Consumer News: If you pay more for products with avocado oil, read this

One product contained more than 800,000 particles per serving, but there are simple ways parents can reduce exposure

• Consumer Reports found microplastics in all 15 baby food purees it tested, including products sold in plastic pouches and glass jars.

• The amount varied dramatically, from about 17,000 particles per serving to more than 814,000.

• Parents don't need to eliminate packaged baby food, and they can help reduce exposure by having variety in options, avoiding heating food in plastic, and using non-plastic storage containers.

Parents worried about what's hiding in packaged baby food have another contaminant to think about.

Consumer Reports tested 48 baby foods from 11 brands for contaminants including heavy metals, phthalates, and bisphenols. For the first time, it also tested a subset of the products for microplastics.

The results were eye-opening.

Specifically, researchers tested 15 purees and one juice for microplastic particles. Microplastics were detected in every puree. The juice was the only product where they weren't detected.

But the amount varied significantly from one product to another.

Walmart's Parent's Choice Stage 1 Carrot baby food had the highest level, averaging 814,589 microplastic particles per serving.

Gerber Organic Plant Protein Banana Berry and Veggie Smash Puree with Oats had 728,294 particles per serving, while Beech-Nut's Turkey, Butternut Squash, Corn, and Spinach pouch had 680,295.

At the other end of the spectrum, Serenity Kids Organic Savory Veggies pouch contained just 17,177 particles per serving.

What parents can do right now

The findings sound alarming, but Consumer Reports isn't telling parents to stop buying baby food. Instead, focus on reducing unnecessary exposure.

Here are some tips to start implementing today:

• Mix things up. Don't rely heavily on one brand, product, or type of packaged baby food. A varied diet can reduce the chance that one source of a contaminant becomes a large part of your child's diet.

• Don't heat baby food in plastic. Transfer it to a glass or ceramic container before warming it.

• Use less plastic for storage. When practical, store food in glass or stainless-steel containers.

• Don't assume organic means microplastic-free. Consumer Reports found microplastics in both organic and conventional products.

And don't panic if your child's favorite food appears on the list. Scientists still don't know what level of microplastic exposure from food poses a health risk, and there are currently no federal limits for microplastics in food.

Glass jars aren't necessarily the answer

It might seem logical that switching from plastic pouches to glass jars would solve the problem.

Consumer Reports' testing suggests it's not that simple.

Microplastics were also detected in baby food packaged in glass. Beech-Nut's Chicken & Chicken Broth, for example, averaged 330,079 particles per jar.

Consumer Reports said plastic-lined lids could potentially contribute particles, but contamination can also occur during food production from machinery, tools, clothing, and other materials that come in contact with the food.

Researchers didn't test the plastic composition of the packaging, so they couldn't determine exactly where the particles originated.

There's actually some good news

The broader Consumer Reports investigation also found significant improvement in another area that has worried parents for years: heavy metals.

Of the 48 baby foods tested, 96% had levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, and inorganic arsenic below Consumer Reports' levels of concern.

Researchers found no consistent difference in heavy-metal contamination between organic and conventional baby foods.

Some products were exceptions. Consumer Reports recommended limiting consumption of Gerber Rice Cereal because of inorganic arsenic and Target's Good & Gather Banana, Peach & Apricot puree because of arsenic levels.

The bottom line for parents isn't to eliminate packaged baby food altogether. But instead, try to vary what your child eats and reduce unnecessary contact with plastic when its practical.

When it comes to contaminants, variety may be one of the simplest protections parents have.

Members can get 42% off dozens of groceries, household staples, and more through October 31

• BJs is celebrating its 42nd birthday with 42% off dozens of products.

• The deals cover groceries, household essentials, health and beauty items, apparel, and more.

• Members can shop the offers in clubs, through the BJs app or online from September 24 through October 31.

BJs Wholesale Club is marking its 42nd birthday with a promotion aimed at giving members even more opportunities to save. Starting September 24, members can get 42% off dozens of products the retailer says they use and rely on every day.

The promotion will run through October 31, giving shoppers more than a month to take advantage of the special prices. The deals are available at BJs clubs, through the companys mobile app, and at BJs.com.

BJs is driven by a powerful purpose: we take care of the families who depend on us. Helping members save money is a cornerstone of that purpose, Tim Morningstar, Executive Vice President, Chief Growth Officer, BJs Wholesale Club, said in a news release.

Theres no better way to thank our members for decades of loyalty and celebrate our ongoing commitment to unbeatable value than by offering even lower prices on products they rely on every day.

Whats included in the promotion?

The 42% discounts span several categories, including groceries, pantry staples, household essentials, health and beauty products, and apparel.

Some of the featured items on sale include:

• Lean Ground Beef 5 lbs. and 10 lbs.

• All Frito-Lay Mix & Match Chip Bags

• All Kraft Mac & Cheese

• All M&Ms Jars

• All Wellsley Farms Potatoes and Hummus

• All Chomps Meat Snack Sticks

• All Fresh Apples

• Sliced Wellsley Farms Oven Baked Deli Ham and Land OLakes Deli Cheese

• Nautica Mens, Womens and Kids Lightweight Puffer Vests

• 508 Crew XSpeed Pedal Go-Kart

The promotion goes beyond food, too. Featured items include Nautica lightweight puffer vests for men, women and kids, as well as a 508 Crew XSpeed pedal go-kart.

What this means for BJs members

For members, the promotion provides a chance to save on a mix of everyday groceries and other products during the promotional period. BJs says product availability and pricing can vary by club and online, and the discounted items are available while supplies last. The company also says rainchecks wont be available.

Shoppers have several ways to use their membership during the promotion. In addition to shopping in clubs, members can order online for curbside or in-club pickup, use same-day delivery where available, or use ExpressPay in the BJs app to scan items while shopping and skip the checkout line. BJs also operates gas stations with additional savings opportunities through its Fuel Saver Program.

The birthday promotion comes as BJs serves more than 8.5 million members across 267 clubs and 208 gas stations in 22 states.

A 50-year study found that healthier habits were linked to more years, better function, and greater happiness in old age

• Men with lower cardiovascular risk in their 40s were more likely to live to age 90.

• Those with healthier measurements earlier in life were less likely to become frail later on.

• The study also linked a healthier middle age with greater happiness and psychological well-being in old age.

Living longer is one thing. Being able to enjoy those extra years is another.

New research from the University of Helsinki suggests that maintaining better cardiovascular health in middle age may be connected not only with a longer life, but also with better quality of life in old age.

The findings come from a study that followed nearly 2,700 Finnish men for more than 50 years. The researchers were interested in whether cardiovascular health earlier in adulthood was related to how people lived and felt decades later.

The study began in the 1960s and 1970s, when the men were an average of 42 years old and generally healthy. Researchers continued following them throughout adulthood and, ultimately, through the end of their lives.

Weve long been interested in this question, while in many places the topic is only now attracting attention, Professor Emeritus and lead researcher Timo Strandberg from the University of Helsinki said in a news release. This studys strength was in a follow-up that extended to the end of life.

How the study worked

The researchers focused on five factors that can affect cardiovascular health: smoking, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose.

The men's measurements were assessed when they were younger, with better values indicating a lower cardiovascular risk. Researchers then looked at what happened to the men over the following decades.

In 2007, the surviving participants were an average of 79 years old. At that point, researchers assessed several aspects of their health and well-being, including their ability to function in everyday life, happiness, quality of life, and frailty.

Frailty refers to a state in which the body's ability to function and handle physical stress becomes reduced.

Because the researchers followed the men for more than five decades, the study was able to connect health measurements from middle age with outcomes much later in life.

What the findings could mean

The differences between the groups were notable. Among men who had positive values for all five cardiovascular risk factors when they were younger, 42% reached age 90. Among those with poor values for all five factors, just 7% reached that age.

The healthier group also appeared to maintain better physical function. Only 2% of men with positive values across all five factors were considered frail in old age, compared with one-quarter of those who had poor values for all five.

The researchers also found that men with healthier measurements earlier in life reported more happiness and psychological well-being later on.

For consumers, the findings highlight five familiar areas of health: smoking, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.

The body mass index, smoking, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose can all be measured and addressed. If not through lifestyle choices, then with safe and mostly inexpensive drugs, Strandberg says.

The common adage is that you either live a short and pleasant life, or a long and unpleasant one. This study indicates that healthy lifestyles can add both years and functional capacity to your life.

Automated recommendations should get close scrutiny

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• NatWest and Bank of America are among banks warning that AI shopping agents could expose consumers to , fraud, and privacy breaches.

• Potential problems include mishandled card details, purchases that exceed shoppers instructions, and payment methods with weaker protections.

• Consumers can reduce their exposure by approving purchases themselves, checking sellers independently, and paying by credit card when possible.

Artificial intelligence promises to make shopping easier by finding products, comparing prices, and completing purchases. But major banks are warning that handing those decisions to software could create new opportunities for fraud.

NatWest and Bank of America are among a group of lenders calling for stronger safeguards as agentic commerce shopping systems that can act on a customers behalf develops. The banks say the technology is moving faster than industry standards and consumer protections, according to Reuters.

Their concerns include agents requesting card details and entering them directly into websites, or directing shoppers toward payment methods that provide weaker protections. Customers also could face uncertainty about whom to contact when an automated purchase goes wrong.

The banks want clearer disclosure when AI participates in transactions, more transparency about how agents make decisions, and stronger protection for customer information.

For consumers, the practical implication is that an automated recommendation should receive the same scrutiny as any unfamiliar online offer. A convenient shopping experience does not establish that the seller is trustworthy.

What to do

Several precautions can help:

• Keep control of the checkout. Where settings allow, require approval before every purchase and set firm spending limits. Review the seller, exact item, quantity, total price, and payment method before authorizing an order. If a service cannot provide those controls, consider using it only to research purchases.

• Check the merchant independently. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends searching a sellers name alongside words such as complaint or scam, and consulting reviews from multiple sources. Check return policies and delivery promises. An encrypted website identified by https in its address does not establish that the business is legitimate.

• Choose the payment method yourself. The FTC recommends credit cards for online shopping because they offer protections when purchases go wrong. Avoid sellers that insist on gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or payment apps as the only way to pay. These demands can signal a scam.

• Limit what you share. Avoid pasting banking passwords, security codes, or full card details into ordinary chatbot conversations. Before connecting a payment account, examine the services permissions and privacy terms. Understand how to disconnect the account and stop future purchases.

Keep the instructions

Save evidence of your instructions. Along with receipts and seller communications, retain the instructions you gave the agent, spending limits, and purchase approvals. Those records could help explain a disputed transaction.

If something goes wrong, act quickly. Contact the card issuer, bank, or payment provider through its official app or a verified phone number, explain what happened, and ask whether the payment can be reversed. Describe accurately what you authorized and what the bot actually did.

The FTC also recommends changing compromised passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and reporting at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Recovery is not guaranteed, but prompt reporting gives the payment provider an opportunity to help.

New research suggests injured children may show dangerous changes at higher blood pressure levels than current standards recognize

• A study of more than 233,000 injured children found that blood pressure linked with a higher risk of death was higher than current pediatric standards.

• Researchers found the biggest differences among children ages 1 and 2.

• The findings could help doctors recognize circulatory problems sooner, but more research is needed before new thresholds can be adopted.

When a child is seriously injured, doctors closely monitor vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rate. These measurements can help medical teams determine whether the body is getting enough blood flow to vital organs and whether treatments such as blood transfusions may be needed.

But researchers behind a new study say the blood pressure levels commonly used to identify dangerously low blood pressure in children may not be designed with injured children in mind. Current standards are based largely on reference values from healthy children.

That could mean some injured children are already experiencing dangerous circulatory problems before their blood pressure falls low enough to meet the usual definition of hypotension, according to the study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Recognizing hemodynamic instability is fundamental in trauma care because these vital signs tell us when a child may be at increased risk of death or complications and when we may need to intervene, Zain G. Hashmi, MD, FACS, an assistant professor of trauma and acute care surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and senior author of the study, said in a news release.

Blood pressure and heart rate often help determine when clinicians should begin resuscitative interventions, including a blood transfusion. However, commonly-used pediatric reference values were not developed specifically for trauma patients and may not accurately reflect when the risk of death begins to rise in injured children.

Researchers looked at more than 230,000 children

The researchers conducted a retrospective study using data from the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program. They examined records from 233,490 children between ages 1 and 15 who were treated for traumatic injuries at participating trauma centers between 2018 and 2023.

The team looked at three measurements: systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and something called the shock index. The shock index combines heart rate and systolic blood pressure into one measurement.

Researchers then used statistical analyses to identify age-specific values associated with death and compared those numbers with existing pediatric standards, including Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) definitions for low blood pressure and the Pediatric Age-adjusted Shock Index (SIPA).

Higher blood pressure levels were linked to increased risk

The blood pressure levels associated with mortality were consistently 15 to 30 mmHg higher than the PALS thresholds currently used to define hypotension. Researchers said that the difference was about 18%.

Using the study's trauma-specific thresholds, about 7% of injured children would have been classified as having low blood pressure, compared with less than 2% under the current thresholds. The biggest differences between the study's findings and existing standards occurred among children ages 1 and 2.

The researchers also found that heart rate and shock index can provide useful information about a child's condition. The study's shock-index thresholds closely matched existing SIPA values, providing additional support for using that measurement alongside blood pressure.

The findings don't immediately change how injured children are treated. The researchers said additional studies are needed to determine whether higher blood pressure thresholds would actually improve outcomes. The study also relied on data from participating trauma centers, so its findings may not represent every U.S. hospital.

Trauma care is improved by research that challenges the status quo and defines clear parameters for organizing the most efficient, effective trauma care possible, said Jeffrey D. Kerby, MD, PhD, FACS, medical director of ACS Trauma Education, director of the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at UAB, and a co-author of the JACS paper.

This research provides an opportunity to use a data-driven approach to improve treatment for the most critically injured children.