Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Starbucks' Olive Oil-Infused Drinks Are Upsetting Stomachs
NBC News: Starbucks Customers Are Complaining About Stomach Issues From New Olive Oil-Infused Coffee
Starbucks customers have taken to social media to share their experiences with the coffee chain’s new slate of olive oil-infused drinks, and apparently, for some, the picture is not so pretty. On March 16, a post titled “Olive oil drinks...” was added to the subreddit r/starbucks by a Redditor who claims to be a current Starbucks barista. In it, they share an experience their coworkers allegedly had after trying the new roster of Oleato drinks. (Lamour, 4/6)
In other health and wellness news —
Fox News: Can Heart Failure Risk Show Up On A Smartwatch? It's Possible, Study Says
Today’s smartwatches go far beyond checking time and texts. They can track an array of health information, including calories burned, step counts, sleep quality and even heart rate. Now, a new study from University College London suggests that a smartwatch’s heart rate tracker could potentially predict when someone has a higher risk of heart failure. (Rudy, 4/6)
NBC News: Sleep Apnea Caused Cognitive Problems Even In Healthy Men, Research Finds
Most people with untreated sleep apnea develop heart disease, and researchers have assumed that's why they also have cognitive problems. But a small new study finds that obstructive sleep apnea itself is harming the brain, giving new urgency to recognizing and treating the disorder. (Carroll, 4/6)
NBC News: Brain Scans Reveal How Obesity Factors Differ Between Men And Women
Changes in the way peoples’ brains are wired could explain some of the differences in obesity between men and women, new research published Thursday finds. In women with obesity, changes in the brain tended to be centered on regions related to emotions, while in men with obesity, the changes tended to be found in regions that play a role in gut sensations, such as how hungry or full a person feels, the study found. (Sullivan, 4/6)
On preventing mosquito-borne illnesses —
St. Louis Public Radio: Mosquito Alert STL Wants Your Insect Photos This Summer
With warmer weather comes certain pests — including the mosquito, which is a vector for several diseases that end up killing about 725,000 people every year. For Jean Ponzi, whose relative came down with a bad case of West Nile virus after being bitten by a mosquito, the issue is personal. Her family member ended up with long-lasting symptoms “similar to the kinds of things that we've heard about long COVID — not terminally debilitating, but serious,” she said. (Woodbury, 4/6)
