For parents hoping their “picky” eater will grow out of it, a new study may be unwelcome news. Researchers found that choosy 4-year-olds were still turning their noses up at many foods at age 9 — suggesting their finicky eating is more of a trait than a phase. The study, which followed over 300 children, found three patterns: The majority were consistently middle-of-the-road when it came to food fussiness — sometimes shunning unfamiliar cuisine, but remaining relatively open to trying new foods. A sizable minority (29%) consistently ate everything their parents offered up. Then there was the picky 14%. From age 4 to 9, they routinely refused new foods and maintained a limited culinary repertoire. Still, researchers saw bright spots in the findings, published May 26 in the journal Pediatrics. For one, there were no signs that picky eaters were underweight. And the fact that the fussiness seems to be a trait — and not a failure on the parents’ part — might bring some solace. “It can be very stressful for parents to deal with a picky eater,” noted senior researcher Dr. Megan Pesch, a pediatrician at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. But if parents think they did something wrong to cause it, she added, these findings suggest otherwise. “It’s not your fault,” Pesch said. “It seems to…  read on >

The now-trendy keto diet is said to turn fat into fuel. But a new, small study says it may also change the vast array of microbes residing in your gut (the microbiome). That could be a good thing, as those changes may ultimately strengthen the immune system by tamping down inflammation, researchers say. The keto diet, which severely restricts carbohydrates and emphasizes fats and protein, has been touted as a way to rein in epilepsy, diabetes and expanding waistlines. Yet despite rising popularity, it remains controversial, and much is unknown about its true impact on health. The new finding follows a two-month study that tracked diet-related shifts in microbiome content among 17 overweight or obese men, with follow-up tests in mice. “There has been a lot of work on ketogenic diets,” noted study author Peter Turnbaugh, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of California, San Francisco. “But we didn’t know much about how these diets differ from other high-fat diets, how exactly they impact microbes, or whether or not these diet-induced changes to gut microbes matter,” he said. To find out, Turnbaugh and his colleagues first placed half the men on a one-month “standard” Western diet composed of 50% carbs, 15% protein and 35% fat. The other half started off on a keto diet made up of 5% carbs, 15% protein…  read on >

The now-trendy keto diet is said to turn fat into fuel. But a new, small study says it may also change the vast array of microbes residing in your gut (the microbiome). That could be a good thing, as those changes may ultimately strengthen the immune system by tamping down inflammation, researchers say. The keto diet, which severely restricts carbohydrates and emphasizes fats and protein, has been touted as a way to rein in epilepsy, diabetes and expanding waistlines. Yet despite rising popularity, it remains controversial, and much is unknown about its true impact on health. The new finding follows a two-month study that tracked diet-related shifts in microbiome content among 17 overweight or obese men, with follow-up tests in mice. “There has been a lot of work on ketogenic diets,” noted study author Peter Turnbaugh, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of California, San Francisco. “But we didn’t know much about how these diets differ from other high-fat diets, how exactly they impact microbes, or whether or not these diet-induced changes to gut microbes matter,” he said. To find out, Turnbaugh and his colleagues first placed half the men on a one-month “standard” Western diet composed of 50% carbs, 15% protein and 35% fat. The other half started off on a keto diet made up of 5% carbs, 15% protein…  read on >

Women who drink a lot of sodas, sweetened juices and other sugary drinks are at greater risk of developing heart disease, a new study finds. Those who drink one or more a day have nearly a 20% higher risk than women who never do. And it’s not just soda that’s problematic: Fruit drinks with added sugars are also a culprit, researchers say. Though the study does not prove cause and effect, researchers suspect there are several reasons sugar can increase heart disease risk, according to lead author Cheryl Anderson, interim chair of Family and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego. “It raises glucose levels and insulin concentrations in the blood, which may increase appetite and lead to obesity, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” she said in a news release from the Journal of the American Heart Association, where the study was published May 13. “In addition, too much sugar in the blood is associated with oxidative stress and inflammation, insulin resistance, unhealthy cholesterol profiles and type 2 diabetes, conditions that are strongly linked to the development of atherosclerosis, the slow narrowing of the arteries that underlies most cardiovascular disease,” Anderson noted. More than 100,000 female teachers in California took part in the study. Those who drank one or more sugary drinks a day were 26% more likely to need surgery…  read on >

The SGLT2 inhibitor is indicated for reducing the risk for CV death, hospitalization for heart failure  read on >

(HealthDay News) — The first emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 antigen test has been issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Antigen tests are a new category of tests for use in the coronavirus pandemic and quickly detect fragments of proteins from the virus in samples collected by swab from people’s noses. The approval was issued Friday to the Quidel Corp. for the Sofia SARS Antigen FIA, which is “authorized for use in high and moderate complexity laboratories certified by Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), as well as for point-of-care [ie, doctor’s office] testing,” according to an FDA news release. “I am very enthusiastic about antigen testing because of its ability to be scaled up to millions of tests a day, and because it has a much more rapid turnaround,” Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, told The New York Times. “A lot of us have been looking forward to this moment.” “It’s a very rapid test that could be used in a doctor’s office,” former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb explained Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “Doctors now have about 40,000 of these Sofia machines already installed in their offices” where they are used to test for strep throat and flu, he explained. The FDA said it expects to issue more emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for antigen tests…  read on >

Next time you inspect your salad greens to make sure they look clean, consider this: Researchers are trying to determine if drying leafy greens using the spin cycle of a retrofitted washing machine is safe. Some farmers use the method instead of expensive, commercial-grade spinners to dry leafy greens after they’re washed. But it’s not clear using a converted washing machine is safe. “This has been a common practice among small producers of greens,” said Amanda Kinchla, an associate professor of food science at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst Extension. “There are no regulations against this, but there is no data right now on the risk.” Bacteria and grime could accumulate if farmers don’t know the best ways to spin the greens and clean the washing machines, according to Andrew Chamberlin, an agricultural engineering technician at the University of Vermont (UVM Extension). “We are trying to share best practices for food production,” he said in a UMass news release. One example of a best practice is to place the greens in baskets that fit inside the machine. This reduces the points of contact and the risk of contamination, compared with putting the greens directly into the washer, Chamberlin explained. Based on his instructions, the UMass researchers have converted four washing machines to assess how leafy green contamination may occur, what germs are present, and…  read on >

Grocery shopping has become a daunting endeavor during the coronavirus pandemic, but there are things you can do to protect yourself and others, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. Prepare a shopping list in advance and buy just one to two weeks’ worth of groceries at a time. Buying more than you need can create temporary shortages, the FDA said in a news release. Wear a face covering or mask while you’re in the store. Some stores and localities may require it. Check your state, county or city guidelines for any other requirements. Carry your own wipes, or use those provided by the store to wipe down the handles of the shopping cart or basket. If you use reusable shopping bags, ensure they are cleaned or washed before each use. Practice social distancing while shopping, which means keeping at least 6-feet between you, other shoppers and store employees. Keep your hands away from your face. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds when you return home and again after you put away your groceries. There is no evidence of food packaging being associated with the transmission of the coronavirus, the FDA said. But, if you wish to do so as an extra precaution, you can wipe down product packaging and allow it to air dry. Grocery stores may…  read on >

With job losses skyrocketing because of the coronavirus pandemic, hunger is a growing issue for millions of Americans, according to a new report. Surveying more than 10,000 people across the United States late last month, researchers found that nearly 4 in 10 had too little to eat or difficulty obtaining healthy foods. Southern states have been especially hard hit, with nearly half in some states having “food insecurity,” the survey shows. “Food insecurity was high in America before the pandemic, and it has gotten even worse,” said lead researcher Kevin Fitzpatrick, a sociology professor at the University of Arkansas. “The U.S. food system is in the middle of a crisis.” Food insecurity is both uncertainty about being able to buy food when you run out and having to cut back on the size of meals, or in the most severe cases, actually skipping a whole day’s worth of food, explained Elaine Waxman, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, a think tank based in Washington, D.C. The issue affects poor minorities far more than the white middle-class, Fitzpatrick said. And even before COVID-19-related shutdowns left scores of Americans without paychecks, organizations that feed the needy were under pressure. Many providers were already at their limits and unable to respond to the greater demand, Fitzpatrick said. When he and his university colleagues conducted their survey the…  read on >

You’re in lockdown, yet you still have to go grocery shopping, but how do you stay safe and avoid catching the coronavirus? The American Medical Association has some timely tips. When you go to the store: Stay at least six-feet away from other shoppers. Don’t shake hands, hug or have any physical contact. Wipe down grocery carts or basket handles with disinfectant wipes if you have them. Don’t touch your face. Wear a cloth face mask. While waiting and after leaving the store, use hand sanitizer if you have it. If you’re sick, don’t go shopping. But if you must, wear a mask, wash your hands often and keep a safe distance between you and others. When you get your groceries home: Although it’s unlikely you’ll be exposed to the virus from the items in your shopping bag, wash your hands after unpacking your groceries. Wipe surfaces with a household disinfectant. Take precautions when preparing food: Wash your hands before eating. Do not share plates or silverware with others. Rinse fruits and vegetables before eating them. If you’re 65 or older: Ask a neighbor or friend to pick up groceries and leave them outside your house or bring them in while keeping at least six-feet apart. Check with your local market and go during store hours reserved for older shoppers. See if your grocer delivers…  read on >