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Study links ultra-processed foods to poorer dietary quality

A higher proportion of ultra-processed food in the diet is generally associated with poorer dietary quality and, among adults, a somewhat higher prevalence of overweight and obesity.

2 Nov 2026

Permanent daylight saving time means darker morning school commutes

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill this past summer that would make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent in the United States - meaning there would be no turning back the clocks each fall.

30 Oct 2026

Brief dietary changes may prime the immune system for inflammation

Scientists have long known that diet shapes the immune system. Now, a UC San Francisco team has found that even a brief dietary change can substantially change how the body responds to skin irritation, at least in mice.

29 Oct 2026

Study highlights the hidden dangers of permanent daylight saving time

In July 2026, the US House passed legislation to make daylight saving time (DST) permanent. But a new analysis of the consequences of the "Sunshine Protection Act," reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on October 29, finds that this legislation would come with serious safety consequences for millions of schoolchildren across the US who would have to leave for school before sunrise, when fatal crashes with pedestrians are more likely, for much of the school year.

29 Oct 2026

Thyroid cancer risks and medication timing with oral GLP-1s

Like most prescriptions, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) medications to manage weight come with potential risks.

28 Oct 2026

Children's brain reward responses may explain ultra-processed food-related weight gain

Children who eat more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) show stronger responses in the brain's reward network when viewing images of appetizing foods-and these brain responses are linked to increases in body fat one year later.

23 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

Not all ultra-processed foods show the same cancer risk

Ultra-processed foods show varied associations with colorectal cancer, underscoring the need for precise research on diet quality and cancer risk factors.

20 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

Feeling mentally exhausted and feeling sleepy aren't the same

Research reveals how task difficulty and sleep restriction uniquely impact cognitive states like drowsiness and fatigue, crucial for safety in high-stakes jobs.

9 Oct 2026

Australians trust dietary advice. But few know how much fat is recommended

Australian adults show low awareness and adherence to national dietary fat guidelines.

6 Oct 2026

Banning ultra-processed foods brings major hurdles for public schools

Starting in July 2029, public schools are required to start phasing out ultra-processed foods under a new California law that prohibits schools from serving foods high in sugar, fat, salt and certain artificial food additives.

28 Sep 2026

Heated tobacco users had more hypertension, but the story is not that simple

A large Japanese real-world cohort study found that current heated tobacco product users had a higher risk of developing hypertension than never-smokers in the primary adjusted analysis. However, the association weakened in several sensitivity analyses, and the observational study could not separate the effects of current heated tobacco use from previous cigarette exposure.

27 Sep 2026

Time-restricted eating may slow early-stage Huntington's disease

A simple change in when people eat may offer a promising new approach for Huntington's disease, according to research led by Oregon Health & Science University.

17 Sep 2026

What four pregnancy eating patterns revealed about mothers and newborns

Researchers analyzing 1,404 pregnant women in Germany identified four distinct dietary patterns that differed substantially in maternal BMI, socioeconomic status, age, and gestational weight gain. A vegetable-rich pattern was also associated with selected neonatal measures, including greater birth length, but most newborn associations were modest or nonsignificant, and the observational study cannot establish causality.

6 Sep 2026

Seafood at breakfast stood out in a study of nearly 6,000 adults

Researchers analyzed dietary and sleep data from 5,975 Japanese adults to examine whether seafood, EPA, and DHA intake at different meal occasions was associated with chronotype and social jetlag. Higher intake at breakfast showed the strongest association with earlier sleep timing and less social jetlag, although the cross-sectional design cannot establish whether dietary timing influences sleep patterns or vice versa.

1 Sep 2026

Can caffeine make you mentally sharper in the morning? This study tested the idea

In a controlled crossover study of 51 recreationally active young men with low habitual caffeine intake, researchers tested whether 300 mg of caffeine taken about an hour before morning testing affected cognition, mood, temperature, appetite, and related outcomes, with reactive agility assessed in 27 participants. Caffeine did not improve cognitive or reactive agility performance or meaningfully alter mood, tiredness, appetite, or thermoregulation under the study conditions.

27 Aug 2026

Could a daily vinegar drink help with constipation? A small trial offers a clue

A randomized, double-blind trial found that adults with mild constipation who drank a vinegar beverage daily for four weeks had more frequent bowel movements than those receiving placebo. Exploratory findings also suggested earlier improvements in bowel habits, although the small feasibility-based trial requires confirmation in larger and more diverse populations.

24 Aug 2026

Sustainable algae protein enhances ketchup's nutritional value and quality

Added protein is showing up in foods from breakfast cereal to pasta, but not many condiments … yet. Researchers reporting in ACS Food Science & Technology have now developed an enriched tomato ketchup by incorporating protein extracted from algae.

7 Aug 2026