Health

Watermelon’s rind is finally getting some respect. The fruit’s outer layer now has an official nutrition profile in USDA FoodData Central, giving registered dietitians, researchers, recipe developers and other food professionals access to standardized nutrition data for a part that’s long been underused. The new listing makes it easier to evaluate watermelon rind in recipes, nutrition education and meal planning while encouraging greater use of the whole watermelon.

Medically tailored groceries (MTG) result in lower hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and improved food and nutrition security among patients with type 2 diabetes and social needs, according to a study published in Circulation.

Researchers from the University of California San Diego and the University of Freiburg in Germany have found that switching to a vegan diet for just one month can alter the body’s epigenetic landscape in ways associated with reduced inflammation and biological aging. In a randomized clinical trial, participants assigned to a vegan diet vs. a meat-rich diet showed changes in DNA methylation—a biological process that regulates whether genes are more or less active—that were linked to immune function, metabolism and cancer-related pathways. The findings, published in MedComm, suggest dietary choices can rapidly influence molecular processes associated with long-term health.

The early period of life is a critical phase in which the immune system must learn to tolerate harmless environmental stimuli, such as food and microbes that normally live in and on the body, while remaining vigilant against harmful substances and pathogens. If it fails to strike the right balance, the individual may become more susceptible later in life to allergies and autoimmune diseases. During this sensitive window, the transition from breastfeeding to solid food represents a crucial shift, including in its effects on the immune system.

A study of more than 5,500 people over age 50 has raised a red flag: It found that people with abdominal obesity and vitamin D deficiency have a 123% higher risk of death than those without these conditions. Results of the study published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism indicate that although each condition is dangerous on its own, they multiply the risk of mortality when present together.

Sugar consumption has been linked to an increased risk of cavities and weight gain. In the long term, it may also contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes. For people living with asthma, however, the impact can be even greater. A study with mice published in the journal Nutrients showed that consuming high doses of sugar severely worsens lung inflammation in the short term, aggravating the risk of allergic attacks.

A new meta-analysis led by researchers from the Fatty Acid Research Institute (FARI) provides the clearest picture to date of the relationship between omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and atrial fibrillation (AF), helping resolve years of confusion generated by earlier reports.

Could athletes trade meat for plants and maintain their performance? In a multi-university study, researchers found that recreational runners and resistance trainers did just that.

The places we live, work, study and play are important locations for governments to improve population health by curbing unhealthy diets that cause preventable diseases and deaths. Think cafes in public hospitals, eateries in public-sector workplaces, canteens in public schools and food outlets in community sports centers.

Fermented plant-based foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut could help inspire a new generation of microbiome-informed dietary strategies for supporting oral and gut health, according to a review paper published in Nature Reviews Microbiology. The study, led by investigators at Penn’s School of Dental Medicine with collaborators at Penn Medicine, Penn Nursing and Jeonbuk National University in South Korea, examines how fermented foods interact with the microbes that live in the mouth and gut.