Health
Measles more likely to be severe among malnourished, RFK says
As measles cases continue to spread in several U.S. states, the spotlight is on prevention of the highly contagious disease.
While vaccines are widely regarded as the first line of defense, some experts have suggested that nutrition plays a role in reducing the severity of the disease.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discussed the topic during a recent exclusive interview with Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News’ senior medical analyst.
WATCH FULL INTERVIEW WITH DR. MARC SIEGEL AND RFK JR. ON FOX NATION
“We need to understand the relationship between good health and chronic disease,” RFK Jr. told Siegel.
“If you are healthy, it’s almost impossible for you to be killed by an infectious disease, in modern times — because we have nutrition … and access to medicines. What we need is good science on all of these things so that people can make rational choices.”
As measles cases continue to spread in several U.S. states, the spotlight is on prevention of the highly contagious disease. (iStock)
During the interview, RFK noted that in Texas — where more than 200 cases of measles have been reported in the current outbreak — malnourishment may be a factor.
VITAMIN A AS MEASLES TREATMENT? RFK JR.’S COMMENTS SPARK DISCUSSION OF BENEFITS AND RISKS
“The doctors that I’m talking to on the ground, the leaders of the community, are reporting that the people who are getting sick are people who are [malnourished],” he said.
“There’s a lot of poverty in that area, [which] is kind of a food desert,” RFK added.
In 1963, prior to the vaccine’s introduction, between 400 and 500 people died from measles each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“The doctors that I’m talking to on the ground, the leaders of the community, are reporting that the people who are getting sick are people who are [malnourished],” RFK Jr. said. (iStock)
“Almost all of them were malnourished children,” RFK said. “Measles still is a very, very lethal disease in foreign countries and developed countries where there is low malnutrition.”
He added, “The best thing Americans can do is to keep themselves healthy. It is very, very difficult for measles to kill a healthy, well-nourished person.”
“We see a correlation between people who get hurt by measles and people who don’t have good nutrition.”
Nutrition is “critical” for overall disease prevention, the HHS secretary told Siegel.
“We need to eat good foods. We need whole foods. We need to get plenty of exercise,” he said.
“We see a correlation between people who get hurt by measles and people who don’t have good nutrition or don’t have a good exercise regimen.”
Infectious disease experts weigh in
Dr. Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotechnology company, agreed that measles is more likely to severely affect children in developing countries who are extremely malnourished.
“Historically, less than 1% of American children die from measles, while the Pan American Health Organization reports that as [many] as 10% of children die from measles in some developing countries, and it has been reported as high as 25% to 50% in a study of malnourished African infants,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Historically, less than 1% of American children die from measles, while the Pan American Health Organization reports that as high as 10% of children die from measles in some developing countries.” (Getty Images)
The lack of quality medical care in many areas of the developing world also contributes to disease severity, Glanville noted.
“While better nutrition is important for American children, it’s unlikely to make a difference when it comes to measles infection or severity — 90% of well-fed but unvaccinated American children exposed to measles will become infected, around 20% of those children will be hospitalized, and 0.1-1% of those children will die.”
MARYLAND CONFIRMS FIRST MEASLES CASE IN TRAVELER AT MAJOR DC AIRPORT
Dr. Trish Perl, an infectious disease expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, noted that malnutrition can impair some of the immune system responses to many infections — but in the case of measles, the answer is “complicated.”
“For example, malnutrition may decrease the robustness of the response to the MMR vaccine,” she told Fox News Digital.
RFK JR.’S TOP HEALTH AND WELLNESS PRIORITIES AS DOCTORS SHARE INPUT
“The vaccine is still effective, but in some cases, an additional dose may be required.”
Studies have shown that children who are malnourished with vitamin A deficiency and living in low- and middle-income countries have more severe illness with measles infection, face an increased risk of death and blindness, and take longer to get better, Perl said.
The CDC recommends that adults and teens are up-to-date on MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccinations with either one or two doses, depending on individual risk factors. (iStock)
“There is no treatment for measles beyond supportive care,” she said. “However, in low- and middle-income countries — whose mortality is greater than 1% — the World Health Organization recommends vitamin A (two doses) to reduce the severity of measles and prevent complications.”
The issue isn’t as prevalent in the U.S., where vitamin A deficiency is “extremely rare,” the doctor added.
There haven’t been formal studies into whether giving vitamin A to children with measles in the U.S. or other high-income countries prevents complications, according to Perl.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, however, recommends that hospitalized children with severe measles receive two doses of vitamin A as supervised by a healthcare provider.
Dr. Jonathan Jennings, a board-certified internist with the Medical Offices of Manhattan, also noted that multiple studies have found nutrition can “heavily impact” the clinical course of children who contract the measles virus.
“The risk of fatal outcomes is increased in children who are already malnourished prior to being infected,” he told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“The infection has been known to worsen the nutritional status, which impacts the child’s immune system and ability to recover.”
Jennings recommends a balanced diet with a variety of colorful fruits, vegetables, protein and healthy fats as a means of preventing complications once infected with the virus.
An expert recommended a balanced diet with a variety of colorful fruits, vegetables, protein and healthy fats as a means of preventing complications once infected with the virus. (iStock)
“Vitamin A-containing foods are particularly helpful, such as carrots, spinach and dairy products,” he said.
“Many studies have identified vitamin A supplementation as a means to prevent eye damage, which is a complication of the measles infection.”
Nutrition not substitute for vaccine, experts say
While proper nutrition is important for preventing many chronic health conditions, Perl emphasized that vaccination is the “only documented method” of preventing measles infection and “is the most important action anyone can take.”
“Vaccination should be given whether an individual is malnourished or not.”
“The vaccine has been in use since 1963 and is considered extremely safe,” she said.
“Vaccination should be given whether an individual is malnourished or not, as it is the only way to prevent measles.”
SCHOOL MEALS RAISE EYEBROWS AS MAHA ADVOCATES URGE ‘DIFFERENT CHOICES IN THE LUNCH LINE’
RFK also recognized the importance of vaccines, noting that the HHS is “making sure that anybody who wants the vaccine can get that vaccine.”
“The measles vaccine protects the community,” he told Dr. Siegel. “We are recommending that people in this country get vaccines … [and] we are also respectful of their personal choices.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
Jennings also reiterated the importance of vaccines.
“The most effective way to protect and prevent you and your family from getting measles is to get everyone vaccinated against the virus,” he said.
The CDC recommends that adults and teens are up-to-date on MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccinations with either one or two doses, depending on individual risk factors.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
ONE WALKING HABIT COULD SIGNAL A HEALTHIER BRAIN AFTER 80, SCIENTISTS SAY
The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
WOMAN WITH ADVANCED ALZHEIMER’S REGAINED SPEECH AND MEMORIES AFTER TAKING MAGIC MUSHROOMS
At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
COMMON VITAMIN MAY INFLUENCE BRAIN AGING IN WAYS SCIENTISTS DIDN’T EXPECT
The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
‘LONGEVITY GENE’ MAY PROTECT THE BRAIN FROM ALZHEIMER’S BY BOOSTING DNA REPAIR, STUDY FINDS
The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
-
San Francisco, CA6 minutes agoWhat’s next for San Francisco Giants as MLB trade deadline approaches?
-
Dallas, TX12 minutes agoDallas millionaire files lawsuit against groundwater district
-
Miami, FL19 minutes ago7 more women arrested at southwest Miami-Dade massage parlors, accused of prostitution in undercover sting
-
Boston, MA22 minutes ago‘They’re my buddies’: 96-year-old Back Bay woman befriends French soccer team
-
Denver, CO26 minutes agoDenver officers cited for separate incidents, 1 fired
-
Seattle, WA34 minutes agoStudy finds dangerous chemicals in the breast milk of Seattle moms
-
San Diego, CA36 minutes agoTom Krasovic: Justin Verlander’s announcement recalls Padres’ 2004 draft blunder
-
Milwaukee, WI42 minutes ago‘Peace on Every Block’ brings Milwaukee community together to fight gun violence
