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Choosing better carbs in low-carb diets boosts health outcomes

A long-term study of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort found that low-carbohydrate diets emphasizing high-quality carbs, like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, were linked to reduced inflammation and oxidative stress. Diets low in carbohydrate quality offered no such benefits.

29 May 2025

Coronary inflammation marker helps identify hidden heart risk in young adults

Researchers found that peri-coronary adipose tissue attenuation (PCAT), a marker of coronary inflammation, is independently associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in young adults. Adding PCAT to standard risk models improved detection of early atherosclerosis, even in patients with a zero calcium score.

28 May 2025

How dietary zinc affects your chances of having a stroke

Moderate zinc intake is associated with a significantly lower prevalence of stroke among U.S. adults. Higher intake beyond this range offers no added benefit, suggesting a threshold effect.

28 May 2025

MRI scans reveal why young women face higher risk for eating disorders

Advanced high-field MRI reveals distinct microstructural changes in hypothalamic subregions of young women with anorexia nervosa and obesity. These alterations may underlie increased vulnerability to eating disorders and point toward new neurobiological treatment targets.

26 May 2025

Which diet lowers blood pressure more: keto or Mediterranean?

A pilot study comparing a low-calorie, high-protein ketogenic diet and a Mediterranean diet in overweight and obese adults with elevated blood pressure found that both diets led to significant weight loss, improved body composition, and reduced blood pressure. Both dietary approaches were safe and well-tolerated, but the Mediterranean diet group showed a greater proportion of participants with healthy nocturnal blood pressure dipping.

26 May 2025

Is a vegan diet the right choice for your child?

A new scoping review analyzes current evidence on vegan diets in children, examining health outcomes, growth, and nutritional adequacy. The findings show that well-planned vegan diets can support normal growth, but highlight crucial gaps and the need for ongoing clinical and research guidance.

26 May 2025

Heavy smoking triggers systemic inflammation and vascular damage in new biomarker study

Heavy smoking in adult males significantly increases oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular dysfunction, as shown by comprehensive blood and tissue biomarker analysis. The findings highlight measurable biological damage and reinforce the urgent need for targeted public health interventions.

26 May 2025

Blood test pinpoints early Alzheimer’s risk with high accuracy

Researchers evaluated a fully automated plasma biomarker panel to detect early amyloid-β accumulation in cognitively unimpaired adults at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Plasma p-tau217/Aβ42 emerged as the most robust and accurate blood-based marker for identifying preclinical amyloid pathology.

26 May 2025

Large global study links higher alcohol intake to increased pancreatic cancer risk

A pooled analysis of over 2.4 million adults across four continents shows a modest but significant increase in pancreatic cancer risk with higher alcohol consumption. The risk is especially pronounced for beer and liquor, and at higher intake levels in men and women.

25 May 2025

Muscle quality linked to cognitive health in middle age

Over the past decade, much research has focused on the connection between skeletal muscle health and cognitive disorders.

23 May 2025

Air pollution’s chemical punch alters immune markers in pregnant women, study finds

Personal exposure to nitrogen dioxide and the oxidative potential of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), but not PM2.5 mass, influenced immune biomarker levels in pregnant women. These findings suggest that the chemical reactivity of air pollutants may play a key role in maternal and fetal immune health.

22 May 2025

Mild winter temperatures offer surprising mental health benefits

Higher ambient temperatures during the cold season were linked to reduced stress, improved life satisfaction, better self-reported health, and less loneliness in a large Swiss population study. While effects were modest at the individual level, they highlight the broader mental health impacts of seasonal temperature changes.

22 May 2025

Endurance training leads to significant drops in vascular resistance and diastolic blood pressure

Eight months of supervised marathon training in Finnish adults led to moderate reductions in peripheral diastolic blood pressure, systemic vascular resistance, and extracellular water volume. Central (aortic) blood pressure showed a non-significant decline, highlighting the specific impact of exercise on vascular health.

22 May 2025

Early childhood weight patterns linked to future obesity risk

Not all children grow the same way. A new study from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program suggests that body weight changes in early childhood may be associated with later obesity risk.

22 May 2025

Mediterranean eating habits help European children fight genetic obesity risk

A large European cohort study found that adherence to the Mediterranean diet mitigates the impact of genetic risk for obesity in children, especially in early childhood. High consumption of vegetables and legumes was linked to lower obesity risk, regardless of genetic predisposition.

22 May 2025

Blood and urine tests reveal how much ultra-processed food you really eat, study finds

Researchers developed and validated blood and urine metabolite scores that objectively measure ultra-processed food (UPF) intake in adults. These biomarker profiles accurately distinguished between high- and low-UPF diets and may transform nutrition research and public health monitoring.

21 May 2025

Trump won’t force Medicaid to cover GLP-1S for obesity. A few states are doing it anyway.

When Page Campbell's doctor recommended she try an injectable prescription drug called Wegovy to lose weight before scheduling bariatric surgery, she readily agreed.

21 May 2025

BMI changes in adolescence mediate the effect of air pollution on metabolic health

Changes in Body Mass Index (BMI) during adolescence play an important role in the association between air pollution exposure and insulin resistance, according to a new study led by investigators from the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

20 May 2025

Gut bacteria and genes jointly shape obesity risk, review reveals hidden links

Researchers examined the heritability of body mass index (BMI), highlighting that genetics and the gut microbiome both play major roles in obesity risk. The review emphasizes that maternal microbiome transmission and family environment may help explain “missing heritability” beyond known genetic factors.

20 May 2025

Eating kombu daily enhances gut health and heart markers in men

A 12-week randomized trial found that daily intake of boiled kombu (Laminaria japonica) powder reduced body fat and raised adiponectin in Japanese men, while improving blood pressure and gut microbiota in both sexes. No significant effects were seen in women for body fat reduction or adiponectin.

20 May 2025