Reducing ultra-processed food (UPF) intake & being active can cut risk of type 2 diabetes

 

, regardless of genetic make-up

Your genes are not your destiny, say study’s authors

Reports and Proceedings

European Association for the Study of Diabetes

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Eating a diet low in ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and exercising can cut the risk of type 2 diabetes, even in those with a strong genetic disposition to the condition, new research being presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2) suggests.

The analysis of data on tens of thousands of people in the UK found that those who had a diet low in processed food and did regular moderate to vigorous physical activity were up to 70% less likely to develop the condition.

In those with a strong genetic predisposition, the diet-exercise combination halved the risk of type 2 diabetes.

“Type 2 diabetes is caused by a combination of a person’s genetic susceptibility and their lifestyle,” says Wenxin Xu, of City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, who led the research.

“In terms of lifestyle, eating more ultra-processed food is associated with a higher risk, whereas physical activity is protective.

“However, whether a lower UPF intake reduces genetic susceptibility hasn’t been clear. Nor have we known whether exercising helps offset the impact of UPFs.

“It is important to find this out because, unlike genetic susceptibility, diet and physical activity can be modified – they are things people can change.”

To find out more, Ms Xu and colleagues at the City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong and Dongguan) examined data on 56,964 adults in the UK Biobank study (average age 69.5 years, 42.3% male).

Detailed questionnaires provided information on UPF intake at baseline, as defined by the Nova system1. The amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was calculated from activity trackers worn on the wrist for a week. MVPA is exercise that increases heart rate and breathing rate. Examples include brisk walking, cycling, hiking and walking the dog. Sports, housework and gardening jobs that require sustained physical effort are also included. Genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes was estimated from genetic data.

During an average follow-up period of 7.8 years, 926 of the participants developed type 2 diabetes.

As expected, eating more UPFs was associated with a higher risk of the condition and, MVPA, a lower risk. Type 2 diabetes risk increased in line with UPF intake. Every 10% (by weight) of an individual’s diet that was made up of UPFs increased their risk of type 2 diabetes by 7%. Meanwhile, the participants who met the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of at least 150 minutes of MVPA a week were 39% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who exercised less.

Further analysis indicated that a lower UPF intake and MVPA both partially offset genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes.

In those whose genes put them at high risk of type 2 diabetes, a low UPF intake (approximately 11% or less of total food intake by weight came from ultra-processed foods) was associated with a 35% lower likelihood of the condition. Meeting the MVPA recommendations was associated with a 33% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

The researchers also found that exercise seems to reduce the impact of UPFs, even in those with a strong genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes. In participants with high UPF intake (approximately 33% or more of total food intake by weight came from ultra-processed foods), meeting WHO recommendations for MVPA was assåΩociated with 31% lower risk of type 2 diabetes risk in those with a high genetic risk, 57% in those with an intermediate genetic risk and 58% in those at low genetic risk.

The combination of lower UPF intake and MVPA was associated with even greater protection against the condition. It was linked to a 49% reduction of risk of type 2 diabetes in those whose genes made them highly susceptible to type 2 diabetes, a 70% reduction in those with an intermediate genetic susceptibility and a 59% reduction in those with a low genetic susceptibility.

This highlights the importance of considering lifestyle changes together, rather than in isolation, say the authors. They acknowledge that the findings are observational and so cannot prove cause and effect. However, they are in line with existing advice to eat a healthier diet and stay physically active to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Ms Xu adds: “Our study indicates that our genes are not our destiny.

"Even among people with a high genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes, lower intake of ultra-processed foods and regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were associated with a substantially lower risk of developing the condition.

“While we cannot say that type 2 diabetes can always be avoided, our results suggest that healthy lifestyle choices may help reduce the risk whatever your genetic background.”å

Appendectomy for appendicitis associated with 58% lower colorectal cancer risk

 

 than antibiotics alone

In a matched study of more than 30,000 patients, colorectal cancer was later diagnosed in 0.7% of those who had surgery for acute appendicitis compared with 1.7% of those treated with antibiotics alone

Reports and Proceedings

American College of Surgeons

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Key Takeaways 

• In a matched cohort of more than 30,000 appendicitis patients, appendectomy was associated with a 58% lower relative risk of a later colorectal cancer diagnosis (0.7% vs. 1.7%). 

• Age, family history, genetic predisposition, and other established colorectal cancer risk factors may ultimately help inform patient selection and follow-up. 

• Exact mechanisms behind the association are unknown, but could be tied to earlier detection of an underlying cancer, removal of a source of inflammation, and the appendix’s potential role in the intestinal microbiome and immune system. 

• The findings will be presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, Sept. 26-29. 

WASHINGTON (September 25, 2026) — Patients who underwent an appendectomy for acute appendicitis had a significantly lower subsequent risk of colorectal cancer than similar patients treated with antibiotics alone, according to new research. 

The research will be presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, Sept. 26-29, where thousands of surgeons will convene to advance surgical quality, patient safety, and access to care. 

Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix, a small, narrow organ located near the junction of the small and large intestines. The removal of the appendix, or appendectomy, is one of the most common surgeries in the United States. In select patients, appendicitis can also be managed with antibiotics rather than surgery. 

“The management of acute appendicitis has changed significantly over the last decade, and antibiotic therapy is now an accepted option,” said senior author Valentine Nfonsam, MD, MS, FACS, FASCRS, professor and executive vice chair of the department of surgery at Morehouse School of Medicine. “However, most of the discussion has focused on short-term outcomes: avoiding surgery, recurrence, complications, and quality of life. We wanted to ask a different question: Are there potential long-term oncologic implications of leaving the appendix in place after appendicitis?” 

Researchers performed a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network, which included data from 168 health care organizations. The investigators identified patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis who were treated with either an appendectomy or antibiotics alone. 

After matching the groups by characteristics, each treatment group included 15,774 patients. Once patients with a colorectal cancer diagnosis before the study’s outcome period were excluded, there were 15,616 appendectomy patients and 15,295 patients treated with antibiotics. 

Using retrospective data, the researchers found that colorectal cancer was diagnosed in 110 patients who underwent appendectomy, or 0.7%, compared with 254 patients treated with antibiotics alone, or 1.7%. Appendectomy was associated with a 58% lower relative risk of a subsequent colorectal cancer diagnosis. 

“These results should not be interpreted to mean that everyone with appendicitis needs an appendectomy to prevent cancer,” Dr. Nfonsam said. “Antibiotic management remains an important option. But when we discuss nonoperative management, we should also think beyond the immediate episode of appendicitis and consider potential long-term oncologic risk and appropriate monitoring.” 

“Useless” Organ or Small but Mighty?  

The appendix was once widely viewed as a useless organ, simply a leftover from evolution. Emerging research, however, suggests that it may play a role in the intestinal immune system and the gut microbiome, the community of bacteria and other microorganisms living in the digestive tract. 

According to Dr. Nfonsam, the appendix contains a substantial amount of lymphoid tissue that is thought to contribute to immune system functioning. Changes in inflammation and the microbial environment have been linked to processes involved in colorectal cancer, so the appendix’s biological functions represent one possible area for further investigation. 

The authors say that an inflamed appendix could be a symptom of a larger problem in the digestive system, such as colorectal cancer. Removing the appendix gives surgeons a chance to examine the health of the digestive system directly and eliminates a source of inflammation. 

“The appendix is more than a vestigial organ,” said Dr. Nfonsam. “It is rich in lymphoid tissue and participates in the intestinal microbiome and immune system in that area. Whether persistent inflammation or changes in the local microbial environment contribute to the development of cancer is biologically plausible, but our study cannot answer that question.” 

In some patients, appendicitis may be an early sign of an undiagnosed colorectal cancer rather than a cause of a future cancer. For example, an occult right-sided colorectal tumor may obstruct drainage from the appendix and initially present as acute appendicitis. 

Appendectomy also allows the removed appendix to undergo pathologic examination. Findings from that examination may prompt additional diagnostic testing. Patients treated with antibiotics alone do not have the same immediate opportunity for tissue analysis. 

“Treatment should not be one size fits all,” Dr. Nfonsam said. “Age, genetic predisposition, family history, and other colorectal cancer risk factors may all be relevant as we study how to select patients and plan follow-up.” 

BOOK: Worlds Unfolding

  

Paperback

Price:

$65.00/£55.00

ISBN:

Published:

Oct 20, 2026

Pages:

400

Size:

7.5 x 9.5 in.

Illus:

600 color illus.

Humans are seekers, forever striving to make sense of the multiple worlds in which they live: the skies above, the depths below, earthbound environments, and the body itself. Worlds Unfolding explores this insatiable drive through The Huntington Library’s extraordinary collections in science, medicine, and technology, which span from the tenth century to today. The book, a five-volume slipcase set with a booklet that includes an introduction by Bill Nye, provokes questions fundamental to this pursuit of knowledge. Through suggestive texts and more than 625 illustrations, Worlds Unfolding presents stories featuring the unexpected twists, turns, and conceptual leaps of science.

Each volume in the boxed set focuses on a specific realm of human curiosity—Above (astronomy, aviation, aerospace); Below (geology, mining, oceanography); Within (anatomy, medicine, electricity); Beyond (exploration, science fiction); and Alive (natural history, ecosystems). This dynamic, multidisciplinary approach addresses the ongoing, imperfect evolution of human inquiry. Across centuries of trial and error, illusion and triumph, the history of science is a continuously unfolding quest.

AUTHORS

Jennifer A. Watts is senior curator for library special projects at The Huntington. Her many books include Nineteen Nineteen and A Strange and Fearful Interest: Death, Mourning, and Memory in the American Civil War. Daniel Lewis is the Dibner Senior Curator for the History of Science and Technology at The Huntington. He is the author of Twelve Trees: The Deep Roots of Our Future and Belonging on an Island: Birds, Extinction, and Evolution in Hawai‘i. Joel A. Klein is the Molina Curator for the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences at The Huntington. Natalie Lawler is assistant curator for library special projects at The Huntington. Bill Nye is an engineer, educator, and author, best known as the host of the Emmy Award–winning PBS show Bill Nye the Science Guy.

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The e-book of this edition includes all five volumes and the booklet.

Published in association with The Huntington

Quitting ultra-processed food can boost your mental health

 

A preliminary study led by UC San Francisco adds to growing evidence that reducing ultra-processed food may improve symptoms of depression.

Published Sept. 23 in JAMA Psychiatry, the study, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health, is believed to be the first to compare symptoms in people with depression before and after they switched from their regular ultra-processed diet to healthier food.

Although the pilot study comprised just 20 people, it “successfully established the viability of carrying out this research in a larger-scale trial,” said senior author Andrew Krystal, MD, Ray and Dagmar Dolby Distinguished Professor in UCSF’s departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Neurology.

Participants reduced ultra-processed food intake by more than 85% and experienced moderate to large improvements across three measures of depression. Anxiety scores also improved modestly. 

Ultra-processed food includes packaged snacks, fast food, sugary beverages, and other industrially manufactured items that may contain preservatives, artificial coloring, flavor enhancers, and emulsifiers.

“Reducing the amount of ultra-processed food in our diet can be challenging, because it’s highly palatable, cheap, and convenient,” said corresponding author Nyasha Chagwedera, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “Ultra-processed food triggers dopamine, the pleasure hormone, which promotes craving. Food companies work with scientists to find just the right amount of sugar, salt, and fat that make you want to eat more and more.”

The gut-brain connection

The average age of the study participants was 44 and 70% were female. In addition to depression, 14 participants had anxiety, and all had a high BMI and at least one metabolic disorder — such as hypertension, diabetes, or elevated LDL cholesterol.

Participants were divided into two groups: one continued with their regular diet for four weeks, while the other shifted to a low ultra-processed diet, which they shopped for and purchased themselves with guidance from researchers. After four weeks, the two groups swapped diets.

The link between ultra-processed food and depression may be explained by a “leaky, out-of-balance gut,” caused by damage from the food to the gut’s protective lining, according to Chagwedera, who is the founder of the UCSF Metabolic and Mental Health Program. “This gut damage can create low-grade, chronic inflammation throughout the body that either directly causes depression or makes people more vulnerable to it.”

“In other words, junky processing may harm your gut in ways that ripple up to your brain.”

Potential health effects of mobile phone use during pregnancy

A systematic review of the scientific literature on mobile phone use during pregnancy and fetal outcomes examines the potential health effects of mobile phone exposure during pregnancy. While some studies included in the review found no significant association between short- or long-term mobile phone use and major pregnancy outcomes, most studies associated prolonged or intensive use with a range of adverse outcomes, particularly cardiovascular abnormalities and shorter gestational duration.  

The evidence also suggests possible biological mechanisms through which mobile phone use could contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes. The findings are published in Nature’s Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology.

The research was led by a team of collaborators from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Cornell University, and Johns Hopkins University. 

PubMed and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies published until February 2026.

“The rapid evolution of mobile phone technology and the increased frequency and duration of mobile phone use have raised concerns about potential adverse effects of cell phone exposure during pregnancy, underscoring the need to better understand potential risks to the developing fetus,” said author Norman Kleiman, PhD, associate professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia Mailman School and an expert in radiological health outcomes. He added, “Existing studies examining mobile phone use and adverse pregnancy outcomes are limited and often contradictory.”

Over the past several decades, mobile technology use has increased dramatically worldwide. Between 2000 and 2009, the number of cell phone users increased from approximately 500 million to 3.3 billion. By 2021, the number of cell phone users was estimated to have nearly doubled again, reaching 6.4 billion. The average smartphone user spends approximately three to four hours per day on their device.

In one study of 423 adults, including 256 females, greater cell phone use was significantly associated with increased sedentary behavior. High levels of sedentary behavior may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including reduced gestational age, hypertensive disorders, and restricted fetal growth. However, the inability to distinguish the effects of sedentary behavior from those of radiation exposure is considered a limitation of many of the studies included in the review.

“Notably, mobile phone use may serve as a proxy for a sedentary lifestyle rather than strictly reflect radiation exposure,” said Kleiman.

Mobile phones emit non-ionizing microwave radiation, commonly referred to as radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). Because microwaves have much longer wavelengths and lower energy than X-rays or gamma rays, this type of radiation does not have enough energy to break chemical bonds or directly damage DNA in a way that causes mutations.

Previous research suggests that chronic, low-level exposure to RF-EMFs may influence biological processes, including cell signaling, membrane structure and function, and certain biophysical and biochemical pathways. Changes in these processes have been investigated in connection with non-cancer health effects, including headaches, sleep disturbances, and infertility.

Mobile phone RF-EMF exposure can also produce localized temperature increases in organs and tissues through thermal effects. High temperature is a known risk factor for organ dysfunction and altered blood flow.

The researchers emphasize that future studies should consider the broader context of mobile phone use, including exposure from Wi-Fi networks and cell towers, which can be located close to users. As mobile technology continues to evolve, including the development and deployment of 5G networks, new exposure patterns to RF-EMFs may emerge. The researchers say it will be important to examine the potential health effects of these changing exposure patterns.

It is also essential to distinguish among different types of mobile phone use. For example, voice calls involve relatively close-range exposure to the head, while other activities may involve different patterns and durations of exposure.

The scientists suggest that simple measures could help reduce mobile phone exposure during pregnancy, particularly for women at higher risk. These actions include using speakerphone or wired headsets, keeping phones away from the abdomen, and enabling airplane mode when the phone is not in use.

“Our findings should be interpreted with caution,” said Kleiman. “Future research should prioritize well-designed cohort studies with standardized exposure assessments to clarify these associations. Given the rapid evolution of mobile phone technology and the increasing frequency and duration of mobile phone use, understanding the long-term effects of RF-EMF exposure on maternal and fetal health remains critical.”

“While the accumulated evidence suggests possible adverse effects of mobile phone use during pregnancy, drawing firm conclusions remains premature given the inconsistent findings and methodological limitations across existing studies,” said co-author Ka Kahe, MD, ScD, professor of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and professor of Preventive Medicine at Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons. “Our review effectively underscores the need for more rigorous research to guide evidence-based recommendations.”

Exercise may ease stress-related bladder pain and frequent urination

 Chronic stress may contribute to the pain and urinary symptoms experienced by people with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) by triggering changes in the bladder and nervous system, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. IC/BPS, a chronic condition affecting millions, causes pain, pressure or discomfort in the bladder and pelvic area, often accompanied by an urgent or frequent need to urinate.

While stress and anxiety have been linked to urinary symptoms, whether stress can impact the bladder itself was unclear. “Our study shows that stress can cause direct changes to the bladder that contribute to discomfort,” said the study’s senior author Dr. Larissa Rodriguez, chair of the Department of Urology and the James J. Colt Professor of Urology at Weill Cornell and urologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “We also found that exercise may modulate those changes and could be a non-surgical, non-pharmacologic way of treating some stress-linked urinary tract conditions.”

The new study, published Sept. 23 in Nature Scientific Reports, discovered that chronic stress disrupted the bladder's natural defenses against harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species. These reactive molecules are naturally produced as cells use oxygen to generate energy but can cause damage when they build up faster than the body can remove them.

“Most striking, our study found that voluntary exercise significantly reduced stress-mediated bladder pain and urinary frequency while strengthening bladder tissue,” said first author Shaista Chaudhary, a senior research associate in urology. “If these findings translate to humans, then regular exercise may offer a way to protect bladder health and manage the effects of chronic stress.”

Countering the Biological Effects of Stress

To uncover the underlying biological mechanisms of IC/BPS, Dr. Rodriguez and her colleagues studied an animal model of chronic stress. They observed that stressed animals had more bladder sensitivity and urinated more frequently.

In addition to oxidative damage, they found that stressed animals had increased activated immune cells called mast cells, which can promote inflammation and weaken the bladder's protective lining. When this barrier becomes permeable, substances in urine may irritate nerves in the bladder wall, contributing to pain and the urgent need to urinate.

Since exercise can reduce the effects of stress on the body, the researchers gave the stressed animal models voluntary access to exercise wheels for three weeks.

“We saw that many biological changes started to get better, including oxidative damage,” Dr. Rodriguez said. “The bladder lining became less permeable but did not completely return to normal. Inflammation and the immune response decreased, as did urinary symptoms and pain.”  

Additional research is needed to determine how directly these mechanisms apply to people with IC/BPS. Dr. Rodriguez and her team are assessing the relationship between stress and pain in female patients using questionnaires and urine sample analyses.

They are planning a future clinical trial to determine whether women experiencing stress-linked urinary symptoms benefit from exercise and which types are most effective. She noted that some high-intensity exercises, like marathon running or interval training, might increase stress on the body, so they will likely assess more moderate regimens, like resistance training.

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Exercise better than common pain meds

 From osteoarthritis to a splitting migraine, when you’re experiencing pain, exercise can seem like the last thing you want or think you should do. But according to new Adelaide University research it could be one of the most effective ways to help ease your symptoms.

In a new study of 157 systematic reviews, 2736 randomised controlled trials and 221,279 participants, researchers found that exercise can significantly reduce acute and chronic pain across a wide range of conditions including musculoskeletal, neurological, inflammatory, and cancer-related pain.

Importantly, shorter-duration and lower-intensity programs delivered greater pain reductions, with significant benefits also seen in programs involving less than two hours of exercise a week.

Overall, exercise reduced pain by around 1.1 points on a 0–10 scale – a reduction around 60% larger than the average pain relief reported for common pain medications in separate chronic pain trials.

This study is the most comprehensive synthesis of exercise for pain relief to date.

Globally, chronic pain affects one in five adults.

Lead researcher Dr Ben Singh said despite compelling evidence that exercise can deliver meaningful benefits, it remains underused as a treatment for pain.

“When we exercise, our body releases chemicals including endorphins and serotonin that can help reduce how strongly we feel pain and increase our pain tolerance,” Dr Singh said.

“Additionally, it helps calm inflammation and change the way our brain responds to pain, while also improving mood.

“These effects help explain why exercise can be such a powerful tool for pain management. Yet despite the evidence, it isn’t used as routinely as it could be and is rarely prescribed with the same precision as medication.

“Instead, people experiencing pain may be told to ‘stay active’, rather than being given a specific, evidence-based exercise program that considers what type of exercise to do, how hard to work and for how long.”

Researchers examined how the type, intensity and duration of exercise influenced pain relief, as well as whether the benefits differed across acute and chronic pain conditions.

“Our study found that exercise was associated with substantial reductions in acute and chronic pain across all forms of exercise – whether that be via aerobic or resistance exercise, or through gentler movement such as yoga, Pilates or tai chi.

“Importantly, we found that more exercise wasn’t necessarily better. In fact, shorter-duration and lower-intensity programs showed greater reductions in pain, suggesting people may not need to exercise harder or for longer to experience meaningful benefits.”

Senior researcher, Adelaide University’s Professor Carol Maher said clinicians should be encouraged to integrate exercise as a core component of multimodal pain care.

“Health care providers need definitive guidance, not just whether exercise helps, but which exercises work for which patients, and how to prescribe them effectively,” Dr Singh said.

“These findings should provide clinicians with considerable flexibility and increased confidence to prescribe exercise as a core, scalable component of pain management across diverse conditions.

“At a time when we’re looking for safe and effective ways to manage pain beyond medication, these findings provide strong evidence for making exercise a more routine part of pain care.”