By DEE-ANN DURBIN and LOUISE DIXON Associated Press
The global market has exploded for drinks that promise to do more than just taste good. So much so that grocery store beverage aisles are starting to look more like pharmacies. There are sodas made with mushrooms that supposedly improve mental clarity and juices packed with bacteria that claim to enhance digestive health. Water infused with collagen carries the promise of better skin, and energy drinks offer to help burn body fat. Welcome to the frenzy of functional beverages. What started in the late 1980s with caffeine- and vitamin-laced energy drinks like Red Bull has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry. Hundreds of brands are vying for consumers' attention with increasingly exotic ingredients and wellness-focused marketing.
A new report warns that famine is imminent in Gaza as fighting between Israel and Hamas continues. Aid groups say that 1.4 million people in Haiti are on the verge of famine. Famine occurs when households and entire regions or countries reach a catastrophic level of hunger and lack of access to food. Famine is the highest, most dire level of a five-phase scale put in place in 2004 by an international coalition of government and aid groups that monitor the severity of hunger in the world. Children younger than 5, pregnant women, the elderly and those underlying health conditions are most at risk.
By MOHAMED JAHJOUH, JACK JEFFERY and LEE KEATH Associated Press
It's not just Israeli bombs that have killed children in war-ravaged Gaza. Now some are dying of hunger too. Officials have for months warned over the risk of famine in Gaza under Israel's bombardment, offensives and siege. Hunger is most acute in the north, where at least 20 people — almost all children — have died from malnutrition and dehydration. That's according to Gaza's Health Ministry. But also in the south, where access to aid is more regular, particularly vulnerable children are also beginning to succumb. At the Emirati Hospital in Rafah, the director told The Associated Press that 16 premature babies have died of malnutrition-related causes over the past five weeks.
Obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound are capturing the attention of celebrities and showing promising results in helping people shed pounds. But those drugs remain out of reach for millions of older Americans. A decades-old law bans Medicare from paying for weight loss drugs. Now, drugmakers and a wide-ranging bipartisan coalition of lawmakers are gearing up to push for that to change next year. Obesity rates are rising among older adults, and some lawmakers say the United States can't afford to keep the law on the books. But research shows the initial price tag of covering those drugs is so steep it could drain Medicare's already shaky bank account.
A new study adds to evidence that severe obesity is becoming more common in young U.S. children. There was some hope that children in a government food program might be bucking a trend in obesity rates. Earlier research found rates had dropped a little for those children. But an update published Monday in the journal Pediatrics shows the rate up a bit to 2% by 2020. The increase echoes national data, which suggests around 2.5% of all preschool-aged children are severely obese. The study involved young kids in the Women, Infants and Children program, which provides healthy foods and other services.
Holiday meals may be changing for millions of Americans struggling with obesity and taking a new generation of weight-loss drugs. Experts and consumers say the drugs are shifting dining habits and social norms around food-centric holidays like Thanksgiving, Passover and Christmas. Some users welcome greater control over what they eat during the holidays. Others may lose their appetites entirely, doctors say, risking what one researcher called "the reward of having a beautiful meal."
By DEE-ANN DURBIN and DAVID McHUGH AP Business Writers
Climate scientists have long said that eating more plants and fewer animals is among the simplest, cheapest and most readily available ways for people to reduce their impact on the environment. And an explosion of new types of plant-based "meat" made from made from soybeans and other plants has emerged as a possible solution. But even though the products have come a long way from the dry veggie patties of the past, they haven't converted enough meat lovers to make enough of an impact. New techniques are in development, however, with hopes of satisfying our enduring craving for flesh with plants.
Federal regulators say a new version of the popular diabetes treatment Mounjaro can be sold as a weight-loss drug. The Food and Drug Administration approved Zepbound on Wednesday. The drug has been shown to help dieters lose 40 to 60 pounds in testing. It is the latest diabetes drug approved for weight loss, joining Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, a high-dose version of Ozempic. Short supply and high costs have limited access to both medications. The FDA approved the new drug for people considered obese or for those who are overweight and have a weight-related health condition.
A federal law that boosted nutrition standards for school meals may have begun to help slow the rise in obesity among America's children. A study released Monday of more than 14,000 schoolkids ages 5 to 18 found a small but significant decline in the average body mass index of students who were tracked before and after the implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The law, championed by former first lady Michelle Obama, increased the quantity of fruits, vegetables and whole grains required in school meals.
New guidelines suggest children struggling with obesity should be evaluated and treated early and aggressively. The American Academy of Pediatrics says treatments can include medication for kids as young as 12 and surgery for those as young as 13. The group said Monday delaying treatment to see whether children and teens outgrow or overcome obesity only makes things worse. Left untreated, obesity can lead to lifelong health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes and depression. Nearly nearly 20% of kids and teens in the U.S. are obese.
