Browse the evidence

Psychological traits, specifically emotional stability, influence the reliability and magnitude of work completed at velocity loss thresholds, with higher emotional stability associated with performing more repetitions across thresholds.

Your mental toughness and emotional stability affect how many reps you can grind out at slow speeds. If you are less emotionally stable, you might hit velocity thresholds with fewer reps than a more stable peer. Consider this when interpreting velocity data.

A machine learning model using Heterogeneous Mixture Learning Technology (HMLT) can predict 3-year body weight changes with accuracy comparable to multiple regression, while uniquely identifying subgroups where lifestyle factors have a profound impact on weight loss.

Use predictive modeling to identify which lifestyle factors (like breakfast skipping or walking speed) are most likely to impact your weight based on your age and BMI. Standard advice may not work for you; personalized simulation of lifestyle changes can improve motivation and effectiveness.

Diabetes screening should begin at age 35 for all adults, or age 19 for those with specific risk factors, utilizing FPG, HbA1c, or OGTT.

If you are 35 or older, get your blood sugar checked now, even if you feel fine. If you are younger than 35 but have risk factors like abdominal obesity, start screening at 19. Early detection prevents long-term damage.

Nutrient-based dietary guidelines (e.g., limiting fat or sugar) are less effective for public understanding and policy translation than food-based or processing-related terms (e.g., 'ultra-processed foods' or specific food examples).

When following dietary guidelines, look for recommendations that specify *which* foods to limit (like sugary drinks or ultra-processed snacks) rather than just abstract nutrients (like fat or sugar). This approach is easier to understand and less likely to be manipulated by food companies through reformulation. If a guideline uses nutrient-based terms, try to translate them into specific food choices you can identify on a label.

Consuming hard-textured foods significantly reduces daily energy intake and slows eating rate compared to soft-textured foods, regardless of industrial processing level.

To reduce calorie intake without counting calories, choose foods with a harder texture (e.g., whole vegetables, chewy meats, nuts) over soft, processed alternatives (e.g., purees, soft breads, smoothies). This forces slower eating and increases satiety signals, naturally leading to eating less, even if the food is processed.

Weight-neutral health strategies (HAES) improve psychological well-being, body image, and intuitive eating without requiring weight loss, but lack long-term evidence for physical health outcomes compared to weight-loss strategies.

If you are tired of yo-yo dieting, a weight-neutral approach (HAES) focuses on how you feel and behave rather than the number on the scale. It emphasizes intuitive eating and enjoyable movement. This can significantly improve mental health and body image, though long-term physical health benefits are still being studied.

Athletes and active individuals prefer whole food nutritional products over supplements, powders, or bars for both performance and recovery.

When choosing sports nutrition products, look for whole food options rather than isolated supplements or powders. This format is preferred by athletes for both performance and recovery. Ensure the product is scientifically proven, as this is a key factor for 87% of users.

Nutritional profile is the most important attribute for purchasing sports nutrition products, followed by taste and accessibility.

When selecting sports nutrition products, prioritize those with a clear and beneficial nutritional profile. Taste and accessibility are also important secondary factors. Ensure the product has scientific proof, as this is highly valued.

Both Baduanjin exercise and a combined Baduanjin/Low-Carbohydrate Diet intervention significantly reduce drug craving scores (Visual Analog Scale) in overweight individuals with drug addiction, with no significant difference between the two intervention groups.

Drug craving reduction in this setting was driven by the structured rehabilitation environment rather than the specific exercise or diet protocol. Both exercise and combined interventions reduced craving, but so did general activity.

A behavioral weight loss maintenance intervention is cost-effective for individuals with BMI ≥ 28 kg/m² if the per-person cost is ≤ £104.64, yielding a maximum justifiable cost at an ICER of £20,000 per QALY.

For a person with a BMI over 28, a behavioral weight loss maintenance program is considered cost-effective by UK health standards if it costs less than approximately £105 per person. This program focuses on maintaining weight loss through diet and exercise advice, aiming to slow down the typical weight regain seen after initial weight loss.

A virtual, peer-supported exercise intervention for older adult female cancer survivors is feasible and yields preliminary improvements in exercise-related social support and physical activity enjoyment compared to peer support alone.

For older female cancer survivors, a structured, virtual exercise program with a peer partner and professional guidance is feasible and can improve enjoyment and social support around exercise. Start with a peer match and weekly professional check-ins to build adherence.

Progressive energy restriction (PER) yields similar fat-free mass and strength preservation as severe energy restriction (SER) in resistance-trained women, while potentially offering greater fat mass reduction and adherence due to its flexibility.

If you are a trained woman looking to lose fat while keeping your strength, try lowering your calories gradually over 8 weeks rather than cutting them drastically from day one. Start at 40 kcal per kg of fat-free mass and drop to 25 kcal/kg over two-week intervals. Keep protein high (~2.5g/kg) and maintain your resistance training. This approach is just as effective for preserving muscle and losing fat as severe restriction, but is easier to stick to.

A structured group-based behavioral intervention utilizing social identity principles can effectively support weight management in adults with severe obesity (BMI ≥35 or ≥40 kg/m²) by leveraging shared social identity and social connectedness to drive behavioral change.

If you have severe obesity, joining a structured group program that focuses on building connections with other participants (not just learning diet tips) may be more effective for long-term weight loss than individual counseling. The PROGROUP protocol involves 15 sessions over 5 months, starting with weekly meetings and moving to fortnightly maintenance sessions, facilitated by a multidisciplinary team to ensure social support drives your behavioral changes.

Exposure to educational Planetary Health Plate (PHP) signage in a university dining hall significantly reduces the rate at which patrons take meat dishes, but does not significantly reduce the total weight of meat consumed or the average serving size.

Educational signage alone may not reduce total meat consumption in a buffet setting. While it can discourage some people from taking meat entirely, it does not reduce portion sizes. To reduce total intake, interventions must address portion control or serving sizes directly, not just information provision.

Semaglutide treatment significantly reduces emotional and uncontrolled eating scores in patients with hypothalamic obesity, leading to improved quality of life and social functioning.

Semaglutide not only helps with weight loss but also significantly reduces emotional and uncontrolled eating, leading to improved quality of life and social functioning. Patients report feeling more confident and less isolated.

Integrating Bluetooth-connected blood glucose meters with popular digital health therapeutics (Noom, Fitbit, Cecelia Health, Welldoc) for 3 months significantly lowers HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and struggle with glucose control, using a Bluetooth-connected glucose meter paired with a popular health app (like Noom, Fitbit, or a coaching app) for 3 months can significantly lower your HbA1c. You don't need to test constantly (average 1.5 times/day was effective) or change your medications. The key is choosing an app that fits your lifestyle and engaging with it daily to track your progress and receive feedback.

Combined adherence to healthy lifestyle factors (Mediterranean diet, physical activity, non-smoking, moderate alcohol, ideal weight) significantly reduces the risk of developing periodontitis and tooth loss.

Your gum health depends on more than just brushing. Combining a healthy diet (like Mediterranean), regular exercise, not smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight significantly lowers your risk of gum disease and tooth loss, even if your brushing habits are average.

Social interactions between sedentary individuals and moderately active individuals are the primary driver for transitioning sedentary populations to physically active habits.

To build a lasting exercise habit, do not rely on willpower alone. Actively seek out social environments where moderate physical activity is the standard. Join groups or classes where you interact with moderately active peers, as their influence is the strongest predictor of your own persistence.

Social interactions that draw moderately active individuals into sedentary behaviors are the primary cause of exercise persistence failure (recidivism).

Protect your exercise gains by managing your social environment. If your social circle is predominantly sedentary, you are at high risk of dropping out. Limit social activities that reinforce sedentary behavior and seek interactions that support active lifestyles.

Telemedicine (video visits) delivers clinically significant weight loss outcomes equivalent to in-person care for patients with overweight or obesity receiving medically managed treatment with anti-obesity medications.

If you are using weight loss medication, seeing your doctor via video is just as effective for losing weight as seeing them in person. In fact, video visits might allow you to see your provider more often (median 5 times vs 4) because it is easier to schedule, which supports better adherence to your treatment plan.

A national produce prescription program for patients with diabetes and food insecurity is projected to improve diet, BMI, and HbA1c, thereby reducing long-term cardiovascular disease outcomes, improving quality-adjusted life-years, and generating health care cost savings.

If you have diabetes and struggle with food insecurity, a produce prescription program can help you eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. This change in diet can lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes complications, improve your daily quality of life, and potentially save money on healthcare costs over time. Talk to your healthcare provider about accessing such programs.

Empirical metrics such as the 10:1 carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio (and modified versions including added sugar limits) effectively identify high-quality carbohydrate products and are associated with better cardiometabolic health markers, including lower triglycerides and improved insulin sensitivity.

When choosing packaged carbohydrate-rich foods, look for the 10:1 carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio. This means for every 10 grams of total carbohydrate, there should be at least 1 gram of fiber. Modified ratios that also limit added sugars (e.g., <1g or <2g added sugar per 10g carb) are even better. This simple metric helps you avoid refined grains and added sugars while prioritizing nutrient-dense options.

The NOVA classification system, which categorizes foods based on the extent and purpose of processing, is a more useful framework for public health than nutrient-based classification systems.

Use the NOVA framework: prioritize unprocessed or minimally processed foods (Category 1), limit processed culinary ingredients (Category 2), and avoid ultra-processed foods (Category 4). This is simpler and more effective than focusing solely on nutrient counts.

AI-driven behavioral weight loss (BWL) interventions using reinforcement learning can achieve weight loss outcomes (approx. 7%) comparable to intensive human coaching but with significantly reduced contact hours (one-third the coaching time).

If you are struggling with the cost or availability of intensive weight loss coaching, look for programs that use AI-driven behavioral coaching. These systems can adapt to your progress in real-time, potentially offering similar weight loss results to intensive human coaching but with less required contact time. Ensure the program uses dynamic feedback (like text or app notifications) rather than just static advice.