Staying Healthy News

June 11, 2025

Top Headlines

Why Your Diet Might Be Making You Sad--Especially If You're a Man

June 7, 2025 — New research reveals a surprising downside to calorie-cutting diets: a link to higher levels of depressive symptoms, especially in men and those who are overweight. Despite popular beliefs that healthy eating boosts mental wellness, real-life ...

School Dinners May Encourage Picky Teenagers to Eat Better, Says New Study

May 15, 2025 — Having school dinners rather than packed lunches could encourage picky eating 13-year-olds to eat a wider variety of foods, according to a new ...

In Healthy Aging, Carb Quality Counts

May 16, 2025 — Intakes of dietary fiber and high-quality carbohydrates in midlife are linked to increased likelihood of healthy aging and other positive health outcomes in older women. Higher intakes of refined carbohydrates and starchy vegetables were associated ...

Lack of Sleep Can Increase the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

May 8, 2025 — Even a few nights with insufficient sleep promote molecular mechanisms linked to a greater risk of heart problems. This has been shown in a new study in which the researchers investigated how sleep deprivation affects biomarkers (in this case ...

Eating Ultra Processed Foods May Speed Up Early Signs of Parkinson's Disease

May 7, 2025 — People who eat more ultra processed foods like cold breakfast cereal, cookies and hot dogs are more likely to have early signs of Parkinson's disease when compared to those who eat very few ultra ...

Eating Ultra-Processed Foods May Harm Your Health

May 8, 2025 — Consumption of ultra-processed foods, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, potato chips and packaged cookies, may be associated with adverse health outcomes. Study finds each additional 100 grams/day consumption of ultra-processed foods increased risk ...

A Healthy Diet in Childhood Is Linked to Starting Menstrual Periods Later, Regardless of BMI or Height

May 6, 2025 — Eating a healthy diet as a child is linked to girls having their first menstrual period at an older age than those who consumed a less healthy diet, according to a new study. The findings remained ...

Junk Food for Thought: Landmark Study Directly Links Ultra-Processed Foods to Poor Health

May 7, 2025 — A landmark study exploring consumption of chips, frozen pizzas, breakfast cereals and other ultra-processed foods typically loaded with fat, sugar and additives has confirmed these foods are directly ...

Food as Medicine: How Diet Shapes Gut Microbiome Health

May 6, 2025 — Researchers show how mice fed a Western-style diet are not able to rebuild a 'healthy,' diverse gut microbiome following antibiotic treatment. These mice were also more susceptible to infection by pathogens like Salmonella. However, mice given food ...

The Effects of Smoking, Drinking and Lack of Exercise Are Felt by the Age of 36, New Research Indicates

May 1, 2025 — Bad habits such as smoking, heavy drinking and lack of exercise must be tackled as early as possible to boost the odds of a happy and healthy old ...

Impact of Processing on Biochemical Composition of Plant-Based Products Revealed

Apr. 10, 2025 — A study showed that different processing methods significantly affect the biochemical composition of plant-based foods. Current food classification systems do not sufficiently acknowledge the ...

Researchers Find Intestinal Immune Cell Prevents Food Allergies

Apr. 3, 2025 — Researchers found that a small population of immune cells in the mouse intestine prevents allergic responses to food, suggesting that targeting such cells therapeutically could potentially lead to a new treatment for ...

Latest Headlines

updated 8:17am EDT

Western Diet Causes Inflammation, Traditional African Food Protects

Apr. 3, 2025 — A switch of just two weeks from a traditional African diet to a Western diet causes inflammation, reduces the immune response to pathogens, and activates processes associated with lifestyle diseases. ...

When It Comes to Obesity-Related Cancers, Where You Shop for Food Matters

Apr. 2, 2025 — Obesity is at epidemic proportions in the United States where more than 40% of adults are obese and more than 70% are overweight. One common policy intervention to tackle this urgent issue is to try ...

How Time-Restricted Eating Affects Weight Loss

Mar. 26, 2025 — A new study indicates that when healthy adults pair an eight-hour eating window with regular exercise, they lose more fat -- without sacrificing lean muscle -- compared to exercise ...

Scientists Discover Why Obesity Takes Away the Pleasure of Eating

Mar. 26, 2025 — Many obese people report losing pleasure in eating rich foods -- something also seen in obese mice. Scientists have now discovered the reason. Long-term high-fat diets lower levels of neurotensin in ...

Healthy Eating in Midlife Linked to Overall Healthy Aging

Mar. 24, 2025 — Maintaining a healthy diet rich in plant-based foods, with low to moderate intake of healthy animal-based foods and lower intake of ultra-processed foods, was linked to a higher likelihood of healthy ...

Feline Therapy: Study Suggests Cats Could Fill an Assistive Niche

Mar. 18, 2025 — For years, therapy dogs have ruled the world of animal-assisted services (AAS), offering stress relief to college students, hospital patients, and those in need of emotional support. But research ...

Tax Sugar and Salt in Food to Improve Health?

Mar. 17, 2025 — Introducing a new salt levy is another proposal put forward in a comprehensive set of recommended regulations for the food ...

Retiring Abroad Puts Older Adults at Risk for Loneliness

Mar. 13, 2025 — Many people dream of retiring to a warmer, less expensive country. But retirees who move abroad may be at greater risk of loneliness than those who stay in their home country, according to new ...

Scientists Identify Genes That Make Humans and Labradors More Likely to Become Obese

Mar. 6, 2025 — Researchers have discovered genes linked to obesity in both Labradors and humans. They say the effects can be over-ridden with a strict diet and ...

A Third of Children Worldwide Forecast to Be Obese or Overweight by 2050

Mar. 3, 2025 — Obesity rates are set to skyrocket, with one in six children and adolescents worldwide forecast to be obese by 2050, according to a new study. But with significant increases predicted within the next ...

Morning Blue Light Therapy Improves Sleep and Daily Activity in Older Adults

Feb. 25, 2025 — Blue-enriched light can improve sleep quality and daily activity in older adults living at home, according to new research. Researchers found that this type of light therapy led to greater daytime ...

Lifestyle Choices During Pregnancy Can Impact Child's Motor Development Up to the Age of 5-6 Years

Feb. 25, 2025 — A healthy diet in early pregnancy supports the child's motor development at the age of 5-6 years. Higher maternal body fat mass, on the other hand, has an adverse effect on the child's ...

Plant-Rich, Low Saturated-Fat Diet Associated With Reduced Psoriasis Severity

Feb. 21, 2025 — A diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy foods and lean meats, low in salt and sugar, is associated with reduced psoriasis severity, new research ...

Disordered Eating and Certain Foods Linked to Higher Risk for Urinary Incontinence in Middle-Aged Women

Feb. 13, 2025 — Eating behavior is associated with symptoms of pelvic floor disorders in middle-aged women. For example, higher consumption of highly processed ready-made foods and fast food increased the risk for ...

Second-Hand Smoke Exposure During Childhood Leaves Its Mark on Children's DNA

Feb. 11, 2025 — Children exposed to second-hand smoke at home are more likely to show certain changes in the epigenome, which can alter the way genes are expressed. These epigenetic changes could influence the ...

Barbeque and Grandma's Cookies: New Study Looks at Nostalgia, Comfort in Food Preparation for Older Adults

Feb. 11, 2025 — Foods that evoke a sense of nostalgia and comfort and have good texture variety are important considerations in prepared meals aimed at older adults, according to new ...

Nutrition Labels Meant to Promote Healthy Eating Could Discourage Purchases

Feb. 6, 2025 — As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration weighs whether to require front-of-package food labels, a new study shows some food labels designed to nudge Americans toward healthier food choices can have ...

Molecular Basis of Food Allergy

Feb. 3, 2025 — A multi-institutional study has identified one of the allergens responsible for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), an inflammatory disease of the esophagus. This is the first time one of the allergens ...

Suboptimal Dietary Patterns May Accelerate Biological Aging as Early as Young Adulthood

Jan. 30, 2025 — Humans do not always age biologically at the same rate as their chronological age. Faster biological aging compared to chronological age has been linked to higher risks of disease and mortality. ...

Young Adults More Active After Starting Work, but Sleep Less -- Unless Working from Home

Jan. 27, 2025 — When young adults start working, the amount of daily physical activity they do increases sharply, only to fall away again over the new few years, while the amount of sleep they get falls slightly, ...

Myth Busted: Healthy Habits Take Longer Than 21 Days to Set in

Jan. 24, 2025 — We're nearly one month into 2025, but if you're struggling to hold onto your New Year's resolution, stay strong, as new research shows that forming a healthy habit can take longer than ...

Smoking Cannabis in the Home Increases Odds of Detectable Levels in Children

Jan. 23, 2025 — Researchers analyzed cannabis smoking practices to assess whether in-home smoking was associated with cannabis detection in ...

Morning Coffee May Protect the Heart Better Than All-Day Coffee Drinking

Jan. 7, 2025 — People who drink coffee in the morning have a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a lower overall mortality risk compared to all-day coffee drinkers, according to new ...

Africa: Better Roads Promote Greater Dietary Diversity

Jan. 2, 2025 — A balanced diet is important for reducing hunger and malnutrition. Researchers thus advocate that small farmers in low- and middle-income countries should try to produce as many different foods as ...

Most Women Get Low Grades in Healthy Eating During and After Pregnancy

Dec. 19, 2024 — New research finds a pervasive low-quality diet among pregnant and postpartum individuals, reflecting 'an urgent need for widespread ...

New Study Pinpoints Pivotal Period for Improving Cardiovascular Health in Children

Dec. 18, 2024 — A new study sheds light on the trajectory of cardiovascular health (CVH) early in life, which may contribute to CVH disparities in adulthood. Across demographic subgroups, CVH scores begin to decline ...

More Calories -- More Consumption: Individuals With and Without Obesity Both Prefer High-Calories Food, Study Finds

Dec. 17, 2024 — Higher calorie foods were preferred among individuals with and without obesity despite similar taste and texture, according to a new ...

How Chemical Reactions Deplete Nutrients in Plant-Based Drinks

Dec. 13, 2024 — A new study of plant-based drinks reveals a common issue: they are lacking in proteins and essential amino acids compared to cow's milk. The explanation lies in their extensive processing, ...

Soda Taxes Don't Just Affect Sales: They Help Change People's Minds

Dec. 10, 2024 — The city of Berkeley's first-in-the-nation soda tax a decade ago, along with more recent Bay Area tax increases on sugar-sweetened drinks, have not only led to reduced sales. They are also ...

A Healthy Diet Helps the Weighty Battle With Chronic Pain

Dec. 8, 2024 — New research shows that adopting a healthy diet can reduce the severity of chronic pain, presenting an easy and accessible way for sufferers to better manage their ...