Browse the evidence

Lifestyle modification, specifically education, self-empowerment, and weight management, is the prioritized first-line intervention for the prevention and management of excess weight in women with PCOS.

Start with education and self-empowerment. Focus on managing weight through lifestyle changes as your primary tool. This is the recommended first step before considering medications.

Maintaining or increasing physical activity and limiting screen time increases during abrupt societal changes (such as pandemic restrictions) mitigates negative mental health consequences, including depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

If you are facing restrictions that make your normal routine impossible, prioritize keeping up your physical activity levels and limit non-essential screen time. The study shows that dropping your activity level or increasing screen time is strongly linked to worse mental health, including higher depression and anxiety. You can maintain activity through home-based exercises or telehealth guidance even if you are isolated.

Mobile health (mHealth) interventions, particularly those involving text messaging (SMS) and clinical feedback, significantly improve glycemic control (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes compared to standard care.

For patients with diabetes, using mobile health tools like SMS reminders or apps to track blood glucose and receive feedback from healthcare providers can lead to modest but clinically meaningful improvements in blood sugar control (HbA1c), especially for those with type 2 diabetes. This approach works best when combined with standard care and lifestyle education, and effects are most evident within the first year of use.

Medically tailored groceries (MTG) and produce prescriptions improve diet quality and clinical markers (like HbA1c) in patients with diet-related chronic conditions.

If you have diabetes or heart disease and struggle to buy healthy food, ask your doctor about produce prescription programs or medically tailored groceries. These programs often provide vouchers or specific foods to help you manage your condition.

Exercise interventions for hip or knee osteoarthritis reduce pain and improve physical function, with moderate quality evidence supporting these outcomes.

If you have hip or knee osteoarthritis, exercise is recommended to reduce pain and improve function. While the benefits are modest (around 6% pain reduction), they are significant for quality of life. Start with exercises tailored to your abilities and preferences, and focus on consistency rather than intensity.

Higher levels of physical activity are associated with lower odds of developing incident chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily to lower your risk of developing kidney disease. This is a primary prevention strategy that aligns with cardiovascular health guidelines. Avoid prolonged periods of being sedentary.

Transferring the Mediterranean Diet to non-Mediterranean countries (like the US) requires specific behavioral and ingredient substitutions, particularly using olive oil as the main culinary fat and reducing red/processed meats.

To adopt the Mediterranean Diet in a non-Mediterranean setting like the US, start by swapping your cooking fat to extra-virgin olive oil. Replace red and processed meats with fish, legumes, or nuts. Swap sugary drinks for water or moderate wine with meals. Use whole grains instead of refined ones, and eat fresh fruit for dessert instead of sweets. These changes are affordable and can be adapted to local tastes.

High levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), specifically around 60-75 minutes per day, can largely mitigate the increased health risks associated with high sedentary behavior.

If you have a sedentary job, prioritize getting 60-75 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. This high level of activity can significantly reduce the health risks associated with sitting for long periods, although limiting sitting time itself is still beneficial.

A software framework using a team of human Digital Twins (DTs) can predict athlete fitness outcomes and generate counterfactual explanations to suggest behavioral modifications for optimization.

Use a fitness tracking system that not only records your data but explains why it suggests changes. Look for platforms that offer 'counterfactual' insights, such as 'If you had slept 1 hour more, your performance would have improved by X%.' This transparency helps you trust and follow the advice.

Regular physical exercise performed at home during lockdown significantly mitigates psychological distress (anxiety, stress, frustration) and maintains physical fitness in individuals previously dependent on gym environments.

If you miss the gym, do not stop exercising. Substitute gym workouts with home-based alternatives like yoga, high-intensity bodyweight exercises, or household items (e.g., water bottles as weights). Use music to recreate the gym atmosphere and maintain focus. Consistency at home is more important than equipment for maintaining mental and physical health during restrictions.

Engaging in home-based physical activity (aerobic, resistance, flexibility) during quarantine mitigates negative psychological effects (stress, anxiety, depression) and maintains physical fitness.

Start moving at home. You don't need a gym. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity (like brisk walking or dancing) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, split into 5-7 sessions. If you are a child or adolescent, aim for 60 minutes daily. Use apps or wearables to track progress. Avoid sudden heavy training if you are untrained. If you have symptoms of viral infection, stop exercise and rest.

Management of sarcopenic obesity requires a combined approach of resistance and aerobic exercise with moderate caloric restriction and high-quality protein intake, as caloric restriction alone can exacerbate muscle loss.

Do not just diet. Combine moderate calorie cutting with high-protein eating (1-1.2g/kg/day) and a mix of resistance and aerobic exercise. This protects your muscles while losing fat. Avoid extreme low-calorie diets which can harm your muscle mass.

Regular physical activity, specifically moderate-intensity aerobic exercise such as brisk walking for 30 minutes daily, reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in elderly adults by approximately 15-20% compared to sedentary lifestyles.

Start by walking briskly for 30 minutes every day. You do not need to run or lift weights to get significant heart benefits. This simple habit can lower your risk of heart problems by up to 20% compared to sitting still. If you have existing conditions, consult your doctor to ensure this intensity is safe for you, but do not let fear of injury stop you from moving.

Use of a fully automated conversational AI health coach for weight loss produces weight loss and dietary improvements comparable to in-person lifestyle interventions, without requiring live human assistance.

If you are overweight or obese and struggle with access to dietitians or coaches, a fully automated AI health coach app can help you lose weight and eat healthier. The app works by having you log your meals, weight, and activity, and then receiving personalized, empathetic text-based feedback and coaching. You don't need to talk to a human; the AI guides you through goal-setting and behavior change strategies similar to in-person programs. Consistency is key: the more you engage with the app and log your meals, the more weight you are likely to lose.

Maintaining physical activity during home confinement or social isolation prevents rapid loss of muscle mass, cardiovascular fitness, and metabolic health, thereby reducing mortality risk and susceptibility to severe infection outcomes.

Do not let gym closures stop your exercise. Perform high-volume, low-to-medium intensity resistance exercises at home, aim for at least 5,000 steps daily, and use wearable tech to track progress. If you have chronic conditions, seek telemedicine supervision. Avoid exercising immediately before bed to protect sleep. Remember that even small amounts of activity are significantly better than none.

Digital interventions (mobile apps, web-based platforms, and wearable sensors) effectively promote healthy lifestyle behaviors, including increased physical activity, improved dietary habits, and smoking cessation, primarily through mechanisms of self-monitoring, goal setting, and personalized feedback.

To use digital interventions effectively for lifestyle change, choose a platform that offers self-monitoring (like tracking steps or food) and provides personalized feedback. Ensure the tool is easy to use and fits your daily routine. Consistency is key; use features like reminders and goal-setting to maintain engagement over time.

Limiting sedentary behavior and replacing it with physical activity of any intensity, including light intensity, provides health benefits for adults living with disability.

Try to reduce the total time you spend with low energy expenditure, whether sitting or lying down. Replace this time with any amount of physical activity, even light movements. This substitution provides health benefits. Aim to do more than the recommended levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to help reduce the detrimental effects of high sedentary time.

Physical activity recommendations for the general population (60 minutes/day for youth, 150-300 min/week moderate or 75-150 min/week vigorous for adults) apply to people living with disability, with the caveat that activity should be appropriate to their specific condition and ability.

Aim for 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity every day. Include vigorous activities and exercises that strengthen muscles and bones at least 3 days a week. If you are not meeting these recommendations, doing some physical activity will still bring health benefits. Start small and gradually increase.

Adults living with disability should undertake regular physical activity, including 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, plus muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week.

Aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (like brisk walking) or 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity (like running) each week. You can mix these. Also, do muscle-strengthening exercises for all major muscle groups at least 2 days a week. If you are not meeting these recommendations, doing some physical activity will still bring health benefits. Start small and gradually increase.

Chatbot interventions significantly increase total physical activity, daily steps, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to control conditions.

Use a chatbot app or platform that sends daily prompts or allows you to log your activity and diet. Look for tools that use goal-setting and feedback features. Consistency is key, even if the interaction is brief. This is a low-cost, accessible way to boost your daily movement and healthy eating habits.

Chatbot interventions significantly increase fruit and vegetable consumption, with text-based and AI/NLP-enabled chatbots being more effective than voice-based or non-AI chatbots.

Choose a chatbot that uses text or AI features for dietary tracking. Use it when you are shopping or preparing food to log your intake. This method is more effective for improving fruit and vegetable consumption than voice-only options.

Regular physical activity, including resistance, aerobic, and balance exercises, reduces the risk of chronic diseases, cognitive decline, and functional impairment in older adults.

Engage in regular physical activity tailored to your abilities. Include resistance training to build muscle, aerobic exercise for heart health, and balance activities to prevent falls. Even moderate activity like walking can significantly reduce the risk of dementia and chronic diseases, improving your quality of life.

Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) produces weight loss and body fat reduction equivalent to Continuous Energy Restriction (CER) when total energy intake is matched, with some regimens showing superior fat loss due to better adherence.

If you struggle with daily dieting, try restricting calories significantly on 2 days a week and eating normally (but healthily) the other 5. You don't need to overeat on the free days; studies show people often naturally eat less on those days too. This approach yields the same weight loss as daily dieting but may be easier to stick to.

Home-based resistance exercise is an effective and feasible intervention to maintain or improve muscle mass, strength, and functionality in older adults during periods of social isolation.

Prescribe home-based resistance exercises for all older adults during isolation. Focus on maintaining muscle mass and strength. If equipment is limited, focus on bodyweight movements and light activity. Clinicians should prescribe this 'as medicine'.