Energy drinks have grown in popularity over the past few decades. New research suggests a correlation between consuming energy drinks and mental health issues.

Dr. Amy Adler and team set out to investigate the mental health of soldiers returning home. Adler sent out a questionnaire to 600 deployed soldiers, and discovered that 75% of soldiers surveyed drank energy drinks everyday. She quickly noticed that the prevalence of energy drink consumption was associated with increased risk of mental health issues.

“Depression and sleep problems, increased aggression, anxiety, substance abuse, things like that. All of those are risk factors were associated with drinking excessive amounts of energy drinks.”

Senior Psychologist Dr. Amy Adler, hopes that their research will shed light on how energy drinks can affect mental health not only in soldiers but civilians as well. Adler did not state that the energy drinks cause mental health issues, but it is a factor to consider when the soldiers return. Something they can control to help themselves feel better.

“There may be other high-risk groups out there like police, firefighters, emergency responders, or other groups this may apply to – or not,” Dr. Adler explains. “These groups are groups we want to pay attention to because there might be a way to mitigate the mental health problems out there.”

Energy drink consumption in the Iraq war is being compared to tobacco use during the Vietnam war.  

“They (energy drinks) were rampant,” Greg Gebhardt, an Iraq veteran living in Raleigh, recalls to ABC11. “It was almost like a lifestyle. The soldiers used to joke as long as we have armed forces in the United States, the tobacco industry and energy drink industry will be just fine.” 

Gebhardt managed the dining facilities at a base in Baghdad. He said energy drinks were very popular, not for taste but for caffeine-related effects.

“I think it served a purpose to give it that extra boost, to push them a little further, to keep their cognitive functions about them for that 16th or 18th hour of a long day in 120-degree heat,” said Gebhardt.

The consumption of energy drinks is widely common in the U.S. particularly with teenagers or adults who work long hours.

“The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reports men between the ages of 18 and 34 years to consume the most energy drinks, and almost one-third of teens between 12 and 17 years drink them regularly.”

Dr. Page believes there are many healthy alternatives if you are looking to be more awake and aware during your day. Exercise and restful sleep are extremely beneficial to mental awareness and overall positive mental health.

To learn more: Research raises concerns about use of energy drinks in military – ABC11

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Black and Hispanic children are being targeted with unhealthy advertisements, a new study finds. “Junk food comprised 86% of ad spending on black-targeted programming and 82% of spending on Spanish-language television in 2017.”

Not only are these companies targeting these groups, but they are targeting them with their unhealthiest products.

A report by the Rudd Center, a research and policy group working to combat childhood obesity, looked at the advertising efforts of 32 food and beverage companies that spent upwards of $100 million just to reach children in 2017.

Researchers compared these findings to a study done in 2013 and they found a big disparity between what minority youths was exposed to compared to white children.

“In 2013, black youth saw 70% more food-related ads than their white peers. By 2017, black children saw 86% more than white kids, and black teens saw 119% more than white teens, the study found.”

Although there has been a movement towards offering healthier options, researchers believe that these efforts were more PR than put into advertising for children, particularly within Hispanic and Black communities. Only 3% of ads for healthy options went towards advertisements, 1% of that went to black-targeted programming and little to none to Hispanic children. This means that Spanish-language television didn’t have ads for healthy food, instead had up to 20% for candy.

“At best, these advertising patterns imply that food companies view Black consumers as interested in candy, sugary drinks, fast food, and snacks with a lot of salt, fat, or sugar, but not in healthier foods,” said Shiriki Kumanyika, one of the study’s authors and chair of the Council on Black Health, in a written statement.

Kumanyika believes these companies are contributing to an increased risk in obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure in these communities. “According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 26% of Hispanic youth and 22% of black youth were deemed obese, versus 14% of whites and 11% of Asians. The worst off, though, were Hispanic boys at 28% and black girls at more than 25%.”

CNN attempted to contacted the companies who were studied in this report but all denied to comment except Hershey, which responded that the data was “not accurate.” Claiming their is a difference between “reaching” and “targeting” viewers, and they are “targeting” adults or decision makers in the household not their children.

Researchers are hoping that food manufacturers will consider the effects of their advertising on health and aim to promote healthier food to children all over. Even if the ads are being “targeted” toward adults, children are often influenced by the choices their parents make.

It is important to support health equity for everyone, no matter where they are from. Marketing does have power and can improve health by promoting healthier products.

To learn more: “Black and Hispanic youth are targeted with junk food ads, research shows” – CNN

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American teenagers who incorrectly perceive their weight are more likely to have unhealthy eating habits and be less active overall. Teenagers who accurately perceive their weight are more likely to make healthy choices and not take part in risky diets.

The study analyzed data from over 12,000 American teens, 32% of which were obese or overweight.

• “Nearly 23 percent of the teenagers studied, misjudged their weight.
• 11.6 percent incorrectly believed they were overweight, and
• 11.3 percent believed they weighed more than they should while thinking it’s healthy and underestimating their weight.”
• Researchers also found the girls were more likely to misperceive their weight then boys.

Teens who incorrectly believed they were overweight were less likely to drink fruit juice or milk, eat fruits, or have breakfast on a regular basis.

Teens who were actually overweight or believed they were overweight were least likely to get 60 minutes of physical activity a day, five days a week, the researchers noted.

This misperception of weight strongly correlated with adult obesity later in life. “Early childhood interventions to promote appropriate weight-related perception and weight management could have a lasting impact on chronic disease burden, in addition to preventing unhealthy diet and physical inactivity in youth,” he suggested.

Weight perception has also been linked to eating disorders, which are a leading cause of morbidity in American teens. Schools are now encouraged to provide education on eating disorders, weight misperception and providr examples of healthy behavior.

Researchers also believe that developing a regular exercise routine early can help a child maintain health habits into adulthood.

To learn more: Teens Often Off the Mark About Their Weight, With Unhealthy Results – HealthDay

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According to studies published in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, adults who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, may improve their insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function, even when controlling for BMI.

“It has been suggested that vegetarian diet may have a potential protective effect on the prevention and treatment of diabetes and its complications,” Xiuhua Shen, MD, PhD, of the department of nutrition in the School of Public Health at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, and colleagues wrote.

Researchers were trying to answer the question whether vegetarian diets increase insulin sensitivity due to weight loss or is it a result off the plant based diet itself?

279 vegetarians and 279 matched omnivores, were gathered for the study. The group was further divided to include those observing a vegan diet. Fasting blood samples were collected to assess glucose and insulin levels. The vegetarians had a overall lower percentage of obesity and average BMI. “Vegetarians also had a 1.4% proportion of insulin resistance compared with a 4.7% proportion in omnivores (P < .05), the researchers reported.”

“A plant-based diet with a variety of foods rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which may have a direct effect on alleviating inflammation and oxidative stress, may account for the higher insulin sensitivity in vegetarians, and especially vegans,” the researchers wrote. “Vegetarians, especially vegans, may be in a healthier insulin sensitivity status than omnivores, which is not completely accounted for by the difference of BMI.” – by Phil Neuffer

Please enjoy other Plant Based Resources here

To learn more: Vegetarian diets show potential for boosting insulin sensitivity – Healio

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A report attempting to overhaul the universal “diet” says a hamburger a week is about as much red meat you should be consuming. Eggs should be limited to less than four a week and dairy, one serving per day.

The report highlights the deadly effects meat production is having on the environment. “Producing red meat takes up land and feed to raise cattle, which also emit the greenhouse gas methane.”

The report was organized by a Swedish-based nonprofit seeking to improve the food system. They believe a “great food transformation” is necessary by 2050. They also believe their recommended diet could be inclusive to all cultures around the world.

Of course a major obstacle is convincing cultures who are traditionally meat and cheese heavy, to make the shift.

“The diet encourages whole grains, beans, fruits and most vegetables, and says to limit added sugars, refined grains such as white rice and starches like potatoes and cassava. It says red meat consumption on average needs to be slashed by half globally, though the necessary changes vary by region and reductions would need to be more dramatic in richer countries like the United States.”

Scientists believe you don’t have to completely switch to a vegan diet to make a big impact on health.

Advice to limit red meat isn’t a new concept and has been linked to lowering high saturated fats. However, the meat and dairy industries argue that their products carry important nutrients necessary for a healthy diet.

A report conducted by the United Nations, concluded that livestock is responsible for 15% of gas emissions that warm the climate. International Climate Researcher, Robbie Andrew, believes that utilizing practices that help the animal to grow bigger faster may help decrease emission, however the animal will still produce methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas.

The report itself does lay out the “optimal” diet for both environment and health. However, researchers understand the battle it may be to convince policy makers, food companies and those set in traditional cuisine.

Enjoy our Plant Based Resources Library

To learn more: Less beef, more beans. Experts say world needs a new diet – AP

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The trend of a low-carb or even no-carb diet has been increasing in popularity over the past decade. But have we been accidentally stereotyping our favorite foods? What if we could enjoy our slices of bread and pasta after all?

Many are enticed by the promise of quick weight loss that seems to come with cutting out carbs. However, this can be tricky to stick to long-term. On average, 50% of calories consumed in the adult American diet are from carbohydrates. And the idea of cutting out carbs completely would include the fundamentals of a healthy diet like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.

So why do all carbs seem to get a bad reputation?

Dr. David Ludwig, professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and the co-director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center Boston Children’s Hospital, sought to better understand and explain the varying types of carbs and how they can affect your health.

Bread and pasta are often demonized, however, it is much more complex than that! “When you eat a whole-kernel, minimally processed grain … they take a while to digest. Blood sugar rises relatively more gently. You produce less insulin calorie for calorie,” Ludwig explains.

“Slow” carbs like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, take a while to digest and are often rich in nutrients like fiber, zinc, magnesium and Vitamin E. However, when you eat white bread or another carbohydrate made from refined starch, it can raise your blood sugars sending a signal to your brain to store fat and leave you hungry.

Currently, Americans are likely to lack whole grain consumption and actually exceed the recommended amount of refined grains. Fiber-rich foods, like whole grain bread, leave you feeling full for longer with their fiber, fat, and protein. You don’t have to cut out all carbs, just the highly processed or refined.

To learn more: You Don’t Have To Go No-Carb: Instead, Think Slow Carb – NPR

Happy National Nutrition Month! For this newsletter, we decided to explore some popular nutrition topics discussed on social media and brought into our offices. We give a shout out to our dietitian colleagues and celebrate their unique skill set and abundant knowledge. Finally, the amazing Theresa Garnero shares insights into her motivation to co-chair the first ever “Women Leaders in Diabetes Conference.”

Click here to read our newsletter!