Overeating and lack of exercise leads to diabetes and reduced brain function

An average person today eats far more calories than they used to according to Australian National University (ANU) as reported in Neuroscience News (June, 2013). It is the equivalent of eating an extra fast-food burger meal a day. This along with a sedentary lifestyle has led to an increase in type 2 diabetes and a decline in brain function. The ANU found that “We’ve found strong evidence that people’s unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise for sustained periods of time puts them at serious risk of developing type 2 diabetes and significant declines in brain function, such as dementia and brain shrinkage.” The research reports that 30% of the population is either overweight or obese and that 10% of the population has type 2 diabetes.

Breast milk is teeming with good bacteria

Breast-fed milk may nourish a baby’s microbiome in ways that bottled breast milk can’t. The New York Times (June, 2019) reports that in the early days of a babies life bacteria colonize the skin, mouth and gut. The microbiome has a far-reaching impact on the babies health. Gut bacteria in the first two years of life play a key role in the development of obesity at age 12 (Stanislawski et al, 2018). Furthermore, according to the NYT breast milk seems to be rich in beneficial bacteria only when it comes directly from the mother’s breast.

Heavy metals found in fruit juices

CBS News reported that heavy metals had been found in some popular fruit juices. They were found to contain lead, arsenic, and cadmium. 45 of packaged fruit juice were tested and all of them contained heavy metals. Although the levels of heavy metals had decreased since the last time they were tested the report recommended that parents give their children less fruit juice. The CDC says that long term exposure to heavy metals puts people at risk of kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, impaired ability to learn and certain types of cancer.

Banned bread: why does the US allow additives that Europe says are unsafe?

The Guardian (May, 2019) reports that China, Brazil and members of the EU have banned chemicals that America deems safe. This is particularly worrying with regard to Brexit. If we make a new deal with America we may end up importing a wide variety of foods with much lower safety standards. Chlorinated Chicken is just one example that has been in the news recently. The chemicals used in whiteners, rising agents and dough conditioners may be harmful to human health. Both Potassium Bromate and Azodicarbonamide (ACA) have been linked to cancer. Though the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers these to be “generally recognized as safe” many experts disagree. The FDA was asked to investigate but was unable to due to “limited availability of resources and other agency priorities”

Should Sugar be treated like Smoking

With sugary drinks are already being taxed a leading think tank has even suggested sweets, snacks and sugary drinks should be wrapped in plain packaging to help the population to make better choices and to reduce pester power for busy parents (BBC, June, 2019). The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) made that suggestion alongside a ban on junk food advertising. The food industry wants to keep packaging as is to maintain brand identity. However the government realises that bold moves are needed if the ambition to halve the child obesity rate by 2030 is to be achieved.

References

https://neurosciencenews.com/burger-brain-14230/?fbclid=IwAR0cbqJNyRjUZbmMOdVJFoswwTmxq5oH4zNZLVhasGNLLK-O1pqs7AVguAI

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/12/health/breastmilk-microbiome-parenting.html?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage&section=Health&fbclid=IwAR243R5EZnltXk6PknLx3V2WwbA68OxL-QmAIebWYZBFf2678AHzmM5GOFY

https://mbio.asm.org/content/9/5/e01751-18

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/heavy-metals-like-arsenic-and-lead-found-in-45-packaged-fruit-juices-report-finds/?fbclid=IwAR0s3UBWTJIDQT_pgvU6giQ0eS8uOLZHehoyOQZzsw7WKKaVF33WqSNOgqU

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/28/bread-additives-chemicals-us-toxic-america?fbclid=IwAR02OST8xXF_NjvQuaj7dFOCgNdhfld3gBRbHUC5hueQjGnEo5L35mGIXII

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48499195?fbclid=IwAR3c3qSPIyZnudAFc5ChCbDdFSkevYIf_mxvCyV7O-L_y6lSms0yrZMGBF4