The University of East Anglia (UEA) has made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of cardiology. Scientists have developed a revolutionary new way of uncovering the “true age” of your heart using MRI scans. This innovative technique is set to transform how heart disease is diagnosed, offering a lifeline to millions by catching problems before they become deadly.

The research team, led by Dr Pankaj Garg from UEA’s Norwich Medical School and a consultant cardiologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, has developed an advanced MRI approach that measures not just your chronological age but also how well your heart is holding up. This allows doctors to determine your “functional age” – essentially, how old your heart acts.

The team studied MRI scans from 557 people, including 191 healthy individuals and 366 with conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity. They found that in healthy people, the heart’s functional age was similar to their chronological age. However, for patients with health issues, their functional heart age was significantly higher.

For instance, a 50-year-old with high blood pressure might have a heart that works like it’s 55. This means that people with conditions like diabetes or obesity often have hearts that are aging faster than they should – sometimes by decades. By using this new MRI method, doctors can spot trouble early and take action to prevent heart attacks or strokes.

Dr Garg said, “We found that an MRI scan can reveal your heart’s ‘functional age’ – how old it acts, not how old you are.” He added, “This is a game-changer for keeping hearts healthier, longer. Heart disease is one of the world’s biggest killers, and our new MRI method gives doctors a powerful tool to look inside the heart like never before and spot trouble early.”

The research was led by UEA in collaboration with several other institutions, including the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the National Heart Research Institute Singapore, and others. It was funded by Wellcome.

PhD Student Hosam Assadi from UEA’s Norwich Medical School said, “It’s thrilling to see how this MRI technique could change lives. We’ve found a way to spot hearts that are aging too fast, and that could mean catching problems early enough to fix them.”

This revolutionary new approach has the potential to save countless lives by giving doctors a powerful tool to diagnose heart disease early on. By knowing your heart’s true age, patients can get advice or treatments to slow down the aging process, potentially preventing heart attacks or strokes. It’s about giving people a fighting chance against heart disease, and this research is a crucial step in that direction.

The world is facing a silent health crisis that threatens to claim millions of lives prematurely. A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has made a groundbreaking discovery: the consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) is linked to a significant increase in preventable premature deaths worldwide.

For those unfamiliar, UPFs are industrially formulated products made with little or no whole foods and high amounts of artificial ingredients. They have become a staple in many households, replacing traditional meals made from fresh and minimally processed ingredients.

The study analyzed data from eight countries – Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States – and found that for every 10% increase in UPF consumption, there is a corresponding 3% increase in all-cause mortality. This translates to a staggering number: in 2018, an estimated 124,000 premature deaths were attributed to UPF consumption alone in the United States.

The researchers also modeled data to estimate that the percentage of preventable premature deaths due to UPF consumption varies from 4% in countries with lower UPF consumption to almost 14% in countries with the highest UPF consumption. This is a wake-up call for global action, as high UPF consumption has been linked to 32 different diseases, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, some types of cancer, and depression.

The lead investigator, Dr. Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, emphasizes that addressing UPF consumption should be a global public nutrition priority. He notes that while high-income countries have relatively stable UPF consumption rates, low- and middle-income countries are seeing an increase in UPF consumption, which poses a significant threat to public health.

As the world grapples with this new information, it’s essential to recognize the dangers of ultraprocessed foods and take collective action to promote healthier dietary patterns. By making informed choices about what we eat, we can work towards reducing the burden of preventable premature deaths and creating a healthier future for all.

The Rise of Dry Eye Disease in Young Adults: A Growing Concern

Researchers at Aston University have sounded the alarm about the increasing prevalence of dry eye disease among young adults. A recent study conducted in collaboration with Oslo University Hospital and Sørlandet Hospital Trust in Norway has found that a staggering 90% of participants exhibited at least one sign of the condition, with 56% meeting the criteria for dry eye disease.

Dry eye disease occurs when the eyes do not produce enough tears or create poor-quality tears, leading to instability and rapid evaporation of the tear film. This can cause a range of symptoms, including gritty feeling eyes, itching or stinging sensations, redness, sensitivity to light, and blurry vision.

The study, led by Dr. Rachel Casemore at Aston University School of Optometry, followed 50 young adults aged 18-25 over time, assessing their lifestyle factors, screen use habits, and tear quality. The results showed a significant correlation between prolonged screen use and signs of dryness on the eye surface, with participants averaging eight hours per day of screen time.

The researchers found that around half of the participants had lost at least 25% of the meibomian gland, which produces the outer lipid layer of the tear film responsible for preventing evaporation. This loss can contribute to the progression of dry eye disease.

Dr. Casemore emphasized the need for early detection and prevention of dry eye disease in young adults, as it can lead to significant discomfort and vision problems if left unchecked. She recommends simple measures such as taking regular screen breaks, performing blink exercises to release oils from the meibomian glands, staying hydrated, and maintaining a healthy diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

The study’s findings highlight the importance of eye care practitioners identifying clinical indicators of dry eye disease and counseling young adults on modifiable risk factors, such as screen use habits, sleeping patterns, contact lens use, diet, blinking patterns, and stress management.

As Dr. Casemore noted, “It is concerning to note the increasing prevalence of dry eye disease signs and symptoms in young adults, which has been referred to as a ‘lifestyle epidemic’ by some researchers.” Further research aims to explore the potential tear and meibomian gland oil biomarkers identified during the study and examine the effect of diet on dry eye disease development.