Eating fruit may reduce the effects of air pollution on lung function

Eating fruit may reduce the effects of air pollution on lung function, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands [1].

The study was presented by Pimpika Kaewsri, a PhD student from the Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability at the University of Leicester, UK.

She explains: “Over 90% of the global population is exposed to air pollution levels that exceed WHO guidelines, and ample research shows that exposure to higher air pollution levels is associated with reduced lung function.

“Separately, a healthy diet - particularly one high in fruits and vegetables - has been linked to better lung function. We wanted to explore whether a healthy diet or specific food groups could modify or partly mitigate the known adverse effects of air pollution on lung function.”

Using UK Biobank data from around 200,000 participants, Kaewsri compared people’s dietary patterns - including their fruit, vegetable and whole grains intake - with their lung function (FEV1 - the amount of air exhaled in one second) and their exposure to air pollution in the form of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). PM2.5 concentration is the amount of very tiny particles, 2.5 micrometres or smaller, released into the air, for example by vehicle exhausts and industrial processes. The team also accounted for other factors such as age, height, and socioeconomic status.

For every increase in exposure to PM2.5 of five micrograms per cubic metre of air, the team observed a 78.1ml reduction in FEV1 in the low fruit intake group, compared to only a 57.5ml reduction in the high fruit intake group in women.

Kaewsri explains: “Our study confirmed that a healthy diet is linked to better lung function in both men and women regardless of air pollution exposure. And that women who consumed four portions of fruit per day or more appeared to have smaller reductions in lung function associated with air pollution, compared to those who consumed less fruit.

“This may be partly explained by the antioxidant and anti-inflammation compounds naturally present in fruit. These compounds could help mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation caused by fine particles, potentially offsetting some of the harmful effects of air pollution on lung function.”

Kaewsri also noted that, in the study population, men generally reported lower fruit intake than women. “This difference in dietary patterns may help explain why the potential protective effect of fruit against air pollution was only observed in women,” she adds.

Kaewsri plans to extend the research by exploring whether diet can influence changes in lung function over time.

Professor Sara De Matteis, Chair of the European Respiratory Society’s expert group on occupational and environmental health, based at the University of Turin, Italy, who was not involved in the research said: “This study confirms the potential respiratory health benefits of a healthy diet, especially rich in fresh fruit intake.

“However, access to a healthy diet is not equally distributed in the population and, even if the authors adjusted for socio-economic-status, some residual confounding cannot be ruled out.

“A healthy plant-rich diet should be promoted in the population starting from primary school, not only for preventing chronic diseases, but also to reduce the carbon-footprint of meat-rich diets.

“This does not exempt governments from continuing with environmental policies to reduce air pollution to as low as possible, given there are no safe exposure levels, and it does not transfer their accountability to individuals whose diet choices are often constrained by economic needs.” 

Lifetime of social ties may slow biological processes of aging

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Cornell University

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ITHACA, N.Y. – The cumulative effect of social advantages across a lifetime – from parental warmth in childhood to friendship, community engagement and religious support in adulthood – may slow the biological processes of aging. These social advantages appear to set back “epigenetic clocks” such that a person’s biological age, as measured by analyzing DNA methylation patterns, is younger than their chronological age.

The research, which appeared in the October issue of the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity - Health, drew on data from more than 2,100 adults in the long-running Midlife in the United States, or MIDUS, study.

Anthony Ong, psychology professor at Cornell University, and fellow researchers found that people with higher levels of what they called “cumulative social advantage” showed slower epigenetic aging and lower levels of chronic inflammation.

The study focused on so-called epigenetic clocks, molecular signatures that estimate the pace of biological aging. Two in particular – GrimAge and DunedinPACE – are considered especially predictive of morbidity and mortality. Adults with stronger, more sustained social networks showed significantly younger profiles on both clocks.

“Cumulative social advantage is really about the depth and breadth of your social connections over a lifetime,” Ong said. “We looked at four key areas: the warmth and support you received from your parents growing up, how connected you feel to your community and neighborhood, your involvement in religious or faith-based communities, and the ongoing emotional support from friends and family.”

The researchers hypothesized that sustained social advantage becomes reflected in core regulatory systems linked to aging, including epigenetic, inflammatory and neuroendocrine pathways. Remarkably, they found that higher social advantage was linked to lower levels of interleukin-6, a pro-inflammatory molecule implicated in heart disease, diabetes and neurodegeneration. Interestingly, however, there were no significant associations with short-term stress markers like cortisol or catecholamines.

Unlike many earlier studies that looked at social factors in isolation – whether a person is married, for example, or how many friends they have – this work conceptualized “cumulative social advantage” as a multidimensional construct. And by combining both early and later-life relational resources, the measure reflects the ways advantage clusters and compounds.

“What's striking is the cumulative effect - these social resources build on each other over time,” Ong said. “It's not just about having friends today; it's about how your social connections have grown and deepened throughout your life. That accumulation shapes your health trajectory in measurable ways.”

This doesn’t mean a single friendship or volunteer stint can turn back the biological clock. The authors suggest that the depth and consistency of social connection, built across decades and different spheres of life, matters profoundly. The study adds weight to the growing view that social life is not just a matter of happiness or stress relief but a core determinant of physiological health.

“Think of social connections like a retirement account,” Ong said. “The earlier you start investing and the more consistently you contribute, the greater your returns. Our study shows those returns aren't just emotional; they're biological. People with richer, more sustained social connections literally age more slowly at the cellular level. Aging well means both staying healthy and staying connected - they're inseparable.”

For additional information, read this Cornell Chronicle story. 

Healthy habits can make your brain age more slowly,

 

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Your chronological age may say 65, but your brain could be acting a decade younger — or older — depending on your  life experiences.

That’s the message from a new study by University of Florida researchers, who found that optimism, good sleep, social support and other positive factors were strongly linked with healthier brains. The findings suggest that how people live and cope with stress can measurably influence the pace of brain aging, even in those living with chronic pain.

“These are things that people have some level of control over,” said Jared Tanner, Ph.D., a research associate professor of clinical and health psychology at the University of Florida who helped lead the new study. “You can learn how to perceive stress differently. Poor sleep is very treatable. Optimism can be practiced.” 

The research followed 128 middle-aged and older adults, most with chronic musculoskeletal pain associated with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis, for two years. Using MRI scans analyzed by a machine learning system, the team estimated each participant’s “brain age” and compared it to their actual chronological age. This brain age gap between the two served as a measure of whole-brain health.

Stressful factors like chronic pain, low income, less education and other social risks were associated with older-looking brains. Those links seemed to make less of an impression over time. What stood out more clearly were protective elements: things like getting restorative sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, avoiding tobacco and having supportive relationships.

Study participants who reported the most protective factors had brains eight years younger than their chronological age when the study started, and their brains went on to age more slowly over the next two years.

“The message is consistent across our studies,  health promoting behaviors are not only associated with lower pain and better physical functioning, they appear to actually bolster health in an additive fashion at a meaningful level,” said Kimberly Sibille, Ph.D., an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at UF and senior author of the report.

Sibille and Tanner, along with colleagues across UF and at other institutions, published their findings Sept. 11 in the journal Brain Communications. 

Scientists have long known that older brains are more vulnerable to problems like memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Traditionally, brain research has focused on individual regions. But since pain, stress and life experiences affect many parts of the brain at once, the brain age gap — the difference between a person’s age and how old their brain looks in brain scans — provides a single, whole-brain snapshot that captures those complexities.

Although the study focused on people living with chronic pain, it’s likely that factors like lower stress, social support and quality sleep serve to slow brain aging in other populations as well. 

“Literally for every additional healthy promoting factor there is some evidence of neurobiological benefit,” Sibille said. “Our findings support the growing body of evidence that Lifestyle is medicine.”

Eating some produce like strawberries, spinach and bell peppers hikes pesticide levels in people

 Participants who consumed more fruits and vegetables with higher levels of pesticide residues – like strawberries, spinach and bell peppers – had significantly higher levels of pesticides

Consuming some types of fruits and vegetables can increase the levels of harmful pesticides detected in people’s bodies, according to a new peer-reviewed study by Environmental Working Group scientists.

Pesticides have been linked to cancer, reproductive harm, hormone disruption and neurotoxicity in children. Residues of these chemicals are often detected on produce, creating exposure concerns for consumers. The new study may help inform future research into how dietary exposure to pesticides through fruit and vegetables might affect human health.

“The findings reinforce that what we eat directly affects the level of pesticides in our bodies,” said Alexis Temkin, Ph.D., vice president for science at EWG and lead author of the study. “Eating produce is essential to a healthy diet, but it can also increase exposure to pesticides.”

Participants who consumed more fruits and vegetables with higher levels of pesticide residues – like strawberries, spinach and bell peppers – had significantly higher levels of pesticides in their urine compared to those who ate mostly produce with lower levels of pesticide residue. These findings highlight how diet is a driver of pesticide exposure and provide a foundation for future research into how that exposure might affect human health over time.

“This study builds on previous work showing that certain fruits and vegetables are a major route of pesticide exposure for millions of Americans,” said Temkin. “Young children and pregnant people are particularly susceptible to the harms from exposure.”

Scoring pesticide exposures

The study was published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health.

EWG scientists first collected Department of Agriculture data on pesticide residues in produce from 2013-2018. They combined this with dietary questionnaire responses and urine biomonitoring information from 1,837 participants in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES, from 2015 to 2016. These years reflect the most current data with the broadest range of pesticide tracking. NHANES biomonitoring results are only available through 2018.

Using this data, EWG created a “dietary pesticide exposure score” to estimate people’s exposure based on the fruits and vegetables they ate, and pesticide levels on that produce. Pesticide amounts on produce were determined by how often and how much of each chemical was detected. EWG also factored in the concentration and toxicity of each pesticide.

Scientists then compared the exposure scores to 15 pesticide biomarkers, or indicators, in participant’s urine for three major classes: organophosphates, pyrethroids and neonicotinoids.

The results revealed a clear link between the specific produce people consumed and the levels of these pesticides that were detected in their urine, varying based on what they ate and the pesticides on those fruits and vegetables.

Key findings

Beyond highlighting the link between eating certain produce and increased levels of pesticides in people’s bodies, EWG’s study includes a number of important findings.

• Diet matters. Eating produce with high pesticide residues is more strongly associated with the chemicals being found in urine compared to low-residue items.
• Certain pesticide classes need more attention: NHANES currently monitors only a subset of pesticides found in food and identified in the study. Many more pesticides need attention because people are exposed to a wide range of agricultural chemicals.
• People are exposed to mixtures of pesticides: The study confirms people are exposed to several pesticides at a time. Fruits and vegetables had measurable residues of 178 unique pesticides, but only 42 of those chemicals matched biomarkers in the urine data.
• Potatoes skew the results. The relationship between produce consumption and pesticide levels in the body was only evident when potatoes were excluded from the analysis. Potato consumption obscured the study’s findings, possibly because people eat potatoes in a variety of ways, which makes it more difficult to accurately estimate pesticide exposure from them. More research is needed into how potatoes influence pesticide exposure in people.

 

Regulatory gaps

While most pesticide research has focused on occupational and residential exposures, EWG’s study shows that everyday food choices can also drive significant pesticide exposure in the general population.

Given the widespread exposure documented in this paper and other studies, serious questions remain about whether current pesticide safety regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency sufficiently protect public health.

Despite years of research linking low-level pesticide exposure to health risks, the EPA still sets limits for individual pesticides, failing to account for cumulative exposure from mixtures of residues regularly detected on produce samples tested by the USDA.

The study’s authors suggest that their methodology for estimating pesticide exposure from fruits and vegetables could give regulators and other researchers a powerful tool to assess real-world exposures and better safeguard vulnerable populations, particularly children and people who are pregnant.

"This study was only possible thanks to robust federal data, highlighting why strong public health agencies must remain a top priority for policymakers,” said Varun Subramaniam, EWG science analyst.

“The pesticide residue tests and CDC biomonitoring data represent the kind of essential research that only the government can provide – at a scale that no private sector or academic effort could match,” he said.

What consumers can do

EWG urges people to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whether grown conventionally or organic.

Switching from conventional produce to organic, which cannot be grown using certain pesticides, has been shown to dramatically reduce pesticide biomarkers in the body within days.

When possible, EWG recommends prioritizing organic purchases for the most contaminated items listed in its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™. The guide features the “Dirty Dozen™” list of the produce with the highest pesticide residues detected and the “Clean Fifteen™” list of items with the lowest residues.

Weight loss treatments for people with diabetes could lower the risk of obesity-related cancers

 Weight loss treatments, including medication and surgical procedures, may help lower the risk of obesity-related cancers in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes, a new study shows.

The University of Leicester study, carried out by researchers funded by National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism in September 2025 investigated data from around 180,000 people.  

Researchers looked at the incidence of a number of cancers including breast, colorectal, gallbladder, liver, ovarian, pancreatic and uterine cancers in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes. They compared the incidence of cancer in those who received the weight loss drug semaglutide, those who received tirzepatide those who had undergone bariatric surgery, and also with people given medication to treat their diabetes. 

The University of Leicester’s Dr Jonathan Goldney, co-lead author of the study, said: “We observed a lower incidence of cancer in people who had undergone weight-loss surgery. Around 15% fewer cancers were observed in these people.

“There were also strong indicators that people prescribed semaglutide had lower incidence too, with around 12% few cancers observed in these people. 

“Our study findings make sense, as there is a growing amount of research suggesting that obesity causes cancer. Through sustained weight reduction, these therapies may also help reduce the risk of developing cancer.”

Testimony Ipaye from the Department of Genetics, Genomics and Cancer Sciences at the University of Leicester, also a lead author, added:  “Because this study included data from tens of thousands of people, our findings give us confidence that the potential benefits of weight loss treatments for cancer prevention could be relevant to a wide range of patients in the real world. 

“The potential impact on future healthcare and patient outcomes is hugely encouraging.”

Melanie Davies, Director of the NIHR Leicester BRC and Professor of Diabetes Medicine at the University of Leicester, who co-led the study said: “We are working hard to understand the emerging effects of weight loss drugs as they become more widely prescribed for obesity and type 2 diabetes. 

“These findings are exciting as they give us hope that the benefits may also extend into cancer prevention and reduction, which could inform treatment management and prevention in the future.”

A mango a day can keep diabetes away

 Study shows the benefits of foods with natural sugars versus added sugars

 If presented with two snacks, one containing seven grams of sugar and another with over 30 grams of sugar, choosing the healthier option should be a no-brainer, correct? Well, maybe not. Less sugar is not automatically healthier.  

For the nearly 100 million adults in the United States who are currently living with prediabetes, a tropical fruit that can reduce the risk of diabetes sounds too good to be true. Tropical fruits contain anywhere between ten to 50 grams of sugar, with mangos on the high end of the spectrum, making them seem a poor snack choice based on that alone. But research by clinical nutrition researcher Raedeh Basiri indicates that mangos, despite having more sugar than many low-sugar snacks, may offer protective factors for adults with prediabetes.  

“It is not just the sugar content that matters, but the overall food context that matters,” said Basiri, assistant professor in George Mason’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. This study is the first long-term clinical trial to demonstrate both metabolic and body composition benefits of mangoes in prediabetes. 

Simply put, it’s more than the sugar in the food; it’s about the whole food. The sugars naturally found in mangos, and other fruits, are complemented by fiber and other vitamins and nutrients that offer additional health benefits. Food with added sugar, such as breakfast cereals, and even low-sugar snack options, may not have the same nutritional value and can even increase diabetes risk. 

“The goal is to encourage people to include whole fruits, like mango, as part of healthy eating behaviors and practical dietary strategies for diabetes prevention,” said Basiri. “Individuals at high risk of diabetes should not only focus on the sugar content of foods, but on how sugars are delivered.” 

Basiri and her team split study participants into two groups; one group received a fresh mango daily, while the other group was given a low-sugar granola bar each day. Over six months, researchers measured participants’ blood glucose levels, bodily responses to insulin, and body fat.  

At the conclusion of the study, findings revealed that the high-sugar mango (32 grams of sugar) proved more beneficial than a low-sugar granola bar (11 grams of sugar). The group that consumed the daily mango showed improved blood glucose control, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and reduced body fat.   

Daily Mango Intake Improves Glycemic and Body Composition Outcomes in Adults with Prediabetes: A Randomized Controlled Study was published in Foods in August 2025.  

Soft Drink Consumption Associated with Higher Risk of Depression

 A new study involving the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) provides strong evidence that sugary drinks affect not only metabolic but also mental health – especially in women. This effect is probably mediated by the sensitive microbiome of the intestine.

As is well known, people who regularly consume sugary drinks not only have an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. There is an increasing number of studies that are now showing that soft drinks can also affect mental health. So far, however, it was unclear whether there is a direct relation to major depressive disorder (MDD) and which biological processes might be involved. 

Soft Drink Consumption Associated with Higher Risk of Depression 

To answer these questions, researchers analyzed cross-sectional data from the Marburg-Münster Affective Cohort (MACS). The study examined adults between the ages of 18 and 65 who were recruited from the general population and primary care between 2014 and 2018. The researchers included a total of 932 people, 405 of whom were patients with major depression disorder and 527 were healthy controls. 

The analyses showed a correlation between soft drink consumption and both the diagnosis of depression and the severity of the symptoms. This correlation was particularly pronounced in women: Among them, high consumption was associated with a 17% higher probability of depression (odds ratio 1.167) and more severe symptoms.  

Changes in the Microbiome as a Key Factor 

But how could the effect be conveyed? Here, too, the study provides a possible explanation: In women who regularly drank sugary soft drinks, the researchers found a significantly increased number of bacteria of the Eggerthella genus in the intestine. Earlier studies had shown that Eggerthella is more common in people with depression. The current study now provides the first convincing evidence that this bacterium possibly plays a mediating role – as a biological link between the consumption of soft drinks and the development of depressive symptoms. 

“Our data suggests that the relation between soft drinks and depressive symptoms arises via the influence of the microbiome,” says study leader Dr. Sharmili Edwin Thanarajah from the University Hospital Frankfurt and the MPI for Metabolism Research Cologne, an associated partner of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD).

Sugary drinks such as cola or lemonade not only contain glucose and fructose, but also numerous additives – including preservatives and artificial sweeteners. This combination can disturb the delicate balance in the intestinal microbiome. Inflammation-promoting bacteria are favored, while the production of protective short-chain fatty acids decreases. Animal studies show that such changes can trigger inflammatory processes in the nervous system and thus increase depressive behavior. 

It is striking that this correlation appears to be sex-related. In men who regularly consumed soft drinks, the researchers found neither an increase in Eggerthella nor a correlation with depressive symptoms. It is still unclear why this effect only occurs in women. Hormonal differences or sex-related reactions of the immune system possibly play a role. 

The Microbiome as a Therapeutic Target? 

“The study results open up new perspectives for the prevention and treatment of depressive disorders,” comments DZD researcher Rachel Lippert from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE). “Microbiome-based approaches – such as targeted nutritional therapies or probiotic strategies – might help to effectively alleviate depressive symptoms in the future.” 

The researchers therefore argue that the influence of nutrition on mental health should be more strongly integrated into educational campaigns, care concepts and prevention programs. 

“Changes in the microbiome can be influenced by diet – and are therefore a potential therapeutic target,” explains Edwin. “Even small adjustments in consumer behavior might have a big impact – especially when considering the widespread consumption of soft drinks.” 

 

Older adults can regain optimal well-being

Nearly one-quarter of older adults aged 60 or older, who initially reported poor well-being, had regained optimal well-being within three years, according to a study published September 24, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS One by Mabel Ho and Esme Fuller-Thomson from the University of Toronto, Canada. The study highlights the potential value of an active and healthy lifestyle, including maintaining healthy body weight, not smoking, becoming physically active, tackling sleeping problems, and preventing and managing chronic diseases, as well as the value of fostering psychological, emotional and social wellness.

There is a burgeoning interest in understanding the factors associated with resilience and lifelong flourishing. Many modifiable lifestyle factors can preserve optimal well-being, which is defined as achieving a sense of physical, psychological and emotional, social, and self-rated well-being, regardless of chronic health conditions. However, relatively few studies have examined factors associated with regaining optimal well-being in later life after a period of struggling.

By analyzing data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, Ho and Fuller-Thomson examined the characteristics of 8,332 older adults who did not meet the criteria for optimal well-being at baseline, and assessed them again three years later, when they were at least 60 years old.

The authors found that nearly one-quarter of these individuals had regained optimal well-being over the three-year period. Respondents with baseline psychological and emotional wellness were most likely to regain optimal well-being: they were almost five times more likely to achieve optimal well-being by the end of the three-year period than were those who did not have psychological and emotional wellness at baseline.

The prevalence of regaining optimal well-being was also higher among respondents who, at baseline, were younger (under 70 years old), were married, and had incomes above the poverty line. In terms of health characteristics, being physically active, non-smoking, not having sleeping problems, and not having chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, arthritis, or osteoporosis, were all associated with increased odds of regaining optimal well-being.

Since all Canadian citizens and permanent residents have free access to medically necessary services, the study’s findings may not fully apply to settings where patients must pay for healthcare services and so may experience reduced access to this help. It is also unclear if the findings can be generalized to low- and middle-income countries.

If future research establishes that the associations observed in the current study are causal, policies and interventions that support physical, psychological, emotional, social, and self-rated wellness might help older adults to regain optimal well-being. For example, programs and services can be provided to encourage older adults to engage in an active and healthy lifestyle, to manage chronic conditions, and to prevent social isolation. According to the authors, these interventions might play an important role in enhancing older adults' resilience and enabling them to regain optimal well-being in later life.

“What’s powerful about this research is the reminder that later life can still be fulfilling, even after difficult periods. Good health is important, but so are the people, meaning, and joy we have in our lives,” says first author Mabel Ho, a recent doctoral graduate at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and the Institute of Life Course and Aging.

“This is a clear call to invest in prevention, financial stability, and accessible wellness supports—because these aren’t just smart policies, they can potentially improve the trajectory of aging for older adults who are struggling," says senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson, Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging and Professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. 

 

 

In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS One: http://plos.io/3HUvmqZ 

Drinking any amount of alcohol likely increases dementia risk

 Drinking any amount of alcohol likely increases the risk of dementia, suggests the largest combined observational and genetic study to date, published online in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine.

Even light drinking—generally thought to be protective, based on observational studies—is unlikely to lower the risk, which rises in tandem with the quantity of alcohol consumed, the research indicates.

Current thinking suggests that there might be an ‘optimal dose’ of alcohol for brain health, but most of these studies have focused on older people and/or didn’t differentiate between former and lifelong non-drinkers, complicating efforts to infer causality, note the researchers.

To try and circumnavigate these issues and strengthen the evidence base, the researchers drew on observational data and genetic methods (Mendelian randomisation) from two large biological databanks for the entire ‘dose’ range of alcohol consumption.

These were the US Million Veteran Program (MVP), which includes people of European, African, and Latin American ancestry, and the UK Biobank (UKB), which includes people of predominantly European ancestry.

Participants who were aged 56–72 at baseline, were monitored from recruitment until their first dementia diagnosis, death, or the date of last follow-up (December 2019 for MVP and January 2022 for UKB), whichever came first. The average monitoring period was 4 years for the US group, and 12 for the UK group. 

Alcohol consumption was derived from questionnaire responses—over 90% of participants said they drank alcohol—and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) clinical screening tool. This screens for hazardous drinking patterns, including the frequency of binge drinking (6 or more drinks at a time).

In all, 559,559 participants from both groups were included in observational analyses, 14,540 of whom developed dementia of any type during the monitoring period:10,564 in the US group; and 3976 in the UK group. And 48,034 died: 28,738 in the US group and 19,296 in the UK group. 

Observational analyses revealed U-shaped associations between alcohol and dementia risk: compared with light drinkers (fewer than 7 drinks a week) a 41% higher risk was observed among non-drinkers and heavy drinkers consuming 40 or more drinks a week, rising to a 51% higher risk among those who were alcohol dependent. 

Mendelian randomisation genetic analyses drew on key data from multiple large individual genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of dementia, involving a total of 2.4 million participants to ascertain lifetime (rather than current) genetically predicted risks.

Mendelian randomisation leverages genetic data, minimising the impact of other potentially influential factors, to estimate causal effects: genomic risk for a trait (in this case, alcohol consumption) essentially stands in for the trait itself. 

Three genetic measures related to alcohol use were used as different exposures, to study the impact on dementia risk of alcohol quantity, as well as problematic and dependent drinking. 

These exposures were: self-reported weekly drinks (641 independent genetic variants);  problematic ‘risky’ drinking (80 genetic variants); and alcohol dependency (66 genetic variants). 

Higher genetic risk for all 3 exposure levels was associated with an increased risk of dementia, with a linear increase in dementia risk the higher the alcohol consumption. 

For example, an extra 1-3 drinks a week was associated with a 15% higher risk. And a doubling in the genetic risk of alcohol dependency was associated with a 16% increase in dementia risk.

But no U-shaped association was found between alcohol intake and dementia, and no protective effects of low levels of alcohol intake were observed. Instead, dementia risk steadily increased with more genetically predicted drinking. 

What’s more, those who went on to develop dementia typically drank less over time in the years preceding their diagnosis, suggesting that reverse causation—whereby early cognitive decline leads to reduced alcohol consumption—underlies the supposed protective effects of alcohol found in previous observational studies, say the researchers.

They acknowledge that a principal limitation of their findings is that the strongest statistical associations were found in people of European ancestry, because of the numbers of participants of this ethnic heritage studied. Mendelian randomisation also relies on assumptions that can’t be verified, they add.

Nevertheless, they suggest that their findings “challenge the notion that low levels of alcohol are neuroprotective.”

And they conclude: “Our study findings support a detrimental effect of all types of alcohol consumption on dementia risk, with no evidence supporting the previously suggested protective effect of moderate drinking. 

“The pattern of reduced alcohol use before dementia diagnosis observed in our study underscores the complexity of inferring causality from observational data, especially in ageing populations. 

BMJ Group retracts trial on apple cider vinegar and weight loss

 BMJ Group has retracted research suggesting that small daily quantities of apple cider vinegar might help people who are overweight or obese to lose weight.

The small clinical trial was published in the open access journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health in March 2024 and its findings press released. The study findings generated widespread international attention at the time, and continue to be frequently referred to in media coverage.

The retraction was prompted by concerns raised about the quality of the work, including the approach to statistical analysis of the data; implausible statistical values; the reliability of the raw data; inadequate reporting of methods; and lack of prospective trial registration, which breaches BMJ Group’s editorial policy.

Initially, concerns were raised in critiques of the study, some of which were published as letters in the journal. But after review by BMJ Group’s content integrity team, the study was referred to statistical experts to evaluate its reliability.  This included attempts to replicate the results and examine the authenticity of the underlying data supplied by the authors. 

It wasn’t possible for the statisticians to replicate the results and multiple analytical errors were identified. There were also irregularities in the data set, and their report, which is appended to the retraction notice, concluded that the data collected from each participant would require further independent scrutiny. 

The authors said that the identified errors were honest mistakes, but they agree with the decision to retract the study.

Dr Helen Macdonald, Publication Ethics and Content Integrity Editor at BMJ Group, said: “Tempting though it is to alert readers to an ostensibly simple and apparently helpful weight loss aid, at present the results of the study are unreliable, and journalists and others should no longer reference or use the results of this study in any future reporting.”

She added: “This retraction reflects our strategic and proactive approach to investigating concerns raised about the content we publish. We act where necessary in the interests of openness and the importance of correcting the scientific record.

“While we deal with allegations as swiftly as possible, it’s very important that due process is followed. Investigations are often complex. This one involved detailed scrutiny of data and correspondence with researchers, institutions, and other experts, for example. Reaching a sound and fair and final decision can therefore take several months.”

Commenting on the decision to publish the study despite the lack of trial registration, Professor Martin Kohlmeier, editor in chief of BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, explained: “In hindsight, this was the wrong decision to make. But the authors come from a scientific environment that is underrepresented in nutritional research and the journal aims to prioritise high quality evidence, which usually comes from clinical trials. 

“These are relatively unusual in nutritional research as they can be challenging to undertake because of the numbers of participants and time needed to obtain meaningful results.”

Wrist cooling represents a promising approach for managing hot flashes

 Hot flashes which are sudden, temporary intense sensations of body warmth, often accompanied by flushing and sweating during the day and night (night sweats) are referred to as vasomotor symptoms (VMS). These VMS are associated with sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunction, severe fatigue, increased pain severity and decreased quality of life. Hot flashes affect up to 80% of women going through the menopause transition, 80% of men with prostate cancer undergoing or after completion of androgen deprivation therapy and 50-80% of breast cancer patients receiving hormone deprivation therapy.

 

The consequences of VMS experienced by perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, aging men and breast and prostate cancer patients cannot be overstated. These overwhelming devastating symptoms not only have a significant impact on the quality-of-life, affect decision-making for life preserving hormone deprivation therapy for breast cancer and prostate cancer patients but also have significant economic and societal consequences.

 

A new study from Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine has shown that a wristband cooling device significantly reduced severe hot flash episodes among breast cancer, prostate cancer and postmenopausal women.

 

“Most non-hormonal pharmaceutical options for managing hot flashes are limited by significant side effects.and hormone replacement therapy is not  appropriate for breast and prostate cancer patients who were on, or who have been treated with, hormone deprivation therapy. This creates an urgent need for safe, effective, non-pharmaceutical interventions suitable for diverse patient populations experiencing debilitating VMS,” explains corresponding author Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, professor of medicine, pharmacology, physiology & biophysics and molecular medicine at the school.

 

Twenty-seven participants (10 breast cancer, 12 prostate cancer, five postmenopausal women) experiencing at least two moderate-to-severe daily hot flashes were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind study to receive either the active wrist cooling device or an identical, non-cooling wrist band. After two weeks of baseline recordings, participants used their assigned device for two weeks, then crossed over to the alternative device for an additional two additional weeks. Their hot flash frequency and severity were recorded in personal diaries throughout the testing.

 

The researchers observed a 46% reduction in severe hot flash episodes. Subset analysis revealed a 41% reduction in severe episodes in breast cancer patients and 50% reduction in severe episodes in prostate cancer patients and postmenopausal women. It also reduced the number of daily hot flashes by 18%.

 

According to the researchers, the wrist with its high neurological sensitivity has been identified as an effective site for targeted cooling therapy and for the development of devices to treat and/or improve such conditions as motion sickness, Parkinson’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome and hand tremors. Holick believes that the wrist cooling device signals the body’s hypothalamus, through the cooling neuron signaling pathway, that the body is experiencing intense cooling. That shuts down the overheating signals for initiating and controlling vasodilation and sweating thereby mitigating the impending vasomotor response (hot flash).

 

These findings appear online in the journal Endocrinology and Diabetes. W

Mammograms may benefit women well into their 80s

For many older women, the question of whether to continue breast cancer screening has been uncertain. While most guidelines recommend mammograms up to age 74, advice for women 75 and older has been less clear. Now, a new study from researchers at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests that regular mammograms may still offer significant benefits for women in their 80s.

The study, published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology, found that women in their 80s who get regular mammograms are more likely to have breast cancer detected early, need less aggressive treatment and live longer.

“When cancer is found on screening, it is often early stage,” said Dr. Nimmi Kapoor, an associate professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and senior author of the study. “In postmenopausal women with the most common hormone-sensitive breast cancers, we can often omit sentinel lymph node biopsy, chemotherapy, and sometimes even radiation. Screening is especially important in this era of de-escalation because early detection allows us to safely reduce the intensity of treatment while still achieving excellent outcomes.”

The number of older adults in the U.S. has grown rapidly over the past decade, and age is a major risk factor for breast cancer. As a result, determining the most effective way to screen older women has become increasingly important, the researchers noted. Yet guidance is limited, leaving many women and their doctors uncertain about when to continue or stop routine mammograms. Screening in older women also raises concerns about overdiagnosis, when cancers are detected that may never cause problems, and the associated costs. 

With limited data on the benefits of mammography for women over 80, the researchers set out to compare outcomes between those who continued regular screening and those who did not.

The team analyzed medical records of 174 women aged 80 and older who were diagnosed with breast cancer at UCLA between 2013 and 2020. Most cancers were estrogen receptor–positive and HER2-negative and were mostly stage 1 or 2. Patients were divided into two groups: Those who had a mammogram within two years before their diagnosis (98 women) and those who did not (76 women). They then compared outcomes —including cancer stage at diagnosis, treatment intensity, and overall survival— between the two groups.

They found that women who did not have regular mammograms were more likely to have tumors that were advanced, high-grade or noticeable by touch. Screened women were more likely to have surgery to remove the tumor, while unscreened women sometimes omitted surgery altogether.

After a median follow-up of 55 months, they found women who were screened had a 55% lower risk of their cancer returning and a 74% lower risk of dying compared with women who were not screened. These advantages remained even after accounting for age, tumor type, and whether they had surgery.

"We were surprised to see such a significant survival difference among these women in their 80s," said Kapoor, who is also an investigator in the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. "Our findings underscore the importance of encouraging breast cancer screening in elderly patients, regardless of age, unless they have more pressing health issues. Current guidelines are vague and often left to the provider’s discretion, so studies like ours help provide much-needed data for this underrepresented population."

While the findings are encouraging, the researchers noted some limitations. The study looked back at medical records and only included women who were ultimately diagnosed with breast cancer, so it doesn’t capture potential downsides of screening, such as false positives, extra tests, or the emotional and financial stress on patients and their families. Larger studies are needed to confirm the benefits of mammograms for older women and to guide clearer screening recommendations.