shakes Diet, Says Study

    Diabetes is considered a lifelong progressive condition, but a study gives hope to millions of people struggling with it as researchers say diabetic remission is possible through a simple dietary intervention.

    A patient is considered to be in diabetic remission when their blood sugar drops below the diabetic threshold levels and remains there for at least three months, without any glucose-lowering medications. Diabetic remission does not mean that the patients will not have high blood sugar levels later in life, but will have no symptoms and complications from the condition.

    A recent study led by a team of researchers from the NHS, U.K. found that a weight loss diet strategy termed “soups and shakes diet” that involves the use of nutritionally formulated products such as soups, shakes, and bars could lead to remission of type 2 diabetes.

    The research team came across the benefits after examining participants of the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission (T2DR) program, a 12-month behavioral intervention program for weight loss. The program included an initial 3-month period of total diet replacement during which the participants had nutritionally formulated products such as soups, shakes, and bars with a total daily calorie intake of 800 to 900 kcal.

    Out of 7,540 people referred to the T2DR, 1,740 individuals began total diet replacement before January 2022 and completed 12 months, with an average weight loss of 8.3% or 9.4 kg.

    Among a subgroup of 710 participants who started the program before January 2022 and had two HbA1c measurements recorded, the diabetes remission rate was 27%, with a mean weight loss of 13.4%. For the 945 participants who completed the program and had two HbA1c measurements recorded, the average weight loss was 10.3 kg, and their remission rate was 32%.

    “These latest findings add to the real-world evidence that the NHS England Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Program can help thousands of people living with type 2 diabetes on their weight loss and remission journey, which we know is tough and having support is critical. We hope to see even more people benefiting in years to come and an increase in referrals to the program especially for people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and in younger people where the impact of type 2 diabetes and remission from it is greatest,” said Dr Elizabeth Robertson, Director of Research at Diabetes UK.

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  • Skin-To-Skin Cuddling Improves Neurodevelopment, Says Study

    Skin-To-Skin Cuddling Improves Neurodevelopment, Says Study

    Looking after preemies demands specialized knowledge and nuanced care. But what if they just need warm cuddles to boost their cognitive skills? A study revealed that even small increases in the amount of skin-to-skin time with them could make a measurable difference in their neurologic development in the first year.

    The skin-to-skin time with parents, often called kangaroo care, is a simple intervention where a newborn, dressed only in a diaper, is held close to the chest. Kangaroo care has been a prevalent technique for improving newborn survival rates in low-income countries, benefiting not only preterm infants but also healthy full-term newborns. The caring technique helps them keep warm, improves parent-child bonding, and helps initiate breastfeeding.

    The new study suggests kangaroo care as an effective technique for improving cognitive skills in babies, particularly those born prematurely, who are at risk for long-term neurodevelopmental problems, including developmental delays and learning disabilities.

    “It is interesting and exciting that it doesn’t take much to really improve babies’ outcomes. It didn’t matter if the baby was from a high- or low-income family; the effects we found were the same. And it didn’t matter if the baby was sicker or less sick — both responded to this treatment,” Katherine Travis, the study’s senior author, said in a news release.

    For the study, the researchers looked at the medical records of 181 premature infants, those born at least eight weeks early at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, California, between May 1, 2018, and June 15, 2022. The amount of skin-to-skin care given to babies was estimated from patients’ medical charts kept at the hospital.

    All the infants were free from genetic or congenital conditions known to affect their neurodevelopment. They were born on average, at around 28 weeks gestation, or roughly 12 weeks before their expected due dates, and spent an average of about two and a half months in the hospital.

    During the follow-up evaluations at six months and 12 months, the infants were assessed for their visual-motor problem-solving skills and expressive and receptive language skills using simple tests such as dropping a cube into a cup or testing to see if they turn to where the sound of a bell comes from.

    The results showed that even small increases in skin-to-skin care made a large difference in their neurodevelopmental scores at 12 months, with an average of 20 minutes more of kangaroo care tied to a 10-point increase in the neurodevelopment score.

    The link between increased frequency and duration of skin-to-skin contact and cognitive scores existed even after controlling for possible confounding factors, such as their gestational age, medical complications, frequency of getting admitted to NICU, and the family’s socioeconomic status.

    “We think of the womb as our benchmark for preterm babies. In utero, a fetus is physically contained, listening to the maternal heartbeat, hearing mom’s voice, and probably hearing her digest her sandwich. In the NICU, they’re not next to anybody, and they hear the fan in the incubator; it’s a very different environment. Skin-to-skin care is probably the closest we can get to mimicking the womb,” study co-author Dr. Melissa Scala explained.

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  • Sugar Substitute Erythritol Raises Risk Of Heart Attacks, Stroke: Study

    Sugar Substitute Erythritol Raises Risk Of Heart Attacks, Stroke: Study

    Sugar is a known health risk for several metabolic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. But are sugar substitutes risk-free?

    Adding more evidence to the increased risk associated with sugar substitutes, researchers of a recent study have identified that erythritol, a common low-calorie sweetener, could raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

    A team of Cleveland Clinic researchers came across startling findings while they were investigating the physiological effects of common sugar substitutes. Based on the study results published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, the researchers now caution that erythritol might not be as safe as food regulatory agencies currently classify it, calling for a reevaluation of its use.

    Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol found in fruits and vegetables and is a byproduct of glucose metabolism in human tissue. Since it is a low-carbohydrate sweetener, it is used in many “keto” products. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority classify erythritol as GRAS, (generally recognized as safe). This classification allows its unrestricted use in food products.

    The new study points to the cardiovascular risk associated with erythritol, suggesting that even a standard serving size of the sweetener could raise blood clot risk.

    “Many professional societies and clinicians routinely recommend that people at high cardiovascular risk – those with obesity, diabetes or metabolic syndrome – consume foods that contain sugar substitutes rather than sugar. These findings underscore the importance of further long-term clinical studies to assess the cardiovascular safety of erythritol and other sugar substitutes,” senior and corresponding author Dr. Stanley Hazen said in a news release.

    In a study conducted last year, it was found that cardiac patients with high erythritol levels were twice as likely to experience a major cardiac event within the next three years compared to those with lower levels. Additionally, the study revealed that adding erythritol to patients’ blood or platelets increased clot formation.

    To further investigate the effects of erythritol on blood platelets, researchers used a human intervention study that tested its use on 20 healthy individuals. The participants ingested erythritol in the form of a standard “sugarless” soda or muffin and compared the results with glucose consumption.

    The researchers then noted that after consumption of erythritol products, the level of erythritol in the blood increased by over 1,000 times compared to before. Additionally, the study showed that blood clotting increased after consuming erythritol, but this effect was not seen after consuming glucose.

    “This research raises some concerns that a standard serving of an erythritol-sweetened food or beverage may acutely stimulate a direct clot-forming effect. Erythritol and other sugar alcohols that are commonly used as sugar substitutes should be evaluated for potential long-term health effects, especially when such effects are not seen with glucose itself,” said study co-author Dr. W. H. Wilson Tang.

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  • Friend’s Genetic Traits Can Influence Your Mental Health Risk: Study

    Friend’s Genetic Traits Can Influence Your Mental Health Risk: Study

    Friendships during teen years can make or break mental health. It’s not just about the support they provide during tough times that the researchers are talking about, but how their genetic traits can affect you. The traits of your friends, particularly their genetic predisposition to mental health issues, can influence your mental health risks, a recent study revealed.

    Socio-genomics is a topic of growing interest that investigates the influence of a person’s genotype on the observable traits of another. The study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry investigated the peer’s social genetic effects and found that a person’s genetic predisposition to addiction, anxiety, and depression can have long-term consequences for their adolescent peers, affecting their risk of developing similar mental health issues later in life.

    “Peers’ genetic predispositions for psychiatric and substance use disorders are associated with an individual’s own risk of developing the same disorders in young adulthood,” said Jessica E. Salvatore, lead author of the study in a news release.

    “What our data exemplifies is the long reach of social genetic effects,” Salvatore said.

    The study was based on a database of more than 1.5 million people born in Sweden between 1980 and 1998. The researchers first mapped individuals by location and school during their teenage years. They then examined medical, pharmacy, and legal records to track substance use and mental health disorders into adulthood. Using models they tested if peers’ genetic risks predicted an individual’s risk of experiencing substance abuse, major depression, or anxiety. Peer genetic risks were assessed using family genetic risk scores for the same conditions.

    “Even when controlling for factors such as the target individuals’ own genetic predispositions and family socioeconomic factors, the researchers found a clear association between peers’ genetic predispositions and target individuals’ likelihood of developing a substance use or psychiatric disorder. The effects were stronger among school-based peers than geographically defined peers,” the news release stated.

    The researchers noted that these links were most noticeable among upper secondary school classmates, particularly those in the same vocational or college-preparatory track between ages 16 and 19. The peer’s genetic impact was greater for issues such as drug and alcohol use disorders compared to major depression and anxiety disorders.

    “The most obvious explanation for why peers’ genetic predispositions might be associated with our own well-being is the idea our peers’ genetic predispositions influence their phenotype, or the likelihood that peers are also affected by the disorder. But in our analysis, we found that peers’ genetic predispositions were associated with target individuals’ likelihood of disorder even after we statistically controlled for whether peers were affected or unaffected,” Salvatore said, adding that more research is needed to understand the mechanism.

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