Four Bad Habits Combine to Age You by 12 Years
You already know that smoking, drinking too much alcohol, not getting enough exercise and eating a poor diet are all bad for you. But a new study of almost 5,000 British adults over 20 years dramatizes how such unhealthy habits add up to shorten your lifespan — especially in combination. Researchers looked at four risky behaviors: smoking tobacco, drinking more than two alcoholic beverages daily for women or three for men, getting less than two hours of physical activity weekly, and eating less than three servings daily of fruits and vegetables (most guidelines call for even more). Among people with all four bad habits, 29% died during the 20-year span. That compares with only 8% for people with none of the risky behaviors. The effect on mortality was the equivalent of adding 12 years to the age of the unhealthiest group, researchers said, adding, "You don't need to be extreme. . . . It should be possible for most people to manage" to avoid these life-shortening habits. — Archives of Internal Medicine

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Typical Fast-Food Lunch Packs a Day's Worth of Sodium
You deserve a break from sodium today. New York City researchers report that a typical fast-food lunch contains as much sodium as many people should consume in an entire day. They studied the receipts for 6,580 lunches bought at 11 different fast-food chains by ordinary consumers, adding up the sodium content. The average was a whopping 1,751 mg. That's nearly as much as the dietary guidelines' 2,300 mg limit for an entire day, and more than the 1,500 mg the government recommends for everyone over age 40, African-Americans and those with hypertension. About 57% of the lunches purchased exceeded the 1,500 mg mark. The chains with the most sodium in a typical lunch were KFC and Popeye's, both emphasizing chicken dishes, with McDonald's actually the lowest. But lunches at the burger giant still averaged a high 1,477 mg. Researchers noted, "Fast food is not only a high-calorie but also a high-sodium food." — Archives of Internal Medicine

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Trial of Omega-3s for Brain Boost Disappoints
The omega-3s EPA and DHA found in fish oil are known to be good for your heart, but a new randomized controlled trial casts doubt on whether they also have brain benefits. The study split 748 adults in their 70s, all with healthy cognitive function, into two groups. One received 200 mg of EPA plus 500 mg of DHA, while the other half got an olive-oil placebo. After two years, there was no difference between the groups, and the omega-3 group failed to see any cognitive enhancement. None of the participants, however, experienced any cognitive decline, either, causing a spokesman for an omega-3 trade association to suggest the study was too short in duration. The findings also run contrary to several previous studies showing brain benefits for omega-3s. The researchers countered that the evidence for such a benefit "is becoming more inconsistent" and noted that most previous positive studies were not randomized controlled trials. — American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

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First Step in Updating Federal Dietary Guidelines Next Week
Recommendations of the scientific experts reviewing the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans will be presented at the committee's final meeting next week, and sugary soft drinks and sodium are in the bullseye. The expert committee's report on May 12 will be followed by a public-comment period in June, with the final 2010 guidelines issued later this year. The guidelines are updated every five years to reflect changes in scientific knowledge about nutrition. The committee is said to be targeting sugar-sweetened soft drinks, especially for children, and considering lowering the recommended daily sodium limit from 2,300 mg to 1,500 mg. It's also weighing alternatives to milk for those who are lactose-intolerant, and may recommended soymilk as the next best thing. Other concerns expected to affect the 2010 guidelines include: the obesity epidemic; a focus on reducing added sugar, fats, refined carbohydrates and sodium rather than discretionary calories; helping people get more exercise; and shifting the overall food environment toward a more plant-based diet. — American Society of Nutrition

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"Red Wine" Cancer Drug Test Suspended
Can you get the health benefits of red wine in a pill? At least when it comes to combating cancer, the answer may have to wait. Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline abruptly suspended a clinical trial of SRT501, a proprietary formulation of resveratrol, a substance found in red wine and grapes and touted for its longevity-boosting properties. The company cited "unexpected safety events" in its test of SRT501 in patients suffering a type of blood cancer. The trial had been testing SRT501 both with and without the established cancer drug Velcade; 24 patients out of a goal of 61 had been enrolled and begun treatment. New patient enrollment was put on hold and participants were asked to re-consent if they wanted to continue. GlaxiSmithKline acquired the resveratrol drug in its $720 million acquisition of Sirtris Pharmaceuticals in 2008. Three trials of SRT501 for treatment of type 2 diabetes have been completed.

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