Health Journal Online

Tag: Study

  • Cutting Out This Item From Your Diet Could Reverse Aging, New Study Finds

    Cutting Out This Item From Your Diet Could Reverse Aging, New Study Finds

    Your health isn’t solely influenced by what you eat but also by what you cut off from your diet. Researchers have now identified a specific item in your daily diet that, when reduced, could potentially reverse the signs of aging.

    Fruits, veggies, and a diet rich in vitamins and minerals are all essential for healthy aging. However, a recent study identified that even when people ate healthy diets, each gram of added sugar could increase their biological age.

    The study published in Jama Network Open examined the link between added sugar and epigenetic aging, which assesses an individual’s aging through DNA methylation patterns. The findings revealed that cutting back on sugar had a profound effect, potentially reversing biological aging at the cellular level.

    “We knew that high levels of added sugars are linked to worsened metabolic health and early disease, possibly more than any other dietary factor. Now we know that accelerated epigenetic aging is underlying this relationship, and this is likely one of many ways that excessive sugar intake limits healthy longevity,” said study co-senior author Elissa Epel in a news release.

    Co-senior author Barbara Laraia said, “Given that epigenetic patterns appear to be reversible, it may be that eliminating 10 grams of added sugar per day is akin to turning back the biological clock by 2.4 months, if sustained over time. Focusing on foods that are high in key nutrients and low in added sugars may be a new way to help motivate people to eat well for longevity.”

    The study examined dietary records of 342 Black and white women with a mean age of 39 years in Northern California. To understand their epigenetic scores, they assessed the saliva samples of the participants, which were then compared against the dietary records.

    The researchers also compared the diet scores of the participants against a Mediterranean-style diet rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods and a diet linked to reduced risk for chronic disease.

    Finally, they evaluated the diets using the “Epigenetic Nutrient Index (ENI),” which measured nutrients linked to anti-oxidative or anti-inflammatory processes and DNA maintenance and repair. The results suggest that adherence to all diets rich in Vitamins A, C, B12, and E, folate, selenium, magnesium, dietary fiber, and isoflavones was associated with a lower epigenetic age. However, the strongest association was seen with the Mediterranean diet.

    The researchers came across a key finding: consuming foods with added sugar was linked to accelerated biological aging, even if the rest of the diet was healthy.

    “The diets we examined align with existing recommendations for preventing disease and promoting health, and they highlight the potency of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients in particular. From a lifestyle medicine standpoint, it is empowering to see how heeding these recommendations may promote a younger cellular age relative to chronological age,” said Dorothy Chiu, the first author of the study.

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  • Pesticide Use In Farms Poses Cancer Risk Similar To Smoking: Study

    Pesticide Use In Farms Poses Cancer Risk Similar To Smoking: Study

    Pesticides are vital for achieving high crop yields and ensuring food security, but what is the cost to human health? A study adds to the growing concern, revealing that the cancer risk associated with pesticide use in agriculture is similar to that of smoking.

    The cancer risk from smoking is well-known, but researchers are now drawing a stark comparison with the dangers posed by agricultural use of pesticides. Their findings reveal significant links between pesticide exposure and several forms of cancer, including leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, as well as bladder, lung, and pancreatic cancers.

    “In our study, we found that for some cancers, the effect of agricultural pesticide usage is comparable in magnitude to the effect of smoking,” Dr. Isain Zapata, the study’s senior author from the College of Osteopathic Medicine, Colorado, said in a news release.

    “It is difficult to explain the magnitude of an issue without presenting any context, so we incorporated smoking data. We were surprised to see estimates in similar ranges,” Zapata said.

    To explore potential connections between pesticide exposure and cancer rates, the researchers analyzed data on 69 different pesticides from the United States Geological Survey. In a population-based, nationwide study, they examined county-wide agricultural pesticide use alongside cancer incidence and found that the impact of pesticides on cancer rates might rival that of smoking. The results of the study were published in the journal Frontiers.

    Since pesticides are rarely used in isolation, pinpointing a single culprit is difficult. Although some pesticides may be more frequently discussed in connection with cancer, it is the combination of several pesticides that often makes the impact, the researchers explained.

    “In the real world, it is not likely that people are exposed to a single pesticide, but more to a cocktail of pesticides within their region,” Zapata said.

    “Geographic trends showed that counties with higher agricultural productivity, such as the leading corn-producing states of the Midwest, also have increased cancer risk due to pesticide exposure. Our results highlight the relevance of comprehensive assessments for the development of policy considerations and the implementation of preventive measures to mitigate the risks for vulnerable communities. Our study pioneers and lays a holistic vision foundation for future pesticide-related cancer risk assessments,” the researchers wrote.

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