Nutrition News and Research

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Nearly three in four popular comfort foods have something in common, researchers find

A US study examining 300 distinct comfort foods identified chips, ice cream, pizza, chocolate, and cookies as the most frequently nominated choices among adults. Researchers found that nearly three-quarters of the foods met hyperpalatability criteria, while approximately 43% were entirely ultra-processed under a strict classification, with relatively small nutritional differences across demographic groups.

22 Oct 2026

A study of 802 teens raises questions about school breakfast and blood sugar

A study of 802 U.S. adolescents found that school breakfast participation at least once weekly was associated with a 30% higher prevalence of prediabetes-range glucose markers, while school lunch participation showed no significant association. Higher intakes of vitamins E and B6 and fruit consumption among adolescents with obesity were associated with lower prediabetes prevalence, but none of the reported associations remained statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons.

22 Oct 2026

Starting survivorship care earlier improves head and neck cancer survival

Beginning survivorship care for head and neck cancer patients earlier is linked to better survival and lower recurrence, according to a new University of Pittsburgh study published today in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery.

22 Oct 2026

Gut bacteria use food signals to manage body's biological clock

Biological clocks are often associated with light. Historically, most people start their days when the sun is up, and end their days when the sun sets.

22 Oct 2026

Emotion management helps teens maintain weight loss after treatment

Researchers from University of California San Diego have found that adding emotion management skills to family-based behavioral weight management may help adolescents maintain weight loss after treatment ends.

22 Oct 2026

Review offers guidance for managing recurrent catheter-related bloodstream infections

Patients who depend on long-term intravenous catheters for chemotherapy, hemodialysis, intravenous nutrition and other essential therapies face an ongoing risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections, a potentially life-threatening complication that can be difficult to manage when the device remains necessary for care.

22 Oct 2026

Prenatal iron deficiency linked to lasting changes in the offspring brain

During the first weeks of pregnancy, developing cells are already laying the foundation for the brain. Iron plays a major role in the organization and shaping of cells during this stage of gestation.

21 Oct 2026

Study identifies blood proteins associated with aggressive prostate cancer risk

Proteins linked to the immune system, cell adhesion, blood vessel formation and known prostate cancer genes, were associated with the future risk of developing prostate cancer, including aggressive disease, in a new study led by researchers at Oxford Population Health.

21 Oct 2026

Beef can fit into healthy diets, but what about its environmental cost?

A narrative review published in Animal Frontiers highlights beef's contribution to high-quality protein and bioavailable micronutrients, while controlled trials generally found no adverse effects on selected cardiometabolic risk markers, although long-term disease outcomes remain uncertain. The authors argue that sustainable food policies should consider nutritional needs, environmental impacts, agricultural productivity, and rural livelihoods when evaluating beef's place in healthy diets.

21 Oct 2026

Prehabilitation program reduces death risk for frail transplant candidates

When transplant candidates become frail, doctors often worry that they are too weak to survive transplantation.

21 Oct 2026

Duke initiative aims to bring dementia AI tools into clinical practice

Artificial intelligence (AI) could transform care for older adults and people living with dementia, but few tools have successfully moved from research into routine clinical practice.

21 Oct 2026

Rice, fish and pickles: Is the traditional Japanese diet as healthy as we think?

A systematic review of 37 studies found that greater adherence to predefined Japanese-style dietary patterns was associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, based on pooled evidence from three cohort studies. However, health associations varied according to dietary composition, suggesting that traditional Japanese diet scores alone may not adequately distinguish the potential benefits and risks of different food combinations.

20 Oct 2026

Scientists found a link between Mediterranean diet blood markers and longer survival

Researchers found that a previously validated 67-metabolite blood signature of Mediterranean diet adherence was associated with lower long-term mortality across a Spanish trial population and three US cohorts. Participants with the highest signature scores had a 23% lower relative hazard of death than those with the lowest scores in both populations, although the findings do not establish a causal relationship.

20 Oct 2026

A 20-year study of 90,000 adults suggests the type of fish you eat matters

A Japanese study following 90,944 adults for an average of 20.8 years found that associations between seafood consumption and mortality varied by fish type and sex. Moderate seafood consumption was linked to lower overall mortality among women, while higher intake of omega-3-rich fish in women and unsalted seafood in men was associated with lower cerebrovascular disease mortality.

20 Oct 2026

Why the same healthy diet may not work the same way for everyone

A review published in Nutrients proposes a seven-pillar precision nutrition framework that combines biological, behavioral, and environmental information to tailor dietary interventions throughout life. The authors identify potential benefits for cardiovascular, respiratory, blood, and sleep health, while emphasizing the need for further clinical trials to establish effective, accessible, and personalized nutritional strategies.

20 Oct 2026

Vaccination does not alter post-COVID smell and taste loss

Researchers examining whether COVID-19 vaccination affects persistent smell or taste problems after contracting the virus have found that, in most cases, it does not.

20 Oct 2026

Your age may not tell the whole story about how healthy you are

Researchers developed a five-factor Lifestyle Index assessing physical activity, BMI, smoking, sleep quality, and sexual satisfaction in 312 Swiss adults aged 35 to 65 years. Higher scores were modestly associated with younger bio-functional age, suggesting a relationship between combined lifestyle patterns and functional health, although the findings cannot establish causation.

19 Oct 2026

Could eating whey protein before meals help reduce blood sugar spikes?

A narrative review of 57 randomized trials found that milk and dairy products have inconsistent effects on long-term blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. Whey protein consumed before meals more consistently reduced short-term blood sugar spikes, but further research is needed to establish whether these benefits persist over time.

19 Oct 2026

Miro1 protein linked to insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes

A protein called Miro1 found at elevated levels in the skeletal muscle of people with Type 2 diabetes may contribute to insulin resistance, potentially making it a target for future treatments that help the body regulate blood sugar, according to a study published today in Nature Communications.

19 Oct 2026