Using dollar stores for food purchases may be a common practice for Americans looking to free up funds for the rest of their grocery list, researchers from Tufts University and the USDA-Economic Research Service report. Their multi-year analysis of where households buy their non-restaurant calories found that dollar store food purchases are rising, but families are balancing this with purchasing more nutritious items elsewhere. 

A new analysis using data from a longitudinal study that followed children between the ages of 5 and 17 has revealed a surprising association; kids who engaged in kind, caring, and helpful behaviors (being prosocial), were more likely to sustain healthy eating habits as teenagers. The findings from the study appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, suggest that fostering prosociality throughout childhood may be a novel intervention strategy to promote healthy eating.

The evidence supporting the health benefits of breastfeeding is overwhelming, yet many women taking medications are being advised to stop – often unnecessarily – according to a new study from the University of Bath in the UK. This has parallels with a broader trend of misinformation in maternal health. In the US especially, there appears to be a growing movement to discourage pregnant women from taking important medications to manage chronic conditions like depression. While such advice may be well-meaning, urging women to stop taking prescription medications during pregnancy or breastfeeding – or encouraging them to stop breastfeeding altogether – can ultimately jeopardise the health of both mother and baby.

With cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity on the rise, NUS Medicine launches first of its kind Master of Science in Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine to train more healthcare professionals in preventive medicine, focusing on lifestyle and nutrition to promote healthy ageing, lower healthcare costs, and support well-being across the lifespan.