Happy New Year from The Science of Eating! In this issue, we’re looking at how biology, environment and everyday choices intersect in ways that quietly shape our health. New research uncovers a surprising shift in children’s metabolic health that isn’t explained by weight alone. Another study reveals that nanoplastics in food and water interact with the quality of our diet. We’re also digging into what happens inside the grocery cart when appetite is altered by GLP‑1 medications and how pre‑diagnosis eating patterns may relate to breast cancer survival.

Want more? You’ll find dozens of other new stories at ScienceofEating.com, from how social media shapes teens’ ideas about eating to why certain dishes may transfer gluten into food.

Let’s dig in.

A long-term study suggests metabolic risk in children may be increasing independently of body weight.

Prediabetes is rising fast among children, and researchers say the trend can’t be blamed on increasing body size. Instead, subtle changes in early development, lifestyle, or body composition may be driving a quiet shift in metabolic health. The study’s authors warn that relying on weight alone could cause early warning signs to be missed.

Scientists are beginning to uncover how nanoplastics interact with the digestive system, and the results aren’t as straightforward as expected. New research suggests that the body’s response to these particles shifts depending on diet, with high-fat, high-sugar eating patterns amplifying certain metabolic effects. The study raises fresh questions about how nutrition and environmental exposures may work together.

Researchers tracking Black women with breast cancer found that those who ate the most ultraprocessed foods before diagnosis had a higher risk of dying during follow‑up. Processed meats stood out as the strongest contributor. While the study can’t prove cause and effect, it highlights diet as one area where small, realistic changes may support better long‑term health.

A sweeping analysis of purchase data finds that people taking GLP‑1 medications buy less food overall, snack less often and eat out less frequently. The biggest declines appear in ultraprocessed foods, while only a few categories, like yogurt and fresh fruit, tick upward. The findings suggest that these drugs may reshape eating patterns not through willpower, but through biology.

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