Health
Eating one type of fruit regularly could reduce diabetes risk in women, study suggests: 'Incredibly healthy'
Eating avocados could be helpful when it comes to avoiding diabetes.
A new study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics identified a link between eating avocados and reduced diabetes risk in some Mexican adults.
Researchers studied the dietary habits and diabetes diagnosis data from the Mexican National Survey of Health and Nutrition in the years 2012, 2016 and 2018.
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Of the 25,640 qualified respondents aged 20 and older, approximately 59% were female and more than 60% had abdominal obesity.
About 45% of participants reported eating avocados daily — 34.7 grams on average for men, and 29.8 grams for women.
Avocado eaters of both genders have an overall more nutritious diet, according to Medical News Today. (iStock)
“Among women, this study showed that compared to avocado non-consumers, avocado consumers had more than 20% lower odds of diabetes even after adjusting for various factors such as age, education level, body weight, physical activity and more,” said study author Feon Cheng, PhD, a nutrition epidemiologist at the Avocado Nutrition Center in Mission Viejo, California, in a statement to Fox News Digital.
(Cheng noted that her affiliation with the Avocado Nutrition Center did not influence the research methods or analysis.)
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“This research is especially important considering that Hispanic adults are more likely to develop diabetes in their lifetime than U.S. adults overall and at a younger age,” Cheng said.
The same diabetes-reducing effects were not observed in men.
“It is interesting that there were differences between men and women, which may be attributed to different lifestyle factors,” Cheng noted.
Diabetes-reducing effects were observed in female study participants — but the same benefits were not found in men, per this research. (iStock )
“Although we did not compare lifestyle factors in this study, it warrants future research to explore whether they may help explain the difference seen between men and women.”
They also noted that avocados contain “numerous vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, which can contribute to reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.”
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Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, was not involved in the study, but told Fox News Digital that avocados are “an incredibly healthy food choice.”
The fruit is “full of omega-3 fats, low in carbohydrates, and high in fiber, magnesium, potassium and vitamins C, E and K,” the nutritionist pointed out.
Diabetes is the second leading cause of death in Mexico, according to the National Institute of Health. (iStock)
Consuming avocados, however, will not completely negate unhealthy food and lifestyle choices, Freirich said.
“While it makes sense that this low glycemic index and nutritious food could be associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, I recommend that people also take into consideration the rest of their diet,” she advised.
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“To reduce your diabetes risk even further, in addition to adding avocados as part of your overall healthy eating pattern, also work on reducing added sugars, choosing high-fiber whole grains and consuming plenty of vegetables.”
People should adhere to a well-balanced diet to reduce diabetes risk, a nutritionist advised. (iStock)
Michelle Routhenstein, a New York-based preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com, seconded the notion that avocados alone will not help lower diabetes risk. (She was not involved in the study.)
“We need to assess the whole diet, balance of meals and snacks, timing of eating, and other lifestyle factors like stress management, sleep quality and physical activity,” she told Fox News Digital.
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New Jersey-based registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, a consultant for the HASS Avocado Board, shared with Fox News Digital that she is “not surprised” at the new study’s conclusions about reduced diabetes risk and consumption of fresh avocado.
“Unlike most other fruits, avocados contain zero grams of naturally occurring sugar per serving and do not affect the glycemic response,” she said.
Avocados are a source of “good fats, fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals,” according to a nutritionist. (iStock)
“A serving of avocado (one-third of a medium avocado or 50 grams) also provides a good source of fiber, which helps manage blood sugar levels,” Palinski-Wade added.
Previous research has shown that adding avocados to a meal could offer a “variety of benefits, such as lower post-meal glucose levels and improved satiety,” the nutritionist told Fox News Digital.
Consuming avocados will not completely negate unhealthy food and lifestyle choices, experts warned.
Scientists in a clinical trial supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center found that including a half or whole avocado at breakfast “decreased the participants’ glucose and insulin,” according to Palinski-Wade.
“That shows how adding avocado to a meal may support blood sugar management,” she noted.
“The body of evidence on avocados and diabetes is encouraging, and this new study adds to the evidence supporting avocados’ role in diabetes care and prevention.”
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Although the findings are positive, Palinski-Wade emphasized that the research has its limitations, as it does not generalize the results for all people.
“More research is still needed in certain areas,” she said.
Scientists in a clinical trial supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center found that including a half or whole avocado at breakfast decreased glucose and insulin. (iStock)
“Avocados can be a great way to add more variety to your plate while increasing your intake of good fats, fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals, all nutrients that help to reduce the risk of chronic illness, including type 2 diabetes.”
The study did have some limitations, the researchers noted.
“Although the food-frequency questionnaire is validated and used to assess how often study participants consumed avocados in the past seven days, self-reported avocado consumption may overestimate or underestimate actual intake,” Cheng told Fox News Digital.
“Additionally, the cross-sectional nature of the study cannot establish causation.”
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Health
Possible hantavirus case under investigation in upstate New York; no connection to deadly cruise ship outbreak
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A “suspected” hantavirus case in upstate New York is being investigated, according to the Ontario County Public Health Department (OCPHD) based in Canandaigua.
The department announced in a Facebook post Thursday that it is currently “investigating a suspected locally acquired hantavirus case.”
“There is NO connection to the cruise ship outbreak, and there is no risk to the general public,” OCPHD officials wrote.
The investigation comes as global health officials continue monitoring a rare hantavirus outbreak tied to the MV Hondius luxury cruise ship that has sickened multiple passengers and crew members and left three people dead.
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As of May 13, the World Health Organization (WHO) said 11 hantavirus cases had been identified in connection with the cruise outbreak, including eight confirmed cases, two probable cases and one inconclusive case. Three deaths have also been linked to the outbreak.
Health officials have emphasized that hantavirus infections remain rare and that the risk to the general public is low.
Human-to-human transmission of hantavirus is considered extremely rare and has only been suspected in certain strains, including the Andes hantavirus strain linked to the cruise ship outbreak.
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A passenger wearing a face mask and blue protective gown gives a thumbs up inside a bus after disembarking from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, on May 10. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo)
“Hantavirus infections are rare in New York,” the OCPHD said. “The virus is spread through mouse and rodent droppings, especially when urine, feces, or nesting materials become aerosolized during cleaning.”
The OCPHD urged residents to take precautions when cleaning enclosed spaces where rodents may be present, including wearing gloves and masks when opening or cleaning attics, cabins, sheds and garages.
The OCPHD and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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A 3D illustration shows the structure of hantavirus, an RNA virus transmitted to humans through rodent excreta that can cause severe illnesses including hemorrhagic fever, renal disease and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. (iStock)
The cruise ship outbreak has prompted heightened precautions internationally.
In the Netherlands, Radboud University Medical Center quarantined 12 staff members after officials said a hantavirus patient’s blood and urine were not handled under the strictest international protocols required for the specific virus strain.
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Hospital officials said the risk of infection to staff remained low but called the quarantine a precautionary measure.
The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius began after a Dutch cruise ship carrying 147 passengers and crew departed Argentina on April 1 for a South Atlantic voyage.
According to the WHO, investigators believe the initial infection may have stemmed from rodent exposure during birdwatching excursions before boarding the ship.
Fox News Digital’s Bonny Chu contributed to this report.
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A common over-the-counter medication combined with a home exercise program could help ease cognitive issues for cancer patients.
That’s according to a study from the University of Rochester, which tested the effects of physical activity and low-dose ibuprofen on patients receiving chemotherapy treatment.
“Chemo brain” (also called chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment, or CRCI) is a known side effect of cancer treatment that can affect memory, concentration and multitasking ability. Up to 80% of people who receive chemo experience some degree of cognitive impairment, previous studies have shown.
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Rochester’s phase 2 trial studied 86 adult cancer patients in New York undergoing chemotherapy who were experiencing cognitive problems. The average age was 53 and nearly 89% of participants were women, according to a university press release.
Participants who took only ibuprofen also showed greater cognitive improvements than the placebo group. (IStock)
Patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups. One group participated in home exercise designed specifically for cancer patients, a second group combined the exercises with ibuprofen (200 milligrams, or one pill, twice a day), the third group took ibuprofen alone and a fourth took a placebo alone.
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The exercise program consisted of low to moderate-intensity activity, including progressive walking and training with resistance bands.
“This is one of the first studies specifically designed to assess these interventions for cancer-related cognitive impairment during chemotherapy in patients with multiple diseases using both performance-based cognitive assessments and patient-reported outcomes,” said lead author Michelle C. Janelsins, Ph.D., MPH, of the University of Rochester and the Wilmot Cancer Institute, in the press release.
Up to 80% of people who receive chemo experience some degree of cognitive impairment.
After six weeks, exercise was linked to the clearest improvements in attention and cognitive function, according to input from family and friends. Those in the group who combined exercise and placebo showed better attention levels compared to those who took just a placebo.
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Participants who took only ibuprofen also showed greater cognitive improvements than the placebo group.
The findings suggest that ibuprofen may provide some improvement in cognitive function, although the benefits appeared to be smaller and less consistent than those seen with exercise.
“Chemo brain” (also called chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment, or CRCI) is a known side effect of cancer treatment that can affect memory, concentration and multitasking ability. (iStock)
This suggests that inflammation may contribute to cancer-related cognitive impairment, and that anti-inflammatory medications could be an effective therapeutic approach.
“We are encouraged by the findings of this trial that suggest possible benefits of both interventions for some cognitive domains,” Janelsins said. “Clearly, we saw a more pronounced effect with exercise, which is notable considering the multiple health benefits of exercise for cancer survivors.”
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No adverse side effects were reported during the trial.
The findings were published in Cancer, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
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There were some limitations of the study, the researchers noted, including the small sample size and short duration. The effects were also not consistent across every measure of cognitive function.
As the majority of participants were women, the findings may not be generalized to broader populations.
“Clearly, we saw a more pronounced effect with exercise, which is notable considering the multiple health benefits of exercise for cancer survivors,” the researcher said. (iStock)
Researchers are planning larger phase 3 trials to confirm whether ibuprofen and exercise can effectively improve chemo-related cognitive impairment.
“Since we saw cognitive benefits in some domains and not others, we will also consider additional doses and longer durations in future research trials,” said Janelsins.
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Investigators emphasized that patients should speak with their oncology team before starting ibuprofen or exercise interventions during chemotherapy, as certain treatments or medical conditions could increase the risk of side effects and complications.
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