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Green energy revenues offer critical funding for universal health

The green energy transition presents a crucial opportunity to finance universal health coverage (UHC) in low and middle income countries, say experts in The BMJ's climate issue today.

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

Parents know fruit and vegetables are healthy, but many underestimate how much children need

A qualitative study involving 15 Swedish parents found that although most recognized the health benefits of fruit and vegetables, many underestimated recommended daily intake and considered serving vegetables at dinner sufficient. Researchers identified four overlapping parental roles influencing children's eating habits and suggested that clearer guidance on quantities, serving frequency, and practical feeding approaches could help families improve consumption.

15 Oct 2026

Losing weight is one thing. Keeping your muscle is another, experts say

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stand concludes that sustained calorie restriction drives weight loss, while adequate protein intake and resistance training help preserve lean mass. Reviewing intermittent fasting, ketogenic diets, and other dietary approaches, the authors emphasize individualized nutrition plans, body composition, and sustainable weight management rather than rapid weight loss alone.

14 Oct 2026

Study finds age and body composition may explain gut bacteria differences between milk drinkers

A study of 265 adults suggests that gut bacteria differences between cow's milk and plant-based drink consumers may reflect individual characteristics rather than milk choice.

8 Oct 2026

Many herbal toothpastes fell short on a key cavity-fighting ingredient

A study on herbal toothpastes reveals varying fluoride levels, antibacterial efficacy, and cytotoxicity, highlighting safety concerns in oral hygiene products.

5 Oct 2026

Overall dietary patterns matter more for heart health than nutrients

A healthy, balanced dietary pattern, rather than one focused on individual nutrients or foods is key to maintaining heart health, according to a Scientific Statement issued by the American College of Cardiology and published in JACC, its flagship journal.

30 Sep 2026

From wild rice to tarwi, researchers are exploring the health potential of Indigenous foods

A conference paper reviewed North American and Andean Indigenous foods, including Three Sisters crops, wild rice, native berries, tarwi, quinoa, and amaranth, and described their nutrients and bioactive compounds. Evidence for health effects remains limited for many of these foods, and the authors call for research developed with Indigenous communities that also supports traditional knowledge and food sovereignty.

28 Sep 2026

Could the Mediterranean diet protect the brain through the gut?

A narrative review finds that the Mediterranean diet may support brain health through gut microbiome, immune, metabolic, and barrier-related pathways, but direct human evidence that microbiome remodeling mediates neuroprotection remains limited. The proposed mechanisms involve microbial metabolites, reduced inflammatory signaling, stronger intestinal and blood-brain barrier function, and possible effects on processes linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

27 Sep 2026

Higher ultra-processed food intake linked to multiple health risks

A higher ultra processed food (UPF) intake is linked to a heightened risk of several major chronic health issues, such as digestive diseases, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome/diabetes, as well as death, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal Family Medicine and Community Health.

22 Sep 2026

Low spinal bone density may predict faster brain aging

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that lower bone mineral density in the spine was associated with faster cognitive decline and accelerated age-related white matter injury, according to a new study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America.

22 Sep 2026

Cockroaches have a reputation for surviving almost anything, but this diet proved deadly

A laboratory study tested how ultra-processed, unprocessed, and mixed diets affected survival in 127 lobster cockroaches, Nauphoeta cinerea. Cockroaches fed only ultra-processed foods had higher mortality than those given unprocessed or mixed diets, although the study could not determine whether processing, ingredients, nutrition, or differences in food intake caused the effect.

13 Sep 2026

What mothers eat in pregnancy may shape a child’s weight years later

A prospective study of 252 mother-child pairs found that higher combined maternal fruit and vegetable intake during pregnancy was associated with lower odds of overweight or obesity in children at age four. Total and natural fruit juice showed no association, whereas higher commercial fruit juice intake was associated with increased odds, though the authors emphasized that this finding was exploratory.

7 Sep 2026

Breast milk fats may reflect more than the fats a mother eats

A cross-sectional study of 109 breastfeeding women in the Netherlands found that maternal intakes of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs and trans fats were associated with corresponding fatty acid proportions in human milk. The researchers also identified links involving dietary fiber, diet quality and several micronutrients, although whether these relationships reflect direct biological effects or broader dietary patterns remains uncertain.

26 Aug 2026

Why pulses could play a bigger role in healthy and sustainable diets

A narrative review finds that pulses may support gut and metabolic health through their fiber, protein, phytochemicals, and interactions with the gut microbiota, while offering a lower environmental footprint than many animal protein sources. Human evidence is strongest for selected cardiometabolic outcomes, while many microbiome and fermentation-related benefits remain supported mainly by animal and laboratory studies.

9 Aug 2026