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Researchers say moderate calorie cuts could reduce inflammation tied to aging

• A Yale-led study found that eating fewer calories may lower inflammation connected to aging.

• Participants reduced their calorie intake by about 11% to 14% over two years.

• Researchers say the findings could help explain how calorie restriction affects long-term health.

Scientists have long wondered whether eating fewer calories could help people stay healthier as they age. Studies in animals have shown that calorie restriction may help extend lifespan, but researchers still have a lot to learn about how it works in humans.

Now, a new study from Yale School of Medicine suggests that cutting calories in a moderate, realistic way may help lower inflammation in the body that is linked to aging. The research, published in Nature Aging, looked at how eating less affects the immune system and certain proteins tied to age-related inflammation.

The study

Researchers stressed that the participants were not following extreme diets or starving themselves. Instead, they reduced their calorie intake by about 11% to 14% over two years. That could mean skipping extra snacks, cutting back on portion sizes, or making small adjustments to meals over time.

The study used data from a clinical trial called CALERIE, which followed healthy adults over a two-year period. Researchers collected blood samples from 42 participants and studied thousands of proteins in their blood to look for changes caused by calorie restriction.

One protein caught the researchers attention: a protein called C3, which is part of the immune system. Normally, this protein helps the body fight infections. But past research has suggested that too much activity from this part of the immune system may also contribute to chronic inflammation as people get older.

Chronic inflammation has been linked to many age-related health problems, including heart disease and other conditions that become more common later in life. Scientists sometimes refer to this slow, ongoing inflammation as inflammaging.

The results

The researchers found that participants who reduced their calorie intake had lower levels of activity tied to the C3 protein. The changes appeared to happen largely in body fat tissue, especially deeper belly fat known as visceral fat.

To better understand what was happening, the researchers also studied mice. They found that levels of the C3 protein increased with age, particularly in fat tissue. They also identified certain immune cells in fat tissue that seemed to produce the protein.

Interestingly, the improvements seen in the study did not appear to depend entirely on weight loss itself. Researchers said the findings suggest that calorie restriction may change how fat tissue and the immune system behave, beyond simply helping people lose weight.

The team also tested a drug in mice that blocks the activity of the C3 protein. The treatment reduced age-related inflammation in ways that looked similar to calorie restriction. Researchers say this could eventually help scientists develop therapies that target aging-related inflammation without requiring people to dramatically cut calories.

Still, the researchers caution that more studies are needed to fully understand the long-term effects. The study does not prove that eating less will slow aging in every person, but it does offer new clues about how moderate calorie reduction may affect the body over time.

This concept demonstrates that aging is actually malleable and a process that can be targeted, senior author Vishwa Deep Dixit, Ph.D., said in a news release.

New research suggests stress and loneliness are rising in middle age

• Researchers found that middle-aged Americans report higher levels of loneliness and depression than earlier generations.

• The trends appear to be more pronounced in the United States than in several other wealthy nations.

• The study also explored possible reasons, including financial strain, weaker social support, and changing family dynamics.

For many people, middle age has long been viewed as a relatively stable period of life a time when careers, finances, and family life finally begin to settle into place. But new psychological research suggests that reality may be shifting for many Americans.

A recent paper published in Current Directions in Psychological Science found that middle-aged adults in the United States are experiencing growing levels of loneliness, depression, and stress compared to previous generations.

The researchers focused specifically on adults in midlife, generally defined as ages 40 to 65. According to the paper, this group has often received less attention than younger or older populations in psychological research, despite facing major pressures related to work, caregiving, finances, and health. The authors argue that todays middle-aged Americans may be dealing with a unique combination of economic uncertainty, social isolation, and changing cultural expectations.

The study

To explore these patterns, the researchers examined data collected across multiple decades and countries. They compared middle-aged adults in the United States with adults of similar ages living in other high-income nations, including countries in Europe and Asia. The study looked at several indicators tied to well-being, including loneliness, depressive symptoms, physical health, memory, and social support.

Rather than relying on a single survey, the researchers drew from large longitudinal datasets that tracked people over long periods of time. This allowed them to compare how different generations experienced midlife and how those experiences changed historically.

The study also examined broader societal factors that could influence well-being, such as family structures, economic conditions, and government support systems.

The results

Ultimately, the researchers found evidence that midlife in America has become more difficult over time.

Americans born in the 1960s and early 1970s reported higher levels of loneliness and depression than earlier generations did at the same age. Some data also suggested declines in memory and physical health measures among middle-aged adults in the United States.

Importantly, the authors stressed that these findings describe broad population-level trends and do not mean every middle-aged American is struggling.

Still, they say the results highlight the importance of paying closer attention to the challenges facing adults in midlife a life stage that can carry significant emotional, social, and financial demands.

Individuals can find their own community, support system, or people they can go to in times of need, whether it be family or friends, researcher Frank Infurna said in a news release. Having that sense of community and engagement can go a long way to promoting more positive health outcomes among middle-aged adults.

A simple way to get families talking again during dinner

• Free ice cream for unplugging:A Maryland Chick-fil-A location is rewardingfamilies for putting their phones away during meals with a free cone.

• Phones are taking over mealtime: Many Americans say devices increasingly distract from real family conversations.

• A simple challenge: Instead of lecturing families, the restaurant turns unplugging into a fun reward system.

A Chick-fil-A location in Maryland is offering customers a pretty unusual deal right now: put your phones away during dinner and get a free ice cream cone.

Theyre calling it the Cell Phone Coop Challenge, where families place their phones into a small tabletop box during their meal. If nobody touches their phone until the meal is over, everyone at the table receives a free Icedream Cone.

The challenge quickly started getting attention online because it taps into something many families are struggling with right now, which is that their phones are often taking over mealtime.

And based on the numbers, its clearly a real issue with families.

Americans are increasingly distracted during meals

According to a 2023 study cited by Fox Business:

• 68% of households say someone uses their phone during meals
• 65% say they dislike it
• 42% believe its rude

For a lot of families, dinner now includes scrolling TikTok, answering work emails, watching YouTube, or texting during conversations.

People may technically be sitting together, but theyre often mentally somewhere else entirely.

Why the Chick-fil-A challenge is getting attention

Part of the reason this promotion resonates is because it doesnt feel preachy.

The restaurant isnt banning phones or lecturing families about screen time during dinner. Instead, it turns putting phones away into a small challenge with a tasty reward attached.

And honestly, its a pretty smart marketing idea.

A soft-serve cone costs very little for the restaurant, but the promotion creates:

• Social media buzz
• Repeat visits
• Positive brand attention

And some would argue that it also gives parents an easier way to introduce phone-free meals without becoming the bad guy.

Restaurants are becoming one of the last 'shared spaces'

One reason this story is resonating is because many Americans feel like uninterrupted conversation is becoming increasingly rare.

Phones now follow people everywhere and seem to be omnipresent. And unlike TV, phones tend to isolate each person into their own separate feed or algorithm.

Thats why some families are intentionally trying to create small phone-free zones during the day. For many parents, mealtime feels like the easiest place to start.

Pro tip: If you want to try something similar at home, avoid going from phones everywhere to a full ban overnight. Families usually have better success starting with one phone-free dinner per week or a short challenge during meals.

The psychology behind the free ice cream trick

Behavior experts have long said small incentives can be surprisingly effective at changing habits. And this promotion works because it replaces conflict with reward.

Instead of: Get off your phone.

The message becomes: Lets see if we can all do this together.

That subtle shift matters, especially when dealing with teenagers and younger kids who might roll their eyes otherwise.

Some families are already creating their own versions

Many parents online said they already use similar systems at home, including:

• Everyone stacking phones during dinner
• The first person to grab their phone pays for dessert
• Phones staying in the car when dining atarestaurant
• Screen-free family nights

The goal usually isnt eliminating technology completely; its more about creating short periods where everyone is fully present.

The Chick-fil-A Cell Phone Coop Challenge may sound gimmicky at first, but it taps into a frustration many Americans share. People are increasingly exhausted by feeling constantly connected, constantly distracted, and constantly interrupted by screens.

And while a free ice cream cone wont solve that problem entirely, it does create a much-needed uninterrupted conversation around the dinner table.

Rising shipping costs are a big reason

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Grocery prices rose 0.7% in April, led by sharp increases in fruits and vegetables, beef, and nonalcoholic beverages.

• Fresh produce prices jumped 1.8% in a single month and are now up 6.1% over the past year.

• Beef prices surged 2.7% in April, helping push the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs category up 1.3%.

American consumers saw another jump in supermarket prices in April, with fresh produce, beef, and beverages posting some of the largest increases in the latest federal government inflation data.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the food at home index a measure of grocery store prices increased 0.7% in April after remaining flat in March. Five of the six major grocery categories tracked by the government increased.

The steepest monthly increase came from fruits and vegetables, which climbed 1.8% in April. Over the past 12 months, produce prices have risen 6.1%, making it one of the fastest-growing food categories in the Consumer Price Index basket.

Beef drives meat prices higher

Beef prices also continued to rise sharply. The CPI showed the broader meats, poultry, fish, and eggs category increased 1.3% during the month, driven largely by a 2.7% jump in beef prices.

Nonalcoholic beverages, including coffee and other drink products, rose 1.1% in April and are up 5.1% over the past year. Analysts have linked some of those increases to higher transportation and import costs, along with poor crop conditions in key producing regions.

Dairy prices rose 0.8% in April, although the category remains down 0.6% from a year ago. Cereals and bakery products posted a more modest 0.1% monthly increase and are up 2.6% annually.

One of the few areas where consumers caught a break was the other food at home category, which declined 0.4% in April.

Dining out isnt getting any cheaper

Overall, grocery prices are now 2.9% higher than a year ago, according to the CPI data. Restaurant prices also continued climbing, with food-away-from-home prices up 3.6% annually.

Economists say food price increases are tied to the surge in the price of diesel fuel since the start of the Iran war. They note that higher fuel costs are adding pressure throughout the food supply chain, increasing transportation, packaging, and production expenses.

The April CPI report showed gasoline prices rising 5.4% during the month and 28.4% over the past year.

Wholesale prices are also rising

There could be more bad price news in the weeks ahead. The Producer Price Index, a measure of inflation at the wholesale level, rose 1.4% in April, the largest one-month increase since March 2022.

Nearly three-quarters of the April advance in the index for unprocessed goods forintermediate demand can be attributed to prices for crude petroleum, which moved up 11.3%.

The indexes for raw milk, slaughter steers and heifers, natural gas, iron and steel scrap, and fresh vegetables (except potatoes) also rose. These higher wholesale costs normally get passed along to consumers at the retail level.

IRS warns taxpayers about fake CP53E notices targeting refund recipients

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• More than 1.4 million taxpayers have received IRS CP53E notices this year, creating confusion and fueling scam fears.

• The Taxpayer Advocate Service warns scammers are sending fake versions of the notices to steal banking and personal information.

• Consumers should never scan QR codes or click links in suspicious IRS letters and should instead go directly to IRS.gov to verify any notice.

Scammers are very good at noticing legitimate communications that ask for sensitive information. Lately, theyre exploiting confusion over a flood of CP53E tax notices from the IRS that are being mailed this year.

The notices are legitimate IRS letters sent when the agency cannot process a taxpayers refund through direct deposit because of missing, incorrect, or rejected banking information. But fraudsters are now sending convincing fake versions designed to steal financial data and personal information.

The issue has become widespread after the IRS mailed more than 1.4 million CP53E notices as part of the federal governments broader transition away from paper refund checks and toward electronic payments.

The surge in notices has left many taxpayers unsure whether the letters are real, especially because some recipients reportedly received notices despite owing taxes or not expecting refunds.

What the scam looks like

According to the Taxpayer Advocate Service and tax professionals, fake CP53E notices often include QR codes, suspicious phone numbers, or links to phishing websites that ask taxpayers to verify or update bank account information.

Scammers are relying on realistic-looking documents and the publics fear of refund delays to pressure victims into acting quickly. Some fake notices even use future dates or official-sounding labels to appear authentic.

Tax experts say consumers should be especially cautious about any notice that:

• Includes a QR code

• Requests sensitive information by phone, email, or text

• Uses threatening or urgent language

• Directs taxpayers to unfamiliar websites

How to verify a CP53E notice

The Taxpayer Advocate Service says the safest way to handle any IRS correspondence is to bypass links and QR codes entirely and manually type IRS.gov into a browser.

Taxpayers can then log into their IRS online account to verify whether the notice is legitimate and update banking information securely if needed.

The IRS also notes that employees cannot accept direct-deposit banking information over the phone.

Consumers who do not respond to a legitimate CP53E notice may still receive a paper refund check, although the process could take several additional weeks.

What to do if you suspect fraud

Consumers who believe they received a fake IRS notice should avoid responding and report the incident to the IRS phishing email address at phishing@irs.gov. This IRS webpage can help tell the real thing from a scam.

Anyone who has already shared financial information should immediately contact their bank and monitor accounts for suspicious activity. Experts also recommend filing reports with the Federal Trade Commission and the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center.