Browse the evidence

Mainting fat-free mass through resistance training and protein supplementation is a viable strategy to mitigate Brugada syndrome risk.

Consider incorporating resistance training and adequate protein intake to build fat-free mass, as this may help protect against Brugada syndrome. Discuss this with your doctor, as specific protocols are still being validated.

University students, particularly males, frequently consume protein supplements (often ~24g/day) primarily to build muscle mass, despite having a high incidence of gastrointestinal side effects and a significant lack of knowledge regarding the actual health risks.

If you are a university student using protein powder to build muscle, be aware that nearly 60% of users in this study experienced side effects like stomach issues or headaches. You likely do not need more than 24g per serving, and taking more than 40g offers no extra muscle benefit. Instead of relying on gym buddies or social media, consult a nutritionist to ensure you are not exceeding safe or necessary limits.

Structured football participation creates positive transfer effects that maintain higher vigorous physical activity (VPA) levels in young adults even during non-practice periods, refuting the hypothesis that athletes do not transfer high activity levels to regular lifestyle.

If you play structured sports like football, you are likely to stay more active during your free time than non-athletes, even if you aren't formally exercising. However, this study shows that even athletes fall short of vigorous activity guidelines (75 min/week) when practice is excluded. To maximize health benefits, you should intentionally incorporate high-intensity activities into your non-practice time, as structured sport alone may not be enough to meet vigorous activity targets.

Structured football participation significantly increases vigorous physical activity (VPA) but does not necessarily increase light physical activity (LPA), suggesting a redistribution of activity intensity rather than total volume.

Don't just focus on the total number of minutes you move. Structured sports like football naturally shift your activity profile toward higher intensities (VPA), which is crucial for health. Even if you spend less time in 'light' activity (like casual walking), the high-intensity bursts from your sport provide significant benefits. Focus on maintaining that intensity in your daily life, not just accumulating low-intensity steps.

A 6-month lifestyle intervention (Pure Prairie Living Program) involving weekly nutrition education and an eating plan improves dietary adherence scores in people with T2D, but does not significantly change HbA1c or diabetes self-efficacy in a primary care setting.

Taking nutrition classes and following an eating plan can help you stick to better dietary habits, but this alone might not lower your blood sugar (HbA1c) significantly if you don't have support for making those changes in your daily life. Look for programs that help you overcome real-world barriers like cost, time, or social pressure, not just those that teach you what to eat.

Among Behavior Change Techniques (BCTs), self-monitoring, feedback on performance, and focus on past success are the only techniques associated with improved diet quality (HEI-C) in metabolic syndrome counseling, while frequent goal setting and feedback on performance (when excessive) are associated with poorer outcomes.

When counseling for metabolic syndrome, prioritize self-monitoring (e.g., food logs), providing feedback on performance, and focusing on past successes. Avoid frequent goal setting, as it may be counterproductive. Most other standard BCTs (like action planning or motivational interviewing) did not show a significant association with diet quality improvements in this study.

Participation in a citizen-led, unsupervised online peer coaching community for type 2 diabetes leads to substantial, sustained improvements in weight, waist circumference, fasting glucose, and HbA1c.

Join a supportive, peer-led community focused on lifestyle changes like low-carb diets and fasting. Track your metrics (weight, waist, glucose) regularly and share them. The social support and accountability from others with similar struggles can drive significant, sustained metabolic improvements without needing direct medical supervision.

High baseline Weight Bias Internalization (WBI) is associated with reduced likelihood of achieving clinically meaningful weight loss in lifestyle modification programs.

If you struggle with negative thoughts about your weight, know that this can make weight loss harder. Consider asking your care team about strategies to address these feelings, such as self-compassion exercises or counseling. Addressing these psychological barriers can help you stay engaged and improve your chances of reaching your health goals.

Government-mandated lockdowns and quarantine measures contribute to weight gain and the development of obesity through reduced physical activity and increased consumption of hyperpalatable foods.

Lockdowns can lead to weight gain due to stress eating and less activity. To counter this, try to maintain a routine, find non-food ways to cope with stress, and limit access to hyperpalatable, calorie-dense foods. Even small increases in physical activity can help mitigate these effects.

Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF), specifically beverages and snacks, is significantly associated with food addiction (FA) in young adults, independent of BMI and other demographic factors.

If you struggle with compulsive eating or 'food addiction,' focus on reducing ultra-processed beverages and snacks. These specific categories showed the strongest link to addictive behaviors in young adults, regardless of your weight. Prioritize whole foods to potentially reduce the reinforcing power of your diet.

General Practitioner-delivered weight management programs are feasible and acceptable in primary care settings, with strong therapeutic alliance correlating with better patient retention and improved GP self-efficacy.

If you are a GP, consider delivering weight management directly using a structured, person-centered approach. Focus on building a strong therapeutic alliance with your patients, as this improves retention and outcomes. If you are a patient, ask your GP if they offer weight management programs, as they can be effective and may reduce the need for referrals.

Psychological factors, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, are significant barriers to weight loss, often leading to emotional eating and avoidance of exercise.

Address mental health first. If you are anxious or depressed, seek support (therapy, counseling) to manage emotions without food. This reduces the psychological barrier to exercise and improves adherence to dietary changes.

COVID-19 lockdown measures significantly increased food intake in young adults, with 31.2% reporting increased consumption and 16.8% reporting decreased consumption compared to pre-lockdown levels.

During periods of restricted access to external food sources (restaurants, cafes), self-reported food intake tends to increase for a significant portion of young adults, particularly those with higher BMI or increased stress. To counter this, prioritize home-cooked meals and monitor stress levels, as these are key drivers of increased consumption.

Increased mental stress, higher BMI (>25 kg/m2), increased alcohol consumption, and reduced sports activity are significant predictors of increased food intake during lockdown.

If you are experiencing high stress, drinking more alcohol, or exercising less during lockdown, you are at higher risk of increasing your food intake, especially if your BMI is above 25. Be mindful of these triggers.

Modifying food labels to indicate ultra-processing status improves consumer understanding and purchasing intentions.

Look for food labels that explicitly mark ultra-processed foods to make better purchasing decisions.

Consumers lack sufficient food literacy to transition to plant-based protein diets without compromising nutritional adequacy or relying on ultra-processed foods.

To successfully adopt more plant-based proteins, you need to learn how to select and prepare them, as simply swapping meat for plants isn't enough. Focus on whole foods like legumes, nuts, and seeds to ensure you get adequate nutrients without relying on processed alternatives. If you are unsure, consult a professional to ensure your diet remains nutritionally complete, especially if you are older or raising children.

Mandatory institutional nutrition policies based on dietary guidelines improve dietary intakes, but voluntary policies often fail to ensure adequate access to healthy protein foods.

For institutions serving children and the elderly, voluntary nutrition guidelines are not enough. Mandatory policies are required to ensure consistent access to high-quality protein foods. Families should advocate for these mandatory standards in local schools and care facilities.

Lifestyle interventions for liver transplant recipients should be delivered via flexible, personalized eHealth modalities (including telehealth and peer support) to accommodate geographical dispersion and the desire for autonomy.

Ask your healthcare provider for a personalized care plan that uses technology (like video calls or apps) if you live far away or want more flexibility. Ensure the plan includes peer support and psychological counseling alongside physical advice.

Sensory-related industrial additives (SRIAs) in ultra-processed foods increase the risk of obesity-related conditions by enhancing sensory qualities that encourage overconsumption, independent of conscious palatability ratings.

To reduce the risk of overconsumption linked to ultra-processed foods, prioritize whole foods and minimize intake of products containing sensory-related industrial additives (SRIAs). These additives, found in 64.9% of US packaged foods (especially sweets, beverages, and ready-to-eat meals), are designed to enhance taste, texture, and appearance, which can bypass natural satiety signals and drive overeating. Check ingredient lists for terms like 'modified starch,' 'artificial flavor,' 'colors,' and 'sweeteners' as indicators of high SRIA content.

Living in the Sardinian Blue Zone (SBZ) socio-cultural context, combined with higher perceived physical health and time spent gardening, predicts lower depressive symptoms in older adults.

For seniors, engaging in gardening and maintaining good physical health are linked to lower depression. Living in a community that values autonomy and tradition (like the Blue Zone) may also support mental well-being.

Engagement in e-cycling serves as an acceptable and effective self-management strategy for Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) that fosters patient autonomy and may reduce reliance on medication.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes, consider e-cycling as a viable exercise option. It is designed to assist you, making it accessible even if you have lower fitness levels or face hilly terrain. This form of activity can help you feel more in control of your health and may reduce your need for medication over time. Consult your primary care provider to discuss starting an e-cycling program.

An 8-week live online exercise program delivered by qualified professionals significantly reduces depressive symptoms and improves life-space mobility in community-dwelling older adults (65-80 years) compared to a waitlist control.

If you are over 65, a live, online exercise class led by a professional can significantly boost your mood and independence. Look for programs that offer live interaction (not just videos) and have qualified instructors who can modify exercises for your specific needs. Consistency (3x/week for 8 weeks) is key to seeing these mental and physical benefits.

Painful exercises (using a threshold or tolerability limit) may offer small but significant benefits over pain-free exercises in the short term for chronic musculoskeletal pain, though this is unknown for people with haemophilia.

For chronic musculoskeletal pain, allowing some pain during exercise (within a safe threshold) might be more beneficial in the short term than strictly avoiding pain. However, for people with haemophilia, this approach needs more research to determine safety and efficacy.

A 1-hour online continuing medical education (CME) course focused on type 2 diabetes nutrition significantly increases physicians' nutrition knowledge and confidence in providing lifestyle counseling.

If you are a healthcare provider, consider completing a short, focused online course on diabetes nutrition. This specific 1-hour course was shown to significantly boost knowledge and confidence in counseling patients, addressing the common gap in medical school training. It offers practical tools like billing codes to make integration into your practice easier.