It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Nigella sativa (black cumin), the spice that boosts the flavor of curries like korma and paneer also has another use: its seeds have long been used as a medicinal plant in traditional medicine for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Now, a clinical trial led by Osaka Metropolitan University suggests that they also have anti-obesity benefits.
To investigate these effects, a team led by Associate Professor Akiko Kojima-Yuasa of the Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology used cellular experiments and human clinical trials.
In the human clinical trial, participants who consumed 5g of black cumin seed powder daily—roughly a tablespoon—for 8 weeks showed significant reductions in blood triglycerides, LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels. In addition, HDL (‘good’) cholesterol levels increased.
Improvements in blood lipid profiles like these are associated with a lower risk of heart problems and premature death.
The group also performed cellular experiments to understand the processes involved. They found that black cumin seed extract inhibited adipogenesis—the formation and maturation of fat cells—by blocking both fat droplet accumulation and the differentiation process.
“This study strongly suggests that black cumin seeds are useful as a functional food for preventing obesity and lifestyle-related diseases,” Professor Kojima-Yuasa said. “It was so gratifying to see black cumin comprehensively demonstrate actual, demonstrable blood lipid-lowering effects in a human trial.”
“We hope to perform longer-term and larger-scale clinical trials to investigate the effects of black cumin on metabolism,” she added. “We are particularly interested in investigating its effects on insulin resistance in diabetes and inflammatory markers.”
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About OMU
Established in Osaka as one of the largest public universities in Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University is committed to shaping the future of society through the “Convergence of Knowledge” and the promotion of world-class research. For more research news, visit https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/ and follow us on social media: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.
Bentham Science has released Wild Vegetables: Morphology, Phytochemistry and Utility – Part 2, an in-depth scientific reference documenting around 120 wild vegetable species from the Western Ghats, one of India’s richest biodiversity regions.
Covering plant families from Fabaceae to Zygophyllaceae, the book provides a comprehensive overview of each species’ morphology, phytochemistry, traditional uses, and nutritional composition. Organized alphabetically by plant family, it connects indigenous knowledge with modern plant science, promoting the rediscovery and sustainable use of underutilized edible plants.
This volume serves as a valuable resource for botanists, nutritionists, ethnopharmacologists, and general readers interested in traditional foods and biodiversity conservation.
About the Editors
Dr. Ganesh Chandrakant Nikalje (Seva Sadan’s R.K. Talreja College, University of Mumbai) specializes in halophyte research, bio-saline agriculture, and wild vegetable utilization.
Ms. Apurva Shankar Chonde is pursuing her Ph.D. on the wild vegetables of Thane District, focusing on their domestication and value-added uses.
Dr. Sudhakar Srivastava (Banaras Hindu University) is an expert in plant-metal interactions and sustainable environmental practices.
Professor Suprasanna Penna (Amity University Mumbai) is an eminent plant biotechnologist and former Head of the Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division at BARC, with significant contributions to plant stress biology and mutation breeding.
Gallup and West Health unveil new state rankings of Americans’ healthcare experiences
New findings reveal where residents face the greatest barriers to accessing and affording care. Iowa, Massachusetts and D.C. lead nation; Alaska, Nevada and New Mexico trail.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — [November 18, 2025] —Nearly half of U.S. adults (47%) are worried they won’t be able to afford necessary healthcare in the coming year, the highest level of concern recorded since West Health and Gallup began tracking in 2021. The share of Americans reporting that they or someone in their household were not able to pay for prescription medications in the past three months has reached a record high of 20%, or one in five Americans.
These trends are clear: millions of Americans are facing growing challenges to their health and financial wellbeing. A first-of-its-kind study from the newly launched West Health-Gallup Center for Healthcare in America reveals that these struggles differ significantly depending on where people live and help explain why healthcare is so central to our politics and our everyday lives.
The new release, State of the States (SOS) Study: Insights on Healthcare in America, offers a comprehensive picture of healthcare across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, uncovering big differences in how Americans experience healthcare. Unlike many existing rankings that focus on system-level metrics or health outcomes, the West Health-Gallup rankings fill a critical gap by capturing how Americans perceive cost, quality and access in their daily lives.
Based on the responses of nearly 20,000 Americans conducted across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the study looks at three core pillars: cost, quality and access, assessing each state and ranking them based on how people responded to 27 detailed questions about their personal healthcare experiences. Together, the results reveal a sobering portrait of healthcare in America -- while some states outperform the national average, no state earns top marks.
Healthcare Experiences Vary Sharply by State
The SOS Study finds that where Americans live has a significant impact on how they experience healthcare. Iowa, Massachusetts, the District of Columbia and Rhode Island rank highest in the nation for healthcare, with residents reporting better overall experiences, particularly in their ability to afford, access and receive quality care when and where they need it, according to the West Health-Gallup State of the States (SOS) 2025 Study, released today.
However, even in the top 10 states, sizable percentages of people are still struggling. In the top-ranked states, about 15% of residents say they’ve been unable to pay for prescriptions in the past three months, compared with 29% in the bottom 10 states. The share who skipped a recommended medical test or procedure in the past 12 months due to cost ranges from 18% in Massachusetts to 46% in Mississippi. The situation is also dire in states like Texas (43%), Montana (43%), and Alaska (41%), where considerably higher percentages of residents say they avoided medical care.
States at the bottom of the rankings such as Texas, New Mexico, Nevada and Alaska report widespread challenges. Adults in these states are significantly more likely to delay or forgo care because of affordability, report difficulty accessing services and express lower confidence in the quality of care available to them.
“While no state is without room for improvement, ZIP code should not determine whether you can afford to see a doctor or fill a prescription — but in America today, it often does,” said Shelley Lyford, CEO and Chair of the West Health Institute and the Gary and Mary West Foundation. “This research shows just how variable care can be between states and provides new insights into how policymakers can make care more consistent across borders.”
A National Wakeup Call
Healthcare costs remain the most pressing concern nationwide. Nearly one in three Americans say they’ve skipped a needed medical procedure or test in the past year because they couldn’t afford it, with rates climbing above 40% in states such as Texas and Montana and Mississippi, compared with fewer than 21% in Iowa and Massachusetts. Cost pressures persist: 11% of Colorado residents report being unable to pay for prescriptions, compared with 36% in Mississippi. Nearly half of adults nationally worry they won’t be able to afford needed healthcare services in the next year, underscoring the widespread impact of rising costs.
“Spiking insurance premiums, rising costs and issues with quality and access have dramatically increased the struggle millions face at the hands of a high-priced healthcare system,” said Tim Lash, President, West Health Policy Center. “This study captures this struggle directly from the mouths of residents in each state to help policymakers and other stakeholders develop more effective and targeted policies that improve outcomes, expand access, and lower costs. The stakes couldn’t be higher and the voices could not be louder.”
Access and Quality Show Uneven Patterns
Perceptions of care quality vary widely across the country. Across the nation, only 59% of adults believe their medical professionals understand their health needs, and younger adults, parents and LGBTQ+ Americans report lower satisfaction levels.
Nationally, 68% of Americans say their medical professionals provide high-quality care, ranging from 79% in Massachusetts to 56% in Texas. Residents in states ranked in the top 10 also report more proactive provider engagement: 76% say their clinicians discuss healthy lifestyle choices, and 69% say they are asked about mental health, both significantly higher than rates in bottom-ranked states. These patterns suggest that strong provider-patient relationships and preventive care help define quality in the best-performing states.
Access to care shows some of the starkest divides. While 66% of Nebraskans say it is easy to get needed healthcare, just 30% in New Mexico and 31% in Nevada agree. Barriers such as knowing how to find a provider or securing transportation continue to limit care for many Americans. Nationally, 25% say they did not know how to find a provider, and 15% cite transportation as a barrier. These access challenges reveal how geography and infrastructure continue to shape Americans’ healthcare opportunities.
“This research arrives at a moment of intense strain for the U.S. healthcare system. Hospitals and clinics continue to face workforce shortages, rising costs and mounting patient demand following years of pandemic disruption and demographic change,” said Joe Daly, Global Managing Partner at Gallup. “National policy debates remain deeply polarized, with growing uncertainty around issues like Medicaid expansion and prescription drug pricing. The State of the States 2025: Insights on Healthcare in America offers a timely, data-driven lens into how these pressures are being felt by people in every state. Not through performance metrics but through the direct experiences of patients.”
Future insights from the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare will continue to offer fresh insights about how Americans are navigating these issues, providing a roadmap for meaningful improvements nationwide.
Explore the Data
The full data from State of the States 2025: Insights on Healthcare in America is available at the newly launched West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America website. The Center delivers trusted, data-driven insights to bring Americans’ voices to the forefront and drive meaningful conversations about the nation’s healthcare system.
Methodology
The West Health-Gallup State of the States 2025 study surveyed 19,535 U.S. adults (aged 18 and older) across all 50 states and D.C. via web from June 9 to July 25, using the Gallup Panel and address-based sampling. Surveys were conducted in English and those without internet access were excluded. Gallup weighted the combined samples to U.S. demographics (Current Population Survey). The design-effect-adjusted margin of error is ±1.3 percentage points nationally and ±5.4-8.0 points for states. State healthcare rankings reflect averages from self-reported experiences on cost, quality and access.
About the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare
The Center on Healthcare in America is a joint initiative from West Health and Gallup dedicated to elevating the voices and experiences of Americans within the healthcare system. Through rigorous research and human-centered storytelling, the Center aims to drive actionable insights and inform policy solutions nationwide. Visit westhealth.gallup.com
Gallup delivers analytics and advice to help leaders and organizations solve their most pressing problems. Combining more than 80 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of employees, customers, students and citizens than any other organization in the world.
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Predicting disease outbreaks using social media
New research demonstrates that vaccine skepticism on social media can predict public health crises
Vaccination rates are falling in many communities due to widespread misinformation and previously eliminated or controlled illnesses like measles are surging across the United States and Canada.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a new approach that could help public health officials predict where outbreaks might occur. By analyzing social media posts, the method identifies early signs of increasing vaccine skepticism — a warning signal that could emerge before any disease begins to spread.
“In nature, we have contagious systems like diseases,” said Dr. Chris Bauch, professor of Applied Mathematics at Waterloo. “We decided to look at social dynamics like an ecological system and studied how misinformation can spread contagiously from user to user through a social media network.”
The team trained a machine learning model on the mathematical concept of a tipping point — the moment when a system suddenly shifts into a new state. “It doesn’t matter if you’re looking at a person’s body having an epileptic seizure, or an ecological system like a lake getting overrun by algae, or the loss of herd immunity within a population,” Bauch said. “Mathematically, there’s a common underlying mechanism.”
To test their model, the researchers analyzed tens of thousands of public posts on X (formerly Twitter) from California just before a major measles outbreak in 2014. Traditional methods — such as simply counting skeptical tweets — provided very little warning before the outbreak.
“The usual methods of predicting an outbreak by doing a statistical analysis of skeptical tweets don’t provide much lead time before an outbreak,” Bauch said. “By using the mathematical theory of tipping points, we were able to get a much bigger lead time and detect patterns in the data much more effectively.” They verified the accuracy of the “tipping point” method by comparing posting patterns in California to those in comparable areas around the same time, where no outbreaks occurred.
This research reflects Waterloo’s commitment to strengthening evidence-based decision-making and public trust in science — a core goal of the University’s Societal Futures network and its new TRuST initiative, which brings philosophers, computer scientists, communicators and ethicists together to understand why trust in science falters and how to rebuild it.
While initially tested on X, the model can be easily adapted for TikTok or Instagram; however, it would require more computing resources to analyze images and videos compared to X’s predominantly text-based format.
“Ultimately, we would like to turn this into a tool for public health officials to monitor which populations are at the highest risk for a tipping point,” said Bauch. “Applied mathematics can be a powerful quantitative tool aiding in predicting, monitoring, and addressing threats to public health.”
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