Food Banks Struggle To Feed The Needy After Trump Cuts Federal Aid
The national advocacy group Feeding America reports that the Trump administration slashed $1 billion in federal aid to anti-hunger groups. In other nutrition news, links have been found between ultra-processed food consumption and premature death; finding replacements for artificial food dyes leads to interesting sources; and more.
The New York Times:
After Trump Aid Cuts, Food Banks Scrounge And Scrimp
Sara Busse needed to make a hot meal for 40 needy seniors. She had promised a main dish, a starch, a vegetable, a fruit and a dessert. In the past, she had gotten many of those ingredients for free from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This time, she had dried cranberries, crackers and vegetable soup. “What am I supposed to do?” she said. “What am I supposed to cook?” (Fahrenthold, 4/28)
In news about nutrition and weight loss —
CNN:
Your Chance Of An Early Death Rises With Every Bite Of Ultraprocessed Food, Study Says
As you add more ultraprocessed foods to your diet, your risk of a premature death from any cause rises, according to a new meta-analysis of research involving more than 240,000 people. (LaMotte, 4/28)
AP:
How Bugs And Beet Juice Could Play Roles In The Race To Replace Artificial Dyes In Food
As pressure grows to get artificial colors out of the U.S. food supply, the shift may well start at Abby Tampow’s laboratory desk. On an April afternoon, the scientist hovered over tiny dishes of red dye, each a slightly different ruby hue. Her task? To match the synthetic shade used for years in a commercial bottled raspberry vinaigrette — but by using only natural ingredients. ... Tampow is part of the team at Sensient Technologies Corp., one of the world’s largest dyemakers, that is rushing to help the salad dressing manufacturer — along with thousands of other American businesses — meet demands to overhaul colors used to brighten products from cereals to sports drinks. (Aleccia, 4/28)
Fox News:
‘SkinnyTok’ Could Promote Starvation And Disordered Eating, Experts Warn
Social media can be a great source of fitness, nutrition and wellness tips — but it also has some potentially harmful content. Enter "SkinnyTok," a popular weight-loss trend making the rounds on TikTok. Creators are pairing the hashtag with videos that share various ways to lose weight, many of them based on the goal of getting as thin as possible in a short amount of time. (Rudy, 4/27)
NBC News:
Lawsuit Alleges Man With Diabetes Became Blind After Taking Ozempic
A Maryland man who took Ozempic and then became legally blind is suing the drug’s manufacturer, arguing it had an obligation to warn patients that loss of sight could be a possible side effect. Todd Engel, 62, was prescribed Ozempic in 2023 to manage his Type 2 diabetes. The lawsuit said about four months later, Engel was diagnosed with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, a condition in which a loss of blood flow to the optic nerve causes sudden and irreversible vision loss. (Chuck, 4/26)
On aging and dementia —
The Washington Post:
These Experts On Aging, Now Seniors Themselves, See Things Differently
As a social worker for older adults, Robyn Golden, 67, preached the importance of staying active as you age. In her early career, Golden was often inspired by the way her clients tackled new challenges. “I found it very enriching,” she said, to see that “they can change, and they can grow.” As she has gotten older, she has tried to embrace that openness to new experiences. But she didn’t realize how hard it could be for an older person. Last year, for example, she took up pickleball. She wasn’t expecting to play professionally, but she assumed she would improve alongside the younger students in the class she joined. (Erickson, 4/26)
The Washington Post:
‘Smart Insoles’ Could Help Diagnose Dementia, Other Health Problems
A new “smart insole” system that transmits data based on a person’s gait could one day provide earlier warnings of dementia, orthopedic issues and lumbar disc problems, a recent study says. Writing in Science Advances, researchers called the system “a practical solution for improving clinical assessments, personalized treatments, and biomechanics research.” (Blakemore, 4/27)
KFF Health News:
When They Don’t Recognize You Anymore
It happened more than a decade ago, but the moment remains with her. Sara Stewart was talking at the dining room table with her mother, Barbara Cole, 86 at the time, in Bar Harbor, Maine. Stewart, then 59, a lawyer, was making one of her extended visits from out of state. Two or three years earlier, Cole had begun showing troubling signs of dementia, probably from a series of small strokes. “I didn’t want to yank her out of her home,” Stewart said. (Span, 4/28)
