Health
Simple dinner table habit linked to poor diet and higher health risks in adults over 60
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Reaching for the salt shaker at the kitchen table may seem like second nature for some – but it could reveal troubling details about your health.
Recent Brazilian research, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, investigated the impact of adding salt to food with a focus on older adults.
The study used national survey data from more than 8,000 Brazilians over the age of 60, collected between 2017 and 2018.
AGING COULD SLOW DOWN WITH ONE COMMON DAILY HABIT: ‘LIVE LONGER AND BETTER’
Participants were asked the question, “Do you have the habit of adding salt to food at the table?” The researchers then deciphered certain traits that were linked to the habit.
About 10.9% of older adults said they used salt at the table. Men reported this habit more than women – 12.7% compared to 9.4%, according to the published study.
About 10.9% of older adults said they used salt at the table in a recent Brazilian survey. (iStock)
Men not following a diet for high blood pressure were more than twice as likely to add salt compared to men who follow this diet.
Men who reported living alone had a 62% higher likelihood of using salt compared to men who lived with others.
HEART DISEASE THREAT PROJECTED TO CLIMB SHARPLY FOR KEY DEMOGRAPHIC
Women not following a high blood pressure diet had 68% higher likelihood of using extra salt.
Adding salt was also associated with a lower intake of fruits and vegetables among women. The odds of adding salt to food were 81% higher in women who did not eat fruit, and 40% higher in those who did not eat vegetables.
Women who have a high concentration of ultraprocessed foods in their diet were more than twice as likely to add salt to food, as were those living in urban areas.
Women who added salt were less likely to eat fruits and vegetables, the data showed. (iStock)
As this study was cross-sectional, it showed an association but could not prove that one thing caused another, the researchers acknowledged. Some of the information was self-reported, which could also limit the findings.
Diets high in sodium are known to cause an increase in blood pressure, which also raises the risk of heart disease, gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and kidney disease, according to the World Health Organization.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
About 1.89 million deaths each year are associated with consuming too much sodium, the organization reported.
The WHO recommends that adults consume less than 5 grams of salt per day, or just under a teaspoon, for best health outcomes.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Study co-author Dr. Débora Santos, a titular professor at Rio de Janeiro State University, called for alternative ways to decrease additional use of salt.
“The use of herbs and natural seasonings as alternatives to salt, or culinary techniques such as using the acidity of citrus fruits, may help reduce discretionary salt use while maintaining food palatability,” she wrote in a press release.
“Practical strategies, such as avoiding the routine placement of saltshakers on the table, may also help reduce habitual salt use.”
About 1.89 million deaths each year are associated with consuming too much sodium, the organization reported. (iStock)
Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein said adding salt to food before trying it is one of her “biggest pet peeves.”
“It’s interesting that this study found that men were significantly more likely to add salt to their food compared to women, because this is an observation I’ve had as well,” Muhlstein, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“It could be because women are more bloat-conscious overall and may be more informed on the medical harms of excessive salt, as well as the more superficial ones like making your rings hard to take on or off (when you’re dealing with water retention from increased salt intake).”
For men, Muhlstein suggested that those who live alone are potentially more likely to order takeout – and restaurants “tend to use much more salt than home cooking, which could make someone’s preference for salty food much higher.”
“Public health officials [should] promote nutrition education and the importance of whole foods, less processed foods and reduced salt intake overall,” a nutritionist said. (iStock)
“That is further reflected in the stats showing that the less fruits and vegetables one eats, and the more processed foods consumed, the more likely one was to add salt to their food,” she noted.
The finding that a low blood pressure diet positively influences a person’s salt intake is “promising and intriguing,” according to Muhlstein.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“This should encourage HHS and public health officials to promote nutrition education and the importance of whole foods, less processed foods and reduced salt intake overall,” she said.
US issues new guidance on alcohol consumption
Fox News medical contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to weigh in on new dietary guidance surrounding alcohol consumption as the overall drinking rate hits a new low.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A new study is challenging the conventional wisdom that a small, daily dose of alcohol might be good for your health.
The research, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, suggests that the safest amount of alcohol to consume is actually none at all. If adults do choose to drink, the team of scientists recommends setting a limit of one per day.
This challenges older guidelines, which often suggested that up to two daily drinks for men was a safe limit.
ALCOHOL DEATHS HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED IN RECENT YEARS, ESPECIALLY AMONG WOMEN
“While the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines contain a useful ‘less-is-best’ message, they provide no quantitative framework,” study co-author Timothy Naimi, director of the University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, said in a press release.
“Our study was designed to do just that across the drinking spectrum.”
Researchers analyzed data on alcohol-related injuries and illnesses and compared it with large national health and demographic databases. (iStock)
Researchers reached their conclusions by analyzing data on alcohol-related injuries and illnesses and comparing it with large national health and demographic databases, according to a press release.
Using statistical models, they examined how regular alcohol consumption is linked to life expectancy.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“Even low levels of alcohol use come with health risks,” lead study author Kevin Shield, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, said in the same press release. “And that risk continues to increase the more someone drinks.”
After evaluating the cumulative risks for conditions like liver disease, stroke and certain cancers, the study suggests that the assumed benefits of drinking are heavily outweighed by the potential dangers.
Even low levels of alcohol use come with health risks, according to the researchers.
For those looking to protect their long-term health, researchers emphasized that cutting back to one drink or giving up alcohol entirely appears to be the best strategy.
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, noted that this was an observational Canadian study looking at U.S. census data.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“It is massive, but still not proof,” cautioned Siegel, who was not involved in the study. “I am impressed with the endpoint, which is to assess alcohol-specific mortality,” he added.
The doctor called the research “convincing” in terms of showing that even lower levels of drinking carry a mortality risk.
For those looking to protect their long-term health, researchers recommend cutting back to one drink or giving up alcohol altogether. (iStock)
“We are in the process of debunking previous research and public health statements that a small amount of alcohol is actually good for you, and replacing it with the more realistic and accurate notion that no amount of alcohol is good,” he told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Alcohol affects multiple systems throughout the body, acting as a toxin that can compromise vital organs over time, according to the doctor.
Siegel warned that “alcohol is bad for the heart, the liver and the brain, and it increases inflammation and certain cancers, all of which lead to increased mortality risks.”
Alcohol affects multiple systems throughout the body, acting as a toxin that can compromise vital organs over time, according to a doctor. (iStock)
While the research offers an overview of public health trends, it is an observational study based on U.S. census data, meaning it can only show strong correlations and cannot prove direct cause and effect, the researchers acknowledged.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Additionally, because the study relies on self-reported drinking habits, it is subject to the common limitation of individuals underestimating or misreporting their actual alcohol consumption.
Health
The Next Wave of Weight Loss Science May Come From a Peptide Inside Your Body That Mimics Ozempic
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
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending its list of permissible sunscreen ingredients for the first time in more than 25 years.
On Tuesday, the federal health agency signed off on allowing bemotrizinol to be added to sunscreen products after it met the FDA’s standard for protecting against dangerous ultraviolet rays and causing little irritation or absorption into the skin, according to the Associated Press.
This addition gives Americans access to a skin-protecting chemical that has been historically used in Europe and other parts of the world.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Bemotrizinol will initially be sold in the U.S. as Parsol Shield, manufactured by Dutch company DSM Nutritional Products, expected to launch later in 2026, the AP reported. The ingredient will be available for use by other manufacturers after an 18-month exclusivity period.
The FDA has signed off on allowing bemotrizinol to be added to sunscreen products. (iStock)
DSM (the sunscreen ingredient company) submitted a format request for the FDA to approve bemotrizinol as a new sunscreen ingredient in the U.S., allowing its use in over-the-counter sunscreens at concentrations up to 6%.
In a December press release announcing the proposal of this request, the FDA noted that bemotrizinol is “generally recognized” as safe and effective for adults and children 6 months and older.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH, commented in a statement that the agency has “historically moved too slowly in this area, leaving Americans with fewer options than consumers abroad.”
Bemotrizinol is “generally recognized” as safe and effective for adults and children 6 months and older, according to the FDA. (iStock)
“We’re continuing to modernize the regulation of sunscreen and other over-the-counter drug products,” he said in the release. “Americans deserve timely access to the best safe, effective and consumer-friendly over-the-counter products available.”
In the same news release, Karen Murry, MD, acting director of the Office of Nonprescription Drugs in Maryland, commented that bemotrizinol “would be a welcome addition to the current array of effective sunscreen active ingredients already available to American consumers.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“We look forward to working with other companies on bringing products containing other new active ingredients to market for a wide array of conditions in multiple therapeutic areas, in a much more timely fashion than was possible in the past,” she added.
The FDA encourages the public to use sunscreen with other protective measures. (iStock)
The FDA continues to regulate sunscreen products to ensure that they meet safety and effectiveness standards, while encouraging the public to use numerous protective measures.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
This includes using broad-spectrum sunscreens SPF 15 or higher to help reduce the risk of skin cancer and signs of aging, along with wearing protective clothing and limiting time in the sun.
-
Arizona4 minutes agoSouth Alabama pitcher Ryley Harrison transferring to Arizona | ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com
-
Arkansas11 minutes agoSanders announces merit raises for Arkansas state employees
-
California14 minutes ago
Officials say sprinklers at California medical equipment warehouse didn’t work during blaze
-
Colorado19 minutes agoYour Larimer County guide to the 2026 Colorado primary election
-
Connecticut26 minutes agoChildren’s miniature toys recalled in Connecticut due to lead hazard
-
Delaware29 minutes agoThird Circuit Dismisses Delaware Appeal in DHS Records Clash
-
Florida34 minutes agoLEGOLAND Florida shows out for the World Cup
-
Georgia41 minutes agoBest downtown in Georgia? WorldAtlas recommends visiting 8 small towns
