Can reducing sugar intake during early childhood lower the risk of dementia later in life?

A new study published in the journal Neurology suggests that limiting sugar consumption during the first two years of life may be linked to a significantly lower risk of developing dementia in adulthood.

Researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology analyzed data from more than 64,000 people in the United Kingdom, comparing those born during and after the era of sugar rationing. The findings indicate that individuals exposed to lower sugar intake early in life had a 21–23% lower risk of dementia, with some cases delayed by an average of 2.6 years.

However, experts caution that this is an observational study, meaning it identifies an association rather than proving that sugar directly causes or prevents dementia.

Can Eating Less Sugar in Childhood Reduce Dementia Risk? New Study Reveals Surprising Link

A key US vaccine advisory panel has recommended against giving a combined vaccine that protects against preventable diseases like measles and chickenpox to children aged four or under. This recommendation comes just days after reports emerged that the Trump administration plans to link 25 child deaths to Covid vaccines. The move aligns with the anti-vaccine stance of current Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, even as medical experts warn that such actions could cause confusion, reduce vaccine uptake, and lead to a resurgence of preventable childhood diseases across America.<h2>What did the vaccine panel say about the MMRV vaccine?</h2>The MMRV vaccine is a combination shot that protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). On Thursday (Sep 18), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — an expert panel under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — voted 8-3 to recommend that children aged four and under not receive the combined MMRV vaccine. Instead, they recommended giving separate MMR and varicella (chickenpox) shots. The panel cited a slightly increased risk of febrile seizures in children aged 12 to 23 months when given the combined MMRV shot, compared to receiving the MMR and varicella vaccines separately. While these seizures are rare and typically not dangerous, the panel used this data to support their recommendation.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-planning-to-link-covid-vaccine-shots-to-child-deaths-in-controversial-anti-vax-push-1757746954672">Trump administration planning to link COVID vaccine shots to child deaths in controversial anti-vax push</a>They also proposed reconsidering the timing of other childhood vaccinations, including the hepatitis B vaccine, which is usually given at birth, and delaying its administration where possible.The seizure risk associated with MMRV has been acknowledged in prior CDC guidance, though the risk is rare—about one additional seizure per 2,300 to 2,600 vaccinated children.<h2>US plans to link Covid-19 vaccines to child deaths</h2>These changes came just days after multiple US media outlets reported that the Trump administration plans to present data allegedly linking 25 child deaths to Covid-19 vaccines at an upcoming ACIP meeting. The claims are said to be based on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a national vaccine safety surveillance programme in the US. However, public health experts have repeatedly cautioned that VAERS reports do not prove causality. Anyone can submit a VAERS report, and these reports are not verified. The existence of a report does not mean the vaccine caused the death or adverse event.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/cancer-immunotherapy-breakthrough-russian-vaccine-enteromix-demonstrates-100-per-cent-efficacy-in-trials-ready-for-rollout-1757226810346">Cancer immunotherapy breakthrough: Russian vaccine Enteromix demonstrates 100 per cent efficacy in trials, ready for rollout</a><h2>Public health experts warn of eroding trust in vaccines</h2>Experts warn that these anti-vaccine shifts risk undermining decades of public health progress. Altering long-standing vaccine schedules—particularly under political influence—could fuel vaccine hesitancy. If uptake drops due to confusion or fear, diseases like measles, mumps, and chickenpox—which mainly affect children—could resurge. Measles is particularly contagious and had been nearly eradicated in parts of the world due to widespread immunisation.While the CDC’s Vaccines for Children (VFC) programme will still cover MMRV in many cases, there is concern that insurance coverage, Medicaid, and logistics (more clinic visits, more injections) may complicate vaccine uptake.Meanwhile, amid allegations of politicising the CDC, critics have noted that the composition of the ACIP panel has recently changed, with several vaccine-sceptic members added—raising concerns about the scientific rigour of decisions being made.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/america-to-lose-covid-vaccine-trump-rfk-jr-planning-to-pull-covid-vaccine-from-us-market-within-months-report-1756121006138">America to lose COVID vaccine? Trump, RFK Jr. planning to pull COVID vaccine from US market 'within months': Report</a><h2>How risky is replacing MMRV with separate shots?</h2>The medical risk of switching from MMRV to separate MMR and varicella vaccines is small. The cited seizure risk, while slightly elevated with MMRV, is rare (roughly 1 in 2,500) and almost all children recover fully.However, logistical challenges arise with more appointments and injections, increasing the likelihood that children miss or delay one of the shots. These delays can reduce immunity and increase vulnerability to outbreaks.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-scientists-express-concern-over-russias-new-cancer-vaccine-785420/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-scientists-express-concern-over-russias-new-cancer-vaccine-785420/embed</a><h2>Policy confusion could reduce protection for American children</h2>Restricting or de-prioritising combined vaccines like MMRV could result in fewer children receiving timely and complete immunisation. This increases the likelihood of outbreaks of serious, preventable illnesses. Similarly, misleading the public by citing unverified VAERS reports to link vaccines to child deaths—without scientific evidence—could influence parents to delay or skip vaccinations.There is no established causal link between Covid vaccines and child deaths as claimed. Official reviews from the CDC, FDA (Food and Drug Administration), and independent panels have not validated such a link.Historical data shows that when vaccine uptake drops or schedules are disrupted, outbreaks of diseases like measles or whooping cough follow—often with serious consequences for children.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/cancer-treatment-with-just-one-vaccine-nhs-rolls-out-5-minute-super-jab-that-will-truly-transform-livescancer-treatment-with-just-one-vaccine-nhs-rolls-out-5-minute-super-jab-that-will-truly-transform-lives-9021485">Cancer treatment with just one vaccine: NHS rolls out 5-minute ‘super-jab’ that will ‘truly transform lives’</a><h2>Politics is the biggest disease affecting Americans</h2>There is growing concern that recent actions by the Trump administration—particularly through the restructured CDC advisory panel and its vaccine recommendations—may be prioritising political ideology over medical science.While individual risk factors should always be carefully considered, public health experts stress that these policy changes may lead to lower immunisation rates, greater public confusion, and preventable disease outbreaks—effectively putting American children at greater risk.&nbsp;

A CDC panel under Trump administration has advised against MMRV vaccine for kids aged under four. This is sparking fears of lower vaccine uptake and disease outbreaks. The move came amid reports that CDS is going to link Covid vaccines to children's deaths.



A key US vaccine advisory panel has recommended against giving a combined vaccine that protects against preventable diseases like measles and chickenpox to children aged four or under. This recommendation comes just days after reports emerged that the Trump administration plans to link 25 child deaths to Covid vaccines. The move aligns with the anti-vaccine stance of current Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, even as medical experts warn that such actions could cause confusion, reduce vaccine uptake, and lead to a resurgence of preventable childhood diseases across America. What did the vaccine panel say about the MMRV vaccine? The MMRV vaccine is a combination shot that protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). On Thursday (Sep 18), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — an expert panel under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — voted 8-3 to recommend that children aged four and under not receive the combined MMRV vaccine. Instead, they recommended giving separate MMR and varicella (chickenpox) shots. The panel cited a slightly increased risk of febrile seizures in children aged 12 to 23 months when given the combined MMRV shot, compared to receiving the MMR and varicella vaccines separately. While these seizures are rare and typically not dangerous, the panel used this data to support their recommendation. Also read: Trump administration planning to link COVID vaccine shots to child deaths in controversial anti-vax push They also proposed reconsidering the timing of other childhood vaccinations, including the hepatitis B vaccine, which is usually given at birth, and delaying its administration where possible. The seizure risk associated with MMRV has been acknowledged in prior CDC guidance, though the risk is rare—about one additional seizure per 2,300 to 2,600 vaccinated children. US plans to link Covid-19 vaccines to child deaths These changes came just days after multiple US media outlets reported that the Trump administration plans to present data allegedly linking 25 child deaths to Covid-19 vaccines at an upcoming ACIP meeting. The claims are said to be based on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a national vaccine safety surveillance programme in the US. However, public health experts have repeatedly cautioned that VAERS reports do not prove causality. Anyone can submit a VAERS report, and these reports are not verified. The existence of a report does not mean the vaccine caused the death or adverse event. Also read: Cancer immunotherapy breakthrough: Russian vaccine Enteromix demonstrates 100 per cent efficacy in trials, ready for rollout Public health experts warn of eroding trust in vaccines Experts warn that these anti-vaccine shifts risk undermining decades of public health progress. Altering long-standing vaccine schedules—particularly under political influence—could fuel vaccine hesitancy. If uptake drops due to confusion or fear, diseases like measles, mumps, and chickenpox—which mainly affect children—could resurge. Measles is particularly contagious and had been nearly eradicated in parts of the world due to widespread immunisation. While the CDC’s Vaccines for Children (VFC) programme will still cover MMRV in many cases, there is concern that insurance coverage, Medicaid, and logistics (more clinic visits, more injections) may complicate vaccine uptake. Meanwhile, amid allegations of politicising the CDC, critics have noted that the composition of the ACIP panel has recently changed, with several vaccine-sceptic members added—raising concerns about the scientific rigour of decisions being made. Also read: America to lose COVID vaccine? Trump, RFK Jr. planning to pull COVID vaccine from US market 'within months': Report How risky is replacing MMRV with separate shots? The medical risk of switching from MMRV to separate MMR and varicella vaccines is small. The cited seizure risk, while slightly elevated with MMRV, is rare (roughly 1 in 2,500) and almost all children recover fully. However, logistical challenges arise with more appointments and injections, increasing the likelihood that children miss or delay one of the shots. These delays can reduce immunity and increase vulnerability to outbreaks. https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-scientists-express-concern-over-russias-new-cancer-vaccine-785420/embed Policy confusion could reduce protection for American children Restricting or de-prioritising combined vaccines like MMRV could result in fewer children receiving timely and complete immunisation. This increases the likelihood of outbreaks of serious, preventable illnesses. Similarly, misleading the public by citing unverified VAERS reports to link vaccines to child deaths—without scientific evidence—could influence parents to delay or skip vaccinations. There is no established causal link between Covid vaccines and child deaths as claimed. Official reviews from the CDC, FDA (Food and Drug Administration), and independent panels have not validated such a link. Historical data shows that when vaccine uptake drops or schedules are disrupted, outbreaks of diseases like measles or whooping cough follow—often with serious consequences for children. Also read: Cancer treatment with just one vaccine: NHS rolls out 5-minute ‘super-jab’ that will ‘truly transform lives’ Politics is the biggest disease affecting Americans There is growing concern that recent actions by the Trump administration—particularly through the restructured CDC advisory panel and its vaccine recommendations—may be prioritising political ideology over medical science. While individual risk factors should always be carefully considered, public health experts stress that these policy changes may lead to lower immunisation rates, greater public confusion, and preventable disease outbreaks—effectively putting American children at greater risk.

A CDC panel under Trump administration has advised against MMRV vaccine for kids aged under four. This is sparking fears of lower vaccine uptake and disease outbreaks. The move came amid reports that CDS is going to link Covid vaccines to children's deaths.&nbsp;

Trump govt putting American kids in danger? CDC panel suggests curbs to vaccine that prevents measles and chickenpox, amid 'Covid shot deaths' probe

Mobile phone addiction: Indian parents, are you monitoring how much time your child spends on mobile phones, TV screens and computers daily? If it is more than two hours, it is double the recommended limit per day. This is the shocking claim made in a recent study, which found that even children aged below two are spending an average of 1.2 hours on screens, at an age that is supposed to be completely without screens.&nbsp;<h2>Why are children spending more time on TV and mobiles? How it starts way too early</h2>It starts quite early. Parents are now using mobile phones as pacifiers for children. It is not uncommon to see them switching on their mobile phones and handing them over to children, even babies, to stop them from crying. Many parents play the lullabies and nursery songs on YouTube and other apps to keep their child busy and engaged while they go about their chores. It is having a detrimental effect on the children.<h2>What does the shocking study say about Indian children's screen time?</h2>The new study was conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Raipur. It concluded that kids aged below five in India are spending an average of 2.2 hours on screens, every day. This is double the recommended limit, said the study by Ashish Khobragade and M Swathi Shenoy of AIIMS Raipur.&nbsp; For children under two, the mean screen time is 1.2 hours, as per the study published in Cureus.&nbsp;For that age, most guidelines say that screentime should be completely avoided.<h2>Screentime can slow language development, says study on Indian children</h2>The study linked excessive screen exposure to a slowdown in language development, and decreased cognitive function.Poor social skills, obesity, disturbed sleep, and concentration problems are other side effects, said the research, which reached its conclusions based on a meta-analysis of 10 studies involving 2,857 children.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/teens-ditch-screens-a-new-trend-emerges-774821/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/teens-ditch-screens-a-new-trend-emerges-774821/embed</a><h2>Tech-free zones, screen time limits, and offline interactions needed</h2>Among the suggestions made in the study are ‘tech-free zones’ and consistent screen time limits. It also recommended more offline interactions, which in plain terms means playing with other kids and spending time with parents and family members.&nbsp;Nearly 60-70 per cent of children under five years are spending more time on screen than recommended, Dr DK Gupta of Felix Hospitals told the Times of India newspaper in a report on the study.&nbsp;Gupta warned that excessive screentime could lead to "serious physical and behavioural problems."&nbsp;<h2>Lead by example: Parents should reduce their own screentime</h2>The main issue here is that parents these days use a lot of screen time, either for work or recreation. It is only natural for the child to be attracted to mobile phones and want to play, considering them as toys. Once hooked, it is really difficult to wean them off.Dr Gupta told ToI that parents should become role models and reduce their own screen time at home first.In the north indian city of Ghaziabad, a chief medical officer issued an advisory urging parents to engage kids in outdoor and social activities to counter mobile addiction.&nbsp;"I get children as young as 10- to 12-year-olds... complaining about restlessness" when screen use is limited, often showing aggressive behaviour," the ToI reported a doctor as saying.

Even children aged below two are spending an average of 1.2 hours on screens, whereas this age is supposed to be completely without screens.
 

Mobile phone addiction: Indian parents, are you monitoring how much time your child spends on mobile phones, TV screens and computers daily? If it is more than two hours, it is double the recommended limit per day. This is the shocking claim made in a recent study, which found that even children aged below two are spending an average of 1.2 hours on screens, at an age that is supposed to be completely without screens. Why are children spending more time on TV and mobiles? How it starts way too early It starts quite early. Parents are now using mobile phones as pacifiers for children. It is not uncommon to see them switching on their mobile phones and handing them over to children, even babies, to stop them from crying. Many parents play the lullabies and nursery songs on YouTube and other apps to keep their child busy and engaged while they go about their chores. It is having a detrimental effect on the children. What does the shocking study say about Indian children's screen time? The new study was conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Raipur. It concluded that kids aged below five in India are spending an average of 2.2 hours on screens, every day. This is double the recommended limit, said the study by Ashish Khobragade and M Swathi Shenoy of AIIMS Raipur. For children under two, the mean screen time is 1.2 hours, as per the study published in Cureus. For that age, most guidelines say that screentime should be completely avoided. Screentime can slow language development, says study on Indian children The study linked excessive screen exposure to a slowdown in language development, and decreased cognitive function. Poor social skills, obesity, disturbed sleep, and concentration problems are other side effects, said the research, which reached its conclusions based on a meta-analysis of 10 studies involving 2,857 children. https://www.wionews.com/videos/teens-ditch-screens-a-new-trend-emerges-774821/embed Tech-free zones, screen time limits, and offline interactions needed Among the suggestions made in the study are ‘tech-free zones’ and consistent screen time limits. It also recommended more offline interactions, which in plain terms means playing with other kids and spending time with parents and family members. Nearly 60-70 per cent of children under five years are spending more time on screen than recommended, Dr DK Gupta of Felix Hospitals told the Times of India newspaper in a report on the study. Gupta warned that excessive screentime could lead to "serious physical and behavioural problems." Lead by example: Parents should reduce their own screentime The main issue here is that parents these days use a lot of screen time, either for work or recreation. It is only natural for the child to be attracted to mobile phones and want to play, considering them as toys. Once hooked, it is really difficult to wean them off. Dr Gupta told ToI that parents should become role models and reduce their own screen time at home first. In the north indian city of Ghaziabad, a chief medical officer issued an advisory urging parents to engage kids in outdoor and social activities to counter mobile addiction. "I get children as young as 10- to 12-year-olds... complaining about restlessness" when screen use is limited, often showing aggressive behaviour," the ToI reported a doctor as saying.

Even children aged below two are spending an average of 1.2 hours on screens, whereas this age is supposed to be completely without screens. &nbsp;

Indian parents, BEWARE! Is your child spending over 2.5 hours on phones, computers, TV screens daily? That's…

Your addiction to smartphones may affect your child's development, says a new study. The Tel Aviv University conducted a study for the peer-reviewed journal Child Development last month and have revealed that kids whose parents are on smartphones for long hours tend to have slow development.&nbsp; 
 
The researchers, led by Dr Katy Borodkin of the Department of Communication Disorders at the Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine of Tel Aviv University, observed 33 Israeli mothers and their 16 toddlers, all boys aged 24-36 months for a certain period of time.&nbsp; 
 
The researchers reportedly invited participants saying they would examine the common interests between mothers and children. The mothers were asked to browse a specific Facebook page and 'like' content that interests them, read printed magazines and mark interesting articles and play with their child while the phone and magazine were in another room. 
 
Borodkin revealed that the activity was intended to observe mothers while they took care of their children and also devote some of their attention to her smartphone.&nbsp; 
 
"The mothers were unaware of the purpose of the experiment, so they behaved naturally by splitting their interest between the toddlers and the smartphone and magazines. We videotaped all the interactions between the mothers and the toddlers and later scanned the recordings frame by frame in an attempt to quantify the mother-child interaction," said Borodkin in her research.&nbsp; 
 
The researchers defined three aspects of the interaction between a mother and her child: Maternal linguistic input - the "linguistic content that the mother conveys to the child"; conversational turns - the level of interactivity of a mother-child verbal exchange; and maternal responsiveness - the timeliness and specificity of a mother's response to a particular "bid" from her child. 
 
According to the research, a decrease in maternal linguistic input leads to reduced vocabulary in a child, even when they become adults.&nbsp; 
 
Similarly how interactive a particular conversation was - affect a child's linguistic and social development as "the child learns that he or she has some time to contribute to the interaction as well as the basic social norms of social interactions."&nbsp; 
 
Maternal responsiveness is critical for child development, including linguistic, cognitive emotional and social development.&nbsp; 
 
"For example, when the child says 'look, a truck', there is no comparison between a response such as 'yes, that’s great' and a response such as 'correct, this is a red truck, like the one we saw yesterday", said the researchers.&nbsp; 
According to the research the three components of mother-child interaction were two to four times lower when the mother was using her smartphone or reading a magazine.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;"Moreover, they exchanged fewer conversational turns with the toddler, provided less immediate and content-tailored responses, and more often ignored explicit child bids," TAU stated. 
 
The team stated that using a smartphone and reading was equally distracting. TAU though was careful to add that there is currently no evidence that smartphones directly impact child development because smartphones are a recent phenomenon- although finding suggest "an adverse impact on the foundation of child development." 
 
The research may also be relevant to father-child interaction as the use of smartphones by both women and men is comparable. 
 
"In our current research we focused on the mothers, but we believe that our findings characterize communication interferences between fathers and their toddlers as well, since the smartphone usage patterns are similar between men and women, thus allowing us to estimate with high probability that the research findings are applicable to fathers and to mothers”, Borodkin further said.&nbsp;

Your addiction to smartphones may affect your child's development, says a new study. The Tel Aviv University conducted a study for the peer-reviewed journal Child Development last month and have revealed that kids whose parents are on smartphones for long hours tend to have slow development.

Your addiction to smartphones may affect your child's development, says a new study. The Tel Aviv University conducted a study for the peer-reviewed journal Child Development last month and have revealed that kids whose parents are on smartphones for long hours tend to have slow development. The researchers, led by Dr Katy Borodkin of the Department of Communication Disorders at the Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine of Tel Aviv University, observed 33 Israeli mothers and their 16 toddlers, all boys aged 24-36 months for a certain period of time. The researchers reportedly invited participants saying they would examine the common interests between mothers and children. The mothers were asked to browse a specific Facebook page and 'like' content that interests them, read printed magazines and mark interesting articles and play with their child while the phone and magazine were in another room. Borodkin revealed that the activity was intended to observe mothers while they took care of their children and also devote some of their attention to her smartphone. "The mothers were unaware of the purpose of the experiment, so they behaved naturally by splitting their interest between the toddlers and the smartphone and magazines. We videotaped all the interactions between the mothers and the toddlers and later scanned the recordings frame by frame in an attempt to quantify the mother-child interaction," said Borodkin in her research. The researchers defined three aspects of the interaction between a mother and her child: Maternal linguistic input - the "linguistic content that the mother conveys to the child"; conversational turns - the level of interactivity of a mother-child verbal exchange; and maternal responsiveness - the timeliness and specificity of a mother's response to a particular "bid" from her child. According to the research, a decrease in maternal linguistic input leads to reduced vocabulary in a child, even when they become adults. Similarly how interactive a particular conversation was - affect a child's linguistic and social development as "the child learns that he or she has some time to contribute to the interaction as well as the basic social norms of social interactions." Maternal responsiveness is critical for child development, including linguistic, cognitive emotional and social development. "For example, when the child says 'look, a truck', there is no comparison between a response such as 'yes, that’s great' and a response such as 'correct, this is a red truck, like the one we saw yesterday", said the researchers. According to the research the three components of mother-child interaction were two to four times lower when the mother was using her smartphone or reading a magazine. "Moreover, they exchanged fewer conversational turns with the toddler, provided less immediate and content-tailored responses, and more often ignored explicit child bids," TAU stated. The team stated that using a smartphone and reading was equally distracting. TAU though was careful to add that there is currently no evidence that smartphones directly impact child development because smartphones are a recent phenomenon- although finding suggest "an adverse impact on the foundation of child development." The research may also be relevant to father-child interaction as the use of smartphones by both women and men is comparable. "In our current research we focused on the mothers, but we believe that our findings characterize communication interferences between fathers and their toddlers as well, since the smartphone usage patterns are similar between men and women, thus allowing us to estimate with high probability that the research findings are applicable to fathers and to mothers”, Borodkin further said.

Are you addicted to smartphone? It may affect your child's development, claims new study

Early exposure to nutritious foods may help children develop more healthful eating habits, but package labels can make it difficult for parents to understand what they are feeding their children, according to a new study. 
 
The novel study was published by Elsevier in the `Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour`.Researchers compared products for infants and toddlers, examining aspects of vegetable and fruits contributing to the ingredient lists. They reviewed, for example, whether the vegetable or the fruit in the product was a puree or a powder, and where it was listed among the ingredients and product name. 
 
The goal of the research is to help parents understand how the front-of-package labels indicate the contents of infant and toddler foods. By better understanding packaging and labels, parents can make more informed decisions regarding food purchases for their children."Our hope is that nutrition educators will note differences between the ingredients list and the front label of the package. 
 
Many parents use the front of the package to decide on their purchases. So, it`s important for nutrition educators who are well-informed to help parents navigate this occasionally challenging infant and toddler food product market," explained Mackenzie J. Ferrante, PhD, RDN, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. 
 
This study`s findings demonstrate that inconsistent information exists on some commercial infant and toddler food packages. Food preferences develop early for children by exposure to flavours. 
 
Thus, it is important that nutrition educators and healthcare professionals help parents navigate the marketplace. Their work can help parents improve their children`s lifelong health through better nutrition as infants and toddlers. 
 
"We want the front of the packages - where those vegetables might be listed - to accurately represent the primary ingredients, and even the flavor, of the product. We want to promote more transparency so parents and caregivers can buy the food they want their children to learn to eat at the family table. Let`s make it easier for them to do that," said Susan L. Johnson, Ph.D., Department of Pediatrics, Section of Nutrition, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.&nbsp;

Early exposure to nutritious foods may help children develop more healthful eating habits, but package labels can make it difficult for parents to understand what they are feeding their children, according to a new study.

Early exposure to nutritious foods may help children develop more healthful eating habits, but package labels can make it difficult for parents to understand what they are feeding their children, according to a new study. The novel study was published by Elsevier in the `Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour`.Researchers compared products for infants and toddlers, examining aspects of vegetable and fruits contributing to the ingredient lists. They reviewed, for example, whether the vegetable or the fruit in the product was a puree or a powder, and where it was listed among the ingredients and product name. The goal of the research is to help parents understand how the front-of-package labels indicate the contents of infant and toddler foods. By better understanding packaging and labels, parents can make more informed decisions regarding food purchases for their children."Our hope is that nutrition educators will note differences between the ingredients list and the front label of the package. Many parents use the front of the package to decide on their purchases. So, it`s important for nutrition educators who are well-informed to help parents navigate this occasionally challenging infant and toddler food product market," explained Mackenzie J. Ferrante, PhD, RDN, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. This study`s findings demonstrate that inconsistent information exists on some commercial infant and toddler food packages. Food preferences develop early for children by exposure to flavours. Thus, it is important that nutrition educators and healthcare professionals help parents navigate the marketplace. Their work can help parents improve their children`s lifelong health through better nutrition as infants and toddlers. "We want the front of the packages - where those vegetables might be listed - to accurately represent the primary ingredients, and even the flavor, of the product. We want to promote more transparency so parents and caregivers can buy the food they want their children to learn to eat at the family table. Let`s make it easier for them to do that," said Susan L. Johnson, Ph.D., Department of Pediatrics, Section of Nutrition, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.

Package labels, ingredient lists of toddler food hard to navigate: Study

Pneumonia will kill nearly 11 million children under five by 2030, experts warned Monday on a global day aimed at raising awareness of the biggest infectious killer of infants worldwide.

While in the developed world the severe lung infection mainly affects the elderly, in developing nations it is children who bear the brunt, with hundreds of thousands dying each year from the easily preventable disease.

More than 880,000 children -- mainly aged less than two years old -- died from pneumonia in 2016 alone.

A new analysis conducted by Johns Hopkins University and the aid group Save the Children using forecasts based on current trends showed more than 10,800,000 under-fives would succumb to the disease by the end of the next decade.&nbsp;

Furthermore, a handful of countries are set to carry the highest burdens, with 1.7 million children set to die in Nigeria and India, 700,000 in Pakistan and 635,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.&nbsp;

Yet there is some good news.&nbsp;

The study, published on World Pneumonia Day, found that scaling up existing vaccination coverage, coupled with cheap antibiotics and ensuring good nutrition for children could save a total of 4.1 million lives.&nbsp;

Pneumonia, an inflammatory infection of the lungs that may be contracted via viral or bacteria infection, is treatable if caught early enough and the patient's immune system isn't compromised.&nbsp;

But worldwide it hits young children who are often weak through malnutrition, killing more infants each year than malaria, diarrhoea and measles combined.

"It beggars belief that close to a million children are dying every year from a disease that we have the knowledge and resources to defeat," said Save the Children CEO Kevin Watkins.

"There are no pink ribbons, global summits or marches for pneumonia. But anyone who cares about justice for children and their access to essential healthcare, this forgotten killer should be the defining cause of our age."

Watkins' group, which operates health programmes in some of the countries worst hit by the disease, called for prices of major existing pneumonia vaccines to be lowered "dramatically".

2030 is the target date for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which includes a pledge to "end preventable child deaths" by the end of the next decade.

Pneumonia will kill nearly 11 million children under five by 2030, experts warned Monday on a global day aimed at raising awareness of the biggest infectious killer of infants worldwide.

Pneumonia will kill nearly 11 million children under five by 2030, experts warned Monday on a global day aimed at raising awareness of the biggest infectious killer of infants worldwide. While in the developed world the severe lung infection mainly affects the elderly, in developing nations it is children who bear the brunt, with hundreds of thousands dying each year from the easily preventable disease. More than 880,000 children -- mainly aged less than two years old -- died from pneumonia in 2016 alone. A new analysis conducted by Johns Hopkins University and the aid group Save the Children using forecasts based on current trends showed more than 10,800,000 under-fives would succumb to the disease by the end of the next decade. Furthermore, a handful of countries are set to carry the highest burdens, with 1.7 million children set to die in Nigeria and India, 700,000 in Pakistan and 635,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Yet there is some good news. The study, published on World Pneumonia Day, found that scaling up existing vaccination coverage, coupled with cheap antibiotics and ensuring good nutrition for children could save a total of 4.1 million lives. Pneumonia, an inflammatory infection of the lungs that may be contracted via viral or bacteria infection, is treatable if caught early enough and the patient's immune system isn't compromised. But worldwide it hits young children who are often weak through malnutrition, killing more infants each year than malaria, diarrhoea and measles combined. "It beggars belief that close to a million children are dying every year from a disease that we have the knowledge and resources to defeat," said Save the Children CEO Kevin Watkins. "There are no pink ribbons, global summits or marches for pneumonia. But anyone who cares about justice for children and their access to essential healthcare, this forgotten killer should be the defining cause of our age." Watkins' group, which operates health programmes in some of the countries worst hit by the disease, called for prices of major existing pneumonia vaccines to be lowered "dramatically". 2030 is the target date for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which includes a pledge to "end preventable child deaths" by the end of the next decade.

Pneumonia to kill nearly 11 million children by 2030, study warns

Your genes may play a role in determining your child`s unhealthy snacking habit, according to a study.

Researcher Elie Chamoun of the University of Guelph investigated whether genetic variants in taste receptors related to sweet preference, fat taste sensitivity, and aversion to bitter green leafy vegetables influence the snacks chosen by preschoolers.

He found that nearly 80 per cent of preschoolers in the study carried at least one of these potential at-risk genotypes that could predispose them to poor snacking habits.

&quot;Kids are eating a lot more snacks now than they used to, and we think to look at how genetics can be related to snacking behaviour is important to understanding increased obesity among kids,&quot; said Chamoun.

&quot;This new research could help parents understand how their kids taste and tailor their diet for better nutritional choices.&quot;

The study looked at connections between the genes of the three at-risk taste receptors and linked them to snacking patterns among preschoolers.

The study entailed tracking the day-to-day diets of nearly 50 preschoolers and found that one-third of the kids&#39;&nbsp;diets were made up of snacks.

Chamoun also tested the participants&#39; saliva to determine their genetic taste profile.

Chamoun discovered that kids with a sweet tooth, who have the gene related to sweet taste preference, ate snacks with significantly more calories from sugar. They also ate those snacks mostly in the evening.

&quot;It`s likely these kids snacked more in the evening because that`s when they are at home and have more access to foods with high sugar,&quot; said Chamoun.

The children with the genetic variant related to fat taste sensitivity were found to consume snacks with higher energy density.

People with this genetic variant may have low oral sensitivity to fat and therefore consume more fatty foods without sensing it, said Chamoun.

&quot;Higher-energy density snacks, such as cookies with lots of sugar and fat, have a higher number of calories for their weight. Those are snacks you want to avoid.&quot;

The children with the genetic variant related to avoiding bitter vegetables also consumed snacks with high energy density.

&quot;They might be replacing those healthy veggies with unhealthy snacks. This is why they may be consuming more energy-dense snacks, because they are avoiding the healthy ones.&quot;

This study is the first in an emerging area of nutrition research.

If researchers can establish a solid link between genetics and taste, then we can create tests that will help parents determine which genetic variants their children have, said Chamoun.

&quot;This could be a valuable tool for parents who might want to tailor their children`s diet accordingly. For example, if you know your child has a higher desire for sweet foods based on their genetics, you might be more likely to limit or reduce their accessibility to those foods in the home.&quot;

The findings have been published in the journal Nutrients.

Your genes may play a role in determining your child's unhealthy snacking habit, according to a study

Your genes may play a role in determining your child`s unhealthy snacking habit, according to a study. Researcher Elie Chamoun of the University of Guelph investigated whether genetic variants in taste receptors related to sweet preference, fat taste sensitivity, and aversion to bitter green leafy vegetables influence the snacks chosen by preschoolers. He found that nearly 80 per cent of preschoolers in the study carried at least one of these potential at-risk genotypes that could predispose them to poor snacking habits. "Kids are eating a lot more snacks now than they used to, and we think to look at how genetics can be related to snacking behaviour is important to understanding increased obesity among kids," said Chamoun. "This new research could help parents understand how their kids taste and tailor their diet for better nutritional choices." The study looked at connections between the genes of the three at-risk taste receptors and linked them to snacking patterns among preschoolers. The study entailed tracking the day-to-day diets of nearly 50 preschoolers and found that one-third of the kids' diets were made up of snacks. Chamoun also tested the participants' saliva to determine their genetic taste profile. Chamoun discovered that kids with a sweet tooth, who have the gene related to sweet taste preference, ate snacks with significantly more calories from sugar. They also ate those snacks mostly in the evening. "It`s likely these kids snacked more in the evening because that`s when they are at home and have more access to foods with high sugar," said Chamoun. The children with the genetic variant related to fat taste sensitivity were found to consume snacks with higher energy density. People with this genetic variant may have low oral sensitivity to fat and therefore consume more fatty foods without sensing it, said Chamoun. "Higher-energy density snacks, such as cookies with lots of sugar and fat, have a higher number of calories for their weight. Those are snacks you want to avoid." The children with the genetic variant related to avoiding bitter vegetables also consumed snacks with high energy density. "They might be replacing those healthy veggies with unhealthy snacks. This is why they may be consuming more energy-dense snacks, because they are avoiding the healthy ones." This study is the first in an emerging area of nutrition research. If researchers can establish a solid link between genetics and taste, then we can create tests that will help parents determine which genetic variants their children have, said Chamoun. "This could be a valuable tool for parents who might want to tailor their children`s diet accordingly. For example, if you know your child has a higher desire for sweet foods based on their genetics, you might be more likely to limit or reduce their accessibility to those foods in the home." The findings have been published in the journal Nutrients.

Your child's snacking pattern may be genetic

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Your child's snacking pattern may be genetic