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Study Links Children’s Bedtimes to Gut Health, Finds Early Sleepers Have Greater Microbial Diversity in Gut Flora
Researchers from the Department of Child Rehabilitation, China, have found significant differences in the gut microbiota of children who go to bed early compared to those who stay up late. The study revealed that children with earlier bedtimes had greater microbial diversity in their gut flora.
Beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia muciniphila were more abundant in the early sleepers. These bacteria are associated with maintaining gut health and have been linked to healthy cognitive functions.
Previous studies have shown that adequate sleep improves academic performance, physical growth and is associated with healthier BMI levels. The current study investigated the relationship between children’s sleep patterns and their gut microbiota. In a paper, “Characteristics of gut flora in children who go to bed early versus late,” published in Scientific Reports, researchers analyzed the genomics of fecal samples from 88 healthy children aged 2 to 14 years.
The children were split into two groups based on their bedtimes: those who slept before 9:30 p.m. and those who slept after. Over two weeks, sleep diaries recorded factors such as time at falling asleep, night awakenings, sleep efficiency, and sleep quality.
Genomic analysis found that children who went to bed early had a higher abundance of certain beneficial gut bacteria. Specifically, Akkermansia muciniphila was significantly more prevalent in the early bedtime group.
Children With Autism Often Targeted by Bullying, Behavioral Health Professional Says
Indiana Public Media reported:
October is National Bullying Prevention Month and organizations across the country are raising awareness of school bullying. A behavioral health professional says children with autism are especially susceptible to negative effects from bullying.
Breanne Hartley is chief clinical officer at UNIFI Autism Care in Indianapolis. She said about 1 in 36 children receive an autism diagnosis — and many are bullied for their symptoms. Those symptoms often include challenges with communication and social interactions, and repetitive or restrictive behaviors. Other kids might not understand those behaviors.
“[That’s largely] why individuals on the autism spectrum are targeted so significantly,” Hartley said. Hartley said some children who are more significantly affected by their symptoms may not even realize they’re being bullied. But she said that can still harm children with autism.
Listeria Recall Grows to 12M Pounds of Meat, Poultry; Some Sent to US Schools
A nationwide recall of meat and poultry products potentially contaminated with listeria has expanded to nearly 12 million pounds and now includes ready-to-eat meals sent to U.S. schools, restaurants and major retailers, federal officials said.
The updated recall includes prepared salads, burritos and other foods sold at stores including Costco, Trader Joe’s, Target, Walmart and Kroger. The meat used in those products was processed at a Durant, Oklahoma, manufacturing plant operated by BrucePac. The Woodburn, Oregon-based company sells precooked meat and poultry to industrial, foodservice and retail companies across the country.
Routine testing found potentially dangerous listeria bacteria in samples of BrucePac chicken, officials with the U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) said. No illnesses have been confirmed in connection with the recall, USDA officials said. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not launched an outbreak investigation, a spokesperson said.
The recall, issued on Oct. 9, includes foods produced between May 31 and Oct. 8. The USDA has posted a 342-page list of hundreds of potentially affected foods, including chicken wraps sold at Trader Joe’s, chicken burritos sold at Costco and many types of salads sold at stores such as Target and Walmart. The foods were also sent to school districts and restaurants across the country.
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Seizures Caused by Children Swallowing Medications or Illegal Substances Doubled Over 15-Year Period, Poison Data Show
New data shows that the number of children suffering a seizure after swallowing medications or illegal substances has doubled between 2009 and 2023 in the U.S. The findings were presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress.
The most common substances involved in these poisonings include over-the-counter antihistamines, prescription antidepressants and painkillers, and illegal synthetic cannabinoids.
Dr. Conner McDonald from the University of Virginia School of Medicine told the Congress, “Seizure is one of the most severe symptoms a poisoned patient can experience, and children are particularly vulnerable. Depending on variables such as where a seizure happens, how long it continues and the pre-existing health of the child, seizures can lead to long-term damage or even death.”
Folic Acid May Mitigate Link Between Lead Exposure During Pregnancy and Autistic Behaviors in Children
A new study by Simon Fraser University researchers has found that folate may weaken the link between blood-lead levels in pregnant women and autistic-like behaviors in their children. Researchers from SFU’s Faculty of Health Sciences, led by Ph.D. candidate Joshua Alampi, published the study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
“Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy has numerous benefits to child health, especially brain development,” says Alampi. “Our study suggests that adequate folic acid supplementation mitigates the neurotoxic effects of lead.”
The SFU-led study is the first to observe that adequate folic acid supplementation may reduce the risk between gestational lead exposure and autism. It found that associations between blood lead levels and autistic-like behaviors in toddlers were stronger among pregnant women with less than 0.4 milligrams per day of folic acid supplementation.
New US Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth Reveals Continued Low Levels of Physical Activity
The Physical Activity Alliance, the nation’s largest national coalition dedicated to advancing regular participation in physical activity, today released the 2024 United States Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. The overall physical activity grade for children and youth remained low at D-, the same grade it received in 2022, the last time a report was made.
The grade was derived from National Survey of Children’s Health and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data that showed that only 20 to 28% of 6- to 17-year-olds meet the 60 minutes of daily physical activity recommended by the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Also, the proportion of children who meet the physical activity guidelines has decreased slightly since 2016, when these data were first available.
