Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Fast food is crowding out grocery access across the U.S.

A 20-year analysis of US neighborhood foodscapes found that food swamps became more common from 2003 to 2023, while food deserts showed little improvement. Rural communities and people relying on public transport faced the greatest barriers to reaching healthy food retailers.

4 Jun 2026

What older adults eat may shape dementia risk

Higher ultraprocessed food intake was associated with increased risks of dementia, cognitive impairment with no dementia, and the combined outcome among older US adults in the Health and Retirement Study. Minimally processed food intake showed the opposite pattern, although the observational findings require cautious interpretation because diet was self-reported and cognitive outcomes were not clinically diagnosed.

4 Jun 2026

Industrial processing of food poses health risks beyond poor nutrition

Concerns about the health effects of ultra-processed foods are growing, as studies increasingly link them to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and even early death.

4 Jun 2026

Exercise during pregnancy links to lower infant BMI at one year

Supervised exercise during pregnancy may lower infant BMI and reduce obesity risk, highlighting the impact of maternal health on early growth trajectories.

4 Jun 2026

Constipation may be tied to more than discomfort

Constipation was associated with approximately twofold higher odds of depression in a meta-analysis of 18 observational studies involving 730,263 participants. The findings support integrated gastrointestinal and mental health assessment, especially for adolescents and young adults, while emphasizing that causality cannot yet be established.

3 Jun 2026

Clean drinking water shortages threaten food security across nations

A new global study has found that people without access to clean drinking water are significantly more likely to experience food insecurity and food safety threats, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated global action to address these issues together.

3 Jun 2026

Americans view ultraprocessed foods as addictive and harmful

Across partisan lines, Americans broadly believe ultraprocessed foods are addictive and harmful – expressing attitudes strikingly like those that spurred regulation of the tobacco industry, new Cornell University-led research finds.

3 Jun 2026

Ketogenic diet shows promise in treating anorexia nervosa

A pilot study published today in Communications Medicine demonstrates the potential of a new approach to treating anorexia nervosa - a disorder for which effective treatments have been significantly limited.

3 Jun 2026

The best foods for brain health may change as you age

Investigating brain foods, this review highlights dietary influences on cognition and neurodevelopment, while addressing significant gaps in current research.

3 Jun 2026

Brain-body interactions during hunger make imagined food especially tempting

We are often told not to go to the supermarket on an empty stomach.

3 Jun 2026

New US dietary guidelines may raise the climate cost of protein

Removing ultra-processed foods from the Mean American Diet could reduce environmental impacts, but the benefits are largely offset when the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are modeled with higher protein intake. The study found that higher-protein, animal-heavy diets increased greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and nitrogen fertilizer use compared with current diets, while plant-based protein scenarios produced substantially lower impacts.

2 Jun 2026

GLP-1 therapy linked to slower biological aging processes

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medications have gained widespread attention for effectively treating obesity, lowering blood sugar and decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

2 Jun 2026

Is any level of alcohol safe? Major review reveals where drinking risks rise

This Burden of Proof review found that alcohol consumption is associated with higher risks for several cancers, liver disease, pancreatitis, lower respiratory infections, tuberculosis, and atrial fibrillation. Although low-to-moderate drinking showed modest observational links with lower risks of type 2 diabetes, dementia, and some cardiovascular outcomes, the evidence was weaker and potentially biased.

2 Jun 2026

Existing drug mitigates muscle loss from GLP-1 medications

Millions of Americans are currently taking GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic or Wegovy for weight loss.

2 Jun 2026

City of Hope sets new standard for lifelong, research-driven cancer survivorship care

Supporting the growing number of Americans living with cancer has become one of the most urgent challenges in modern cancer care as more people live years or decades beyond a diagnosis.

2 Jun 2026

Tailored meal programs reduce hospitalizations for chronic disease patients

At least a dozen U.S. states are rolling out medically tailored meals in pilot projects through Medicaid, the federal–state health insurance program serving 71 million Americans who qualify based on income or disability status.

2 Jun 2026

Advancing Human Muscle Models for Drug Development and Preclinical Testing

Transforming drug development, Myomaker Bio's lab-grown muscle platforms offer human-relevant models for effective preclinical testing and risk reduction.

From Myomaker Bio 2 Jun 2026

Eating a Mediterranean diet may lower anxiety symptoms in teens

Findings reveal that the Mediterranean diet may reduce anxiety symptoms in adolescents, with maternal dietary habits also impacting offspring mental health.

2 Jun 2026

Pediatric experts reveal the 10 research areas set to shape child health

Pediatric research leaders identified 10 high-promise areas likely to shape child health over the next 5 to 10 years, including genomics, mental health, vaccines, artificial intelligence, perinatal medicine, precision therapeutics, health equity, nutrition, environmental health, and cancer treatment. The paper argues that these opportunities will only translate into better outcomes if pediatric research receives sustained funding, public trust, workforce support, advocacy, and equitable implementation.

1 Jun 2026