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In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives, and children are no exception. However, the widespread use of social media among school-going children has led to a growing concern about issues related to body and face. Children as young as 10-12 years old are exposed to unrealistic beauty standards and photoshopped images on social media platforms, which are negatively impacting their self-esteem and confidence.

As per health experts, social media has set unrealistic beauty standards that children tend to follow without knowing that most of the images are photoshopped. Dr Sandeep Aggarwal, Associate Professor of Paediatrics at Government Medical College, warns that parents should stay alert and keep a tab on their children to see if their child was being influenced by such things.

The impact of social media on children’s mind can be devastating. Here are a few of the examples as given by medical professionals. A 12-year-old girl compares her body to that of her favourite celebrity and feels inadequate because she doesn’t have a ‘perfect’ figure. A 10-year-old boy feels self-conscious about his weight and starts dieting without consulting a doctor or a nutritionist. These are just a few examples of how social media can affect children’s perception of themselves.

Social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat showcase reels of people’s lives, often presenting unrealistic and unattainable beauty standards. Children may feel the pressure to conform to these standards, leading to feeling of inadequacy, low self-esteem and body-wise dissatisfaction.

Experts warn that it’s the responsibility of parents and teachers to make children aware of the difference between “reel” and real. Dr Naresh Grover, a paediatrician, emphasised the need to talk to children about the potential negative impact of social media on one’s confidence and self-esteem. “We need to tell children about the potential negative impact of social media. Encourage them to express their feelings and concerns.”

The on-screen presence of children has increased to alarming levels, and experts warn that parents should monitor what content their children are watching. Saachipreet Kaur, a mother of a 13-year-old girl, shares her experience of finding her daughter and her friends engaged in negative body talk, criticising each other’s appearance and perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards.

The doctors stated that by being aware of the potential risks and taking proactive steps, parents can help their children develop a positive frame of mind with regard to their body and reduce the negative impact of social media.

Sweeping foreign aid cuts led by the United States will cause international health funding to plummet to the lowest level in 15 years, a study said Wednesday, warning the world has entered a new “era of global health austerity.”

A sweeping analysis of health data from more than 1.2 million children in Denmark born over a 24-year period found no link between the small amounts of aluminum in vaccines and a wide range of health conditions—including asthma, allergies, eczema, autism, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The finding, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, firmly squashes a persistent anti-vaccine talking point that can give vaccine-hesitant parents pause.

Small amounts of aluminum salts have been added to vaccines for decades as adjuvants, that is, components of the vaccine that help drum up protective immune responses against a target germ. Aluminum adjuvants can be found in a variety of vaccines, including those against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and hepatitis A and B.

Despite decades of use worldwide and no clear link to harms, concern about aluminum and cumulative exposures continually resurfaces—largely thanks to anti-vaccine advocates who fearmonger about the element. A leader of such voices is Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the current US health secretary and an ardent anti-vaccine advocate.

In a June 2024 interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, Kennedy falsely claimed that aluminum is “extremely neurotoxic” and “give[s] you allergies.” The podcast has racked up nearly 2 million views on YouTube. Likewise, Children’s Health Defense, the rabid anti-vaccine organization Kennedy created in 2018, has also made wild claims about the safety of aluminum adjuvants. That includes linking it to autism, despite that many high-quality scientific studies have found no link between any vaccines and autism.

While anti-vaccine advocates like Kennedy routinely dismiss and attack the plethora of studies that do not support their dangerous claims, the new study should reassure any hesitant parents.

Clear data, unclear future

For the study, lead author Niklas Worm Andersson, of the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, and colleagues tapped into Denmark’s national registry to analyze medical records of over 1.2 million children born in the country between 1997 and 2018. During that time, new vaccines were introduced and recommendations shifted, creating variation in how many aluminum-containing vaccines children received.

We’ve all heard that processed meats, sugary drinks and trans fats aren’t great for our health, but just how bad are they? While past studies have linked these foods to diabetes and other chronic conditions, such as heart disease and cancer, we haven’t had a strong understanding of the dose-response relationship, i.e., to what level our body reacts to how much or how little of a given food we consume.

To gain a better understanding, researchers delved deeper into the data, examining the impact of processed meats, sugary beverages, and trans fats on our health. Using cutting-edge methods to account for differences across studies, researchers uncovered more detailed evidence linking these foods to serious health risks. These findings were recently published in Nature Medicine.

How Was This Study Conducted?

In this study, researchers reviewed and analyzed data to explore the connections between foods like processed meats, sugary drinks and trans fats, and specific health outcomes. They looked at how processed meats are linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and colorectal cancer; how sugary drinks are tied to type 2 diabetes and heart disease; and how trans fats are associated with heart disease.

What Did The Study Find?

The researchers identified the following associations between specific foods and health outcomes.

Processed Meats 

The researchers found a link between eating processed meat and a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The risk increased steadily with increasing consumption of processed meat, but the most significant jump in risk occurred at lower levels of intake.

What does that mean? Eating 50 grams of processed meat daily (about two to three breakfast sausages) was associated with a 30% higher risk of type 2 diabetes compared to eating no processed meat at all.

To provide a more cautious estimate, the researchers used a method known as the Burden of Proof risk function. This showed that eating processed meat in typical amounts (ranging from about 0.6 to 57 grams per day) was linked to at least an 11% higher risk of type 2 diabetes compared to eating none. While this estimate is conservative, it still underscores a connection between processed meat consumption and the risk of diabetes. 

When it comes to other chronic conditions, researchers found that the risk of heart disease increased slightly with processed meat consumption, but the overall association was small. When it comes to colorectal cancer risk, researchers found that the risk rises as processed meat consumption goes up. For example, eating 50 grams of processed meat daily (about two to three breakfast sausages) was associated with a 26% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to eating none.

Sugary Beverages

Researchers analyzed studies including more than 560,000 participants. They found that drinking about 8 ounces of sugary drinks daily was associated with a 20% higher risk of type 2 diabetes compared to not drinking any at all.

The analysis also showed that drinking more sugary beverages is linked to a steady increase in the risk of heart disease. The results revealed that drinking about 8 ounces of sugary drinks daily was associated with a 7% higher risk of heart disease compared to not drinking any at all.

Trans Fats

The analysis did not look at the association between consuming trans fats in the diet and diabetes risk. When it comes to trans fats, researchers assessed their connection to the risk of heart disease, finding that consuming 1% of daily calories from trans fats was associated with an 11% higher risk of heart disease compared to consuming none.

Study Limitations 

The review is primarily based on observational studies, which have a significant limitation in determining cause and effect. Observational studies only show associations.

While researchers adjusted for factors like age, weight, and physical activity, there may still be unmeasured factors that could influence the results. Additionally, most studies relied on food frequency questionnaires to measure what people ate, but these self-reports can be prone to errors, as participants may forget or misreport their food intake.

How Does This Apply to Real Life?

This study offers valuable insights into the impact of everyday dietary choices on long-term health. While we’ve all heard that processed meats, sugary drinks, and trans fats aren’t the healthiest options, this research highlights the risks in a way that’s easier to understand. For example, it shows that even moderate consumption of these foods, like a daily serving of processed meat or a sugary drink, is linked to an increased risk of serious conditions like type 2 diabetes. These findings emphasize the importance of making mindful food choices, such as reducing consumption of processed meats and sugary drinks, to lower the risk of chronic diseases.

Our Expert Take

This study, published in Nature Medicine, sheds light on the real health risks associated with processed meats, sugary drinks, and trans fats. The key takeaway is that small, mindful changes in your diet can make a big difference. Reducing your intake of processed meats and cutting back on sugary drinks can help lower your risk of diabetes and other health conditions like heart disease and colorectal cancer. 

While the risks may seem modest on an individual level, they accumulate over time and across populations, making these findings important not only for personal health but also for public health initiatives. This study serves as a reminder that even small steps toward healthier eating can lead to meaningful improvements in overall well-being.