Announced at the annual meeting of the Science for Neuroscience, research finds even in healthy adults, sleep deprivation can have an effect on anxiety levels and even alter brain activity.

A recent study by Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center has determined that a lack of sleep may induce increased levels of anxiety. Also, people who are diagnosed with anxiety typically have difficulty sleeping. This study shows that there is an inverse relationship between anxiety and poor sleep.

The anxiety levels of 18 healthy individuals were examined for the sake of this study. Anxiety tests were conducted for each subject after a full night of sleep and a sleepless night. Those who experience sleep deprivation demonstrated anxiety levels 30% higher than the group of individuals who had a full night sleep. The brain activity of the sleep-deprived individuals changed as well. Subjects seemed to become more emotional in response to videos played in the lab. The prefrontal cortex, the area that reduces anxiety levels, was less active as well according to MRI scans.

The result of the study concluded that lack of sleep can be more than just a symptom of anxiety, but in some cases, a direct cause! 

The new ADA Standards encourage health care professionals to evaluate sleep habits at each visit and help with problem solving to improve sleep quality.

For more information on this topic, visit: A lack of sleep can induce anxiety – Science News, Magazine of the Society for Science & the Public

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A new study finds that teenagers whose families eat dinner together are more likely to make better food choices, regardless of the family’s communication skills. 

The study suggest regardless of the how well the family functions, when you are bringing a family together for a meal you are often considering the adolescent’s nutrition. This leads to setting a healthy example for children and continued nutrition awareness into adulthood.

“Many, many studies have looked at the benefit of family meals, and over and over they have found that this leads to adolescents eating more fruits and vegetables and less fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages,” said Walton, now a research fellow at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Critics of the study suggest the dysfunction of the family would lead to less meals together and it would effect the nutritional value of the food in the house all together. However, researchers found that the more teens ate dinner with their family, the more fruits and vegetables were included in their diet. 

There are many benefits to eating a quality meal with family. Kathryn Walton, who was a doctoral student at the University of Guelph, Canada, presents ways in which parents can make family dinner a priority even with a busy schedule. Including your teens in meal prep as well as making dinner a more casual affair can help increase the frequency. 

This simple idea, can have a big impact on health! 

Learn more: Even when families have issues, eating together can improve teen diets – Reuters

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A recent review published by the academic British Medical Journal, “BMJ”, has found that high-fructose containing drinks may increase risk of type 2 diabetes more than other foods containing fructose.

Previous studies have confirmed that there is a link between sugary drinks and obesity. As few as two sugary drinks per week may raise the risk of type 2 diabetes considerably.

Now, a comprehensive review of existing research confirms that fructose-containing drinks can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes more than other foods that contain fructose.

The head researcher on the review, Dr. John Sievenpiper, aimed to find if fructose affects glucose levels and health in individuals with diabetes and without diabetes.

As we know, fructose is a monosaccharide that is found in many foods such as fruit, honey, and root vegetables.

However, processed fructose, often derived from corn and added to foods under the name high- fructose corn syrup, has found its way into many processed foods. These processed foods such as drinks, cereals, and baked goods add extra calories without adding fiber or other nutritional benefits.
Dr. John Sievenpiper’s research reviewed the outcomes of 155 studies and examined the effects that fructose from various food sources had on blood sugar levels. A1c, glucose and insulin levels were assessed.

The studies were separated into four separate groups based on their design:

• Substitution studies compared the energy derived from sugars with that from other carbohydrates.
• Subtraction studies removed sugar-derived energy from the participants’ diet and compared it with a regular diet.
• Addition studies added glucose-derived energy to the diet and compared it with a non-sugar-enhanced diet.
• Ad libitum studies replaced the energy from sugars with other nutrients that the participants were free to consume at will.

The review concluded that “nutrient-poor” foods that add excess calories (sugary drinks and sweetened juices) have harmful metabolic effects.

Some of the studies conducted did find that fructose had a harmful effect on fasting insulin levels.

However, most of the data revealed that fruit and fruit juice, which are high in fructose and fiber, may even benefit blood sugar and insulin levels of those with diabetes, when these foods do not add excess calories, the review suggests.

The take home message is:

Until more information is available, public health professionals should be aware that harmful effects of fructose sugars on blood glucose seem to be mediated by energy and food source.”

For more information on fructose and its effect on blood sugar and insulin levels, by MedicalNewsToday

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