Latest news with #EBM
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
HSS Study at EULAR 2025 Congress Uses an AI Model to Predict Readmissions of Pregnant Women with Lupus Based on Social Determinants of Health
BARCELONA, Spain, June 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) presented a research study at the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) Annual Meeting showing that an artificial intelligence (AI)-based model can predict readmissions of pregnant women with lupus by looking at patients' social factors and clinical comorbidities. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as lupus, is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the individual's own healthy tissue, causing pain, inflammation, and eventually damage to various organs. It commonly affects young women, and pregnancy is a particularly vulnerable period for this high-risk population. Although lupus-related medical complications affect pregnancy outcomes, social determinants and economic conditions, known as social determinants of health (SDOH), may also be important in shaping maternal health outcomes. "Pregnant women with lupus have five times higher maternal mortality compared to those without lupus," said Sandhya Shri Kannayiram, MBBS, MD, rheumatology fellow at HSS and principal author of the study. "There is little data on how social factors, including Income, Insurance, housing stability, access to transportation, availability of utilities, and literacy, along with clinical comorbidities, affect pregnancy outcomes in individuals with lupus." To better understand how SDOH impact readmissions for pregnant patients with SLE, the team used ten-year data (from 2011 to 2021) from the National Readmissions Database of the US, encompassing approximately 66,000 hospitalizations in the United States, and counted the number of readmissions within 30 days of discharge during pregnancy and delivery. "We found that approximately 2,500 [pregnant women with lupus] were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days," said Dr. Kannayiram. "We used a supervised 'glass box' machine learning model called the Explainable Boosting Machine (EBM), which helped predict who is likely to return to the hospital within 30 days," said Dr. Kannayiram. She explained that EBM is a form of machine learning with a type of AI that learns from data to make predictions. "It's an AI model that can be trained on the dataset to predict outcomes with transparency and accuracy compared to traditional statistical models," she added. The team specifically examined the major social determinants from the database that may influence readmissions during pregnancy in SLE, including Income and insurance status (public, private, or self-pay). Dr. Kannayiram explained that the results obtained showed patients living in lower-income neighborhoods were nearly twice as likely to be readmitted compared to those from wealthier areas, and those with Medicaid or Medicare insurance were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days. Patients discharged to locations other than home, such as rehabilitation facilities or nursing homes, were also more likely to return. However, they also found unexpected correlations. "We found that the size of hospitals was highly related to readmissions, rather than the location, such as cities or rural areas," said Dr. Kannayiram, with large hospitals being the ones with more readmissions. Additionally, unlike most pregnancy studies, where older mothers are usually at higher risk, this study found that younger women with lupus were more likely to be readmitted. Dr. Kannayiram said that this result may be related to severe lupus in younger individuals since about half of the readmitted patients had Medicare coverage, which may suggest a high prevalence of disability or kidney disease within that younger population. By using the predictive AI model, the team also discovered that income and insurance status were among the top five predictors of 30-day readmission during pregnancy and delivery-related hospitalizations, explained Bella Mehta, MBBS, MS, MD, rheumatologist at HSS and lead author of the study. She noted that these results could inform targeted interventions, such as policy actions to advocate for improved Medicaid and Medicare coverage, as well as post-discharge care coordination. "Integrating SDOH screening into prenatal care for SLE patients, and incorporating a multidisciplinary team of social workers, could reduce preventable readmissions and improve maternal outcomes," added Dr. Mehta. According to Dr. Mehta, in future studies, the team plans to analyze in detail how individual-level social factors, such as housing instability, food insecurity, education, mental health, transportation access, and patient demographics, interact with clinical comorbidities to determine pregnancy outcomes for women with SLE. "This study underscores the vital intersection between clinical care and structural inequality," said Dr. Mehta. "The lupus community and broader maternal health initiatives must not only consider disease management but also address the social factors that influence outcomes." Poster details Title: Predictors of 30-Day Readmissions in Pregnant Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The Role of Social Determinants of HealthAuthors: Sandhya Shri Kannayiram, Yiyuan Wu, Lisa Sammaritano, Michael Lockshin, Rich Caruna, D. Ware Branch, Jane E. Salmon, Bella n°: 2325Presentation: June 14th, 2025. 10:00 AM CEST About HSS HSS is the world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 15th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2024-2025), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report "Best Children's Hospitals" list (2024-2025). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fifth consecutive year (2025). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. View source version on Contacts Tracy Hickenbottom/Rachael Rennich212-606-1197mediarelations@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
HSS Study at EULAR 2025 Congress Uses an AI Model to Predict Readmissions of Pregnant Women with Lupus Based on Social Determinants of Health
BARCELONA, Spain, June 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) presented a research study at the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) Annual Meeting showing that an artificial intelligence (AI)-based model can predict readmissions of pregnant women with lupus by looking at patients' social factors and clinical comorbidities. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as lupus, is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the individual's own healthy tissue, causing pain, inflammation, and eventually damage to various organs. It commonly affects young women, and pregnancy is a particularly vulnerable period for this high-risk population. Although lupus-related medical complications affect pregnancy outcomes, social determinants and economic conditions, known as social determinants of health (SDOH), may also be important in shaping maternal health outcomes. "Pregnant women with lupus have five times higher maternal mortality compared to those without lupus," said Sandhya Shri Kannayiram, MBBS, MD, rheumatology fellow at HSS and principal author of the study. "There is little data on how social factors, including Income, Insurance, housing stability, access to transportation, availability of utilities, and literacy, along with clinical comorbidities, affect pregnancy outcomes in individuals with lupus." To better understand how SDOH impact readmissions for pregnant patients with SLE, the team used ten-year data (from 2011 to 2021) from the National Readmissions Database of the US, encompassing approximately 66,000 hospitalizations in the United States, and counted the number of readmissions within 30 days of discharge during pregnancy and delivery. "We found that approximately 2,500 [pregnant women with lupus] were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days," said Dr. Kannayiram. "We used a supervised 'glass box' machine learning model called the Explainable Boosting Machine (EBM), which helped predict who is likely to return to the hospital within 30 days," said Dr. Kannayiram. She explained that EBM is a form of machine learning with a type of AI that learns from data to make predictions. "It's an AI model that can be trained on the dataset to predict outcomes with transparency and accuracy compared to traditional statistical models," she added. The team specifically examined the major social determinants from the database that may influence readmissions during pregnancy in SLE, including Income and insurance status (public, private, or self-pay). Dr. Kannayiram explained that the results obtained showed patients living in lower-income neighborhoods were nearly twice as likely to be readmitted compared to those from wealthier areas, and those with Medicaid or Medicare insurance were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days. Patients discharged to locations other than home, such as rehabilitation facilities or nursing homes, were also more likely to return. However, they also found unexpected correlations. "We found that the size of hospitals was highly related to readmissions, rather than the location, such as cities or rural areas," said Dr. Kannayiram, with large hospitals being the ones with more readmissions. Additionally, unlike most pregnancy studies, where older mothers are usually at higher risk, this study found that younger women with lupus were more likely to be readmitted. Dr. Kannayiram said that this result may be related to severe lupus in younger individuals since about half of the readmitted patients had Medicare coverage, which may suggest a high prevalence of disability or kidney disease within that younger population. By using the predictive AI model, the team also discovered that income and insurance status were among the top five predictors of 30-day readmission during pregnancy and delivery-related hospitalizations, explained Bella Mehta, MBBS, MS, MD, rheumatologist at HSS and lead author of the study. She noted that these results could inform targeted interventions, such as policy actions to advocate for improved Medicaid and Medicare coverage, as well as post-discharge care coordination. "Integrating SDOH screening into prenatal care for SLE patients, and incorporating a multidisciplinary team of social workers, could reduce preventable readmissions and improve maternal outcomes," added Dr. Mehta. According to Dr. Mehta, in future studies, the team plans to analyze in detail how individual-level social factors, such as housing instability, food insecurity, education, mental health, transportation access, and patient demographics, interact with clinical comorbidities to determine pregnancy outcomes for women with SLE. "This study underscores the vital intersection between clinical care and structural inequality," said Dr. Mehta. "The lupus community and broader maternal health initiatives must not only consider disease management but also address the social factors that influence outcomes." Poster details Title: Predictors of 30-Day Readmissions in Pregnant Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The Role of Social Determinants of HealthAuthors: Sandhya Shri Kannayiram, Yiyuan Wu, Lisa Sammaritano, Michael Lockshin, Rich Caruna, D. Ware Branch, Jane E. Salmon, Bella n°: 2325Presentation: June 14th, 2025. 10:00 AM CEST About HSS HSS is the world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 15th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2024-2025), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report "Best Children's Hospitals" list (2024-2025). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fifth consecutive year (2025). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. View source version on Contacts Tracy Hickenbottom/Rachael Rennich212-606-1197mediarelations@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
14-06-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
HSS Study at EULAR 2025 Congress Uses an AI Model to Predict Readmissions of Pregnant Women with Lupus Based on Social Determinants of Health
BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) presented a research study at the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) Annual Meeting showing that an artificial intelligence (AI)-based model can predict readmissions of pregnant women with lupus by looking at patients' social factors and clinical comorbidities. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as lupus, is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the individual's own healthy tissue, causing pain, inflammation, and eventually damage to various organs. It commonly affects young women, and pregnancy is a particularly vulnerable period for this high-risk population. Although lupus-related medical complications affect pregnancy outcomes, social determinants and economic conditions, known as social determinants of health (SDOH), may also be important in shaping maternal health outcomes. 'Pregnant women with lupus have five times higher maternal mortality compared to those without lupus,' said Sandhya Shri Kannayiram, MBBS, MD, rheumatology fellow at HSS and principal author of the study. 'There is little data on how social factors, including Income, Insurance, housing stability, access to transportation, availability of utilities, and literacy, along with clinical comorbidities, affect pregnancy outcomes in individuals with lupus.' To better understand how SDOH impact readmissions for pregnant patients with SLE, the team used ten-year data (from 2011 to 2021) from the National Readmissions Database of the US, encompassing approximately 66,000 hospitalizations in the United States, and counted the number of readmissions within 30 days of discharge during pregnancy and delivery. 'We found that approximately 2,500 [pregnant women with lupus] were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days,' said Dr. Kannayiram. 'We used a supervised 'glass box' machine learning model called the Explainable Boosting Machine (EBM), which helped predict who is likely to return to the hospital within 30 days,' said Dr. Kannayiram. She explained that EBM is a form of machine learning with a type of AI that learns from data to make predictions. 'It's an AI model that can be trained on the dataset to predict outcomes with transparency and accuracy compared to traditional statistical models,' she added. The team specifically examined the major social determinants from the database that may influence readmissions during pregnancy in SLE, including Income and insurance status (public, private, or self-pay). Dr. Kannayiram explained that the results obtained showed patients living in lower-income neighborhoods were nearly twice as likely to be readmitted compared to those from wealthier areas, and those with Medicaid or Medicare insurance were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days. Patients discharged to locations other than home, such as rehabilitation facilities or nursing homes, were also more likely to return. However, they also found unexpected correlations. 'We found that the size of hospitals was highly related to readmissions, rather than the location, such as cities or rural areas,' said Dr. Kannayiram, with large hospitals being the ones with more readmissions. Additionally, unlike most pregnancy studies, where older mothers are usually at higher risk, this study found that younger women with lupus were more likely to be readmitted. Dr. Kannayiram said that this result may be related to severe lupus in younger individuals since about half of the readmitted patients had Medicare coverage, which may suggest a high prevalence of disability or kidney disease within that younger population. By using the predictive AI model, the team also discovered that income and insurance status were among the top five predictors of 30-day readmission during pregnancy and delivery-related hospitalizations, explained Bella Mehta, MBBS, MS, MD, rheumatologist at HSS and lead author of the study. She noted that these results could inform targeted interventions, such as policy actions to advocate for improved Medicaid and Medicare coverage, as well as post-discharge care coordination. 'Integrating SDOH screening into prenatal care for SLE patients, and incorporating a multidisciplinary team of social workers, could reduce preventable readmissions and improve maternal outcomes,' added Dr. Mehta. According to Dr. Mehta, in future studies, the team plans to analyze in detail how individual-level social factors, such as housing instability, food insecurity, education, mental health, transportation access, and patient demographics, interact with clinical comorbidities to determine pregnancy outcomes for women with SLE. 'This study underscores the vital intersection between clinical care and structural inequality,' said Dr. Mehta. 'The lupus community and broader maternal health initiatives must not only consider disease management but also address the social factors that influence outcomes.' Poster details Title: Predictors of 30-Day Readmissions in Pregnant Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The Role of Social Determinants of Health Authors: Sandhya Shri Kannayiram, Yiyuan Wu, Lisa Sammaritano, Michael Lockshin, Rich Caruna, D. Ware Branch, Jane E. Salmon, Bella Mehta. Abstract n°: 2325 Presentation: June 14 th About HSS HSS is the world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 15th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2024-2025), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report 'Best Children's Hospitals' list (2024-2025). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fifth consecutive year (2025). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
#48: The science-backed diet-and-fasting blueprint for a longer, healthier life
Dr. Nickhil Jakatdar has been working at the cutting edge of preventive health and longevity over the last 10 years with the 3 D's – data, doctors, and dietitians – to go from being diagnosed with heart disease at the age of 41, to now having all his blood markers and body measurements in the green and his epigenetic biological age at 41 while his chronological age is 51. With a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UC Berkeley and more than 60 patents to his name, Dr. Jakatdar has always believed in a scientific, data driven and practical approach to solving problems. He has founded or run 5 startups in the areas of semiconductors, consumer mobile video and molecular diagnostics and serves on the Advisory Boards of the South Asian Heart Center in California, the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS), has been a TEDx speaker and has been the youngest recipient of the esteemed UC Berkeley Distinguished Alumni Award. LESS ... MORE 'What's the most effective diet and fasting framework that helps improve both lifespan and health span?' This is a question I get asked a lot, and one that I have spent many years trying to research and experiment with. With so many diets and fasting strategies out there, it's hard to separate trends from what's actually backed by science. In today's post #48, I provide my conclusions and recommendations, along with the clinical evidence supporting them. As always, while each of our bodies react differently and therefore need to be optimized for accordingly, the Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) studies I quote have been done across large populations. For those that want the conclusion without reading further, here they are: a) base your meals on Mediterranean principles, b) eat in a 10 AM–7 PM window, c) add in a once or twice a month 24 hour fast, and d) avoid extremes. A Quick Note on Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) Evidence-Based Medicine or EBM—the practice of making health decisions based on the best available scientific research out there. But not all the millions of studies published are equal, so scientists rank them by strength. Sort A = High-quality evidence (large, consistent clinical trials or meta-analyses). Most trustworthy. Sort B = Moderate-quality evidence (some good studies, but with mixed results or smaller scale). Sort C = Low-quality evidence (based on expert opinion, early trials, or animal studies). There is also a metric called I² (I-squared), which tells us how much the results vary across the numerous studies in a meta-analysis. I² < 25% means the different studies mostly agree = reliable evidence. I² > 50% means the different studies had different results = use with caution. Together, Sort level and I² help us separate what's truly proven from what's still speculative. This combination—EBM Sort A with I² < 25%—is what I consider the gold standard. When evidence meets that bar, it makes my short list. The clear winner: Mediterranean diet EBM Sort A, I² = 9% If there's one eating pattern that consistently wins across cultures and decades of studies, it's the Mediterranean diet. In a meta-analysis of over 1.5 million people, those who followed this diet saw a 9% reduction in all-cause mortality. The PREDIMED trial, one of the most robust dietary studies ever conducted, showed a 30% drop in cardiovascular events in participants eating a Mediterranean-style diet enriched with olive oil or nuts. The key ingredients of a Mediterranean diet include vegetables, legumes, olive oil, fish, nuts, whole grains—and very little sugar or processed food. It's sustainable, flavorful, and deeply rooted in how some of the world's healthiest populations eat. For those interested in the Indian version of the classic Mediterranean diet, check out the video interview I did with renowned clinical nutritionist, Dr. Geeta Dharmatti, on the Longevity Lab Community video meet series. If you want to watch snippets from the talk, you can do it here or join the Longevity Lab Community to watch the interview or to review the summary show notes Coupled with intermittent fasting (10am to 7pm eating window) EBM Sort A, I² = 22% Now let's talk about when you eat. I personally follow intermittent fasting (IF) with a 10 AM to 7 PM eating window, giving my body ~15 hours of fasting each night. This schedule fits my lifestyle while tapping into powerful metabolic benefits. In a 2020 meta-analysis with I² = 22%, IF was shown to significantly reduce fasting glucose, insulin, body weight, and inflammation—even without reducing calorie intake. That's a big deal. IF works not just because you eat less, but because you give your body time to rest, repair, and rebalance. IF activates AMPK (your cell's energy regulator) and suppresses mTOR (your body's growth and aging switch), while enhancing autophagy, the process of cleaning out damaged cellular parts. These pathways are at the core of what we know about aging and healthspan. If these words sound too scientific, don't worry about it. I'll be doing a post on explaining these in simple terms because an understanding of these mechanisms help with understanding how our bodies behave during fasting vs. when we are well fed, and both have important roles to play in longevity and healthspan. And/or calorie restriction (without malnutrition) EBM sort A, I² < 20% (CALERIE Trial) Calorie restriction (CR)—eating about 10%–15% fewer calories than your body burns—has been shown to extend lifespan in every species studied. In humans, the CALERIE trial found that two years of mild CR improved insulin sensitivity, lowered inflammation, and improved cardiovascular biomarkers—even among healthy, non-obese individuals. But it comes with caveats: reduced energy, muscle loss, and risk of nutrient deficiencies if you're not careful. For those of us over 50, it's essential to prioritize protein and strength training if exploring this strategy. Alternatively, intermittent fasting can deliver many of the same benefits without constant calorie counting. Diets with weak or mixed evidence Some popular diets just don't hold up under rigorous scientific review. I cover them as well so as to provide the rationale behind why they don't make the cut. Here's how they rank: 1. Ketogenic diet EBM sort B, I² = 38% Keto has proven benefits for epilepsy and can improve insulin resistance and weight loss in type 2 diabetes. But for healthy individuals focused on longevity, the evidence is thin. No long-term studies show a reduction in mortality or aging-related decline. High saturated fat intake, low fiber, and nutrient gaps are concerns. In short: therapeutic, but not necessarily longevity-enhancing for most reasonably healthy individuals. 2. Paleo/ carnivore diets EBM Sort B, I² > 40% These diets cut out processed food, which is good—but they also eliminate fiber-rich, longevity-promoting foods like legumes and whole grains. Most studies are short-term and observational. No strong Randomized Controlled Trials or RCTs support these diets for long-term healthspan. 3. Ultra-processed vegan diets EBM sort B, I² = 35%–50% Whole-food plant-based diets are associated with lower mortality and disease risk—when done right. But highly processed vegan diets (mock meats, sugary snacks) don't offer the same benefits. Quality matters more than the label. If you are on a vegan diet, make sure you keep a close eye on the quality of your carbs. My summarized recommendations: Here's what I follow—and recommend—if health span and longevity are your goals: Base your meals on Mediterranean principles: veggies, legumes, olive oil, fish, whole grains, and nuts. I don't eat much fish but I do have chicken (grilled usually) and some amount of unflavored, unsweetened yogurt. Eat in a 10am–7pm window to give your body time to repair overnight. While I follow a 15 hour fasting window, even a 12-14 hour window is fine. Make sure it's practical to fit within your lifestyle, but avoid eating too much after sunset, since our circadian rhythm is a big driver of hormone balance. Add in a once-a-month or twice-a-month 24 hour fast to trigger deeper autophagy and mitochondrial rejuvenation. It is critical to not overdo it to ensure no muscle mass loss, and to avoid thyroid dysregulation. Avoid extremes. Diets that exclude major food groups often don't stand up to long-term evidence. Final thought Longevity is about combining the best of what modern science and ancestral wisdom agree on—and doing it consistently. Eat well. Eat smart. Give your body time to recover. And build strength—this will stand you in good stead for decades to come. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Khaleej Times
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
EBM-Peek Freans AI powered storytelling redefines youth entertainment for the digital age
In today's digital age, technology is not just powering devices, it is shaping how the next generation learns, imagines, and connects. In a bold move redefining the role of artificial intelligence in children's educational content, a new animated series is winning hearts for how it was made. ' Piper Ki Duniya (World of Piper),' is a one of its kind educational content series built using AI-driven storytelling models that combine cultural insights, narrative structures, and emotional intelligence, creating rich, age-appropriate stories for children aged 4 to 12. The series was created by English Biscuit Manufacturers (EBM), the parent company of the iconic Peek Freans brand, a global name rooted in Pakistan, with a presence across the Middle East region. At the heart of this innovation is a seamless integration of human creativity and artificial intelligence. Teams based in USA and Pakistan used AI models from all over the world to create the animated series that brings the history of the Islamic world to life for Pakistani children. The 'Piper ki Duniya' team used American models Midjourney and Leonardo AI for character design, especially for Pied Piper, the brand mascot. They went on to use German model Flux AI for character consistency. Each character's 25 visuals were used to ensure consistency in facial features, expressions, and even clothing. These designs were then animated using American Runway AI and Chinese Kling AI, bringing the characters to life with smooth, lifelike motion. The result is a vibrant 3D revival of the beloved Peek Freans Pied Piper, brought to life in 'Piper Ki Duniya,' delivering universal values of kindness, patience, and generosity through stories designed to resonate across generations. Since its launch on the Peek Freans Young Pipers' Club YouTube channel, 'Piper Ki Duniya' has surpassed 100,000 subscribers in under four weeks with over 13 million views to date, earning YouTube's Silver Play Button. "As a parent, one of my biggest challenges has been teaching my 5-year-old values like patience, compassion, and faith in a way that truly connects with him. That insight inspired 'Piper Ki Duniya.' Today, technology is not just changing how we tell stories, its changing what stories mean to new audiences. With 'Piper Ki Duniya,' we have reimagined the iconic Pied Piper to deliver meaningful, values-driven content that sparks curiosity, encourages reflection, and creates shared moments for modern families,' said, Shahzain Munir, executive director at EBM. "Bringing Piper Ki Duniya to life was unlike any other project. We challenged the technology to go beyond algorithms and really reflect how children think, feel, and engage with content today. From character behaviour to dialogue rhythm, every element was shaped to feel intuitive and alive. It is a powerful reminder that AI is not just about automation; it can be a tool for imagination, curiosity, and emotional depth," said the representative from Singularity marketing. Having debuted during the Holy month of Ramadan, the AI-powered series aims to both engage and inspire children by weaving Islamic values with captivating narratives. Backed by data-driven insights and designed with children's attention spans in mind, the content is age-appropriate, engaging, and encourages family participation. Through AI-led storytelling EBM demonstrates its dedication to purposeful innovation by showing how modern technology safeguards cultural heritage while teaching longstanding values to future generations.
