CDC Reports Potential for Extreme Flu Season
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. has seen an uptick in cases of flu and other respiratory illnesses. Australia’s flu season—which is typically a harbinger of what is to come in the U.S.—is the worst in five years. Most cases are a strain of influenza which causes more hospitalizations than other strains.
Due to general COVID-19 precautions, flu cases have been low the past two seasons. The number of people getting the flu vaccine has also been lower than usual. This means less of the population came into this flu season with immunity. Young children who may never have had flu exposure or been vaccinated may be at particular risk, and this population tends to spread the illness to other high-risk groups, like older adults and pregnant women.
A survey by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases found that only 49 percent of Americans plan to get a flu shot this year. This will leave most Americans at risk. The CDC recommends everyone ages 6 months and older get an annual flu shot. People 65 and older should consider getting a high-dose or boosted flu vaccine if it is available. It’s not too late to get protection from this potentially life-threatening (and certainly life-interrupting) illness. It’s safe to get the flu shot and COVID-19 booster at the same time, and many clinics and pharmacies offer both.
Ultraprocessed Food Intake Associated with Colon Cancer in Men
A study led by researchers from Tufts University found an association between high
One more reason for men to cut back on ultraprocessed foods: a possible increased risk of colon cancer.
consumption of ultraprocessed foods and risk of colorectal cancer in men. Ultraprocessed foods are commercially made packaged foods which contain few (if any) whole or minimally processed ingredients. This prospective study compared self-reported dietary intake from three large cohorts of U.S. women and men to colorectal cancer diagnoses over 24 to 28 years. Participants were divided into five groups depending on how much ultraprocessed food they consumed. Men in the highest intake group were 29 percent more likely to develop colorectal cancer, compared with the lowest. This association was not found for women.
Cod Liver Oil Does Not Reduce Risk for COVID-19 Infection
Cod liver oil provides a low dose of vitamin D, but don’t count on it to boost your ability to fight off respiratory viruses.
In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, researchers in Norway found that taking cod liver oil (a low-dose vitamin D supplement) did not reduce the incidence of COVID-19 infection, serious COVID-19 cases, or other acute respiratory infections compared with a placebo. The study gave over 35,000 adults ages 18 to 75 years who were not already taking vitamin D supplements either five milliliters of cod liver oil or a placebo every day for six months. The cod liver oil provided 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D daily. (The recommended dietary allowance from all sources for adults 19 to 70 is 15 mcg a day. For those over 70, it is 20 mcg).
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have been looking at vitamin D for its potential role in preventing and treating the virus and respiratory infections in general. Results have shown little benefit. It should be noted that the 86 percent of participants in this study had adequate levels of vitamin D in their blood before supplementation began. This study cannot therefore indicate whether vitamin D supplementation reduces risk for respiratory illness in individuals with less-than-optimal blood levels of vitamin D.
Eating Largest Meal in the Morning Did Not Increase Short-Term Weight Loss
It has been suggested that eating a big breakfast might help with weight loss efforts. To test this theory, researchers conducted a randomized crossover trial that enrolled 30 subjects with obesity/overweight. For four weeks, the subjects ate a calorie-restricted diet with the highest calorie meal in the morning. They then consumed the same number of calories for another four weeks, but with the highest calorie meal in the evening.
Compared to the large evening meal, the large morning meal did not lead to greater weight loss over four weeks. But, participants did report significantly lower hunger on the “big breakfast” days. Hence, eating more of one’s calories in the morning might help control overall calorie intake in the long-term. (Because this study provided identical calories on both diets and only looked at meal timing, it did not furnish evidence to address this possibility.)