Fewer women in clinical trials
Women are underrepresented in clinical trials that evaluate cardiovascular and other medical devices, according to a systematic review published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Researchers at Meir Hospital in Israel took a closer look at 195 trials between 2013 and 2022 that ranged from cardiology to orthopedics, neurology, endocrinology and ear, nose and throat. The most common cardiovascular devices evaluated included stents, prostheses, valves, pumps and pacemakers.
They found that cardiovascular device trials had only a median 29% of women represented. Orthopedic devices had a median 46% representation, while other devices had a median 47% representation.
Source: JAMA Internal Medicine
Planet-based diet cuts premature death risk
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If you enjoy fruits, vegetables and whole grains, your risk of premature death declines by nearly one-third, according to new research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.
Eating a planet-healthy diet can also offer other benefits, including cutting land use by 51%, greenhouse gas emissions by 29% and fertilizer use by 21%, according to the study.
Food considered good for the planet requires fewer overall resources to grow, researchers said in the study. Examples include whole grains, tubers, vegetables, whole fruits, legumes, soybean foods and plant oils such as olive oil, which contains mostly monosaturated fat.
Source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Average U.S. diet getting better, but still uneven
A new study shows that the U.S. diet is improving, but many people still have a lot of work to do to improve their health.
Researchers at the Food Is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University found that 1 in 3 U.S. adults surveyed in 2020 had what is considered poor diet quality.
Yet they found after examining data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) that overall, diet quality has improved some from 1999 to 2020.
Results showed that about 37% of U.S. adults are considered to have poor diet quality, down from nearly 50% more than two decades.
When looking more closely at specific trends, they found reductions in sugar, sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice, refined grains and milk. But researchers also found disparities, with greater improvements in higher-income participants.
Source: Tufts University
Study finds tinnitus prevalent
If you’ve ever had ringing in the ears, you may have experienced a common condition called tinnitus. A new Apple report found that nearly 78% participants surveyed have experienced the condition at least once in their lifetimes.
That's according to University of Michigan research. The report also found that 15% of people experience tinnitus daily, with 10% who say the condition moderately or entirely interferes with their hearing.
While the results align with those of other studies on tinnitus in the past, there is a growing demand for more health-care solutions aimed at managing what can be a chronic condition.
The study is part of ongoing research Apple has launched in partnership with the University of Michigan and the World Health Organization, especially as more young people are beginning to report tinnitus or hearing loss from technology.
Source: Apple
Extreme heat can hurt pregnancy outcomes
Rising temperatures can be dangerous to any age group, but a new study has found a connection between heat and poor outcomes for pregnant women and their babies.
Researchers at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa say heat exposure during pregnancy can worsen conditions including preeclampsia and diabetes, affect a baby’s development including the nervous system, increase the risk of preterm birth and birth complications, change fetal DNA by switching genes on and off and even possibly shortening the baby’s life.
The researchers say other studies have linked heat exposure to issues such as child malnutrition risk, mental illnesses and worse outcomes for female fetuses.
Source: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth journal
