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Medscape
2 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Do Sugary Drinks Raise Dementia Risk in Older Adults?
Higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) or artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) in later life was not associated with the risk for all-cause dementia, pooled data from six large prospective cohort studies showed. However, more research to examine the impact of such beverages in younger cohorts is warranted. The null associations were consistent across subgroups defined by age, sex, BMI, and presence of chronic disease and the findings were robust in sensitivity analysis, reported the authors, led by Hui Chen, with the School of Public Health, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. The study was published online on June 18 in JAMA Psychiatry. Mixed Data Previous observational studies have suggested possible links between high consumption of sweetened beverages and increased dementia risk, although findings have been inconsistent. To provide more definitive evidence, researchers analyzed long-term data from 10,974 adults enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study (2013), the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (1987-1995), the Chicago Healthy and Aging Project (1993-2012), the Rush Memory and Aging Project (1997-2005), the Framingham Heart Study original cohort (1986-1994), and its offspring cohort (1991-2001). The mean age at baseline was 73 years and 60% were women. SSB and ASB intake were assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires and dementia diagnoses were confirmed through active follow-up and standardized clinical protocols. A total of 2445 participants developed dementia during 116,067 person-years of follow-up. The consumption of SSB and ASB was not associated with increased dementia risk. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) per serving per week was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.98-1.01; P = .18) for SSB and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.99-1.01; P = .99) for ASB. Even among those consuming at least one daily serving, no statistically significant association was found (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.78-1.03 for SSB and HR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.84-1.21 for ASB). The narrow CIs indicate 'relatively high precision,' the investigators noted and 'suggests that the lack of associations is less likely due to inadequate statistical power and more reflective of an absence of association between SSB, ASB, and dementia risk.' Key strengths of the six studies include the long-term follow-up — 10.7 years on average — which is longer than most prior studies, and the inclusion of only older adults, therefore excluding early-onset dementia. The limitation is that the study population had a lower prevalence of daily SSB and ASB intake (roughly 10%) compared with the general US older population, where it's estimated that roughly 20% of individuals aged 55 years or older consume these beverages daily. Summing up, Chen and colleagues said their findings suggest that in late life, consumption of sweetened beverages may not independently increase the risk for dementia. However, given their harmful effects on metabolic health and related chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, the effects of early-life consumption of SSB and ASB on the risk for dementia need to be investigated, they noted.
Medscape
3 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Dementia Rates Show Generational Decrease
Dementia prevalence among older adults was significantly lower among individuals born more recently (1944-1948) compared to those born earlier (1919-1923), with a more pronounced decline in women, a new study conducted in the US, Europe, and England showed. METHODOLOGY: In this cross-sectional study, data were obtained from the US Health and Retirement Study (HRS; 1994-2021; n = 21,069); the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE; 2004-2020; n = 32,490); and the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA; 2002-2019; n = 8878). The study focused on individuals aged 71 years or older. Validated algorithm and machine learning methods were used to identify individuals with potential dementia. Participants were divided into six age groups and assigned to 22 birth cohorts: Eight from HRS, seven from SHARE, and seven from ELSA. The earliest birth cohort in each dataset served as the reference cohort, and all analyses were adjusted for age and period effects. TAKEAWAY: Individuals born between 1944 and 1948 had a significantly lower risk for dementia than those born between 1919 and 1923 across all regions (point estimates: US, -0.55 vs -0.18; Europe, -1.49 vs -0.24; England, -0.48 vs -0.23). Women had a more pronounced decrease in dementia risk compared to men in the 1944-1948 birth cohort (point estimates: US, -0.55 vs -0.48; Europe, -1.50 vs -1.34; England, -0.76 vs -0.07). Among individuals aged 81-85 years, dementia prevalence varied notably across birth cohorts, with rates in the US declining from 25% (1890-1913 cohort) to 16% (1939-1943 cohort) and in Europe from 30% (1934-1938 cohort) to 15% (1939-1943 cohort). IN PRACTICE: 'The generational decrease in dementia risk has important implications for healthcare planning, long-term care policies, and workforce requirements in aging populations,' the investigators wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Xiaoxue Dou, Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. It was published online on June 2 in JAMA Network Open . LIMITATIONS: Study limitations included incomplete data across survey waves, particularly the omission of SHARE wave 3, and by variable inconsistencies that required algorithm adjustments. Dementia prevalence may have been underestimated due to mortality between waves. Sampling bias was possible, especially owing to the underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in ELSA. The retrospective design also prevented the validation of data collection methods. Additionally, the study did not explore the causes underlying the decline in dementia rates. DISCLOSURES: For funding, one investigator reported receiving a PhD scholarship from The University of Queensland. No relevant conflicts of interest were reported.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Experiment Reveals What Prolonged Fasting Actually Does to The Human Body
Recommendations to try water-only fasting diets may be filling up your social media feeds, but researchers are warning people to seek medical advice before starting these diets, because of the potential negative impacts. An international team of researchers has published a new study analyzing the effects of water-only fasting diets on 20 people over the course of 10 days (so nothing except water – not even other drinks). The participants lost an average of 7.7 percent of their body weight, but also experienced side effects including headaches, insomnia, and low blood pressure. Overall, fasting seemed to increase inflammation and put more stress on the body, which can then lead to numerous complications with health – especially for those with existing heart or vascular conditions. "Our hypothesis was that prolonged water-fasting would reduce inflammation in the body," says physician scientist Luigi Fontana, from the University of Sydney. "However, we found the opposite was true – that prolonged fasting put stress on the body and increased the number of pro-inflammatory proteins in the blood, potentially increasing the risk of health issues for people with existing heart and vascular conditions." The main way the researchers measured the effects of fasting on the body were through protein levels. A number of proteins linked to inflammation, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 8 (IL-8), became much more abundant in the blood plasma of participants. Other effects were seen as well: the levels of proteins linked to breaking down muscle and bone were reduced, as were the amyloid beta proteins strongly associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease. The evidence is still relatively inconclusive, however. These are only initial findings in a small group of people, all of whom where medically classed as overweight. The effects may vary in larger sample sizes, or in people with different body types. There also seems to be very serious downsides to depriving the body of food for an extended period of time – which means medical advice should always be sought before starting a diet like this. "While the acute inflammatory response during prolonged fasting may serve as a transient adaptive mechanism, it raises concerns regarding potential cardiometabolic effects that could persist after refeeding," write the researchers in their published paper. "Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the long-term molecular and clinical implications of prolonged fasting across diverse populations." The team points to previous studies highlighting the potential benefits of intermittent fasting in slowing down cell aging, reducing inflammation (the opposite of what was seen here), and reducing the risk of disease, so it's a complex picture. In recent years, more attention has been given to intermittent fasting than prolonged fasting. It seems that intermittent fasting must be combined with calorie control in order to see any benefit in terms of weight loss, and again there are drawbacks to consider. What seems clear is that there's no one-size-fits-all strategy when it comes to fasting – and any attempt to lose weight by shutting off the body's supply of food and energy needs to be carefully managed. "People are looking for effective ways to manage their weight and while the effects of water-only fasting can be dramatic, more work needs to be done to understand the impact of these diets on the body over a longer period of time," says Fontana. The research has been published in Molecular Metabolism. Caffeine Has a Weird Effect on Your Brain While You're Asleep Can This Blue Chemical Really Boost Your Brain? Here's What We Know. Confirmed: Breakfast Cereals Are Getting Sweeter And Less Nutritious
The Independent
04-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Ultra-processed food may pave the way for Parkinson's
A new study suggests that regular consumption of ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of developing early signs of Parkinson's disease. Ultra-processed foods include mass-produced bread, crisps, cereals, and fizzy drinks, which contain preservatives, artificial colours and flavours, and additives like emulsifiers. The study, published in the journal Neurology, tracked 43,000 people over 26 years, monitoring their health status and dietary habits through questionnaires and medical exams. Participants who consumed 11 or more servings of ultra-processed food per day had a 2.5-fold higher chance of showing early signs of Parkinson's disease compared to those consuming fewer than three servings. An author of the study, Xiang Gao from Fudan University in China, said reducing the intake of processed foods and increasing the consumption of whole, nutritious foods could be beneficial for maintaining brain health.
Telegraph
02-06-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
How much coffee you need to age healthily
Drinking four cups of coffee a day boosts a person's chances of avoiding sickness as they age, a Harvard study has found. The biggest coffee drinkers, who consume four strong 150mg Americanos a day, had a 13 per cent higher chance of healthy ageing than people who drank almost no coffee at all, the scientists said. Almost 50,000 women were followed by Harvard academics for 30 years in a comprehensive investigation into the health benefits of caffeine consumption on ageing. The research found that caffeine itself was linked to marginal health improvements. However, 80 per cent of all caffeine ingested came from coffee and when focusing on coffee specifically, the effect was found to be stronger. There was no benefit for tea or decaffeinated coffee, however. 'While past studies have linked coffee to individual health outcomes, our study is the first to assess coffee's impact across multiple domains of ageing over three decades,' said Dr Sara Mahdavi, study author from Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health. 'The findings suggest that caffeinated coffee – not tea or decaf – may uniquely support ageing trajectories that preserve both mental and physical function.' Fewer than 4,000 of the women in the study met the criteria for 'healthy ageing', marked as at least 70 years of age and free of any major chronic health conditions, with no memory or cognition problems and no mental health concerns. Caffeinated soda drinks were found to have a negative impact on health and one glass a day lowered the odds of healthy ageing by almost a fifth. 'These results, while preliminary, suggest that small, consistent habits can shape long-term health,' said Dr Mahdavi. 'Moderate coffee intake may offer some protective benefits when combined with other healthy behaviours such as regular exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding smoking. 'While this study adds to prior evidence suggesting coffee intake may be linked with healthy ageing, the benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of overall healthy lifestyle habits and warrant further investigation.' She told The Telegraph the women who aged well 'were also eating well, exercising and avoiding smoking', adding: 'Coffee may support healthy ageing when it's part of an overall healthy lifestyle but it's not the main driver.' Less likely to die of heart disease The study was presented at the annual conference of the American Society for Nutrition in Orlando and supports a 2022 study which found that moderate coffee drinkers of three cups a day were 12 per cent less likely to die over an 11-year period. They were also 17 and 21 per cent less likely to die of heart disease or stroke, respectively, according to researchers at Semmelweis University in Budapest and Queen Mary University in London. Previous research from scientists at Soochow University in China also found three cups of coffee a day halves the risk of developing numerous heart conditions. The research revealed that people who drank three cups a day were 48 per cent less likely to develop multiple cardio-metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke. The study also found that drinking two cups of tea daily reduced the likelihood of developing these conditions by a third, compared with drinking none.
