Less children are getting the flu shot; people will stop taking weight-loss drugs over the holidays; major food companies sued for being addictive to children – Morning Medical Update

Author(s):

Austin Littrell

Key Takeaways

Flu vaccination rates for U.S. children have declined, with only 37% vaccinated by November 30, despite previous high flu-related child mortality.
One in six Americans plan to pause weight-loss and diabetes medications during the holidays, risking side effects like weight gain and mood changes.
A lawsuit accuses major U.S. food companies of making "ultra-processed" foods addictive to children, contributing to chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes.
There is no scientific consensus on the definition of "ultra-processed" foods, complicating the legal and health discourse surrounding the lawsuit.

The top news stories in medicine today.

Less children are getting flu shots this year

Despite a record number of children dying from the flu last flu season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that just 37% of U.S. children had gotten flu shots as of November 30. That number is down from 43% of U.S. children at the same time last year. NBC News has the full story here.

1 in 6 people will stop taking weight-loss medications over the holidays

A new Levity survey found that that one in six Americans who currently take weight-loss and diabetes medications like Ozempic and Wegovy plan to take a hiatus from their injections over the holidays, allowing themselves to indulge in holiday treats. The New York Post reports that temporarily pausing the use of these drugs can result in side effects including weight gain, mood changes and problems with digestion, among others. Find the full story here.

Lawsuit accuses major U.S. food companies of designing and marketing “ultra-processed” foods to be addictive to children

Major companies, including Kraft Heinz, Mondelez and Coca-Cola were named in a new lawsuit, accusing them of intentionally designing and marketing “ultra-processed” foods to be addictive to children, which causes chronic disease. Bryce Martinez, a Philadelphia resident who allegedly developed type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease at the age of 16 as a result of consuming the companies’ products, filed the lawsuit in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

“There is currently no agreed upon scientific definition of ultra-processed foods,” Sarah Gallo, senior vice president of product policy for the Consumer Brands Association, said in a statement. Read the full story from Reuters here.