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Alcohol Consumption in Older Adults, Tablet Use in Preschoolers, and Health Benefits of Summer Corn · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

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  Welcome to Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow, your daily update on the latest medical and health news from around the world.
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  I am your host, Dr.
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  Chi-Ming Chow.
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  Today, we have some eye-opening news about alcohol consumption in older adults, a new
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  study on anti-inflammatory diets and dementia, the impact of tablet time on preschoolers, and
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  the health benefits of summer corn.
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  Let's dive right in.
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  In today's top story, a large study has found that older adults do not benefit from moderate
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  drinking.
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  This research, published in JAMA Network Open, tracked 135,103 adults aged 60 and older in
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  Britain over a period of 12 years.
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  The findings are quite significant, as they challenge the long-held belief that light or
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  moderate alcohol consumption is beneficial for heart health.
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  The study defined light drinking as a mean alcohol intake of up to 20 grams a day for men
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  and up to 10 grams daily for women.
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  For context, in the United States, a standard drink is 14 grams of alcohol.
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  Even light drinking was associated with an increase in cancer deaths among older adults,
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  especially those who had existing health problems or who lived in low-income areas.
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  Dr.
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  Rosario Ortolá, an assistant professor of preventive medicine and public health at
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  Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, led the study.
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  According to Dr.
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  Ortolá, 'We did not find evidence of a beneficial association between low drinking and
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  mortality.' On the contrary, she added that alcohol probably raises the risk of cancer
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  'from the first drop.'
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  This study adds to a growing body of evidence that is shifting the paradigm in alcohol
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  research.
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  Scientists are now employing new methodologies to better analyze the risks and benefits of
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  alcohol consumption, aiming to correct what some believe were serious flaws in earlier
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  research that seemed to show benefits to drinking.
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  So, what does this mean for older adults who enjoy a glass of wine or a beer now and then?
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  While the occasional drink may not be harmful for everyone, this study suggests that the
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  supposed health benefits of moderate drinking might be overstated, especially when it comes
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  to cardiovascular health.
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  Moreover, the increased risk of cancer cannot be ignored.
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  As always, it is essential to consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes
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  to your lifestyle or drinking habits.
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  Each individual is different, and what works for one person may not work for another.
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  But this study certainly gives us all something to think about.
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  Our next story takes a look at how diet can influence the risk of dementia, particularly in
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  older adults with cardiometabolic diseases.
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  A recent study published in JAMA Network Open has shown that an anti-inflammatory diet is
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  associated with a significantly lower risk of dementia in this group.
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  The study, which analyzed data from the United Kingdom Biobank, followed 84,342 adults aged 60
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  and older who were free of dementia at the beginning of the study.
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  Over a median follow-up period of 12.4 years, the researchers found that those who adhered to
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  an anti-inflammatory diet had a 31 percent lower risk of developing dementia compared to
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  those who followed a pro-inflammatory diet.
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  In addition to the reduced risk of dementia, participants on the anti-inflammatory diet also
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  had larger gray matter volume and fewer white matter hyperintensities as observed on MRI
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  scans.
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  These brain markers are significant because they are associated with brain health and
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  cognitive function.
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  The study specifically looked at adults with cardiometabolic diseases such as type 2
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  diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
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  Abigail Dove, MSc, from the Aging Research Center at the Karolinska Institute in
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  Stockholm, led the study.
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  According to Dove, chronic low-grade inflammation is a key feature of
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  cardiometabolic diseases and has been implicated in the development of dementia.
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  The anti-inflammatory diet likely helps reduce systemic inflammation, thereby slowing
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  neurodegenerative damage and vascular injury in the brain.
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  The researchers calculated Dietary Inflammatory Index scores based on participants’ intake of
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  31 dietary parameters, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and bioactive
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  components.
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  Anti-inflammatory parameters included foods and nutrients like flavones, flavanols,
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  beta-carotene, fiber, garlic, ginger, green or black tea, magnesium, polyunsaturated fatty
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  acids, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins B6, A, C, D, E, and zinc.
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  On the other hand, pro-inflammatory parameters included saturated fat, carbohydrates,
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  cholesterol, and trans fat.
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  The study found that participants with cardiometabolic diseases who maintained an
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  anti-inflammatory diet had significantly larger gray matter volumes and smaller white matter
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  hyperintensity volumes compared to those on a pro-inflammatory diet.
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  These brain markers are crucial as they correlate with better cognitive function and
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  lower dementia risk.
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  However, the researchers noted that this is an observational study and cannot establish a
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  causal relationship.
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  Abigail Dove pointed out that interventional studies, where participants are randomized to
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  follow either an anti-inflammatory or a pro-inflammatory diet, would be needed to
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  conclusively test this hypothesis.
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  As the population continues to age and cardiometabolic diseases become more prevalent,
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  the question of how to reduce dementia risk becomes increasingly relevant.
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  This study highlights diet as a modifiable lifestyle factor that could potentially promote
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  brain and cognitive health, especially in those with existing cardiometabolic conditions.
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  In our next story, we turn our attention to the impact of tablet use on young children.
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  A prospective study has found a significant link between tablet time and increased
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  expressions of anger and frustration among preschoolers.
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  This study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, analyzed data from 315 preschool-age children
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  and discovered some compelling findings.
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  According to the research led by Caroline Fitzpatrick, PhD, from the Université de
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  Sherbrooke in Québec City, Canada, every 69 minutes of daily tablet use at 3.5 years of age
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  was associated with an increase in expressions of anger and frustration one year later.
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  The study utilized the Children's Behavior Questionnaire to measure these emotional
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  expressions.
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  Interestingly, the study also found that each standard deviation increase in anger and
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  frustration at 4.5 years was associated with an increase of about 17 minutes in tablet use by
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  the age of 5.5 years.
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  This bidirectional relationship suggests that not only does tablet use lead to more anger and
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  frustration, but these emotions also drive increased tablet use.
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  Dr.
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  Fitzpatrick commented on the findings, stating, 'Despite widespread use, there is still limited
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  research examining how tablet use contributes to child development in general, and social and
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  personal development in particular.' She added, 'We expected child proneness to anger and
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  frustration at age 3.5 to be associated with more tablet use at age 4.5.
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  However, this was only observed later on, between the ages of 4.5 and 5.5.'
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  The study emphasizes the importance of parental caution when introducing tablets into
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  children's routines, especially for younger preschool-age children.
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  Dr.
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  Fitzpatrick advises parents to monitor usage closely and to favor activities that help build
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  self-regulation skills, such as playing make-believe, book reading, and physical
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  activity.
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  She also cautions against using mobile devices as a strategy for calming children, often
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  referred to as 'digital pacifiers.'
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  In the United States, a survey indicated that most 4-year-olds have their own mobile device.
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  The amount of time young children spend on these devices has dramatically increased from 5
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  minutes per day in 2020 to 55 minutes per day in 2022.
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  The children in Fitzpatrick's study spent an average of 6.5 hours per week using tablets at
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  3.5 years, 6.7 hours per week at 4.5 years, and 7 hours per week at 5.5 years.
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  The preschool years are a sensitive period for the development of emotional regulation skills.
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  According to the study authors, children who spend more hours using screens may miss out on
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  opportunities to engage in essential activities, such as interactions with
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  caregivers or free play with other children.
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  These activities are crucial for rehearsing and mastering self-regulation.
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  Failure to develop these skills can lead to poor health, academic, and psychosocial
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  outcomes.
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  The study also found significant positive correlations between tablet use and expressions
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  of anger over different age periods.
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  For instance, there were significant correlations between tablet use and anger
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  symptoms at each age point examined in the study: 3.5 years, 4.5 years, and 5.5 years.
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  Participants in the study were recruited from Nova Scotia and observed longitudinally from
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  2020 to 2022.
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  The majority of the participating parents were born in Canada and were married.
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  Mothers were the primary respondents in 93.4 percent of cases, and parents reported their
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  child's tablet time through a media assessment questionnaire.
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  The questionnaire asked parents to report the average amount of time their child spent using
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  devices like an iPad, tablet, LeapPad, or iTouch on both weekdays and weekends.
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  Response options ranged from 'never' to 'more than 5 hours,' and these categorical responses
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  were converted into continuous variables reflecting hours of tablet use.
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  The dimension of anger and frustration was assessed using the Children's Behavior
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  Questionnaire, which includes items ranging from 0 to 7.
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  Higher scores indicated greater intensity and duration of the child's angry or frustrated
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  response to environmental stimuli.
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  While the study does have some limitations, such as being based on a convenience sample and
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  being conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, it provides valuable insights into the
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  relationship between tablet use and emotional development in young children.
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  Dr.
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  Fitzpatrick and her team noted that further research is needed to account for variables
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  like the quality of content viewed and the context in which tablet use occurs.
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  This study was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the
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  Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and Research Nova Scotia.
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  Dr.
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  Fitzpatrick reported no conflicts of interest, although one co-author disclosed receiving
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  personal fees from Abbott and Libbs.
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  Summer is corn season, and that is great news for your health.
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  Corn is one of nature’s curiosities in that it is both a grain and a vegetable.
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  While most of the year finds us buying canned or frozen corn, summer is when we are reminded
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  how phenomenal fresh corn tastes.
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  Fresh corn is not just delicious; it is also packed with nutrients that are beneficial for
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  your health.
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  Corn is a good source of fiber, which aids in digestion and helps keep you feeling full
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  longer.
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  It is also rich in vitamins such as vitamin C, thiamine, and folate.
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  These vitamins play crucial roles in maintaining your immune system, energy
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  production, and cell growth.
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  Moreover, corn contains antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which are known for
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  promoting eye health.
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  These antioxidants help filter harmful high-energy blue wavelengths of light and may
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  help protect against age-related eye conditions such as macular degeneration.
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  Interestingly, corn also has a low glycemic index, which means it does not cause
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  significant spikes in blood sugar levels.
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  This makes it a good option for people with diabetes or those trying to manage their blood
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  sugar levels.
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  There are so many ways to enjoy corn during the summer.
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  You can grill it, boil it, or even eat it raw in salads.
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  Each method of preparation brings out different flavors and textures, making it a versatile
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  addition to your meals.
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  So, the next time you are at the farmer’s market or grocery store, do not forget to pick
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  up some fresh corn.
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  Your taste buds and your body will thank you.
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  Enjoy the season’s bounty and take advantage of the health benefits that come with it.