Surprising link between blood sugar, brain cancer found

Ohio State University

Summary:

New research further illuminates the surprising relationship between blood sugar and brain tumors and could begin to shed light on how certain cancers develop.

New research further illuminates the surprising relationship between blood sugar and brain tumors and could begin to shed light on how certain cancers develop.

Glioma is one of the most common types of cancerous tumors originating in the brain.

While many cancers are more common among those with diabetes, cancerous brain tumors called gliomas are less common among those with elevated blood sugar and diabetes, a study from The Ohio State University has found.

The discovery builds on previous Ohio State research showing that high blood sugar appears to reduce a person's risk of a noncancerous brain tumor called meningioma. Both studies were led by Judith Schwartzbaum, an associate professor of epidemiology and a researcher in Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center. The new glioma study appears in the journal Scientific Reports.

"Diabetes and elevated blood sugar increase the risk of cancer at several sites including the colon, breast and bladder. But in this case, these rare malignant brain tumors are more common among people who have normal levels of blood glucose than those with high blood sugar or diabetes," Schwartzbaum said.

"Our research raises questions that, when answered, will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in glioma development," she said.

Glioma is one of the most common types of cancerous tumors originating in the brain. It begins in the cells that surround nerve cells and help them function. The disease is typically diagnosed in middle age. At present, there is no treatment that ensures long-term survival, but several potential options are being studied.

The Scientific Reports paper included data from two large long-term studies. One, called AMORIS, included 528,580 Swedes. The second, Me-Can, consisted of 269,365 Austrians and Swedes. In all, 812 participants developed gliomas.

Schwartzbaum and her collaborators evaluated blood sugar and diabetes data and its relationship to subsequent development of brain cancer and found that those with elevated blood sugar and diabetes had a lower risk of developing glioma.

"This really prompts the question, 'Why is the association between blood glucose levels and brain cancer the opposite of that for several other cancerous tumors?" she said.

The researchers found that this relationship was strongest within a year of cancer diagnosis.

"This may suggest that the tumor itself affects blood glucose levels or that elevated blood sugar or diabetes may paradoxically be associated with a protective factor that reduces brain tumor risk," Schwartzbaum said.

"For example, insulin-like growth factor is associated with glioma recurrence and is found in lower levels in people with diabetes than those who don't have the disease."

The brain accounts for only about 2 percent of body weight, but consumes about 20 percent of the body's available glucose, Schwartzbaum said.

The body of research on restrictive diets and their effect on brain cancer development has shown mixed results and more work is needed to determine if there's something about the sugar/tumor relationship that can be modified in a way that's beneficial to brain cancer patients, she said.

suorce:https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170503080228.htm

Nanoparticle vaccine shows potential as immunotherapy to fight multiple cancer types

UT Southwestern Medical Center

Summary:

A first-of-its-kind nanoparticle vaccine immunotherapy has been developed that targets several different cancer types, outlines a new report.

Laser light can be seen scattered by nanoparticles in a solution of the UTSW-developed nanovaccine.

Researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a first-of-its-kind nanoparticle vaccine immunotherapy that targets several different cancer types.

The nanovaccine consists of tumor antigens -- tumor proteins that can be recognized by the immune system -- inside a synthetic polymer nanoparticle. Nanoparticle vaccines deliver minuscule particulates that stimulate the immune system to mount an immune response. The goal is to help people's own bodies fight cancer.

"What is unique about our design is the simplicity of the single-polymer composition that can precisely deliver tumor antigens to immune cells while stimulating innate immunity. These actions result in safe and robust production of tumor-specific T cells that kill cancer cells," said Dr. Jinming Gao, a Professor of Pharmacology and Otolaryngology in UT Southwestern's Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center.

A study outlining this research, published online in Nature Nanotechnology, reported that the nanovaccine had anti-tumor efficacy in multiple tumor types in mice.

The research was a collaboration between the laboratories of study senior authors Dr. Gao and Dr. Zhijian "James" Chen, Professor of Molecular Biology and Director of the Center for Inflammation Research. The Center was established in 2015 to study how the body senses infection and to develop approaches to exploit this knowledge to create new treatments for infection, immune disorders, and autoimmunity.

Typical vaccines require immune cells to pick up tumor antigens in a "depot system" and then travel to the lymphoid organs for T cell activation, Dr. Gao said. Instead, nanoparticle vaccines can travel directly to the body's lymph nodes to activate tumor-specific immune responses.

"For nanoparticle vaccines to work, they must deliver antigens to proper cellular compartments within specialized immune cells called antigen-presenting cells and stimulate innate immunity," said Dr. Chen, also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and holder of the George L. MacGregor Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science. "Our nanovaccine did all of those things."

In this case, the experimental UTSW nanovaccine works by activating an adaptor protein called STING, which in turn stimulates the body's immune defense system to ward off cancer.

The scientists examined a variety of tumor models in mice: melanoma, colorectal cancer, and HPV-related cancers of the cervix, head, neck, and anogenital regions. In most cases, the nanovaccine slowed tumor growth and extended the animals' lives.

Other vaccine technologies have been used in cancer immunotherapy. However, they are usually complex -- consisting of live bacteria or multiplex biological stimulants, Dr. Gao said. This complexity can make production costly and, in some cases, lead to immune-related toxicities in patients.

With the emergence of new nanotechnology tools and increased understanding of polymeric drug delivery, Dr. Gao said, the field of nanoparticle vaccines has grown and attracted intense interest from academia and industry in the past decade.

"Recent advances in understanding innate and adaptive immunity have also led to more collaborations between immunologists and nanotechnologists," said Dr. Chen. "These partnerships are critical in propelling the rapid development of new generations of nanovaccines."

The investigative team is now working with physicians at UT Southwestern to explore clinical testing of the STING-activating nanovaccines for a variety of cancer indications. Combining nanovaccines with radiation or other immunotherapy strategies such as "checkpoint inhibition" can further augment their anti-tumor effectiveness.

source:https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170424110841.htm

Holy chickens: Did Medieval religious rules drive domestic chicken evolution?

Summary:

Chickens were domesticated from Asian jungle fowl around 6,000 years ago. Since domestication they have acquired a number of traits that are valuable to humans, including those concerning appearance, reduced aggression and faster egg-laying, although it is not known when and why these traits evolved. Now, an international team of scientists has combined DNA data from archaeological chicken bones with statistical modeling to pinpoint when these traits started to increase in frequency in Europe.

 Chickens were domesticated from Asian jungle fowl around 6000 years ago. Since domestication they have acquired a number of traits that are valuable to humans, including those concerning appearance, reduced aggression and faster egg-laying, although it is not known when and why these traits evolved.

Now, an international team of scientists has combined DNA data from archaeological chicken bones with statistical modeling to pinpoint when these traits started to increase in frequency in Europe.

"Ancient DNA allows us to observe how genes have changed in the past, but the problem has always been to get high enough time resolution to link genetic evolution to potential causes.

 But with enough data and a novel statistical framework, we now have timings that are precise enough to correlate them with ecological and cultural shifts." says Liisa Loog, the first author of the study.

To their surprise they found that this happened in High Middle Ages, around 1000 A.D. Intriguingly these strong selection pressures coincided with increasing urbanization and Christian edicts that enforced fasting and the exclusion of four legged animals from the menu. Could Medieval religious rules have increased the demand for poultry and thereby altered chicken evolution?

"With our new method we see that the time of selection coincides with an increase in the amount of chicken bones in the archaeological records across Northern Europe. Intriguingly, they also coincide with several socio-cultural changes, including a general increase in the popularity of Christian beliefs, new religious dietary rules and increase in urbanization (favoring traits that mean that animals could be kept in small spaces). 

We cannot say which one of these was most important but most likely a combination of all these factors affected selective pressures on European chickens and consequently their evolution." Says author Anders Eriksson.

Scientists have been attempting to link traits that distinguish domesticated animals from their wild relatives to specific changes in their genomes. Recent studies of domestic chickens have pinpointed genetic variants in two genes: the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) and the beta-carotene dioxygenase 2 (BCD02), both of which also show strong signals of selection. Having two copies of a form of the TSHR gene is thought to lead to a loss of seasonal reproduction in many domestic animals.

 In chickens, a variant of this gene has been shown to enable faster egg-laying, and result in reduced aggression and decreased fear of humans. BCD02 has an effect on skin pigmentation in birds, with one form associated with white or grey skin, and another associated with yellow skin in well-fed chickens.

In 2014, a group led by Greger Larson looked at these two genes in around 100 archaeological samples from Europe spanning the last 2,200 years. But due to a lack of the right statistical methods, they did not quantify the timing or strength of natural selection.

Now, a research team led by Liisa Loog, Anders Eriksson, Mark Thomas and Greger Larson analyzed ancient and modern chicken DNA using a statistical method they developed to pinpoint when selection starts and how strong it is. 

They found that selection on the TSHR gene began around 920 AD, which coincides with increased chicken consumption across the whole of Northern Europe, as seen in the archaeological record.

"Several independent archaeological studies have documented substantial increases in the frequency of chicken remains between the 9th and 12th centuries AD, as well as a shift towards the management of adult hens, presumably to increase egg production." said Mark Thomas, an author on the study. "Intriguingly, this is the period when selection on the TSHR variant most likely kicked off."

There are several socio-economic factors could have contributed to the rise in popularity of poultry, including religious edicts that prohibited meat consumption during fasting. Importantly, chickens and eggs were not restricted by these edicts, which may have led to an increase in selective pressures on THSR, allowing chickens to be raised in closer confines as demand for their meat and eggs increased.

"This significant intensification of chicken and egg production has been linked to Christian fasting practices, originating with the Benedictine Monastic Order, which disallowed the consumption of meat from four-legged animals during fasting periods, but the restrictions did not extend to birds or eggs. These dietary rules were adopted across Europe and applied to all segments of society around 1000 AD." said author Anders Eriksson. "However, The increase in chicken production could also have been favored by u

rbanization, the introduction of the more efficient agricultural practices and a warmer climate."

For BCDO2, the gene which plays a role in leg color, they authors show that while the genetic patterns are compatible with some level of selection, the genetics of modern chickens is best explained as a consequence of Victorian breeding practices, which involved cross-breeding native European breeds with exotic Asian chickens.

The authors new statistical approach, which combines mathematical modeling with ancient DNA information, provides a tool for exploring the links between genetic evolution in domestic plants and animals and the parallel cultural changes in human populations, as they have each responded to alterations in natural and artificial selective pressures.

"We tend to think that there were wild animals, and then there were domestic animals. We tend to discount how selection pressures on domestic plants and animals varied through time in response to different preferences or ecological factors. 

This study demonstrates just how easy it is to drive a trait to a high frequency in an evolutionary blink of an eye, and suggests that simply because a domestic trait is ubiquitous, it may not have been a target for selection at the very beginning of the domestication process," said author Greger Larson.

"The processes and driving mechanisms responsible for generating the patterns of genomic variation in humans and their co-dependent domestic plants and animals found today can be explored using this new tool" concluded first author Liisa Loog.

Source:Molecular Biology and Evolution (Oxford University Press)

One step closer to finding out how wine may protect your neurons

Researchers have now found out how wine compounds are protective against neuronal death: they should pass through your stomach first

 Let it be no misunderstanding: heavy alcohol intake has severe harmful effects. But already for several years, researchers have been finding that moderate wine intake can be beneficial in delaying the onset of cognitive impairments in aging and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Esteban-Fernández from the Institute of Food Science Research in Madrid and her colleagues have been investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective actions of wine, recently published in Frontiers in Nutrition.

Instead of investigating wine directly, they studied the compounds that are left after the wine has passed through the gut: the so-called wine-derived human gut metabolites. They selected some of these metabolites based on their presence in the urine and feces of people consuming wine on a regular and moderate basis. To explore the neuronal effect of these compounds, they added them to human cells under stress conditions that normally lead to neuronal cell dysfunction and death. These conditions are related to the initial stages of some neurodegenerative disorders.

They found that the metabolites are protecting the cells from dying due to the stress conditions. The most striking result, however, was that the metabolites are active at different points in the cell signaling cascade that is leading to this cell death. The exact composition of the wine metabolites is therefore important in the protective neuronal effect. And this composition depends on your gut microbiota composition, as the intestinal flora breaks down the wine into the different metabolites.

"In other words, differences in our gut microbiota are leading to the different metabolites. Which underpins the idea that humans benefit from food in different ways," Dr. Esteban-Fernández explains. "This individual difference is a factor not to be neglected to understand the health effects of certain foods. We are now in need to advance our understanding of the effect of diet in the promotion of normal brain function."

"It is very important to understand that certain food compounds are responsible for this health benefit in protecting against the onset of neurodegenerative diseases; no medication was involved. I am not advocating to replace medicines by diet, but I want to raise more awareness how your diet is helping to prevent diseases or reduces the risk of getting sick. It is more than feasible to go to the supermarket and buy vegetables and fruit: it depends only on the individuals to maintain a balanced diet."

As she works on the role of diet in health maintenance and disease prevention, Dr. Esteban-Fernández takes her own nutrition very serious. "I am really aware about the importance of a healthy diet enriched in vegetables, fruits, and reduced industrial saturated fats. Although I try to maintain my dietary habits as good as possible, I think it is also important to not get too obsessed. Society is nowadays full of false myths about diet, and it is the role of both science and media to avoid the spread of these rumors, as well as make people aware of the importance of diet for your health."

Diagnosed autism linked to maternal grandmother's smoking in pregnancy

 Source:
University of Bristol
Summary:
Scientists have looked at all 14,500 participants in Children of the 90s and found that if a girl's maternal grandmother smoked during pregnancy, the girl is 67 percent more likely to display certain traits linked to autism, such as poor social communication skills and repetitive behaviors.

 Scientists from the University of Bristol have looked at all 14,500 participants in Children of the 90s and found that if a girl's maternal grandmother smoked during pregnancy, the girl is 67% more likely to display certain traits linked to autism, such as poor social communication skills and repetitive behaviours.

The team also found that if the maternal grandmother smoked, this increased by 53% the risk of her grandchildren having a diagnosed autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

These discoveries suggest that if a female is exposed to cigarette smoke while she is still in the womb, it could affect the developing eggs -- causing changes that may eventually affect the development of her own children. Further research is now needed to find out what these molecular changes might be, and to see whether the same associations are present in other groups of people.

Unlike the analysis of autistic traits, which was based on over 7,000 participants, the 177 diagnosed with ASD were too few to analyse grandsons and granddaughters separately.

The discovery, published today in Scientific Reports, is part of an ongoing, long-term study of the effects of maternal and paternal grandmother's smoking in pregnancy on the development of their grandchildren, who are all part of Children of the 90s. By using detailed information collected over many years on multiple factors that may affect children's health and development, the researchers were able to rule out other potential explanations for their results.

The incidence of ASD has increased in recent years, and while some of this increase is undoubtedly down to improved diagnosis, changes in environment or lifestyle are also likely to play a role. The researchers also stress that many different factors, including genetic variation, are believed to affect an individual's chances of developing ASD.

Past studies of maternal smoking in pregnancy and ASD in children have been inconclusive. Going back a generation has revealed an intergenerational effect, which interestingly is most clear cut when the mother herself did not smoke in pregnancy.

The reasons for this are not entirely clear but Professor Marcus Pembrey, one of the paper's authors, says: 'In terms of mechanisms, there are two broad possibilities. There is DNA damage that is transmitted to the grandchildren or there is some adaptive response to the smoking that leaves the grandchild more vulnerable to ASD. We have no explanation for the sex difference, although we have previously found that grand-maternal smoking is associated with different growth patterns in grandsons and granddaughters.


'More specifically, we know smoking can damage the DNA of mitochondria -- the numerous "power-packs" contained in every cell, and mitochondria are only transmitted to the next generation via the mother's egg. The initial mitochondrial DNA mutations often have no overt effect in the mother herself, but the impact can increase when transmitted to her own children.'



Professor Jean Golding, another author, added: 'We already know that protecting a baby from tobacco smoke is one of the best things a woman can do to give her child a healthy start in life. Now we've found that not smoking during pregnancy could also give their future grandchildren a better start too.




We have started studying the next generation of participants (COCO90s), so eventually we will be able to see if the effect carries down from the great-grandparents to their great-grandchildren too.'


Dr Dheeraj Rai, another author, added: 'We still do not know why many children develop autism and behaviours linked to it. The associations we observe raise intriguing issues on possible transgenerational influences in autism. Future research will help understand the meaning and mechanisms behind these findings. The National Autistic Society website contains a wealth of information about autism and details on how and where to seek advice.'


Alycia Halladay, PhD, chief science officer at the Autism Science Foundation (USA), said: 'To date, research into the causes of autism has been limited to studying maternal or paternal exposures during pregnancy. By utilizing a birth cohort in the United Kingdom [Children of the 90s], scientists are able to go back a generation to examine the role of grandparental exposures,




presumably through germ line mutations and epigenetic modifications. Hopefully, grandparental exposures will continue to be investigated to better understand this mechanism.'

22 Fun Facts About Apples

It’s not autumn for me until I’ve gone apple picking. One of my favorite fall hobbies, I love the smell of the orchard and the brilliant red fruits ripe on the lush green trees. I grew up in an area rich in fruit trees so it’s no wonder I find these delicious fruits so comforting. Because I love apples I found some fun facts to share with you. Here are 22 of my favorite facts about apples:

1.  There is only one apple that is native to North America—the crabapple.

2.  Apples contain 0 grams of fat or sodium and have no cholesterol.

3.  At 4 grams per average size apple, they are a great source of fiber.

4.  Apple varieties range in size from a pea to the size of a small pumpkin.

5.  There are over 8000 varieties of apples.

6.  An average-sized apple tree can produce enough apples to fill 20 boxes that weight 42 pounds each.


See Also: Top 10 Health Benefits of Eating Kale


7.  Apples are members of the rose family.

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8.  It takes about 36 apples to make one gallon of apple cider.

9.  An average size apple contains 80 calories.

10.  Thanks to their high levels of boron, apples can help improve your memory, mental alertness, and electrical activity of the brain.

11.  While not high in calcium, their boron content helps strengthen bones.

12.  The soluble fiber found in apples is called pectin and can help lower cholesterol levels.

13.  Apples may help boost estrogen levels in menopausal women.

14.  The average person eats 65 apples a year.

15.  The largest apple ever picked was 3 pounds 2 ounces.

16.  Humans have been eating apples as far back as 6500 BC.

17.  In China the word for apples is pronounced “ping” which also means peace.

18.  Apples are 25% air, which is why they float in water.

19.  Most of the antioxidants found in apples, including quercetin, are found in the skin.

20.  The most popular varieties of apples in the US are the Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and the Granny Smith.

21.  The McIntosh apple is the national apple of Canada.

22.  Apples are believed to have originated in an area between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

source:https://www.care2.com/greenliving/22-fun

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15 Health Benefits of Eating Apples

Many of us forget that sometimes, the simplest answers are the best. Better health could be as easy as reaching for the fruit bowl for some apples next time you need a snack.

BEST HEALTH

What makes apples so great?

In 2004, USDA scientists investigated over 100 foods to measure their antioxidant concentration per serving size. Two apples’Red Delicious and Granny Smith’ranked 12th and 13th respectively.Antioxidants are disease-fighting compounds. Scientists believe these compounds help prevent and repair oxidation damage that happens during normal cell activity. Apples are also full of a fibre called pectin – a medium-sized apple contains about 4 grams of fibre. Pectin is classed as a soluble, fermentable and viscous fibre, a combination that gives it a huge list of health benefits.

1. Get whiter, healthier teeth

An apple won’t replace your toothbrush, but biting and chewing an apple stimulates the production of saliva in your mouth, reducing tooth decay by lowering the levels of bacteria.

2. Avoid Alzheimer’s

A new study performed on mice shows that drinking apple juice could keep Alzheimer’s away and fight the effects of aging on the brain. Mice in the study that were fed an apple-enhanced diet showed higher levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and did better in maze tests than those on a regular diet.

3. Protect against Parkinson’s

Research has shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fibre foods gain a certain amount of protection against Parkinson’s, a disease characterized by a breakdown of the brain’s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein.

4. Curb all sorts of cancers

Scientists from the American Association for Cancer Research, among others, agree that the consumption of flavonol-rich apples could help reduce your risk of developing pancreatic cancer by up to 23 per cent. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds – triterpenoids – in apple peel that have potent anti-growth activities against cancer cells in the liver, colon and breast. Their earlier research found that extracts from whole apples can reduce the number and size of mammary tumours in rats. Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. has recommended a high fibre intake to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

5. Decrease your risk of diabetes

Women who eat at least one apple a day are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetesthan those who don’t eat apples. Apples are loaded with soluble fibre, the key to blunting blood sugar swings.

6. Reduce cholesterol

The soluble fibre found in apples binds with fats in the intestine, which translates into lower cholesterol levels and a healthier you.

7. Get a healthier heart

An extensive body of research has linked high soluble fibre intake with a slower buildup of cholesterol-rich plaque in your arteries. The phenolic compound found in apple skins also prevents the cholesterol that gets into your system from solidifying on your artery walls. When plaque builds inside your arteries, it reduces blood flow to your heart, leading to coronary artery disease.

8. Prevent gallstones

Gallstones form when there’s too much cholesterol in your bile for it to remain as a liquid, so it solidifies. They are particularly prevalent in the obese. To prevent gallstones, doctors recommend a diet high in fibre to help you control your weight and cholesterol levels.

9. Beat diarrhea and constipation

Whether you can’t go to the bathroom or you just can’t stop, fibre found in apples can help. Fibre can either pull water out of your colon to keep things moving along when you’re backed up, or absorb excess water from your stool to slow your bowels down.

10. Neutralize irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and bloating. To control these symptoms doctors recommend staying away from dairy and fatty foods while including a high intake of fibre in your diet.

11. Avert hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are a swollen vein in the anal canal and while not life threatening, these veins can be very painful. They are caused by too much pressure in the pelvic and rectal areas. Part and parcel with controlling constipation, fibre can prevent you from straining too much when going to the bathroom and thereby help alleviate hemorrhoids.

12. Control your weight

Many health problems are associated with being overweight, among them heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. To manage your weight and improve your overall health, doctors recommend a diet rich in fibre. Foods high in fibre will fill you up without costing you too many calories.

13. Detoxify your liver

We’re constantly consuming toxins, whether it is from drinks or food, and your liver is responsible for clearing these toxins out of your body. Many doctors are skeptical of fad detox 

diets, saying they have the potential to do more harm than good. Luckily, one of the best – and easiest – things you can eat to help detoxify your liver is fruits – like apples.

14. Boost your immune system

Red apples contain an antioxidant called quercetin. Recent studies have found that quercetin can help boost and fortify your immune system, especially when you’re stressed out.

15. Prevent cataracts

Though past studies have been divided on the issue, recent long-term studies suggest that people who have a diet rich in fruits that contain antioxidants – like apples – are 10 to 15 per cent less likely to develop cataracts.

source:://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID 

Do we still need 3 square meals a day or is all-day breakfast the new normal?

   Canadian eating habits are changing and restaurants are taking notice in hunt for growth

When Greg McRae was growing up, meal times at home were a regular thing.

Breakfast would come right after he woke up. A sandwich or soup would be on the table for lunch around noon with his mom, dad and brother. Maybe he'd nibble on a light snack — but only a light snack — between lunch and dinner, which would be "dead on 5:30.

McRae often works for several hours before realizing mid-afternoon 'that I should probably eat something.' (Greg McRae)
Now, at age 31, virtually everything about how the Edmonton systems analyst eats is "drastically different."

"As an adult, I don't really have a scheduled, set time. I don't really structure my meals," he says.

"There's definitely waking up and making sure I get breakfast because I need something to start my day, but after that it's kind of whenever my stomach or whenever my body tells me it's time for food, it's time for food."

He's not alone. Across Canada, the way food is consumed is changing, driven in part by faster-paced lifestyles, along with a force that is influencing so much else: the millennial generation and how they want to live now.
Can breakfast keep us thin?

Breakfast not what it's cracked up to be?
"All facets of our lifestyle have changed over the years and it's contributed to our changing dietary habits as well," says David Ma, associate professor in the department of human health and nutritional sciences at the University of Guelph.

Meals may be more frequent and smaller. People are grazing and grabbing something on the go.
All-day breakfast

Those who make their money off food have noticed.
Two major fast-food outlets — McDonald's and A&W — launch all-day breakfast this month, appealing to people who want to grab a quick egg and sausage on a bun well beyond breakfast time.


Registered dietitian Megan Wallace says millennials are often eating while they're doing something else. (Megan Wallace)

"Three square meals a day seemed like a good way to get people together at meal times, which is when we learn lots of other healthy eating habits," says Megan Wallace, a registered dietitian in Edmonton.
And, she says, it's still a "nic idea."

"However, we know that millennials don't eat like that and a lot of us have a hard time getting together for breakfast, lunch and supper."
More common is eating something while doing something else.

"Often they're eating and doing other things like walking," says Wallace. "It could be driving, it could be screen time."
'Hanging on'

That's not to say three square meals a day has gone completely by the wayside.
"My parents' generation … the baby boomer generation — they were taught kitchen skills and they eat in the home more often than millennials do, they value more that three-square-meal approach," says Wallace.
"They're … hanging on to those traditions a little bit more, but I've seen that fade with the younger population."

McDonald's saw changes, too — the chain launched all-day breakfast at most of its restaurants across Canada on Tuesday.

"Canadians want to enjoy breakfast when they want to — without the constraints of time," McDonald's said in an email. "They have also been asking for it; in fact, just the past year alone, all-day breakfast was one of the top requests we heard from our guests."

Next Monday, A&W will also introduce all-day breakfast in all its restaurants, after a test run at 40 outlets
A&W president Susan Senecal says customer response to a test run of all-day breakfast — particularly from millennials — was 'tremendous.' (CBC)

"The response was tremendous, particularly from millennials, and we know that breakfast is something Canadians don't limit to just the morning," company president Susan Senecal said in a release.

"Really what we found was it was mostly a convenience for guests who were just looking for a little something in the afternoon — either they'd woken up late or they were on a different schedule," she said in an interview.


For restaurant operators who see flatness in the number of diners coming through their doors, that interest in breakfast at any time offers potential for incremental growth.
McDonalds Breakfast 20170126

An A&W English Muffin Bacon & Egger breakfast sandwich will be one of the breakfast foods available all day starting Monday. (A&W Food Services of Canada Inc./Canadian Press)

"When we look at the overall restaurant market, traffic to restaurants over the last number of years has been flat," says Robert Carter, executive director of food service at market research firm NPD Group.

"Breakfast has been the fastest growing day part in the restaurant industry over the last five years and so today's restaurant operators are looking at: 'How do we capitalize on that growth at breakfast by extending it throughout the day?'"

That growth has come from all demographics, Carter says, "but it's really being driven by this millennial cohort, this 18-34-year-old consumer and they're the highest users of restaurants in today's marketplace overall."

Robert Carter, executive director of food service at market research firm NPD Group, says traffic to restaurants overall has been flat over the past few years, but there has been some growth in breakfast. (CBC)

Wallace looks at all-day breakfast and sees it as a "very clever strategy."
"I think they're catering to a generation that wants to do exactly what they want to do and they don't want to be told otherwise."

But she has a caution, particularly for anyone thinking about nutrition.
"It's still going to have higher fat, higher sugar and higher salt," she says.

"They're giving us more options of those unhealthier foods but I'm sure there's still options we can pick from that menu that might be a little bit more healthy than others."
Especially for children

As much as restaurant operators hope consumers show a hearty appetite for Egg McMuffins or Bacon & Eggers well into the day, others still see virtue in elements of more traditional eating patterns.
"I would say that breakfast remains an important meal to start the day, especially in children," says the University of Guelph's Ma, noting "some modest evidence" linking a high-quality breakfast with improved academic achievement.

For the rest of the day, he suggests, it's "just really recognizing that it is a very different environment than 10, 20, 30 years ago and that you can't necessarily turn back the clock." As long as we are getting a "balanced diet … packed with nutrients," the timing is less vital.

McRae looks around at his friends and sees those who are a few years older with young children returning to more traditional eating habits.
"I think you become more structured because you want to … give your child more of that structured eating pattern."

And sometimes he wishes he was a bit more structured in his own eating.
"There's a few times where I stop myself and go: 'Oh God, I haven't eaten in eight hours, I should probably get something,'" he said.
Be 'mindful'

For Wallace, more important is being "mindful" when we eat, whenever that may be.
"When we're eating and doing other things, again, we're going to consume more," she says.
Wallace says there's "nothing magical to having a square breakfast meal."

"It's more about just being mindful when we're eating it, so making sure we're getting some food sometime in the morning so that we can carry on throughout our day without fading."'
muffin cheese

Pairing foods such as a muffin and cheese can be beneficial for nutrition. (Nenad Ilic/Shutterstock)
No matter when someone is eating, she suggests pairing foods, for example a muffin with a piece of cheese.
"It gives you more nutrition, more bang for your buck in the one meal or the one snack."

That blend of carbohydrates, proteins and fat will keep a person satiated and full longer, Wallace says, offering nutrition from various food groups.

"We're likely to come out more well-rounded in the end even if we don't have time to sit down for three square meals a day."

source:www.cbc.ca/news/health/meal-times-eating-