Microwaving plastic baby food containers releases toxic particles
Microwaving plastic baby food containers releases billions of small toxic plastic particles, says a study published in Environmental Science & Technology (July). Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, found that microwaving plastic baby food containers released over two billion nano plastics for every square centimetre of container. They also found that three-quarters of cultured embryonic kidney cells died two days after being introduced to these particles.
The team conducted the experiment with two baby food containers made from polypropylene and a reusable pouch made of polyethylene, both approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The researchers filled the containers with either deionised water or 3 percent acetic acid — the latter intended to simulate dairy products, fruits, vegetables, etc — then heated them at full power for three minutes in a 1,000-watt microwave.
“It is really important to know how many micro-and nano plastics we are taking in,” says Kazi Albab Hussain, lead author and a doctoral student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. “Many studies, including ours, are demonstrating that the toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics is highly linked to the level of exposure.”
Parents of two or more children are physically less active
Parents with multiple young children engage in less physical activity compared to parents with fewer or no children, according to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The study analysed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2007-2016 and covering 2,034 adults aged 22-65 years.
The researchers examined the association between moderate and vigorous physical activities and the number and age of children in households. Adults with two or more children aged 0-5 reported 80 fewer minutes of weekly vigorous physical activity, and those with three or more children aged 6-17 reported 50 fewer minutes of weekly vigorous physical activity compared to households with no children or just one child in this age group.
“Parents often face numerous challenges in finding the time and energy to engage in regular physical activity while caring for their children. By understanding these barriers, we can develop targeted interventions to help parents lead healthier and more active lives,” says study co-author Bettina Beech, Chief Population Health Officer at the University of Houston.
People avoid foods they are allergic to
Researchers from Yale University in the US have found that the immune system recognises allergens and pathogens in the environment and prompts the brain to take defensive measures, such as avoidance. The same avoidance behaviour is exhibited by people who develop food poisoning after eating a certain meal. The study published in the journal Nature (July) explains why people including children, instinctively avoid foods their bodies are allergic to.
“We find immune recognition controls behaviour, specifically defensive behaviours against toxins that are communicated first through antibodies and then to our brains,” says Ruslan Medzhitov, professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine and senior study author.
The researchers studied mice that had been sensitized to have allergic reactions to ova, a protein found in chicken eggs. Medzhitov adds that understanding how the immune system memorizes potential dangers could one day help suppress excessive reactions to many allergens and other pathogens.
Omega-3 fatty acids benefit lung health
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and fish oil supplements, are beneficial for lung health and functioning, according to a large, multi-faceted study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (July).
Researchers at Cornell University, USA investigated the link between Omega-3 fatty acid levels in the blood and lung functioning in a study involving 15,063 Americans from the NHLBI Pooled Cohorts Study. The researchers found that higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in a person’s blood were associated with a reduced rate of lung function decline.
“This study adds to growing evidence that Omega-3 fatty acids, which are part of a healthy diet, may be important for lung health too,” says Patricia A. Cassano, study author and director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University.