Consumer News: DEA moves to temporarily restrict synthetic 7-OH products

Don't let wholesome packaging fool your shopping cart

• Don't trust the packaging. Words like whole grain, honey, and oats can make cereals seem healthier than they really are.

• Compare varieties carefully. Even trusted brands can have flavored versions with significantly more added sugar than the original.

• Read the Nutrition Facts label. Aim for cereals with 10 grams or less of added sugar, at least 3 grams of fiber, and as much protein as possible.

Words like "whole grain," "honey," "oats," and "protein" can make a cereal seem like a healthy way to start the day. But according to a recent roundup by Tasting Table, several cereals with wholesome-sounding names or healthy-looking packaging still contain surprisingly high amounts of added sugar.

The publication consulted registered dietitians to identify cereals they recommend limiting on your pantry shelf. Not just because of the sugar levels, but also because many are low in fiber and protein, making them less filling than consumers might expect.

Here are five cereals that may not be as healthy as their packaging suggests.

Cheerios Oat Crunch Oats 'N Honey

Original Cheerios has only one gram of sugar in 1.5 cups. This stuff packs a whopping 15 grams of sugar in just one cup. Yes, they shrunk the serving size on the box, otherwise 1.5 cups would have well over 20 grams of sugar.

So, while the Cheerios name gives this cereal a healthy reputation, this version contains considerably more added sugar than Original Cheerios.

While oats and whole grains are part of the recipe, the added sweetness makes it less nutritious than many shoppers assume.

If you like Cheerios, be sure to compare the Nutrition Facts labels, as there are now many varieties available. I have yet to find a variety that has sugar levels as low as the original.

Special K Chocolatey Delights

For years, Special K has been marketed as a better-for-you cereal, but the chocolate variety tells a different story.

Dietitians point to its added sugar (12 grams per cup) and refined ingredients, saying it's closer to a sweet snack than a balanced breakfast.

Don't assume every cereal in a healthy brand lineup is equally nutritious. Flavored varieties often contain much more sugar than the original.

Honey Ohs

With words like "Honey" and images of golden cereal pieces, Honey Ohs looks like a fairly wholesome breakfast option.

Nutritionists say the reality is different, citing multiple added sweeteners (18 grams of sugar per cup) and relatively little fiber to balance them out. It actually has more sugar than the Oreos cereal.

Shopping tip: Ignore buzzwords on the front of the box and check the "Added Sugars" line on the Nutrition Facts panel.

Honey Smacks

Whole-grain wheat is the first ingredient, but it's quickly followed by several forms of added sugar.

Nutritionists say a single serving contains about 18 grams of added sugar, making it one of the sweeter cereals in the aisle.

Shopping tip: A cereal can contain whole grains and still be high in sugar. Thats why its so important to look at the full nutrition label before assuming it's a healthy choice.

Apple Jacks

The name and colorful apples on the box may suggest fruit, but experts note that the cereal gets its apple flavor primarily from added flavorings rather than real fruit.

Combined with its sugar content (13 grams of sugar per cup), it's another example of marketing creating a "health halo."

Shopping tip: Pictures of fruit don't necessarily mean a cereal contains meaningful amounts of fruit. Especially when fruit is spelled froot.

The cereals that probably won't surprise you

Nutritionists also included several cereals that most shoppers already recognize as treats rather than health foods, including:

• Golden Crisp

• Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries

• Marshmallow Fruity Pebbles

• Oreo Puffs

• Krave Double Chocolate Brownie Batter

Shop smarter in the cereal aisle

Rather than judging a cereal by its front label, flip the box over and read the Nutrition Facts panel.

Nutrition experts generally recommend choosing cereals with 10 grams or less of added sugar, at least three grams of fiber, and as much protein as possible. Pairing cereal with Greek yogurt, nuts, or fresh fruit can also create a more balanced breakfast.

New research finds weight-loss drug could influence energy use in unexpected ways

• A new clinical trial suggests tirzepatide may activate brown fat, a type of fat that burns calories to produce heat.

• Researchers used advanced imaging before and after 24 weeks of treatment to measure changes in brown fat activity.

• The findings suggest tirzepatide may affect both appetite and how the body uses energy, though more research is needed.

Tirzepatide has become well known for helping people lose weight by reducing appetite and making it easier to eat smaller portions. But new research presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting, suggests the medication may have another effect happening behind the scenes.

Researchers found evidence that tirzepatide activates brown adipose tissue, often called brown fat. Unlike the more familiar white fat, which stores energy, brown fat burns calories to produce heat.

Scientists have known for years that adults have brown fat, but it tends to be much less active in people with obesity. Until now, exposure to moderate cold temperatures has been considered its strongest known activator.

The new findings raise the possibility that tirzepatide doesn't simply help people eat less it may also influence how the body expends energy. According to the researchers, this represents an important step toward understanding the medication's full range of effects.

How the researchers studied brown fat

To investigate the question, researchers conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving premenopausal women with obesity.

Participants underwent specialized imaging before starting treatment and again after 24 weeks. The research team used cold-stimulated PET/CT scans along with MRI imaging to evaluate both the activity and volume of brown adipose tissue.

In the trial, we asked a different question: beyond eating less, does tirzepatide also change how the body burns energy specifically through brown adipose tissue, a metabolically active type of fat that produces heat and consumes calories? researcher Rok Herman, M.D., said in a news release.

The team also examined whether there were signs that white fat beneath the skin might begin taking on characteristics of more metabolically active "beige" fat, which shares some properties with brown fat.

What the results could mean

After 24 weeks, the researchers found that tirzepatide significantly increased both the activity and volume of brown adipose tissue.

The percentage of participants with PET/CT-detectable brown fat activity rose from 41.2% before treatment to 64.7% afterward, while the placebo group did not experience a similar change. The imaging also suggested possible signs that some white fat was becoming more like calorie-burning beige fat.

The researchers say these findings add another piece to the puzzle of how newer anti-obesity medications work. Rather than acting only as appetite suppressants, tirzepatide may also influence energy expenditure at the tissue level.

This adds a new layer to how we understand the new generation of anti-obesity medications, Dr. Herman said. They are not only appetite suppressants tirzepatide also appears to modulate energy expenditure at the tissue level, opening a plausible path toward future therapies that combine appetite regulation with thermogenic activation.

They caution that additional research is needed, but believe future studies could explore whether targeting brown and beige fat activity might become part of a more tailored approach to obesity treatment.

Large study suggests inherited genetics play a bigger role than expected

• A study of more than 86,000 children found that the link between parents' and children's BMI is largely explained by shared genetics.

• Researchers found little evidence that a mother's BMI during pregnancy has a major effect on a child's risk of obesity later in childhood beyond inherited genes.

• The findings don't mean childhood obesity is inevitable, as environment and lifestyle still influence how genetic risk is expressed.

If obesity tends to run in families, is it because children inherit their parents' habits, or because they inherit their parents' genes? A new international study suggests genetics account for much of the connection between parents' body weight and their children's weight during early childhood.

Researchers say higher body mass index (BMI) in parents has long been linked with higher BMI in their children, but it's been difficult to determine whether that relationship is driven by pregnancy-related biological effects, family environment, or inherited genetics. Understanding the answer could help shape future approaches to preventing childhood obesity.

The researchers note that maintaining a healthy weight remains important for many reasons, particularly during pregnancy. However, their findings suggest that reducing a parent's BMI before conception alone may not substantially lower a child's likelihood of developing obesity later in childhood.

Obesity runs in families, but it is difficult to work out why this is, researcher Dr. Tom Bond said in a news release.

Our results suggest that the link between a mother's or father's body mass index and their children's BMI up to age 8 is mostly due to inherited genes. Expectant parents should be encouraged to maintain a healthy weight, but this may not be enough to ensure that their children also have a healthy weight.

Looking at more than 86,000 families

For the study, researchers analyzed data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study, a large, long-running project that followed children born between 1999 and 2009.

The analysis included approximately 86,000 children. Researchers examined information on parents' BMI, children's birth weight, and children's BMI from 6 months through 8 years of age. They also looked at appetite-related eating behaviors when the children were 8 years old, including food responsiveness and emotional overeating.

Rather than simply comparing parents and children, the research team used statistical modeling to estimate how much of the relationship between parental BMI and childhood BMI could be attributed to shared genetics versus other possible influences, such as conditions during pregnancy.

They also explored whether maternal BMI during pregnancy affected birth weight and later childhood obesity risk.

What the researchers found

The results suggest that inherited genetics explained an estimated 79% of the statistical association between mothers' BMI and their children's BMI at age 8, and about 94% of the association between fathers' BMI and their children's BMI.

The researchers also found that higher parental BMI was associated with obesity-related eating behaviors in children, although they said they could not determine exactly how much of those behaviors were influenced by genetics.

Maternal BMI during pregnancy did appear to affect babies' birth weight, but researchers found little evidence that it had a large impact on a child's risk of obesity later in childhood beyond the genes passed from parent to child.

The researchers emphasize that these findings should not be interpreted to mean a child's future weight is predetermined. They note that children who inherit a genetic tendency toward a higher BMI may still experience different outcomes depending on their environment and lifestyle. They also stress that maternal obesity remains an important health concern because it is associated with other pregnancy and birth complications for both mothers and babies.

Users also report changes in what they buy

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• A growing number of people taking GLP-1 weight-loss medications are spending significantly less on groceries, according to new research from Worldpanel by Numerator.

• The study estimates households with a GLP-1 user spend about $570 less on groceries each year, contributing to an estimated $1.1 billion reduction in annual grocery spending across Britain.

• The findings suggest the drugs are beginning to reshape consumer buying habits, posing new challenges and opportunities for food manufacturers and retailers.

People use GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro to lose weight. But in many cases, as their waistline shrinks, their bank account grows.

According to a study by Worldpanel by Numerator, households that include someone taking a GLP-1 medication spend an average of about $570 less on groceries each year than households without a user. The British study estimates that across the United Kingdom, this translates into around $1.1 billion less annual grocery spending.

The research found that nearly 1.9 million adults in Britain are now using GLP-1 medications, almost three times as many as two years ago. About 6.3% of British households now include at least one user, underscoring how quickly the drugs have entered the mainstream.

The medications, originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, work by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, helping people feel full longer and reducing appetite. They have become increasingly popular for weight management because many users experience significant weight loss while taking them.

Changes in what people buy

Worldpanel by Numerator found the medications are changing what consumers buy as well as how much they spend. More than three-quarters of users reported eating less chocolate and fewer potato chips, while over half said they experienced fewer food cravings overall. Many also said they were eating more mindfully and choosing healthier foods.

The shift is beginning to ripple throughout the grocery industry.

Manufacturers and retailers are seeing weaker demand for traditional snack foods and confectionery, while interest is growing in products that are higher in protein and fiber or specifically marketed to GLP-1 users. Some supermarket chains have already introduced meal plans and products designed for consumers taking the medications.

The study also found that cost remains a significant barrier. About 40% of people who stopped taking GLP-1 medications said expense was the primary reason they discontinued treatment.

The findings are consistent with other recent research showing that GLP-1 medications are changing consumer spending habits. A peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Marketing Research found that grocery spending falls by about 5.3% within six months after a household member begins taking a GLP-1 drug, with restaurant spending also declining.