Latest news with #HealthProfessionalsFollow-upStudy
CNN
01-07-2025
- Health
- CNN
These women dedicated almost 50 years to science. Their efforts may soon be trashed
Donald Trump Food & healthFacebookTweetLink Follow For decades, researchers have been collecting samples from hundreds of thousands of women and tracking their health. The work has deepened our basic understanding of human health, but now the entire project is in danger. When nurses Patricia Chubb, 70, and her mother, Charlotte Mae Rohrbaugh, 98, joined the fledgling Harvard University-led Nurses' Health Study in 1976, they had no idea it would last for nearly 50 years. 'It's probably the longest, if not one of the longest, prospective health care studies for women that's ever been done,' said Chubb, who lives in Pennsylvania. 'They picked nurses to do the study because they know how to answer health questions correctly and can draw their own blood and the like — it's very cost-effective.' Study data gathered through the years from some 280,000 nurses in the United States has contributed enormously to improving how we live. The work has informed dietary recommendations, including national dietary guidelines; led to hormonal therapies for breast cancer prevention and treatment; and contributed to research about how nutrients, inflammatory markers and heavy metals influence disease development. Yet all of that priceless data may soon be discarded due to President Donald Trump's ongoing feud with Harvard over what Trump claims is a failure to protect Jewish students during campus protests. On Monday, an investigation by the Trump administration claimed that Harvard was in 'violent violation' of the Civil Rights Act by being 'deliberately indifferent' or a 'willful participant in anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish students, faculty, and staff.' Harvard strongly disagreed with the administration's claims. Interestingly, Trump had posted on Truth Social on June 20 that Harvard had 'acted extremely appropriately' during negotiations and that he was close to a 'Deal' with the university that would 'be 'mindbogglingly' HISTORIC, and very good for our Country.' But then, in the letter sent to Harvard on Monday, Trump officials made it clear Harvard would continue to lose 'all federal financial resources,' including millions for research, if the university did not comply with the administration's wishes. Funding for the Nurses' Health Study and its companion study for men, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, had already been abruptly withdrawn in mid-May, said Harvard nutritionist Dr. Walter Willett, who has led the studies since 1980. Willett and his team were left scrambling to find the funds needed to protect freezers stocked with stool, urine and DNA specimens gathered from thousand of nurses for nearly five decades. Just the liquid nitrogen needed to keep the specimens frozen costs thousands of dollars a month. 'Of course, we would all love to have an agreement that lets us get on with research, education, and working to improve the health and well-being of everyone.' said Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, who has published over 2,000 papers on nutrition. 'But this can't happen if we turn over admissions, faculty hiring and curriculum to governmental control.' Twenty-one-year-old Jackie Desmond joined the Harvard-based study when she graduated from nursing school in 1978. She considered the research so valuable that she later enrolled her 9-year-old son Kyle in a spin-off study investigating family nutrition. At 41, he still participates. 'They send us questionnaires once or twice a year about lifestyle and nutrition, what medications you're on, your lifestyle habits, when you sleep, when you eat, everything,' Desmond said. 'I've sent them samples of blood, urine, feces, whatever they need.' The study even has solicited toenails, which carry markers of heavy metals. One reason the study was so special is it was only focused on women, said Desmond, who is now 68 and lives in Connecticut. 'Before that, most studies were done only on men. So, it was about time to focus on studying women and they came up with some amazing information that's been very helpful to many of us,' Desmond said. 'You know for that reason alone, these samples are irreplaceable — losing them might put women's health research back many years,' she added. For Desmond and Chubb, the cuts in research funding make no sense. 'There's no connection in my mind between antisemitism and medical research. Why are you getting rid of decades of research? It's infuriating,' Desmond said. 'And it's very personal — I guess they'll just toss my DNA into the dump.' The threats to cuts also arrive as the Trump administration pushes its 'Make American Healthy Again' initiative, which Chubb finds ironic. 'You know what? There's lots of research going on to get us healthier and keep us healthier, and those are cuts that should not be made,' Chubb said. 'It's so shortsighted to shoot first and aim later.' Data from the Nurses' Health Study has vastly improved how all Americans live and eat while also impacting the health of people around the world, Willett said. 'From the efforts of these dedicated nurses we learned trans fats were terrible for health, and now those are basically gone from our food supply,' he said. 'We also found one of the earliest links between cigarette smoking and heart disease.' Data from the nurses' studies found red meat and alcohol can lead to breast cancer in women. Other key findings also proved lifestyle choices can improve health — the research identified diets that may reduce risk of cognitive decline. A list of scientific advances produced from the Nurses' Health Study data appears on its website. Dorothy Dodds, who died at 83, joined the original study in 1976. When her daughter Martha became a nurse in 1982, she joined the second wave of research, called the Nurses' Health Study II. A third generation of the study is still enrolling participants — the Nurses' Health Study 3. For Martha Dodds, now 68, her family's years of dedication to the study is priceless. 'You know, nurses don't get paid a lot,' Dodds said. 'We do our work because we want to help others. We took the study seriously and were careful and honest with our answers. 'My one little part may have helped women cut down on alcohol consumption, or maybe it'll help both men and women exercise more and cut back on trans fats,' Dodds added. All of the nurses CNN spoke with consider their years of dedication to the Nurses' Health Study a lifetime accomplishment. 'I'm so proud to be a participant, I'll put it in my obituary,' Chubb said. 'And my 98-year-old mom — who's still got all her faculties, and some of other people's, too — has chosen the Nurses' Health Study for donations in lieu of flowers in her funeral plans.' Chubb and her mother are in good company. Families of nurses across the country have proudly listed their Nurses' Health Study participation in their obituaries: Karen Ann Mudgett from Michigan, Donna Palmer from Georgia, Jeanette Thomas from Pennsylvania, Mary Ellen Natale from New Jersey, Patricia Anne Cobb from California, Marion Jones from Florida, Irene Rees from Virginia and many more. 'And now these hundreds of thousands of hours of work by nearly 300,000 nurses will just be discarded?' Dodds said. 'We're going to take 50 years of research and all this biodata and just destroy it, make it useless? 'It's like burning the Library of Congress — you just can't get that back.' Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being.
The Hindu
31-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
How the diet shapes healthy ageing
Across the world, the population of older adults has increased over time. And over 80% of them suffer from at least one chronic health disorder. The U.S. Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO) point out that promoting global health is a priority. They both point out that a better-quality diet is beneficial for the prevention of heart attacks, diabetes and premature death. The Mediterranean Diet, much lauded by health researchers as an ideal one, uses plant-based foods — vegetables, fruits, legumes and natural oils, moderate amounts of poultry and eggs — and avoids red meat. People there who practice this diet do live longer and healthier lives. Indeed, a typical food in India, with wheat or rice, dal, sabji with lots of greens, and curd/buttermilk, (and for non-vegetarians: eggs and fish but little or no meat), is essentially Mediterranean. Towards this, two recent articles highlight the best food that we should take for healthy ageing. One in the April 3 issue of the journal Nature, titled 'The Best and Worst Foods for Healthy Ageing', points out that people who eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables are more likely to reach the age of 70 without major physical or cognitive impairments. This article offers the advice that the recommendation to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables is well-founded: a large-scale 30-year study on dietary habits shows that diets high in these foods are associated with healthier ageing. The massive study itself is published in Nature Medicine, titled 'Optimal dietary patterns for healthy ageing'. The message here is 'get more fibre in your diet, eat more vegetables, pulses such as beans, lentils, and eat less fats and animal meat', suggesting that this practice will help senior citizens live a healthier life. In this study, health experts from the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and Denmark analysed data from two major studies: the Nurses' Health Study (tracking hospital workers and medical professionals) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (examining men's diet and lifestyle linked to serious illnesses such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases). By looking at the records of 70,000 women and 30,000 men, they uncovered key insights into how our eating habits affect our health. A healthful plant-based diet was seen to be highly associated with healthy ageing. Researchers examined how long-term adherence to plant-rich dietary patterns, moderately supplemented with healthy animal-based foods, enhances healthy ageing. They examined the association between eight healthy dietary patterns. One, called Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), focuses on a scoring system that evaluates diet quality based on its alignment with recommendations for a healthy diet (greens, low fat, low sugar, and avoid foods causing cancer and high blood pressure). The second, called the Alternate Mediterranean Index (aMED), is adapted for populations outside of the Mediterranean region, and offers long term benefits for the elderly. The third, called Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), is primarily focused on controlling high blood pressure. Others, such as the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) and healthful plant-based Diet (hPDI), also emphasise a plant-rich and nutrient-dense diet that avoids highly processed foods. In summary, the groups suggest that a diet with plant-rich foods, plus a moderate amount of animal-based foods, is best for living longer and healthier.
Saba Yemen
17-05-2025
- Health
- Saba Yemen
Scientific study links ultra-processed foods to early signs of Parkinson's disease
Washington - (Saba): A recent scientific study has found that people who eat a lot of ultra-processed foods are more likely to develop early signs of Parkinson's disease than those who don't. However, despite expert warnings, ultra-processed foods are satisfying, cheap, and easy to prepare, making them popular in most parts of the world. In the United States, more than half of the calories adults consume at home come from ultra-processed foods. According to an international team of researchers who analyzed decades of records from tens of thousands of health professionals, they found that people who eat a lot of ultra-processed foods are more likely to develop early signs of Parkinson's disease than those who don't. This doesn't prove a causal relationship, but it does reveal a noteworthy association, especially in the broader context of health concerns related to ultra-processed foods. It also adds to the growing evidence that diet is essential for brain health. 'Eating a healthy diet is crucial because it is associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases, and the dietary choices we make today can significantly impact our future brain health,' says Xiang Gao, study co-author and nutritional epidemiologist at the Institute of Nutrition at Fudan University in Shanghai. In the new study, published in the journal Neurology, researchers focused on signs of Parkinson's disease that appear before more specific symptoms appear, which can include body aches, constipation, depressive symptoms, excessive daytime sleepiness, and impaired sense of smell. At this stage, although patients may not exhibit any characteristic symptoms of the disease, neurodegeneration may already have begun. There is growing evidence that diet may influence the progression of Parkinson's disease. Our research shows that overindulging in processed foods, such as sweetened soft drinks and packaged snacks, may accelerate the onset of early signs of Parkinson's disease, says Gao. The researchers conducted a longitudinal analysis using data from the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, allowing them to track dietary and health details of approximately 43,000 people for up to 26 years. This sample included men and women with an average age of 48 who had no history of Parkinson's disease. Participants underwent regular medical checkups and completed bimanual health questionnaires, which Gao and colleagues reviewed for early signs of Parkinson's disease. Participants also completed questionnaires at two- to four-year intervals, providing a deeper understanding of their eating habits. The researchers used this information to estimate each participant's average daily intake of ultra-processed foods, according to the NOVA Food Processing Classification System. The study included several types of ultra-processed foods, including sauces, fats, or condiments; artificially sweetened or sugar-laced beverages; packaged savory snacks; packaged desserts; snacks or sweets; dairy-based yogurts or desserts; and animal products. Participants were divided into five groups based on their ultra-processed food consumption. The highest-consumption group ate an average of 11 or more servings per day, while the lowest-consumption group ate an average of fewer than three servings per day. The researchers adjusted for factors such as age, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, and others. The researchers reported that people who ate 11 or more servings per day of ultra-processed foods were approximately 2.5 times more likely to develop at least three early signs of Parkinson's disease compared to people who ate fewer than three servings per day. The researchers found that high consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with an increased risk of nearly all early signs of Parkinson's disease used in this study, except for constipation. There are some important caveats to these findings. They demonstrate an association between ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of early signs of Parkinson's disease, but further research is needed to clarify the nature of this relationship. Ultra-processed foods have been linked to a wide range of health problems, including an increased risk of obesity, dementia, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Just Discovered a Surprising Health Benefit of Tea
Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RDA new study suggests that eating more flavonoids may help improve quality of life as we age. Berries, apples, red wine, oranges and black tea had the strongest associations. Adding more plant-based foods to your day can support healthier are living longer than ever. From 1900 to now, we've increased our longevity by over 30 years. But living longer doesn't necessarily equate to being healthy and having a high quality of life, especially as we age. That means it's important to focus on both lifespan (number of years lived) and healthspan (number of years with good health). Reasons for the increase in longevity have a lot to do with medical advances, including diagnosing, treatments, surgical options and research. While these things may improve quality of life, they often only cure or improve the disease state. This means that ultimately, your quality of life depends on your habits. Though some may think these habits are more important in midlife and older age, the younger you are when you establish healthy habits—even in childhood—the more likely you are to continue them throughout your lifetime. And let's face it: The more established habits become, the more difficult they are to change. Diet plays a large role in how well our bodies and brains function, as well as how quickly they age. Researchers from Australia and the U.S. teamed up to take a closer look at a powerful plant compound—flavonoids—aiming to establish relationships between them and healthy aging. They recently published their findings in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Let's break them down. Related: 6 Habits Women in Their 20s Should Start for Healthy Aging, According to Experts Researchers drew data from two long-term U.S. studies—the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). The NHS began in 1976 with 121,701 female nurses between the ages of 30 and 55 at baseline; the HPFS included 51,529 male health professionals aged 40 to 75 at baseline and started in 1986. Researchers included 62,743 females and 23,687 males from these studies for this current analysis. This study aimed to examine relationships between flavonoid intake and three indicators of healthy aging: frailty levels, physical function and mental health. Flavonoids are plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Foods high in flavonoids include berries, oranges, apples, dark chocolate and tea. For this study, researchers looked at several angles, including a 'flavodiet' score based on the number of flavonoid servings per day, flavonoid subclasses and more. To examine flavonoid intakes, researchers used participants' food frequency questionnaires, which were completed at baseline and every four years. Frailty is defined as having three or more of these self-reported criteria: fatigue, poor strength, reduced aerobic capacity (i.e., getting short of breath more easily with activity), five or more chronic illnesses, and 5% or greater loss of body weight. Frailty was determined based on answers to a questionnaire every four years. Physical impairment was assessed throughout the study period based on a 10-question survey about physical limitations in performing various moderate and vigorous activities. Participants were given a score, calculated on a 100-point scale. Those scoring under 80 were considered physically impaired. Mental health was assessed using three different scales at various times throughout the study period. Poor mental health was determined based on the scores. Related: How Poor Gut Health Can Increase Anxiety and Depression Risk & What to Eat to Help Because researchers were looking at so many aspects of flavonoids and various factors, many results surfaced from this study. The researchers observed the clearest associations between flavonoids and healthy aging in the Nurses' Health Study, which included only female participants. For female participants, those who ate the most flavonoids had a 15% lower risk of developing frailty, a 12% lower risk of developing impaired physical function and a 12% lower risk of developing poor mental health compared to those who ate the least flavonoids. The researchers also broke down those findings for female participants food by food. The findings included that when comparing highest to lowest intakes: Tea, red wine, blueberries, apples and oranges were associated with an 11% to 21% lower risk of frailty. Red wine, blueberries, apples, strawberries and oranges were associated with 4% to 14% lower risk of physical impairment. Apples, strawberries, oranges and grapefruit were associated with 10% to 15% lower risk of poor mental health. The findings for citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit also included their juice, so even a morning glass of OJ may have beneficial effects. Related: Is Orange Juice Good for You? Here's What Dietitians Say There were few strong associations for male participants, but they largely had to do with high amounts of flavonols supporting better mental health with age. For instance, female participants who increased their intake of flavonoid-rich foods by three servings a day were at a lower risk for all three aging outcomes, while male participants only experienced a lower risk for poor mental health. Researchers aren't entirely sure why men didn't show the same level of risk reduction as women. While there may be some sex differences, they surmise that it might also be due to the shorter follow-up time in the male study compared to the female study. Less follow-up time means less data to work with, so more research needs to be done to gain clarity in this area. One limitation of this study is that it depended on self-reporting on diet, which opens up the possibility of bias and incorrect estimation. The participants of this study were largely white professional men and women, so it is unknown whether the results extend to other populations. Related: Scientists Just Discovered a New Health Benefit of Coffee While we often focus on living longer, the same habits contributing to longevity can also help improve quality of life. If this is your goal, this study suggests including plenty of foods rich in flavonoids—and that includes drinks like black tea. While all tea leaves are loaded with antioxidants, this study primarily considered black tea. But other teas rank right up there, too, including green, hibiscus, oolong, white and rooibos. This study did not note whether the tea was consumed plain or was embellished with sugar or cream, but if you're going to become a regular tea sipper, we suggest drinking it plain most of the time to avoid consuming too much added sugar and saturated fat. If you want the extra flavoring, consider sweetening your tea with allulose or stevia and using a touch of milk or nondairy milk for creaminess. Of course, those recommended flavanol-rich foods also include berries, apples and citrus fruits and juices. Eat the fruits whole or use them in tasty recipes, including smoothies and our Lemon-Blueberry Overnight Oats, Spring Pea Salad with Strawberries or Slow-Cooker Chile-Orange Chicken Tacos. Moderate red wine intake was linked to healthier aging in this study. It's important to emphasize that the benefits were exclusively related to red wine. Plus, research is mixed regarding alcohol and health. If you stick to just one 5-ounce serving with dinner, there is evidence that you might experience health benefits to your heart and brain. Beyond these limits—and for some, with any amount of alcohol—health benefits diminish. Related: 5 Fruits with More Fiber Than a Bowl of Oatmeal, According to a Dietitian This study didn't include dark chocolate in the analysis, but that, too, is rich in flavonoids. If you're looking for creative ways to add dark chocolate to your food lineup, give some of our highly rated recipes a try, including our Crispy Peanut Butter Balls and Chocolate Nut Bark. This study suggests that eating foods rich in flavonoids may reduce your risk of frailty, physical impairment and poor mental health as you age, especially for women. The foods they found had the greatest influence in these areas are black tea, berries, apples and citrus fruits and juices. Assess how many of these foods you're currently including in your diet and start by adding a serving each day, gradually increasing over time. Other lifestyle areas that influence healthspan include physical activity, stress, sleep and time spent with loved ones. Take a big-picture view of your health and start with any area you feel you'll have the most success in. This will make it easier to build on that success, as small steps lead to big changes over time. Related: Scientists Just Discovered a Heart-Healthy Benefit of Pecans Read the original article on EATINGWELL
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Love butter? Here's what you should swap in to protect against heart disease and cancer
Butter may be delicious, but a large new study suggests that the less of it you eat, the longer you may live. Using more plant-based oils and less butter was associated with a 17% lower risk of dying prematurely and a lower risk of cancer and heart disease, according to a report published Thursday in JAMA Internal Medicine and presented at the American Heart Association EPI/Lifestyle Scientific Sessions. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston analyzed data from more than 200,000 people who were followed for more than three decades. Participants who reported consuming the highest daily amounts of butter were 15% more likely to die prematurely, while people who had a high intake of plant-based oils, especially soybean, canola and olive oil, were 16% less likely to die prematurely, the researchers found. 'The message from this study is: Less butter and more plant-based oil could lead to better health,' said the study's lead author, Yu Zhang, a graduate student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a research assistant at Brigham and Women's Hospital. 'We're not saying that people should give up butter entirely,' Zhang said. 'But we're suggesting that a small reduction in the daily consumption of butter and an increase in plant-based oil could lead to significant long-term health benefits.' Zhang couldn't say exactly how much butter would be OK to consume, but 'less would be better.' The new study looked at data from 221,054 adults who had participated in the Nurses' Health Study, the Nurses' Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. At the outset, the average age of people in the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up was 56; it was 36 in the Nurses' Health Study II. Every four years, the participants filled out a food frequency questionnaire that included more than 130 items. They were asked how often, on average, they consumed each food item over the past year. The participants had nine possible responses ranging from 'never or less than once per month' to 'more than six or more times a day.' They were also asked what types of fats and oils they consumed and what brands or types of oils they the 33 years of follow-up, 50,932 of the participants died, 12,241 due to cancer and 11,240 due to heart disease. After accounting for potentially biasing lifestyle factors, such as body mass index, amount of physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption, as well as family history of diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease, the researchers determined that people who consumed the highest daily amount of butter (13 to 14 grams, or approximately three small pats) had a 15% greater chance of dying compared to those who consumed the lowest amount (0.1 to 0.2 grams, or almost none). That's in contrast to a 16% lower risk of dying in those who consumed the highest amount of plant-based oils (around 25 grams, about five teaspoons a day) compared to those who consumed the least (around 3 grams per day, or 1 teaspoon). Using a statistical model, the researchers estimated the difference in mortality rate when plant-based oils were substituted for about a teaspoon of butter each day and found a 17% lower risk of death. When the researchers examined causes of death, they found that each additional 10 grams (roughly 2 teaspoons) per day of plant-based oil was associated with an 11% lower risk of death from cancer and a 6% lower risk of death from cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Matthew Tomey, a cardiologist at the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York City, said the new study is consistent with the current American Heart Association guidance regarding substituting polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats for animal and dairy fats. 'The large sample size and robust analysis provide insight, particularly with respect to substitution of plant-based oils for butter,' Tomey said. The American Heart Association recommends getting less than 6% of total daily calories from saturated fat. For example, if someone is consuming 2,000 calories a day, no more than 120 calories of them should come from saturated fat. That's about 13 grams or less of saturated fat per day. Does the new research mean butter should be off the menu? Marie-Pierre St-Onge, an associate professor of nutritional medicine at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, said people should focus on the health benefits of plant-based oils. 'It shouldn't scare them from using butter,' she said, adding 'there's more benefit to plant-based oil than there is harm from butter.' The only sign of harm from butter was in people who used it the most, she said. It comes down to moderation. 'Practically speaking, having a pat of butter is not going to be the end of the world,' Tomey said. It's OK to have a little butter, if you're careful about other animal or dairy fats, said Alice H. Lichtenstein, a professor of nutrition science and policy at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. 'If you're not consuming a lot of meat and you're choosing low- or nonfat yogurt, then there's some room for butter,' Lichtenstein said. 'You shouldn't feel guilty about it.' The researchers were looking at a group of plant-based products that included soybean and canola oil. How does that factor in with the trend of social influencers trashing seed-based oils? 'I haven't seen anything in the scientific literature that suggests we should be concerned about these seed-based oils,' St-Onge said. Lichtenstein concurred. 'The data don't show these oils are detrimental,' she said. 'What the data show is that a diet that is high in seed oil and low in animal fats is associated with better health outcomes.' This article was originally published on
