High fructose during pregnancy impairs fetal brain

 Nutritional imbalance during pregnancy can have long-lasting effects on the health status and disease susceptibility of the offspring. As such, high fructose intake through sweetened food and beverages in pregnant women has been associated with an increased susceptibility to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as neurological and cognitive impairments in the offspring. Currently, it is not well understood how early life exposure to fructose has such long-lasting effects on the cellular and molecular level.  

In a recent paper published in Stem Cell Reports, Hiroya Yamada’s team from Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan found that the performance of adult rats in learning and memory tests was impaired when the rats had been exposed to high fructose in before birth by feeding their mothers with high fructose corn syrup. Furthermore, neurogenesis, which is the generation of new neurons from neural stem cells (NSCs), in distinct regions of the brain involved in learning and cognition was reduced in those rats. Further, Yamada’s group discovered distinct changes in NSCs after high fructose exposure, which included reduced cell division and impaired generation of new neurons, and altered gene expression. To explain why prenatal high fructose exposure can have such long-lasting effects on NSCs, the researchers profiled the so-called epigenetic changes, which are chemical imprints on the DNA controlling gene activity. Strikingly, prenatal high fructose exposure introduced distinct epigenetic changes in fetal NSCs which persisted into adulthood and which deregulated the activity of genes important for adult neurogenesis.  Restoring normal expression of those genes improved the function of high fructose-exposed NSCs.

This research illustrates how early-life exposure to an adverse environment, e.g. an imbalanced maternal nutrition, can have long-lasting effects on brain development and function by changing the epigenetic regulation of gene activity in NSCs. Importantly, although epidemiological studies in human populations show similar correlations, further studies will be required to test if human NSCs are affected by high fructose and other environmental stressors in similar ways. “Our study suggests that neural stem cells may retain a biological memory of maternal nutrition during pregnancy," said Dr. Yamada. "This may help explain how a transient prenatal dietary imbalance can lead to long-lasting changes in brain development and function."

Prolonged sedentary behavior associated with increased cancer risk

 

Each additional hour of prolonged, uninterrupted sedentary behavior in a person's day is associated with a 9% higher risk of cancer death, according to a study published July 2nd in the open access journal PLOS Medicine by Frederick Ho of the University of Glasgow, UK, and colleagues.

Previous studies have shown that spending more total time on sedentary behavior, such as sitting, reclining or lying down while awake, is linked to poorer health outcomes. However, most sedentary behavior guidelines focus on total time spent sedentary, rather than whether that time is accumulated in many short intervals or fewer prolonged intervals.

In the new study, researchers analyzed data from 91,292 UK Biobank participants who had worn activity monitors for 7 days and were followed for a median of 12.38 years afterward. Activity was categorized as either prolonged sedentary (bouts of at least 30 minutes with at least 90% of time sedentary), interrupted sedentary behavior (which lasted less than 30 minutes or was broken up with more than 10% non-sedentary time), or varying degrees of physical activity.

Prolonged sedentary behavior was associated with a higher risk of cancer mortality (HR 1.09; 95% CI 1.06, 1.11), overall cancer incidence, obesity-related cancers (such as esophageal, liver, kidney, pancreatic, colorectal, breast, ovarian, and thyroid cancers), and type 2 diabetes-related cancers. Interrupted sedentary behavior showed the opposite pattern, associated with lower risk across all outcomes. Replacing one hour per day of prolonged sedentary behavior with light physical activity was associated with a 12% lower risk of cancer death (HR 0.88; 95% CI 0.79, 0.99).

As a single-cohort study of UK Biobank volunteers, who have known health volunteer bias and higher physical activity levels than the general UK population, the findings may not be generalizable and do not prove causality. The researchers also had no data on the context of sedentary behavior, such as whether it was during work or driving.

“Our findings suggest that the health effects of sedentary behavior may depend not only on total sedentary time, but also on whether that time is accumulated in prolonged bouts or interrupted by activity,” the authors say. “This pattern is biologically plausible: experimental studies have shown that interrupting prolonged sitting with short bouts of activity can improve metabolic responses compared with uninterrupted sitting.”

The authors add, “Current health guidelines focus heavily on moderate or vigorous exercise, but our findings show that light movement shouldn't be ignored. Moving forward, clinical trials will help us move beyond blanket advice and develop personalised strategies for breaking up sitting time.”

In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper in PLOS Medicine: https://plos.io/4oi0sJO   

How smartphones can deepen depression in older adults

Compulsive smartphone habits in older adults can be linked to a higher risk of depression, according to a study led by a Rutgers researcher. 

Researchers said their findings raised concerns that technology widely promoted to build connections can instead deepen late-life isolation: While mobile devices can be invaluable lifelines, their impact on mental health depends heavily on the way people use them. A critical distinction, the researchers said, is whether someone uses technology to actively engage with the world or to withdraw. 

“It comes down to purposeful interaction versus compulsive escapism,” said Chien-Chung Huang, a professor at the Rutgers School of Social Work and a senior author of the study. “The same device can bridge the gap to loved ones and community or serve as a wall to shut them out.”

The study, published in JMIR Aging, drew on survey responses from 2,585 adults ages 60 and older living in 87 communities throughout five districts of Guangzhou, China. Participants reported on their smartphone habits, communication preferences and offline social participation. Researchers also collected health and demographic information, including age, gender, marital status, education and income, and measured depressive symptoms with a screening tool commonly used with older adults.

The research team – which included study coauthors Sheng Chen and Yue Song, of the School of Public Administration at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in Guangzhou – used machine learning to identify which factors were most strongly associated with depression. A secondary analytic method helped investigators look beyond any single explanation and recognize patterns that might not have been obvious from one variable alone.

Limited social participation emerged as the strongest predictor of depression, followed closely by smartphone addiction, defined as compulsive or excessive use that disrupts daily functioning. Problematic phone reliance appeared in nearly all cases of clinical depression, with older adults who rarely used interactive communication features facing the greatest risk.

The findings suggest that phone use can support well-being when it helps older adults maintain relationships, especially across distance, through video calls, messaging and photo sharing. Long stretches of scrolling, watching videos or playing games alone were associated with a pattern of withdrawal. 

“When an older adult uses their phone as a shield to substitute or displace real-life social participation, it acts as a major red flag for depression,” Huang said.

The study identified two groups that appeared especially vulnerable to depression. One pattern involved older men with less formal education who exhibited signs of smartphone addiction. For these adults, lower digital literacy may make it more difficult to navigate complex apps, increasing the likelihood that they will fall back on passive entertainment. 

Huang said depression risk may be especially pronounced among men in this group who have relied heavily on a spouse or partner for social connection and have fewer family or community ties to draw on later in life. 

“When they lose a partner or become isolated, they can be left without the same social buffers,” he said. “Their phone becomes an isolating crutch rather than a bridge.” 

Another high-risk pattern emerged among older adults of both sexes: Those with higher incomes and education levels who suffered from smartphone addiction were more prone to clinical depression. This finding suggests that wealth, education, and technology access fail to protect against loneliness when screen time replaces real-world connections. 

The researchers said the study doesn’t prove excessive smartphone use causes depression. Because the research captured one point in time, it cannot determine whether problematic phone use contributes to depressive symptoms, whether depression leads older adults to spend more time on their phones or whether the two reinforce each other.

Huang said the relationship is likely cyclical: An older adult who feels lonely may turn to screen time for distraction. 

“Over time, passive digital consumption can begin to replace the real-world interactions that help protect mental health,” deepening isolation and worsening depressive symptoms, he said.

Huang added that families, community organizations, and health providers can help by encouraging older adults to use phones in ways that support interaction rather than solitary entertainment. The goal is not to discourage smartphone use, but to make it more social and purposeful.

“Instead of leaving a senior to scroll videos alone, family members can involve them in photo-sharing loops, text threads, and scheduled video calls that help bridge intergenerational gaps,” Huang said.

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Blood pressure and cholesterol levels in adults over 40 with obesity

• In several high-income countries including England and the USA, adults over 40 years old with obesity now have blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels approaching, or healthier than, people with a normal BMI, a significant shift from 30 years ago.
• This trend coincides with a greater rise in cholesterol-lowering medication (such as statins) and blood pressure medication use among adults over 40 with obesity compared to those with a normal BMI, pointing to medication as a likely driver of the blood pressure and cholesterol level convergence. 
• For adults under 40 years old, the study found little change in the gap between blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels in people with obesity and those with normal BMI, likely because young adults rarely receive cholesterol or blood pressure medication regardless of their BMI.
• Authors say these findings suggest the cardiovascular risks associated with obesity in some countries have been reduced in older adults, however they highlight other risks associated with obesity remain, including diabetes, kidney and liver diseases, and cancers.
• 
  

Over the last three decades, differences in unhealthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure between older adults with obesity and those with a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) have narrowed or disappeared in several high-income countries, suggests a study published in The Lancet. The authors propose that this trend is due to the greater, and possibly more intensive, use of cholesterol-lowering medication (such as statins) and blood pressure medication in people aged over 40 living with obesity in high-income countries. 
 
Obesity is known to increase blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels, which can impact cardiovascular health and increase the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. However, prior to this study, there was little information on blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and how they have changed, for people with obesity compared with people with normal BMI.
 
Author Prof Majid Ezzati, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London (UK), says: “Our study suggests that, in high-income countries, taking medication to lower blood pressure and cholesterol has helped middle-age and older adults lower their cardiovascular risk to levels that are similar to people with normal BMI.”
 
He continues, “At a time that weight-loss medications are becoming more widely used, our results give a picture of the cardiovascular health of people likely to be prescribed them, which allows the healthcare system to understand how blood pressure and cholesterol treatments benefit the population alongside weight-loss medications.”
 
The study analysed data on blood pressure and cholesterol in people with obesity, overweight, and normal BMI from 110 health datasets including almost one million participants from 1990 to 2024 in seven high-income countries: England, the USA, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Finland. 
 
Converging cardiovascular risk markers
 
The study finds that in the 1990s adults with obesity generally had higher blood pressure and high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol levels [1] than people with a normal BMI.
 
Since 1990, in the majority of the seven countries studied including England and the USA, blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol fell more steeply among middle-aged and older adults (40–79 years old) with obesity and overweight than among those with normal BMI, narrowing the gap over time. The exceptions were Taiwan and Thailand, which did not see this convergence as universally as other countries.
 
The findings were most striking in older adults (60–79 years old). In England and the USA, older adults with obesity, and especially with severe obesity, had similar or even lower blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels at the end of the study period than older adults with normal BMI.
 
Heart medication likely driving the convergence
 
Over the past three decades, people with obesity were more likely to be prescribed cholesterol-lowering medication (such as a statin) and blood pressure medication than those with a normal BMI. 
 
This gap was especially pronounced in older adults. For example, in England and the USA, around 70–72% of older men with severe obesity (BMI ≥35) were taking cholesterol-lowering medication by the early 2020s, compared with 40–48% of older men with a normal BMI.
 
Author Lakshya Jain, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London (UK), says “This latest analysis suggests that the observed convergence in cholesterol and blood pressure levels between people aged over 40 with obesity and those with a normal BMI is largely due to statins and other widely accessible medications to reduce cardiovascular risk. That is a significant public health success story, and one we should not lose sight of as new weight-loss medications enter the picture.” 
 
Cardiovascular risks remain for younger adults with obesity
 
In younger adults (under 40 years old), the study findings suggest little or no narrowing of the gap in blood pressure or cholesterol between those with obesity and those with a normal BMI. The data also suggests that use of cholesterol-lowering and blood pressure medication is low for this age group, adding further evidence that medication is the driver of the gap reduction in older adults. 
 
Author Ysé d'Ailhaud de Brisis, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London (UK), says "While good news for older adults with obesity, our results suggest that cardiovascular health risks remain higher for adults under 40 than for their counterparts with a normal BMI. Early lifestyle interventions, screening and, when appropriate, medication in this younger group should be considered to prevent long-term cardiovascular complications linked to obesity.”
 
The researchers note some limitations of the study, including that their analysis was limited to seven countries which were all high-income, therefore the finding may not be applicable elsewhere, especially for low- and middle-income countries where the use of unhealthy cholesterol and blood pressure lowering medicines is likely to be lower. Additionally, it was not possible to look at the impact of different medication doses, which require data on prescriptions. 
 
Writing in a linked Comment, Dr Yuan Lu, Yale School of Medicine (USA), who was not involved in the study, says, “This study reframes obesity-related cardiovascular risk as reflecting not only excess adiposity, but also treatment access, health-system engagement, and timing of intervention. Convergence of risk factors should not be equated with elimination of obesity-related risk. Although treatment of high blood pressure and cholesterol might mitigate part of the cardiovascular harm associated with obesity, the persistent burden among younger adults and the broader multisystem consequences of obesity highlight the need for integrated prevention strategies that move beyond isolated risk factor treatment.”
 

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Non-HDL cholesterol, or ‘unhealthy’ cholesterol, is a measure of how much ‘bad’ cholesterol is in the blood. It measures cholesterol carried on Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDLs), Very Low-Density Lipoprotein (VLDLs) and other particles known to cause plaque buildup in blood vessels. It doesn’t include the ‘good’ (HDL) cholesterol. High levels of non-HDL are known to raise your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Exercise boosts smoking quit rates

 

A pack-a-day smoker can spend around $14,000 a year on cigarettes, yet despite the financial and health costs, quitting remains one of the most difficult changes many people will ever attempt.

Now, new research from Adelaide University shows that exercise can help people quit smoking by reducing cigarette consumption, easing cravings and improving their chances of quitting.

Researchers found that people taking part in exercise programs were 15% more likely to achieve continuous abstinence and 21% more likely to report not smoking over a seven-day period, compared with control groups.

They also found that exercise could reduce cigarette consumption by two cigarettes per day, and that a single bout of exercise immediately reduced cigarette cravings for up to 30 minutes after exercise.

The systematic review and meta-analysis examined 59 randomised controlled trials involving more than 9000 participants, exploring the effects of both single bouts of exercise and long-term exercise programs on smoking cessation, cravings, withdrawal symptoms and mood.

Globally, tobacco smoking remains the leading preventable cause of premature morbidity and mortality, accounting for about 7 million deaths, including an estimated 1.6 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke.

Around the world, e-cigarette use has now reached more than 100 million people.

The researchers say exercise should be viewed as an additional tool that can be used alongside established smoking cessation support.

Lead researcher, Dr Ben Singh said the findings provide smokers with a practical, low-cost tool that can support their quitting journey.

“Quitting smoking is one of the best things a person can do for their health, but it’s also one of the hardest,” Dr Singh said.

“Many smokers want to quit, but the current approaches don’t work for everyone. That’s why we need more strategies that people can incorporate into their daily lives at little or no cost.

“Something as simple as regular exercise can make a meaningful difference to people trying to quit, helping them manage cravings, smoke less and improve their chances of quitting.”

While smoking rates have reduced over the past two decades, demand for e-cigarettes and heated-tobacco products have risen, targeting the younger generation.

Today, 80% of the 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries, yet in contrast, vaping has risen across many OECD countries.

Senior researcher Adelaide University’s Professor Carol Maher said exercise could be used strategically to ward off tobacco cravings.

“Quitting smoking does not have to begin and end with willpower alone,” Prof Maher said.

“Cravings can be difficult to manage, but they often pass. Our review found that even a single bout of exercise can reduce cravings for up to 30 minutes, which may help people get through some of the hardest moments of a quit attempt.

“Exercise should not replace evidence-based quit supports such as counselling and smoking cessation medication, but it may be a practical, low-cost strategy that people can use alongside them.”

The researchers say the next step is to test how exercise can be built into real-world quit programs, including digital, community and clinical services, and to examine whether it can also support people trying to quit vaping, where evidence is currently lacking.

Hearing loss in diabetes patients a ‘hidden epidemic’

 

Researchers have called for hearing tests to become a standard part of diabetes care and for hearing loss to be recognised as a significant complication of the condition.

Dr Mehwish Nisar from UQ’s School of Public Health said most people were unaware there was even a connection between hearing loss and diabetes.

“One in 4 adults with diabetes – or about 130 million people worldwide – are living with serious hearing loss,’’ Dr Nisar said.

“Diabetes is the world's fastest growing chronic disease, affecting over half a billion people, and people with diabetes are more than twice as likely to experience serious hearing loss.

“This isn't a minor inconvenience; hearing loss in people with diabetes often strikes working-age adults in their 40s and 50s, affecting daily conversations, fuelling isolation and creating significant communication challenges.

“This is a hidden epidemic, and we need to sound the alarm and add a simple hearing test to every diabetes check-up.’’

Researchers reviewed 29 studies involving more than 17,000 people worldwide, examining hearing loss in adults mostly with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.

They found retinopathy (damage to the retina), nephropathy (kidney damage), and neuropathy (nerve damage) were recognised and routinely monitored complications.

However, hearing impairment was found to be a “significant, yet under-recognised, complication’’.

Dr Nisar said identifying hearing loss early allowed for timely hearing aid support to reduce isolation and support communication, as well as better glucose management to slow further deterioration.

“It is widely known that diabetes affects the eyes, kidneys, and nerves but almost no one knows it can also cause serious hearing loss,’’ Dr Nisar said.

“This research exposes the hidden sensory crisis affecting millions of people.

“Despite clear links, hearing loss is not yet systematically integrated into diabetes care protocols.

“Raising awareness of this hidden complication could help identify hearing problems earlier and improve quality of life for millions of people.’’

Dr Nisar said hearing loss progressed gradually, and patients were often unaware of a problem until it was more advanced.

“Crucially, clinically significant hearing loss is detectable through straightforward, low-cost audiometric screening, presenting a vital opportunity for early diagnosis and intervention,’’ she said.

“The more than 2-fold increased risk identified in this review supports the integration of routine audiometric screening into standard diabetes care, with particular urgency for younger adults.

“The damage may begin much earlier than people think and even people who have lived with diabetes for less than 10 years are more than twice as likely to develop significant hearing loss compared with those without diabetes.

“This is not just a concern for people with long-standing diabetes.

“Waiting for advanced complications before checking hearing is waiting too long.’’

Read the research in Diabetes Metabolism Research and Reviews.

Nearly half of dementia cases could be prevented by tackling modifiable risk factors

Nearly half of dementia cases could be prevented by tackling modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity, smoking, low education or social isolation, but new Curtin University research suggests current public health approaches are falling short of driving real behaviour change.

 

A major international review published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity has found while large-scale health awareness campaigns for dementia prevention can reach wide audiences, they often lead to only small improvements in knowledge and limited changes in behaviour.

 

The study analysed public health campaigns and programs across eight countries and found more engaging, personalised and community-driven approaches were needed to genuinely influence behaviour and reduce dementia risk.

 

Study author Professor Mario Siervo, from Curtin’s School of Population Health, said the findings showed a clear gap between what people know and what they do.

 

“Up to 45 per cent of dementia cases are linked to modifiable factors we can change, such as our lifestyle, health status and environment,” Professor Siervo said.

 

“But simply telling people what those risks are isn’t enough; awareness campaigns are important, but on their own they rarely lead to meaningful or lasting behaviour change.”

 

Professor Siervo also said a second new study conducted by the group has provided further evidence on the relevance of modifiable risk factors for dementia.

 

The results indicated that muscle strength and body composition play a significant role in dementia risk, highlighting the need for more targeted prevention approaches.

 

The Curtin-led research followed nearly 500,000 adults over more than a decade and found people with both low muscle strength and excess body fat — known as sarcopenic obesity — had a higher risk of developing dementia.

 

In contrast, obesity on its own was not associated with increased dementia risk if muscle strength was preserved, highlighting the importance of muscle health alongside maintaining an optimal body composition in dementia prevention.

 

Chair in Dementia at Curtin’s enAble Institute and co-author Professor Blossom Stephan said many people still did not realise dementia risk could be reduced.

 

“There is still a widespread belief that dementia is an unavoidable part of ageing, which is not the case,” Professor Stephan said.

 

“But even when people are aware of the risks, barriers such as time, cost and motivation can prevent them from making changes to their lifestyle.”

 

The review found interactive approaches were consistently more effective in motivating people to make lifestyle changes than passive information campaigns.

 

These included:

• Online education programs that guide people through practical steps to improve brain health
• Personalised risk assessments showing individuals how their lifestyle affects their dementia risk
• Community-based programs delivered by trusted local figures, such as peer educators, health workers or community leaders

 

Professor Siervo said these types of approaches were more likely to engage people and support sustained behaviour change.

 

“When people understand their own personal risk and are given clear, practical ways to act – especially through trusted community networks – they are more likely to make meaningful changes,” he said.

 

Examples of effective approaches included community education sessions run by local leaders, culturally tailored programs delivered in familiar settings and interactive courses helping participants set realistic health goals.

 

Professor Stephan said future public health strategies should move beyond awareness alone and focus on long-term engagement.

 

“We need to combine broad public messaging with targeted support that helps people take action,” she said.

 

“That means investing in programs that are accessible, culturally relevant and designed with communities, not just delivered to them.

 

“With dementia rates expected to rise significantly in coming decades, prevention is one of the most powerful tools we have -but to get there, we need to rethink how we communicate risk and support people to act on it.”

 

Population-level interventions for dementia prevention: a systematic review was published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity.