We’ve all heard that eating junk food is bad for us. But most studies showing that link are observational, not the strongest proof. Now scientists have some of the most definitive evidence to date that eating a diet of ultra-processed foods can make you gain weight — in as little as two weeks.
Researchers invited 20 healthy, stable-weight adults to live in an NIH facility for a four-week period, to eat junk food under their watchful eyes. Sort of like reality TV, but brought to you by science.
Contestants (er, study participants) were divided into two groups. For two weeks they ate either fresh, whole foods, or ultra-processed foods like chips, sugary flavored yogurts, white bread and frozen sausages. Then the groups switched places for another two weeks.
People on the ultra-processed diet ate around 500 calories more per day and gained an average of 2 pounds. The healthy-eating group lost about 2 pounds.
After a warm, wet winter this year across much of the U.S., there's more greenery, more rodents and more snakes this year. All this raises the risk of snake bites for humans and their canine companions.
Every year, an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 people get bitten in the U.S. and many dogs are harmed too. Hikers are particularly vulnerable — so how do you protect yourself, and your pup?
As the cost of prescription medication soars, consumers are increasingly taking generic drugs, often because health insurance plans require them to as a way of controlling costs. But journalist Katherine Eban warns that some of these medications might not be as trustworthy as we think.
Eban has covered the pharmaceutical industry for more than 10 years. In her new book, Bottle of Lies, she notes that most of the generic medicines sold in the U.S. are manufactured overseas, mostly in India and China, where the FDA often has trouble keeping a sharp regulatory eye on things.
As a result, Eban says, generic drugs sometimes go to market in the U.S. without proper vetting. She describes the FDA as "overwhelmed and under-resourced" in its efforts to ensure the safety of overseas drug production.
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