There’s no nutritional need for foods with added sugar, says New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman in an editorial that lays out the thinking on whether sugar should be government-regulated like alcohol and cigarettes. While scientists argue whether it’s addictive in humans (it meets the criteria for addiction in animals), it’s most certainly habit-forming, says Bittman. His conclusion: The government needs to be involved. Do you agree? New Sleeping Pill Warning [The Atlantic] Using sleeping pills—even once in a while—may increase the risk of death, finds a new study. Researchers at the Scripps Clinic Sleep Center tracked more than 10,000 people who were prescribed sleeping pills for an average of 2.5 years. Compared to people who didn’t take any, those who took the pills were more than 3.5 times as likely to die. The most frequent users of sleeping pills were also seen to have a higher risk of developing cancer. Experts say the study doesn’t prove that the pills cause premature death, but it does raise important questions about the safety of sleeping pills. More Fish = Younger Brain? [The Wall Street Journal] Eating fish and other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids could help people maintain healthy brains as they age, according to new research in the journal Neurology. The study involved more than 1,500 people with an average age of 67, and found that those with the lowest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood had slightly smaller brains and scored lower on memory and cognitive tests. The Fitness Trend That Won’t Quit [Reuters] They’re accessible, affordable, and private, making fitness DVDs still the go-to tool for many exercisers, according to a recent market research study. Nearly one-third of Americans were told by their doctors to exercise in 2010. Many first-time exercisers are uncomfortable going to a gym, which translates into good news for the fitness DVD industry. Production revenue has been climbing for the past few years, and the industry is expected to grow nearly 10 percent in the next five years. Most People Don’t Plan For The End [American Medical News] No one likes to think about dying, and a new survey shows that most of us don’t. More than 80 percent of patients believe it’s important to have their end-of-life wishes in writing, yet less than a quarter of them have done so, according to a new survey of nearly 1,700 California adults. Only 8 percent of the patients had ever been asked about end-of-life treatment wishes by a doctor. Survey respondents said the top reason for avoiding the planning was that they had “too many other things to worry about right now.” A Fragrant Brain Boost [The Huffington Post] Rosemary isn’t just tasty, but it may also have cognitive-boosting benefits, reports a new study from Northumbria University in the United Kingdom. Researchers exposed 20 people to different amounts of rosemary oil aroma, and then took blood samples to see how much of the 1,8-cineole—a main chemical in rosemary oil—each person absorbed. The more 1,8-cineole in the bloodstream of the person, the better the person’s performance on both speed and accuracy tests. How Helpful Are Those Fast Food Calorie Listings? [Medical News Today] Turns out, not too much. While calorie listings on fast-food chain restaurant menus might meet federal labeling requirements, they don’t do a good job of helping consumers make healthy choices, finds a new Columbia University School of Nursing study. Researchers studied the calorie counts for 200 food items on menu boards in New York City. Their findings: While menu postings for individual servings are easy to understand, complex math skills are needed to interpret meals designed to serve more than one person. No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie [Skinnytaste.com] A light pie recipe—with peanut butter, no less—that you don’t even have to bake? Yes, please! Check out this blogger’s easy recipe that’s complete with mouth-watering step-by-step pictures.
