Eats « Weekly Gravy

It can sometimes be tough to fill prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound, given the overwhelming popularity of the breakthrough weight-loss meds. But people who miss a dose here and there shouldn’t worry about losing ground in their fight against excess weight, a new study says. Folks on GLP-1 drugs can expect to maintain their weight loss if they have a disruption in access, as long as they’ve also adopted healthy lifestyle habits like eating right and exercising, researchers reported at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco. “While unpredictable GLP-1 medication access is frustrating, the good news is that our research shows effective weight loss can still be achieved if paired with appropriate lifestyle changes and coaching support,” lead researcher Kaelen Medeiros, director of data and research at the private weight-loss company Calibrate in New York City, said in a news release. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs mimic the GLP-1 hormone, which helps control insulin and blood sugar levels, decreases appetite and slows digestion of food. The drugs’ effectiveness in battling obesity has made them wildly popular, resulting in occasional shortages, Medeiros said. They’re also pricey, which means some insurance companies have instituted strict coverage guidelines. “Patients taking GLP-1 treatments like semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound) often face challenges consistently accessing their medications due to supply shortages or insurance coverage obstacles,” Medeiros… read on > read on >

Patients taking Kerendia saw significant reduction in cardiovascular death and hospitalization and urgent visits for heart failure read on >

A popular brand of bread sold at Walmart, Kroger and other stores has been recalled in 12 U.S. states due to undeclared hazelnuts. Hartford Bakery Inc. is recalling six lots of its Lewis Bake Shop Artisan Style 1/2 Loaf bread because they may contain hazelnuts, a tree nut that can trigger dangerous allergic reactions, People reported. “People with a nut allergy or severe sensitivity to hazelnuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said. So far, no major health issues have been reported, but one person “experienced digestive discomfort after consumption,” the FDA said. The bread was sold in stores across Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama and Mississippi. Bread subject to the recall can be identified by checking the front of the package. Look for these lot codes: T10 174010206 T10 174010306 T10 174010406 T10 174020206 T10 174020306 T10 174020406 The packaging also includes: Net Weight: 12OZ (340G) UPC: 24126018152 Expiration Date: July 13, 2025 “While the packaging states ‘May Contain Tree Nuts,’ it does not state that it ‘Contains Hazelnuts,’ ” the FDA said. An internal investigation confirmed a packaging error. About 883 loaves are affected. Customers who purchased the recalled bread should return it to the store for a full refund, the FDA… read on > read on >

A popular brand of bread sold at Walmart, Kroger and other stores has been recalled in 12 U.S. states due to undeclared hazelnuts. Hartford Bakery Inc. is recalling six lots of its Lewis Bake Shop Artisan Style 1/2 Loaf bread because they may contain hazelnuts, a tree nut that can trigger dangerous allergic reactions, People reported. “People with a nut allergy or severe sensitivity to hazelnuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said. So far, no major health issues have been reported, but one person “experienced digestive discomfort after consumption,” the FDA said. The bread was sold in stores across Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama and Mississippi. Bread subject to the recall can be identified by checking the front of the package. The affected lot codes are: T10 174010206 T10 174010306 T10 174010406 T10 174020206 T10 174020306 T10 174020406 The packaging also includes: Net Weight: 12OZ (340G) UPC: 24126018152 Expiration Date: July 13, 2025 “While the packaging states ‘May Contain Tree Nuts,’ it does not state that it ‘Contains Hazelnuts,’ ” the FDA said. An internal investigation confirmed a packaging error. About 883 loaves are affected. Customers who purchased the recalled bread should return it to the store for a full refund, the FDA… read on > read on >

Sugar and artificial sweeteners might increase the risk of early puberty in children, a new study says. Sugar, aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda) and glycyrrhizin (licorice root) are all significantly associated with a higher risk of early puberty, particularly in genetically predisposed children, researchers reported Sunday at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco. Further, the more of these sweeteners that children consumed, the greater their risk of early puberty, researchers found. “This study is one of the first to connect modern dietary habits — specifically sweetener intake — with both genetic factors and early puberty development in a large, real-world cohort,” researcher Dr. Yang-Ching Chen, a professor of family medicine at Taipei Municipal Wan Fang Hospital and Taipei Medical University in Taiwan, said in a news release. In previous research, Chen had found that certain sweeteners can directly influence hormones and gut bacteria linked to early puberty. For example, the artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) triggers the release of puberty-related hormones, and glycyrrhizin changes the balance of gut bacteria and influences genes involved in puberty, Chen’s earlier work showed. “This suggests that what children eat and drink, especially products with sweeteners, may have a surprising and powerful impact on their development,” Chen said. For the new study, researchers analyzed data on more than 1,400 teens in Taiwan, of whom 481 experienced a form of… read on > read on >

The goal is to improve public understanding of the FDA decision-making process read on >

A new study finds that eating even a little processed meat, drinking soda or consuming trans fats puts you at risk for serious health problems. The research, published recently in the journal Nature Medicine, looked at more than 60 earlier studies on how diet affects the risk of type 2 diabetes, colon cancer and heart disease. “Habitual consumption of even small amounts of processed meat, sugary drinks, and trans fatty acids is linked to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease and colorectal cancer,” lead author Demewoz Haile, a research scientist at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, told CNN. People who ate just one hot dog a day had an 11% higher risk of type 2 diabetes and a 7% higher risk of colon cancer than those who didn’t have any. Drinking about one 12-ounce soda a day raised the risk of type 2 diabetes by 8% and a risk of heart disease by 2%, the researchers found. Two experts not involved in the research told CNN the takeaways from this research are clear. There is no “safe amount,” said Nita Forouhi, a nutrition expert at the University of Cambridge in the U.K. At first, the increased risks may seem small, said Mingyang Song, an associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. But, he… read on > read on >