https://medicalxpress.com/nutrition-healthy-eating-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Nutrition & Healthy Eating New research presented at this year's International Congress on Obesity (ICO2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico (July 15–17), reveals that few of the world's 21 largest food retailers are taking significant voluntary action to create healthier food environments for children and families. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-aussie-supermarkets-healthier-diet.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 21:40:02 EDT news703500918 New research published in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine and presented at this year's International Congress on Obesity (ICO 2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico (July 15–17), suggests that 23%-38% of all cardiovascular deaths and 23%-37% of all cases of cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease and stroke) are attributable to ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-heart-deaths-disease-due-ultraprocessed.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 11:20:11 EDT news703407563 The common rationale for drinking water at meals is that it physically stretches the stomach, triggering fullness so you don't eat too much. But a new Cornell study found no support for that idea in practice. The paper is published in the journal Appetite. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-common-diet-intake-spicy-foods.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:20:04 EDT news703407242 New research from The Kids Research Institute Australia suggests a simple dietary intervention during pregnancy could help protect against the increased risk of food allergies associated with antibiotics taken before birth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-prebiotics-pregnancy-babies-antibiotic-linked.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:20:01 EDT news703410578 New research presented at the International Congress on Obesity (ICO2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico, (15–17 July) asks what is driving the obesity pandemic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-obesity-pandemic.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:40:04 EDT news703401962 The cost of a healthy diet has increased 25 percent in the past five years, putting it out of reach for one-third of the global population, according to figures released Wednesday by the United Nations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-agency-healthy-diet-spiked.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 04:21:46 EDT news703394470 Women should ignore most of the exercise advice they see on social media, University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka researchers say. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-debunks-women-advice.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:20:01 EDT news703338642 If you've been reaching for chips, mayonnaise or salad dressing labeled "made with avocado oil," there's a good chance the oil inside isn't pure avocado oil, despite it being the only listed oil ingredient. University of California, Davis, researchers tested processed foods marketed as containing avocado oil. They found 48 of the 54 avocado oil-labeled products were adulterated with cheaper oils. The study was published in Applied Food Research. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-avocado-oil-chip-youre-pure.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:40:08 EDT news703328823 A high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, also called a ketogenic diet, can help some people lose weight by forcing their bodies to burn fat for fuel instead of sugar. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-ketogenic-diets-cancer-small-intestine.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:00:31 EDT news703263320 The world's "heritage" diets could hold vital clues to better health. Writing in Nature Medicine, researchers from 12 countries have launched the World Diet Initiative, a global effort to document and study these diets before this knowledge is lost. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-global-heritage-diets.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:05 EDT news703229490 Don't sleep on the cancer prevention benefits of a healthy breakfast. Whether it's oatmeal, whole-wheat toast, berries in Greek yogurt or other healthy combinations—starting the morning with simple, whole foods is a great way to help lower the risk of cancer while also energizing your day and boosting your overall health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-health-breakfast-cancer.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:20:01 EDT news703250543 One in 10 children ages 7 to 9 is living with obesity in Europe. In England, childhood obesity rises from around 10% of children in Reception to around 22% by Year 6. While we know there are many complex and inter-connected biological, social and environmental causes of childhood obesity, a good start is to tackle it with what we know works: Better diets are linked to better health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-food-skills-school-curriculum-left.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:40:04 EDT news703244161 Dietary supplements must be better regulated to protect public health, says the American College of Physicians (ACP). In a new paper, "Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for Dietary Supplements: A Position Paper from the American College of Physicians" published today in Annals of Internal Medicine, ACP issues recommendations to strengthen and modernize the manufacturing and marketing of dietary supplements. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-underregulated-dietary-supplements-endanger-health.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:20:03 EDT news703243922 Despite decades of scientific evidence linking the Mediterranean diet to lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic illnesses, the eating pattern is steadily disappearing in the very countries where it originated. Nutritional choices among populations in countries such as Greece, Spain and southern Italy are moving away from their traditional dietary habits even as the Mediterranean diet gains popularity around the world, according to a new review by researcher Domenico Praticò, M.D., a professor in the Department of Neural Sciences at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-mediterranean-diet-paradox-reveals-shifting.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:30:01 EDT news703246246 A metabolic byproduct formed when gut bacteria break down dietary fiber appears to protect against dangerous fungal infections common in immunocompromised patients, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers shows. The findings, published in Cell Host & Microbe, could lead to new therapies to shield this vulnerable population from Candida albicans, a leading human fungal pathogen. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-metabolites-gut-bacteria-fungal-infection.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:40:08 EDT news703241776 Natural plant compounds known as polyphenols, found in berries, tea, cocoa, coffee and extra-virgin olive oil, may positively influence biological processes linked to Alzheimer's disease and other disorders characterized by the gradual loss of nerve cells, according to a review by researchers at Semmelweis University. The analysis, published in Nutrients, suggests that these bioactive compounds may contribute to healthy brain aging. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-mediterranean-diet-compounds-aid-nerve.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:20:03 EDT news703233438 Xanthan gum is found almost everywhere. This food additive has thickening, stabilizing and gelling properties and is one of the food industry's most widely used additives for adjusting the consistency of ice cream, yogurt, cakes, sauces and gluten-free pasta. It is also used to prepare beverages for people with dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-chronic-consumption-xanthan-gum-inflammation.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:00:04 EDT news703232897 Researchers writing in Frontiers in Science propose using simple tests to track metabolic health in noncommunicable diseases, which cause three in four deaths worldwide. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-simple-track-metabolic-health-cancer.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 05:00:05 EDT news703143887 Evidence that beetroot juice can improve athletic performance has long been inconsistent. While some studies reported benefits, others found little or no effect. Now, a new study combining results from 33 studies provides the clearest evidence yet that it can enhance exercise performance. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-beetroot-juice-boost-sports-latest.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:00:09 EDT news703165262 Eating an avocado every day may decrease heart disease risk in adults with obesity, according to a recent study led by researchers in the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences and published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-avocado-day-lowers-heart-disease.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:20:06 EDT news703163341 Does informing people about their genetic risk of obesity help them change their habits and lose excess weight? A study published in the journal Obesity Reviews by scientists, including researchers from SWPS University, shows that knowledge about one's genes alone is not enough. Effective behavioral change requires long-term, personalized support. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-knowledge-genes-isnt-people-genetic.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 09:20:06 EDT news703148871 For generations, early to bed and early to rise was seen as the blueprint for a healthy life, and any departure from it was often considered unhealthy. Scientists, however, have discovered that whether someone is an early bird who wakes up early and starts the day with energy or a night owl who naturally stays up late and wakes up later is far more than a lifestyle choice. This pattern reflects the body's natural preference for the timing of sleep and wake cycles within a 24-hour day. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-night-owls-nutritious-food-belly.html Sun, 12 Jul 2026 11:20:04 EDT news702896030 More people are focusing on their gut health, as fibermaxxing goes mainstream, colorectal cancer rises among young adults and personalized gut microbiome treatments become increasingly popular. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-people-fermenting-food-millennia-focused.html Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:44:27 EDT news703046648 Scores of people in the United States have been sickened by a parasite commonly linked to contaminated fresh produce that can cause weeks of watery diarrhea. But there are ways to protect yourself and still enjoy summer's bounty of fruits and vegetables. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-stay-safe-enjoy-summer-outbreak.html Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:40:03 EDT news702958874 In an era where digital health applications are booming, older adults, particularly those facing the physical and psychological toll of post-acute rehabilitation, are frequently left out of the equation because of assumptions about low-tech literacy. However, a prospective pilot study published in JMIR Aging shows that with age-appropriate design, even clinically burdened geriatric patients can independently use mobile apps to manage their nutrition. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-geriatric-patients-independently-appropriately-digital.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:20:02 EDT news702835271 A new systematic review has found that both the way a baby is born and exposure to antibiotics around the time of birth could be linked to differences in the development of the infant gut microbiome. The review also found that exclusively breastfeeding babies born by cesarean section or exposed to antibiotics may reduce these differences. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-birth-method-antibiotics-babies-gut.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:30:01 EDT news702822125 Following dietary guidelines during pregnancy may reduce exposure to many—but not all—environmental chemicals from food and everyday products, according to a new study of nearly 1,500 pregnant participants. The study, "Dietary guidelines adherence and pregnancy exposure to 10 classes of priority chemicals: An observational study in the ECHO Cohort," was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-healthy-diet-pregnancy-exposure-chemicals.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:00:09 EDT news702809261 Published today in Schizophrenia Bulletin, a first-of-its-kind randomized controlled trial (RCT) from researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), adds to growing literature on the potential benefit of a ketogenic diet for treating psychotic disorders. The study, which enrolled participants with schizophrenia-spectrum or bipolar 1 disorders, demonstrated rapid metabolic improvements with a ketogenic diet compared with diet-as-usual during an initial one-month RCT open-label phase. Furthermore, those who continued with the optional four-month single-arm ketogenic diet extension saw meaningful gains across metabolic, psychiatric and cognitive measures. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-randomized-trial-ketogenic-diet-psychotic.html Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:40:05 EDT news702725881 The vegetables you put on your plate in your 20s could shape your health for the rest of your life—and a new study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) suggests men and women may benefit from different vegetables. Research investigating data from the Western Australian–based Raine Study has found that young men and women may respond differently to specific vegetables, with certain types potentially offering greater protection against future heart disease and type 2 diabetes, depending on your sex. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-beans-blokes-broccoli-women-veggies.html Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:20:21 EDT news702724423 Back in the late 1990s, a distressing trend took hold in rural America. At that time, rural and urban mortality rates started to diverge, with rural populations experiencing 9% higher mortality among working-age adults. Unfortunately, the divide has only grown over time. As of 2019, working-age adults in rural areas were 43% more likely to die from natural causes than their urban counterparts, but researchers have struggled to explain this gap. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-rural-urban-mortality-gap-stress.html Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:40:02 EDT news702724321