Field Notes

New Survey: 91% of Parents Say Their Family Is Less Stressed When They Eat Together

Chronic, constant stress can increase lifetime risk of heart disease and stroke, but a new survey from the American Heart Association (AHA) reveals regular mealtime with others could be a simple solution to help manage stress.

Of the 1,000 US adults nationwide surveyed in September 2022 for the AHA's Healthy for Good™ movement by Wakefield Research, the vast majority (84%) say they wish they could share a meal more often with loved ones, and nearly all parents report lower levels of stress among their family when they regularly connect over a meal.

“Sharing meals with others is a great way to reduce stress, boost self-esteem, and improve social connection, particularly for kids,” says Erin Michos, MD, MHS, an AHA volunteer, associate director of preventive cardiology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and a coauthor of the AHA’s statement on Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection. “Chronic, constant stress also can increase your lifetime risk of heart disease and stroke, so it’s important for people to find ways to reduce and manage stress as much as possible, as soon as possible.”

Connecting with friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors benefits people beyond stress relief. In fact, the survey found 67% of people say sharing a meal reminds them of the importance of connecting with other people, and 54% say it reminds them to slow down and take a break.

Those surveyed say they’re more likely (59%) to make healthier food choices when eating with other people but have difficulty aligning schedules with their friends or family to do so, according to the survey. Overall, respondents reported eating alone about half of the time.

“We know it’s not always as easy as it sounds to get people together at mealtime. Like other healthful habits, give yourself permission to start small and build from there,” Michos says. “Set a goal to gather friends, family, or coworkers for one more meal together each week. If you can’t get together in person, think about how you can share a meal together over the phone or a computer.”

The AHA’s survey also identified that the majority (65%) of adults say they’re at least somewhat stressed and more than one-quarter (27%) are extremely or very stressed. Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) of survey respondents who are employed full- or part-time say they would feel less stressed at work if they had more time to take a break and share a meal with a coworker.

— Source: American Heart Association

 

Researchers Study Garlic Chives in Relationship to Obesity‑Related Illness

University of Nebraska–Lincoln scientists are studying how nanoparticles found in garlic chives curb inflammation that contributes to many obesity-related diseases.

Chronic low-grade inflammation in tissues is a factor in many diseases, including heart disease, strokes, Alzheimer’s, atherosclerosis, and type 2 diabetes, some of which are among the leading causes of death in the United States.

The Nebraska research headed by Jiujiu Yu, PhD, targets the NLRP3 inflammasome, a critical component of the innate immune system that helps defend against bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. However, NLRP3 also can cause inflammatory disorders when dysregulated.

“Targeting NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation should curb or prevent the disease progression and thus holds therapeutic promise to combat obesity-related diseases,” says Yu, an assistant professor of nutrition and health sciences. Yu heads research funded by a $1,734,810 grant from the National Institutes of Health.

No medications are available to target NLRP3, but research has found that nanoparticles in certain species of Allium can slow or prevent inflammation, Yu says. Not all Allium are created equal in this regard. Yu’s team initially studied nanoparticles from six Allium species: garlic bulbs, purple and white onion, leek, scallion, and garlic chives. Most showed only marginal or mild inhibitory effects—except for chives.

“Chive nanoparticles have very strong anti-inflammatory function,” says Yu, who’s affiliated with the Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases Through Dietary Molecules. “One of the aims in our research is to identify the bioactive molecules in those chive nanoparticles.”

These membrane-enclosed nanoparticles contain lipids, proteins and RNAs. Yu says researchers have zeroed in on a specific molecule in the nanoparticles—1,2-dilinoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine—that they’re further testing. Already, they’ve found that oral administration of nanoparticles containing this molecule reduced inflammasome activity and improved metabolic health in mice.

Downing a bunch of chives from the grocery store won’t necessarily have this effect, Yu says, as the anti-inflammatory effects of chives vary. Generally, for example, chives harvested in winter and spring seem to have greater impact than those obtained in summer and fall. Garlic chives are different from common chives, with a more garlicky flavor and a wider, flat leaf compared with the common chives' hollow tube.

Ultimately, Yu says, “The goal of our research is to develop a new dietary strategy or therapeutic modality to suppress NLRP3 inflammasome activity and inflammation in obesity and obesity-related diseases.”

Chives are among several foods with nanoparticles shown to inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome and that could be part of future anti-inflammatory treatment approaches, including ginger, shiitake mushrooms, and honey.

— Source: University of Nebraska-Lincoln