Thursday, April 25, 2024

 

Good heart health in middle age may preserve brain function among Black women as they age



Cognitive decline among Black women linked to poor heart health in middle age, finds new study in Journal of the American Heart Association



AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION





Research Highlights:

  • Middle-aged Black women with better heart health were less likely to show a decline in mental function compared with middle-aged Black women with worse heart health.
  • In this study, heart health was unrelated to cognitive decline among middle-aged white women.
  • A clinical trial is required to confirm if improving heart health among middle-aged Black women may slow cognitive decline and decrease the risk of dementia.


DALLAS, April 24, 2024 — Better heart health was linked to less decline in mental processing speed and cognition among middle-aged Black women, although not among middle-aged white women, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

“Take care of your heart, and it will benefit your brain,” said study lead author Imke Janssen, Ph.D., a professor of family and preventive medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “Better cardiovascular health in women in their 40s is important to prevent later-life Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and to maintain independent living.”

Previous research has linked heart health to a lower risk of cognitive decline. This decline may begin years before the onset of dementia, Janssen explained. Questions that need to be answered include understanding when the cognitive benefits of heart health begin, whether they occur among people of different races and whether they affect different types of brain function including reasoning.

In this study, researchers compared key heart health metrics, known as the American Heart Associations’ Life’s Essential 8, among middle-aged Black and white women to cognitive testing conducted on the women every one to two years over a 20-year period.

Life’s Essential 8TM includes objectively measured weight, blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol, as well as self-reported health behaviors such as eating healthy foods, being physically active, not smoking and getting enough sleep.

The cognitive tests assessed processing speed and working memory. Processing speed is the pace at which the brain has accurate recognition of visual and verbal information and is necessary for daily activities such as driving. In this study, cognitive processing speed was assessed as quickly and accurately recognizing sets of numbers, objects, pictures or patterns. Working memory is the ability to remember and use small pieces of information for daily tasks, including remembering names and doing math.

The study found differences in cognitive decline by race only in processing speed, not in working memory. Specifically:

  • Black women with lower heart health, based on the Life’s Essential 8 metrics, had a 10% decrease in processing speed over 20 years. Their scores were worse for all eight risk factors for heart disease, especially blood pressure and smoking.
  • In contrast, Black women with good heart health showed little decline in mental processing during the 20-year study.
  • Among white women with poorer heart health, processing speed did not decline.
  • Heart health did not affect working memory for Black or white women.

“We were surprised that we did not find results like those of past studies, which showed cognitive decline in Black and white men and women, and found cardiovascular health to be more important for white adults rather than people in Black subgroups,” Janssen said. “We think these differences are due to the younger age of our participants, who began cognitive testing in their mid-40s, whereas previous studies started with adults about 10 to 20 years older. The next step is a clinical trial to confirm whether optimizing heart health in Black women at midlife may slow cognitive aging, maximize independence and reduce racial inequities in dementia risk.”

Several limitations may have affected the study’s results. The study included women from a single study site and relied on self-reported measures of heart health, which may have been inaccurate. In addition, the study did not include measures that may account for racial differences in access to health care or the potential impact of structural racism on Black participants.

Study background and details:

  • The study included 363 Black and 402 white women from the Chicago site of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN).
  • The Chicago SWAN group started cognitive testing in 1997, when the women were between 42 and 52 years old. Cognitive testing continued every one to two years through 2017.
  • The analytic sample consisted of 765 women who provided 5,079 cognitive processing speed and 4,933 working memory assessments over the 20-year period. 
  • Heart health based on Life’s Essential 8 was assessed at time of enrollment only.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific Association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers and health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here.

Additional Resources:

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for a century. During 2024 - our Centennial year - we celebrate our rich 100-year history and accomplishments. As we forge ahead into our second century of bold discovery and impact, our vision is to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For Media Inquiries and AHA/ASA Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173

Bridgette McNeill: Bridgette.mcneill@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

JOURNAL

Journal of the American Heart Association

DOI

10.1161/JAHA.123.0316191 

ARTICLE TITLE

Cardiovascular Health, Race, and Decline in Cognitive Function in Midlife Women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation

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The negative effects of racism impact sleep in adolescents



Sleep-promoting programs may improve developmental outcomes and disrupt the effects of racism, researchers say



SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT




Sleep and sleep disturbances have consequences for the development of adolescents and young adults. In a new article, researchers examine sleep during these periods, focusing on the effects of ethnic and racial discrimination. They conclude that improving sleep may boost health for all youth, but especially for those affected by racism.

The article, by researchers at Fordham University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, appears in Child Development Perspectives, a journal of the Society for Research in Child Development.

“Discrimination based on ethnicity or race is a form of stress, and stress has been implicated in sleep disturbances,” explains Tiffany Yip, professor of psychology at Fordham University and the article’s lead author. “Rather than asking young people to ‘sleep off’ racism, we advocate for creating sleep-promoting programs that have direct benefits for developmental outcomes as well as indirect benefits by disrupting the negative effects of racism.”

Parents, teachers, scholars, and educational institutions agree nearly universally that sleep and sleep behaviors are important for the healthy development of young people. Sufficient and good-quality sleep is critical for overall adjustment, developmental milestones, and daily functioning for humans throughout life. Adolescence (ages 12-17) and young adulthood (ages 18-25), which feature significant physical and social changes, are critical periods for sleep health. These are also periods when discrimination is more pronounced.

Although discrimination can be based on many individual and intersecting biases (e.g., gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, education), the authors chose to focus on discrimination rooted in ethnicity and race because of the well-founded documentation of disparities in sleep by race. In their article, they integrate research linking ethnic and racial discrimination to sleep across a variety of methods and developmental time spans.

Characterizing the ways in which discrimination stress is associated with sleep through direct effects, explanatory pathways, or stress amplification matters because identifying the exact nature of these associations can inform policies and practices related to sleep-focused interventions, the authors say. In addition to being a biological need, science suggests that sleep is also a promotive developmental resource. For example, sufficient sleep duration and good quality sleep is associated with emotion regulation, learning, and memory consolidation, all important aspects of child adjustment. Moreover, sleep is also a modifiable health behavior with documented health benefits so improving sleep can disrupt temporal associations between racism and negative effects on development.

The authors highlight various interventions to improve sleep, including school-based sleep hygiene programs, smartphone applications, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Studies show that sleep interventions can improve important components of sleep, such as total sleep duration, sleep quality, and sleep efficiency. Many of these approaches are low in cost.

“Investigations of racism and youth development must consider sleep health,” says Jinjin Yan, a postdoctoral research fellow in psychology at Fordham University, who coauthored the article. “A focus on sleep health also holds promise for mitigating the negative developmental effects of ethnic and racial discrimination on mental health, physical health, and academic outcomes.”

Preparation of the article was supported by the National Science Foundation, Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences and by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

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Summarized from Child Development Perspectives, “Developmental Links Between Ethnic and Racial Discrimination and Sleep,” by Yip, T. (Fordham University), Yan, J. (Fordham University), Johnson, S. (Fordham University), Bae, J. (Fordham University), Lorenzo, K. (Fordham University), Ruedas-Garcia, N. (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), Zhao, Z. (Fordham University).  Copyright 2024 The Society for Research in Child Development.  All rights reserved. 

JOURNAL

Child Development Perspectives

DOI

10.1111/cdep.12513 

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Developmental links between ethnic and racial discrimination and sleep

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

24-Apr-2024

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Zebra finch chicks don't babble for no reason



Their first vocalizations help young zebra finch males to memorize the songs of adults


MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT


Zebra finches 

IMAGE: 

THE BABBLING OF ZEBRA FINCHES CREATES CONNECTIONS IN THE BRAIN THAT ENABLE THEM TO MEMORIZE THE SONG OF THEIR TUTOR. THE PICTURE SHOWS A ZEBRA FINCH CHICK (2ND FROM LEFT) BETWEEN A FEMALE (LEFT) AND A MALE (RIGHT).

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CREDIT: MPI FOR BIOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE/ AXEL GRIESCH




When babies learn to talk or birds learn to sing, the same principle applies: listen and then imitate. This is how the first babble becomes the first word or vocalization. Male zebra finch chicks initially memorize the song of an adult bird. Later, they refine their own vocalization until they resemble the learned song. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence have now shown that the first vocalizations of zebra finches play a role even before they practice to sing on their own. The initial babbling is necessary to memorize songs in the first place. This is in line with findings in human infants, where the babbling of babies also plays a crucial role in language acquisition.

A male zebra finch chick hatches from its egg. Around 3-4 weeks later, it begins to make its first croaking sounds – these do not have much in common with its later song. But by the time it is three months old, the zebra finch has finished practicing its vocalizations: The song is now fully developed. And this is exactly what it will be singing for the rest of his life, to find a mate or to defend its territory.

Learning to sing in zebra finches is similar to learning to speak in humans: Chicks or babies imitate what they hear – for zebra finches it is usually the father`s song. The chicks go through two learning phases. Around 25 days after hatching, they begin to memorize the song of their tutor and store it as a template (sensory phase). The sensorimotor phase, which runs in parallel, begins a little later: In this phase, the chicks refine their own calls until they resemble the memorized template song.

Babbling triggers memorizing songs

It was previously assumed that the initial babblings initiate the sensorimotor phase, the time at which the chicks begin to imitate the memorized song. The mechanisms that trigger the previous, sensory phase of song learning remained unclear. Albertine Leitão and Manfred Gahr from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence have now shown that the babbling already initiates the first, sensory phase – thereby challenging the previous concept of song learning in zebra finches.

For their investigations, the researchers gave male zebra finch chicks the sex hormone testosterone. This caused the chicks to start babbling earlier than usual. Interestingly, the sensory phase also started earlier in these cases. To show that these two observations are linked, the researchers studied chicks that were temporarily unable to babble: They were unable to memorize their tutor`s song.

The researchers thus show that the role of babbling starts earlier than previously thought: The chicks have to babble in order to learn the song they intend to imitate. This probably creates connections in the brain that enable the zebra finches to memorize and store the song in the first place. This is consistent with findings in humans: The pre-linguistic babbling of babies plays a decisive role in their learning success during language acquisition.

 

JOURNAL

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2312323121 

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Babbling opens the sensory phase for imitative vocal learning

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Nanofibers rid water of hazardous dyes



Dyes, such as those used in the textile industry, are a major environmental problem. At TU Wien, efficient filters have now been developed – based on cellulose waste




VIENNA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Günther Rupprechter and Qaisar Maqbool with a visualization of the nano web 

IMAGE: 

GÜNTHER RUPPRECHTER AND QAISAR MAQBOOL WITH A VISUALIZATION OF THE NANO WEB

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CREDIT: TU WIEN




Using waste to purify water may sound counterintuitive. But at TU Wien, this is exactly what has now been achieved: a special nanostructure has been developed to filter a widespread class of harmful dyes from water. A crucial component is a material that is considered waste: used cellulose, for example in the form of cleaning cloths or paper cups. The cellulose is utilized to coat a fine nano-fabric to create an efficient filter for polluted water.

Colored poison in the water

Organic dyes represent the largest group of synthetic dyes, including so-called azo compounds. They are widely used in the textile industry, even in countries where little attention is paid to environmental protection, and the dyes often end up in unfiltered wastewater. "This is dangerous because such dyes degrade very slowly, they can remain in the water for a long time and pose great danger to humans and nature," says Prof. Günther Rupprechter from the Institute of Materials Chemistry at TU Wien.

There are various materials that can bind such dyes. But that alone is not enough. "If you simply let the polluted water flow over a filter film that can bind dyes, the cleaning effect is low," explains Günther Rupprechter. "It's much better to create a nanofabric out of lots of tiny fibers and let the water seep through." The water then comes into contact with a much larger surface area, and thus many more organic dye molecules can be bound.

Cellulose waste as a nano-filter

"We are working with semi-crystalline nanocellulose, which can be produced from waste material," says Qaisar Maqbool, first author of the study and postdoc in Rupprechter's research group. "Metal-containing substances are often used for similar purposes. Our material, on the other hand, is completely harmless to the environment, and we can also produce it by upcycling waste paper."

This nano-cellulose is "spun" together with the plastic polyacrylonitrile into nanostructures. However, this requires a lot of technical skill. The team from the TU Wien was successful with a so-called electrospinning process. In this process, the material is sprayed in liquid form, the droplets are electrically charged and sent through an electric field.

"This ensures that the liquid forms extremely fine threads with a diameter of 180 to 200 nanometers during curing," says Günther Rupprechter. These threads form a fine tissue with a high surface area - a so-called "nanoweb". A network of threads can be placed on one square centimeter, with a total surface area of more than 10 cm2 .

Successful tests

The tests with these cellulose-coated nanostructures were very successful: In three cycles, water contaminated with violet dye was purified, and 95% of the dye was removed. "The dyes remain stored in the nanoweb. You can then either dispose of the entire web or regenerate it, dissolve the stored dyes and reuse the filter fabric," explains Günther Rupprechter.

However, more work needs to be done: evaluating the mechanical properties of the sophisticated nanowebs, conducting biocompatibility tests, assessing sensitivity to more complex pollutants, and achieving scalability to industrial-grade standards. Now Rupprechter and his research team want to investigate how this dye filter technology can be transferred to other areas of application. "This technology could also be very interesting for the medical field," Rupprechter believes. "Dialysis, for example, also needs filtering out very specific chemical substances from a liquid." Coated nanofabrics may be useful for such applications.

Waste is turned into a nanoweb, which can then filter pollutants 


Waste is turned into a nanoweb, which can then filter pollutants 

JOURNAL

Small Science

DOI

10.1002/smsc.202300286 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Waste-Valorized Nanowebs for Crystal Violet Removal from Water

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Securing competitiveness of energy-intensive industries through relocation: The pulling power of renewables




POTSDAM INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE IMPACT RESEARCH (PIK)





“Our new study shows that renewable-scarce countries like parts of the EU, Japan and South Korea could save between 18 to 38 percent in production costs”, explains Philipp Verpoort, scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and lead author of the study published in Nature Energy. “They could do so by relocating their production of industrial basic materials like green steel and chemicals based on green hydrogen to countries where renewable energy is cheap.” The use of renewable electricity and green hydrogen is a key solution to cut greenhouse-gas emissions when producing steel and chemicals. However, not all industrialized countries would be able to produce these in sufficient quantities and at competitive prices in the long term due to their geographical conditions. “If these countries focus on producing green hydrogen domestically or importing it, this will be costly for both industry and society. It could even become a dead-end as it results in a lack of long-term competitiveness on global markets. Importing industrial intermediate goods such as iron sponge, ammonia, or methanol and focusing on down-stream production and refinement could be a cheaper and more robust strategy for securing competitiveness”, explains Verpoort.

Importing hydrogen via ship could hinder long-term competitiveness of hydrogen-based value chains

To arrive at these results, the scientists looked at the green value chains of three primary basic materials: steel, urea and ethylene. They argue that an electricity-price difference of 4ct/kWh between some existing renewable-scarce industrial production sites (e.g. Germany, Japan or South Korea) and favourable locations elsewhere on the globe (e.g. Australia, Chile, South Africa) can be expected in 2040. The researchers then assessed the cost effectiveness of competing decarbonisation strategies by comparing different trade options — import of industrial products, import of intermediate products, import of hydrogen, and no imports (i.e. full domestic production). Their research demonstrates that cost savings in case of relocation could be huge and that importing hydrogen does not seem to be a cost-effective strategy — especially when imports occur via ship.

The study also discusses other factors that will influence the investment decisions of companies, such as benefits of short and integrated value chains, reliability of supply chains, quality requirements, and public subsidies for low-emission production. However, according to the authors, those alone are unlikely to prevent a partial ‘green relocation’ of production, given the magnitude of cost savings derived in the study.

Green relocation: transforming trade patterns can be a global win-win scenario

“We anticipate a global reconfiguration of trade and production in energy-intensive industry sectors. Production will likely shift towards countries abundant in renewable resources while moving away from regions facing constraints in this regard. This shift is often labeled as ‘deindustrialization’ by proponents of costly, permanent industrial policies aimed at protecting national production. However, this term is both inaccurate and misleading,” explains Falko Ueckerdt, Senior Scientist at PIK and co-author of the study. ”It is only the first few steps of the long value chains of energy-intensive basic materials that will likely be relocated. This shift presents a potential win-win scenario for both importing and exporting countries. Developing countries with cheap access to renewables, for instance, stand to become exporters and reap the benefits of industrialization. At the same time, industrialized countries can focus on their economic strengths by specializing in those industrial activities that create the most economic value from scarce and expensive green energy, such as making green steel from sponge iron and processing it further.”

 

Philipp C. Verpoort, Lukas Gast, Anke Hofmann, Falko Ueckerdt (2024): Impact of global heterogeneity of renewable energy supply on heavy industrial production and green value chains. Nature Energy. [DOI: 10.1038/s41560-024-01492-z]
 

Link to study once published: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-024-01492-z

JOURNAL

Nature Energy

DOI

10.1038/s41560-024-01492-z 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computational simulation/modeling

ARTICLE TITLE

Impact of global heterogeneity of renewable energy supply on heavy industrial production and green value chains.

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

24-Apr-2024

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Social change may explain decline in genetic diversity of the Y chromosome at the end of the Neolithic period




CNRS
The scientists studied contemporary patrilineal populations. 

IMAGE: 

THE SCIENTISTS STUDIED CONTEMPORARY PATRILINEAL POPULATIONS. HERE, A PHOTO OF A CENTRAL ASIAN POPULATION.

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CREDIT: © HEYER EVELYNE, SEGUREL LAURE




The emergence in the Neolithic of patrilineal1 social systems, in which children are affiliated with their father's lineage, may explain a spectacular decline in the genetic diversity of the Y chromosome2 observed worldwide between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago. In a study to be published on 24 April in Nature Communications, a team of scientists from the CNRS, MNHN and Université Paris Cité3 suggest that these patrilineal organisations had a greater impact on the Y chromosome than mortality during conflict.

This conclusion was reached after analysing twenty years of anthropological field data – from contemporary non-warlike patrilineal groups, particularly from the scientists’ own fieldwork carried out in Asia – and modelling various socio-demographic scenarios. The team compared warrior and non-warrior scenarios and showed that two processes play a major role in genetic diversity: the splitting of clans into several sub-clans and differences in social status that lead to the expansion of certain lineages to the detriment of others.

This study calls into question the previously proposed theory that violent clashes, supposedly due to competition between different clans, in which many men died, were at the origin of the loss of genetic diversity of the Y chromosome. The results of this study also provide new hypotheses on human social organisation in the Neolithic and Bronze Age.

notes : 

  1. In these systems, children are affiliated with their father’s lineage. Women marry men from different groups andmove to live with their husbands.
  2. The chromosome responsible for male sexual characteristics.
  3. From the laboratoire d’Eco-anthropologie (CNRS/Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle/Université Paris Cité).

JOURNAL

Nature Communications

ARTICLE TITLE

Patrilineal segmentary systems provide a peaceful explanation for the post-Neolithic Y-chromosome bottleneck

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

24-Apr-2024

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New research shows “profound” link between dietary choices and brain health



New research has highlighted the profound link between dietary choices and brain health




UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK





New research has highlighted the profound link between dietary choices and brain health.

Published in Nature, the research showed that a healthy, balanced diet was linked to superior brain health, cognitive function and mental wellbeing. The study, involving researchers at the University of Warwick, sheds light on how our food preferences not only influence physical health but also significantly impact brain health.

The dietary choices of a large sample of 181,990 participants from the UK Biobank were analysed against and a range of physical evaluations, including cognitive function, blood metabolic biomarkers, brain imaging, and genetics – unveiling new insights into the relationship between nutrition and overall wellbeing.

The food preferences of each participant were collected via an online questionnaire, which the team catagorised into 10 groups (such as alcohol, fruits and meats). A type of AI called machine learning helped the researchers analyse the large dataset.

A balanced diet was associated with better mental health, superior cognitive functions and even higher amounts of grey matter in the brain – linked to intelligence – compared with those with a less varied diet.

The study also highlighted the need for gradual dietary modifications, particularly for individuals accustomed to highly palatable but nutritionally deficient foods. By slowly reducing sugar and fat intake over time, individuals may find themselves naturally gravitating towards healthier food choices.

Genetic factors may also contribute to the association between diet and brain health, the scientists believe, showing how a combination of genetic predispositions and lifestyle choices shape wellbeing.

Lead Author Professor Jianfeng Feng, University of Warwick, emphasised the importance of establishing healthy food preferences early in life. He said: "Developing a healthy balanced diet from an early age is crucial for healthy growth. To foster the development of a healthy balanced diet, both families and schools should offer a diverse range of nutritious meals and cultivate an environment that supports their physical and mental health."

Addressing the broader implications of the research, Prof Feng emphasized the role of public policy in promoting accessible and affordable healthy eating options. "Since dietary choices can be influenced by socioeconomic status, it's crucial to ensure that this does not hinder individuals from adopting a healthy balanced dietary profile," he stated. "Implementing affordable nutritious food policies is essential for governments to empower the general public to make informed and healthier dietary choices, thereby promoting overall public health."

Co-Auhtor Wei Cheng, Fudan University, added: “Our findings underscore the associations between dietary patterns and brain health, urging for concerted efforts in promoting nutritional awareness and fostering healthier eating habits across diverse populations.”

Dr Richard Pemberton, Certified Lifestyle Physician and GP, Hexagon Health, who was not involved in the stud, commented: “This exciting research further demonstrates that a poor diet detrimentally impacts not only our physical health but also our mental and brain health. This study supports the need for urgent government action to optimise health in our children, protecting future generations. We also hope this provides further evidence to motivate us all to make better lifestyle choices, to improve our health and reduce the risk of developing chronic disease.”

Read the paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-024-00226-0

Notes to Editors

Manuscript title: Associations of Dietary Patterns with Brain Health from Behavioral, Neuroimaging, Biochemical, and Genetic Analyses.

The University of Warwick signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Fudan University in 2022 and the two Universities work together designing and developing new research projects and run staff and student exchanges.

 

JOURNAL

Nature

DOI

10.1038/s44220-024-00226-0 

Aston University research finds that social media can be used to increase fruit and vegetable intake in young people



ASTON UNIVERSITY



  • The research team asked one group of participants to follow healthy eating accounts and another to follow interior design accounts
  • After just two weeks, participants following healthy eating accounts ate more fruit and vegetables and less junk food
  • Even minor tweaks to social media accounts could result in substantial diet improvements in young adults.

Researchers from Aston University have found that people following healthy eating accounts on social media for as little as two weeks ate more fruit and vegetables and less junk food.

Previous research has shown that positive social norms about fruit and vegetables increases individuals’ consumption. The research team sought to investigate whether positive representation of healthier food on social media would have the same effect. The research was led by Dr Lily Hawkins, whose PhD study it was, supervised by Dr Jason Thomas and Professor Claire Farrow in the School of Psychology.

The researchers recruited 52 volunteers, all social media users, with a mean age of 22, and split them into two groups. Volunteers in the first group, known as the intervention group, were asked to follow healthy eating Instagram accounts in addition to their usual accounts. Volunteers in the second group, known as the control group, were asked to follow interior design accounts. The experiment lasted two weeks, and the volunteers recorded what they ate and drank during the time period.

Overall, participants following the healthy eating accounts ate an extra 1.4 portions of fruit and vegetables per day and 0.8 fewer energy dense items, such as high-calorie snacks and sugar-sweetened drinks, per day. This is a substantial improvement compared to previous educational and social media-based interventions attempting to improve diets.

Dr Thomas and the team believe affiliation is a key component of the change in eating behaviour. For example, the effect was more pronounced amongst participants who felt affiliated with other Instagram users.

The 2018 NHS Health Survey for England study showed that only 28% of the UK population consumed the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Low consumption of such food is linked to heart disease, cancer and stroke, so identifying ways to encourage higher consumption is vital. Exposing people to positive social norms, using posters in canteens encouraging vegetable consumption, or in bars to discourage dangerous levels of drinking, have been shown to work. Social media is so prevalent now that the researchers believe it could be an ideal way to spread positive social norms around high fruit and vegetable consumption, particularly amongst younger people. 

Dr Thomas said:

“This is only a pilot intervention study at the moment, but it’s quite an exciting suite of findings, as it suggests that even some minor tweaks to our social media accounts might lead to substantial improvements in diet, at zero cost! Our future work will examine whether such interventions actually do change our perceptions of what others are consuming, and also, whether these interventions produce effects that are sustained over time.”

Dr Hawkins, who is now at the University of Exeter, said:

“Our previous research has demonstrated that social norms on social media may nudge food consumption, but this pilot demonstrates that this translates to the real world. Of course, we would like to now understand whether this can be replicated in a larger, community sample.”

Digital Health DOI: 10.1177/20552076241241262

JOURNAL

Digital Health

DOI

10.1177/20552076241241262 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Can social media be used to increase fruit and vegetable consumption? A pilot intervention study

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

24-Apr-2024

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