Browse the evidence

GLP-1 agonists are likely unaffordable for universal healthcare systems due to high prevalence of OSA and high drug costs, potentially exacerbating healthcare inequities.

Be aware that GLP-1 agonists are expensive and may not be covered by public health insurance for OSA, creating a barrier to access for lower-income patients.

The global expansion of ultra-processed food markets is driven by political economy factors, including trade liberalization, the activities of transnational food and beverage corporations (TFBCs), and inadequate regulatory policies, rather than solely by consumer demand.

Support policies that regulate the marketing of UPFs, especially to children, and restrict the influence of transnational food corporations on food policy. Advocate for trade agreements that prioritize public health over corporate interests.

Current smoking is associated with a reduced risk of new diabetes in women, but not in men, in this specific population.

This study found that current smoking was associated with a lower risk of diabetes in women, but this does not mean smoking is healthy. Smoking causes many other serious health problems, and quitting is still recommended for overall health.

Evidence-informed training plans are pragmatic mixes of evidence and subjective experience, as it is impossible to base complex long-term plans fully on scientific evidence.

Don't wait for perfect scientific proof for every single exercise. Use evidence-based guidelines for the main components (like volume and intensity), but feel free to use your experience and preferences for the rest. The goal is a plan that works for you, not one that is scientifically perfect.

Lifestyle modifications, including Medical Nutritional Therapy (MNT), are essential for maintaining the effectiveness of pharmacological therapies in managing T2DM and CVD.

Manage your Type 2 Diabetes and heart health by working with a dietitian on Medical Nutritional Therapy (MNT). Focus on low glycemic index foods and reducing saturated fats. While this may not directly lower your risk of dying from heart disease, it significantly improves blood sugar control and overall health.

Early interactive human health coaching via a mobile application improves dietary adaptation and quality of life (specifically reducing eating restriction) in patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer compared to conventional face-to-face counseling.

If you have had stomach cancer surgery, using a dedicated health app with a real dietitian for 3 months after discharge may help you adjust to eating smaller, more frequent meals with less trial and error than standard hospital visits alone. Ensure you have a smartphone or a caregiver to help you log your food and weight daily.

Just-in-time mobile technology that provides comparative, relative nutritional information at the point of purchase can motivate incremental dietary behavior change by aligning with users' actual decision-making processes rather than abstract guidelines.

Use a mobile app or tool at the grocery store that lets you scan two items side-by-side to see a simple comparison of their nutritional value. Do not try to learn complex labels; just look for the relative difference between the specific brands you are already considering. This reduces decision fatigue and helps you make slightly better choices within the foods you already buy.

Performing full-range barbell back squats improves joint health, muscle flexibility, and motor learning compared to partial-range or non-squatting movements.

To improve your joint health and movement quality, prioritize full-range barbell back squats. Start with bodyweight or light loads to master the technique, ensuring your knees track over your toes and your back stays neutral. This builds strength and flexibility at the end ranges of motion, which static stretching alone may not achieve. Focus on learning the movement pattern before adding heavy weight.

A structured warm-up protocol (RAMP) improves squat performance and reduces injury risk compared to generic warm-ups.

Before squatting, spend up to 20 minutes on a RAMP warm-up. Start with 2-5 minutes of light cardio that mimics squat movements (e.g., bike, rower). Then, do 10-30 reps of mobility exercises like lunges or squats with no weight. Finally, perform 1-5 reps of barbell squats, gradually increasing the weight until you reach your working set. This prepares your body specifically for the squat.

Maintaining the barbell over the midfoot during a squat prevents excessive forward or backward forces and reduces injury risk.

When squatting, ensure the barbell stays directly over your midfoot throughout the movement. If your hips move forward excessively, it indicates a lack of hip or ankle mobility. Use cues like 'push into the knees' or 'elbows down' to correct this. If you cannot maintain this position, consider using heel lifts or widening your stance as compensations.

An eHealth platform providing continuous monitoring of lifestyle habits and individualized treatment can facilitate effective lifestyle modifications and increase patient adherence to schedules for obesity and diabetes prevention.

To use this system effectively, you must commit to logging your food and exercise daily. The platform is designed to help you stick to a schedule, but you need to be willing to spend a few minutes per meal entering your data. Training on how to use the 'predefined dishes' feature is essential to make this sustainable long-term.

Interactive nutrition education combined with behavior change techniques (e.g., goal setting) improves dietary intake and reduces nutritional risk in community-dwelling older adults.

For older adults looking to improve their diet, joining a group-based nutrition program that includes interactive education and goal setting is a promising strategy. While the evidence quality is low, the approach addresses common barriers like isolation and lack of knowledge. Look for community programs that emphasize interaction and practical behavior change techniques rather than just passive lectures.

Phenotype-prioritized treatment selection (SGLT2i for HF/CKD, GLP-1RA for ASCVD/Obesity) optimizes outcomes and reduces polypharmacy compared to single-disease guidelines.

Ask your doctor for a 'phenotype-first' approach. Instead of treating each condition separately, choose drugs that protect your heart, kidneys, and metabolism all at once. This can simplify your medication list and reduce side effects.

A social facilitation maintenance (SFM) intervention targeting interpersonal relationships and social networks improves weight loss maintenance in adults with obesity compared to treatment as usual.

To maintain weight loss, actively build a social support system that encourages healthy habits. Join groups or find partners who support your diet and exercise goals, and address any feelings of stigma or isolation that might prevent you from engaging with others.

Personalization and gamification are crucial elements for motivation and engagement in running applications.

When choosing or designing a running app, look for features that allow you to set specific goals and customize notifications. Gamified elements like badges or social sharing can boost motivation if they align with your personal values. Avoid apps that offer only generic advice.

Individualized, multi-disciplinary nutrition counseling combined with lifestyle modification (diet and exercise) leads to significant weight loss and improved metabolic markers in prediabetic subjects, even when caloric intake increases due to behavioral flexibility.

For prediabetic individuals, rigid calorie counting often fails due to social pressures and lifestyle constraints. Instead, work with a clinical team to build self-management skills. Focus on problem-solving for specific triggers (like work dinners or alcohol) and gradually improve food choices. The study shows that even if your total calorie intake eventually rises, improved behavioral habits and increased physical activity can still drive significant weight loss and metabolic improvement.

Standardizing dietary interventions by objective diet quality (e.g., HEI-2020) while allowing variable diet types (cultural/personalized) improves adherence and external validity compared to fixed-type, one-size-fits-all interventions.

Focus on the quality of your diet (vegetables, fruits, legumes, nutrient density) rather than forcing yourself into a specific named diet (like Keto or strict Mediterranean) if it clashes with your culture or preferences. Use tools to measure your diet quality objectively. If you can maintain high quality while eating foods you culturally and personally enjoy, you will adhere better and see better long-term health outcomes.

Long-term compliance and weight maintenance are determined by psychological factors and behavioral strategies rather than macronutrient composition.

To maintain weight loss, focus on building sustainable habits, managing stress, and seeking social support. The specific type of diet (low-carb, low-fat, etc.) is less important for long-term success than your ability to adhere to it psychologically and behaviorally.

Food Is Medicine (FIM) interventions, including produce prescriptions and medically tailored meals, show promise in improving diet quality and food security, but current evidence is insufficient to definitively establish their effectiveness on clinical outcomes or cost savings due to small sample sizes and lack of randomized controlled trials.

To improve health through diet, simply knowing what to eat is often not enough due to structural barriers like cost and access. Food Is Medicine programs attempt to bridge this gap by providing healthy food directly (via vouchers or meals) alongside healthcare. While these programs show promise in improving diet quality, they are not yet proven to significantly reduce clinical events or healthcare costs due to limited high-quality research. Patients should look for programs that integrate food provision with healthcare support, especially if they face food insecurity.

Strict exercise technique (minimizing involvement of ancillary muscle groups) is recommended over non-strict technique (using momentum or body sway) to ensure the target muscle receives the primary hypertrophic stimulus and adheres to recommended tempo and ROM.

Aim for strict form by minimizing body sway and momentum, especially if the assisting muscles are not being effectively trained (e.g., hip extensors during bicep curls). This ensures the target muscle handles the load and adheres to the recommended 2-8 second tempo and long muscle length ROM. However, if assisting muscles are also at long muscle lengths, some involvement may be acceptable.

A 6-week Low-Carbohydrate High-Fat (LCHF) nutrition education program improves subjective energy levels, satiety, and metabolic health markers in women with pre-existing non-communicable diseases from under-resourced communities.

If you have metabolic issues and live in a low-resource setting, a LCHF approach focusing on affordable whole foods (eggs, chicken, vegetables) can be sustainable and improve energy and satiety. Leverage social support (groups, messaging apps) to maintain adherence, as isolation is a major barrier. Expect some initial resistance from family or doctors, but visible health improvements often convert them to supporters.

A personalized, human-centered, telephone-linked dietary decision support system improves nutrition knowledge, attitudes, practices, and patient satisfaction compared to standard paper-based diet records in patients with type 2 diabetes.

If you have diabetes, using a digital tool that sends you personalized feedback and reminders about your daily food intake can help you learn more about nutrition and feel more satisfied with your care compared to just writing down what you eat on paper. This system works by making it easy to log food and get advice, even if you only have a basic phone.

Integrating health coaching into primary care for obesity treatment, utilizing motivational interviewing and goal-setting, leads to significant sustained weight loss and improved metabolic markers compared to standard care.

If you are struggling with obesity, standard advice to 'eat less and move more' may not be enough. Consider working with a health coach who uses motivational techniques to help you set and achieve small, manageable goals. This approach focuses on building habits and self-efficacy rather than just providing information, which can lead to sustained weight loss and improved health markers.

Visual dietary decision aids that incorporate specific nutritional data (sodium, calories) and budget constraints facilitate immediate, positive behavioral dialogue and choice selection in patients with severe mental illness.

For patients with severe mental illness, standard verbal advice often fails due to cognitive or financial barriers. Use laminated, visual cards that show specific food choices, sodium/calorie counts, and budget-friendly alternatives. Discuss these cards during home visits to open conversations about healthier, affordable options.