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Business News/ Mint-lounge / Features/  Potato fries can cause cancer
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Potato fries can cause cancer

People with diabetes are more likely to have poor gums and weak teeth and distraction while eating leads to overeating and obesity studies and research tips for a healthier you

Acrylamide is present in high quantity in fried potatoes, including French fries and potato chips. Photo: iStockphotoPremium
Acrylamide is present in high quantity in fried potatoes, including French fries and potato chips. Photo: iStockphoto

Potato fries can increase risk of cancer

Crispy fried potatoes contain high levels of harmful chemical acrylamide but with the right potato variety, the risk can be minimised, warns an American study. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, acrylamide is a probable human carcinogen. Acrylamide is present in high quantity in fried potatoes, including French fries and potato chips. Scientists from University of Idaho in US studied more than 140 potato varieties for the study and found certain varieties produce less acrylamide and so were less harmful. Cooking potato at high temperatures (above 120 degree Celsius) causes reaction between its sugar, amino acids and asparagine. This reaction gives fried potatoes their prized flavour and colour, but also produces acrylamide. The study was published in the journal Crop Science. Read more here.

Distracted dining may lead to overeating and obesity

Distraction while eating can cause overeating and obesity, a study claims. Researchers at the University of Illinois in the US videotaped 60 families during mealtime. Half the families were subjected to a continuos noise from a loud vacuum cleaner in an adjacent room for 15 minutes at the same time. The other half ate without any distraction. The researchers recorded the participants’ body mass index, food consumption, behaviour and mealtime communication with other family members. The effects of distraction were more noticeable in parents. The study found that parents in the distraction group ate more cookies and chose more diet beverages over sugary drinks than the quiet group. The findings were published in the journal Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practise. Read more here.

Contaminated food kills 4,20,000 people every year

Eating contaminated food makes 600 million people sick and causes around 420,000 deaths every year, reveals a World Health Organization (WHO) study. Young children account for nearly one-third of those deaths as pathogens take advantage of weak immune systems. The study identified 31 different agents of food contamination and listed parasites like the Taenia Solium tapeworm and aflatoxin as the major culprits. Lower levels of literacy and education, as well as lax or poorly implemented food safety laws compound the problem. Though food-borne bacteria mostly causes diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea, long-term food contamination can cause long-term illnesses like cancer, kidney or liver failure, brain and neural disorders. Weak food safety laws, faulty handling of food and disregard for cleanliness are some other factors. Read more here.

Diabetes leads to tooth loss

People with diabetes are more likely to lose teeth than those without the condition, a study shows. Researchers from Duke University in the US studied data on more than 37,000 individuals examined between 1971 to 2012 under the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They found diabetes increases the risk of gum disease and eventually tooth loss in many. An additional analysis of 1999-2000 showed that people with diabetes were 34% less likely to have at least 21 teeth than those without the disease. They also found that gum disease can also complicate diabetes as it affects the overall health of the patient. The study was published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease. Read more here.

Exposure to cadmium weakens bones

Exposure to cadmium, even if its in small quantity, can weaken bones and increase the risk of fractures among older adults, a Swedish study claims. Cadmium is used in batteries and found in cigarette smoke and petrol fumes. It is also present in soil at very low concentration, but certain agricultural practices can release it into the environment and contaminate food. Researchers enlisted more than 900 elderly men with an average age of 75 and divided them into four groups based on their level of cadmium exposure. At the end of the study, it was found that men with the highest cadmium exposure were 30% more likely to have fractures than those with the lowest exposure. In the non-smoker group, exposure to cadmium was the lowest. The study was published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Read more here.

Compiled by Abhijit Ahaskar

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Published: 04 Dec 2015, 12:39 PM IST
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