Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
MAHA-Backed Natural Food Dyes Linked To Health Risks
The Wall Street Journal: Natural Food Colors Embraced By MAHA Linked To Health Problems
Artificial food dyes have long been suspected to be harmful to your health. But new research shows that some of the natural color additives being turned to as alternatives are associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and cancer. (Petersen, 5/20)
More on nutrition and exercise —
The Baltimore Sun: Popular Low-Calorie Sweetener Carries Hidden Liver Danger
The common sugar-free sweetener sorbitol may damage your liver in the same way as the older sweetener fructose, researchers found, triggering processes linked to fatty liver disease in people without a history of drinking alcohol. (Hille, 5/19)
CNN: 2026 ‘Dirty Dozen’ Produce: Nearly 100% Tested Positive For Pesticides, Including ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Experts Say
Leafy greens such as spinach and kale and perennial kid favorites such as strawberries and grapes held the highest levels of potentially harmful pesticide residues based on government tests, according to the 2026 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. (LaMotte, 5/19)
HealthDay: Teens Swap Steroids For Creatine As ‘Looksmaxxing’ Trends Surge
U.S. teens trying to build up their muscles are turning from steroids to creatine supplements, a new study says. Creatine use rose by 90% among boys and a whopping 168% among girls between 2019-2020 and 2023-2024, researchers report in the August issue of the journal Annals of Epidemiology. This happened even as steroid use fell by more than half, researchers found. (Thompson, 5/20)
The Washington Post: How Brief Bursts Of Intense Exercise May Help Reduce Panic Attacks
The study, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, looked into exercise as a form of exposure therapy for people who experience frequent and unexpected panic attacks. The researchers found that deliberately triggering some of the physical sensations of panic — a racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating — via sprinting was more effective than relaxation therapy in reducing the severity and frequency of panic attacks. (Krietsch, 5/20)
The Washington Post: Marathons And Ultramarathons May Be Linked To Colon Cancer. Here’s Why.
A small study found a surprisingly high incidence of precancerous polyps in young, extreme runners, sparking controversy and concern. (Reynolds, 5/21)
The New York Times: Experimental Drug Yields Dramatic Weight Loss
An experimental shot helped participants in a large trial lose far more weight than obesity drugs already on the market, Eli Lilly, the maker, announced on Thursday. Among the heaviest patients in the trial, the results were on par with those seen with gastric bypass surgery, the only effective treatment for most with severe obesity. (Kolata and Robbins, 5/21)
On diabetes —
Stat: Papers Provide New Clues To Spotting Type 1 Diabetes Before Onset
The story of type 1 diabetes begins in the pancreas, long seen as a battleground between insulin-producing beta cells and misdirected immune defenders. Scientists have been searching for ways to spot this internal warfare early enough to prevent a lifelong disease that depletes the body’s source of insulin. (Cooney, 5/20)
