Browse the evidence

Regular consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) does not have conclusive evidence for beneficial or harmful effects on major health outcomes including appetite, short-term food intake, cancer risk, diabetes risk, dental caries, weight gain, or obesity in healthy subjects.

Current scientific evidence does not support the idea that non-nutritive sweeteners (like aspartame, sucralose, or stevia) are inherently harmful or beneficial for weight, cancer, or diabetes risk in healthy people. While some studies show mixed results on appetite, the overall body of research does not confirm significant health benefits or harms. You can use them as part of a balanced diet without expecting specific health outcomes based on current data.

Bariatric surgery (RYGB, sleeve gastrectomy) does not result in clinically significant improvements in semen volume, sperm concentration, morphology, or DNA damage in men with obesity.

Do not expect bariatric surgery to improve your fertility. While it helps with weight, studies show it does not significantly improve sperm quality or DNA integrity. If fertility is a priority, lifestyle changes are a more reliable first step.

Extra-virgin olive oil polyphenols (e.g., oleocanthal, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol) exhibit anticarcinogenic properties in vitro and in animal models by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation.

Consume extra-virgin olive oil regularly to benefit from its polyphenols, which have shown anticarcinogenic mechanisms in lab studies. Focus on high-quality, phenol-rich EVOO.

An intensive weight loss intervention combining total diet replacements (TDR), behavioral support, and weight loss medications (WLM) as needed achieves and maintains ≥20% weight loss in adults with obesity class I or II, significantly outperforming usual care.

To achieve significant weight loss (≥20%), you need a structured, long-term (2-year) program that combines strict initial calorie restriction (via meal replacements), regular coaching, and physical activity. If you don't lose enough weight in the first month, the program adds medication support. This is more intensive than typical 'eat less, move more' advice, which usually results in minimal weight loss.

A structured pregnancy intervention combining a high-dairy protein diet (25% energy) and a progressive walking program (up to 10,000 steps/day) improves the likelihood of achieving Institute of Medicine (IOM) gestational weight gain (GWG) targets compared to standard prenatal care.

To manage weight gain during pregnancy, combine a diet where 25% of your calories come from dairy proteins (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese) with a daily walking goal of 10,000 steps. Start with 25-minute walks 3-4 times a week, adding 2 minutes each week until you reach 40 minutes. This structured approach is more effective than standard advice alone.

A 12-week online intervention combining tailored protein intake counseling with progressive resistance training improves physical function, muscle strength, and health-related quality of life in older cancer survivors compared to general education and stretching.

If you are an older cancer survivor experiencing physical weakness, consider a program that combines specific dietary advice on protein intake with structured resistance exercises. This study protocol suggests that doing this online with professional guidance for 12 weeks may help improve your strength and quality of life, though results are not yet available.

Combining resistance training with progressive whey protein supplementation (up to 60g/day) initiated 3 weeks post-surgery counteracts disproportional fat-free mass loss in patients undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery.

If you have had bariatric surgery, standard care may not be enough to protect your muscle. This protocol suggests starting resistance training (both home and supervised) and gradually increasing whey protein intake to 60g per day, starting 3 weeks after surgery. This combination aims to preserve muscle mass, which is crucial for long-term health and metabolic function.

An intensive weight loss intervention combining total diet replacement (800-850 kcal/day), behavioral support, and weight loss medication achieves and maintains >20% weight loss and improves cardiometabolic risk in adults with severe obesity (BMI ≥35 kg/m²) over 2 years.

For severe obesity, standard 'eat less, move more' advice often fails. This protocol uses a 2-year structured approach: start with a very low-calorie formula diet (800-850 kcal) for 12 weeks with weekly support. If you don't lose enough weight, add a GLP-1 medication. Then, gradually transition to a healthy, low-calorie diet while maintaining exercise. The key is the intensive support and the ability to 'rescue' the plan with formula meals or medication if you regain weight.

Creatine monohydrate supplementation combined with resistance training significantly increases lean tissue mass and muscular strength (upper and lower body) in older adults compared to resistance training alone.

If you are over 50 and doing resistance training, adding creatine monohydrate (3-5g daily, optionally with a short loading phase) will help you gain more muscle and strength than training alone. It is safe for your kidneys and liver based on current research.

Ad libitum consumption of an ultra-processed food (UPF) diet, even when compliant with standard macronutrient dietary guidelines, leads to weight gain and adverse metabolic outcomes, whereas a minimally processed food (MPF) diet leads to weight loss and favorable metabolic changes.

This study protocol investigates whether simply following standard dietary guidelines (like the UK Eatwell Guide) is enough to maintain health if the food is ultra-processed. The hypothesis is that even if you eat the 'right' amounts of fat, sugar, and protein, ultra-processed foods may lead to weight gain, while minimally processed foods lead to weight loss, regardless of macronutrient matching. Until results are published, the implication is that food quality (processing level) matters independently of quantity.

Participation in exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) for patients with coronary heart disease significantly reduces cardiovascular mortality, recurrent myocardial infarction, and hospitalizations compared to no-exercise control, while also improving health-related quality of life.

If you have coronary heart disease, participating in a structured exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program is one of the most effective steps you can take to lower your risk of dying from heart causes, having another heart attack, or being hospitalized. You do not need to be an elite athlete; programs vary in intensity and setting (home or center), but the key is consistent, supervised physical activity combined with education. This is recommended alongside modern medical treatments, not instead of them.

Exercise programs (strength, aerobic, flexibility, or neuromotor) of adequate dosage with progression tailored to physical function improve pain and function in hip and knee osteoarthritis.

Start an exercise program tailored to your current ability. It can include strength, aerobic, flexibility, or neuromotor exercises. Progress gradually. Exercise is safe and effective for reducing pain and improving function in osteoarthritis.

Training adaptations (e.g., VO2max, strength) vary greatly between individuals, necessitating monitoring and re-planning for non-responders.

Don't assume a standard program works for everyone. Track your progress (e.g., weight lifted, running pace). If you aren't improving after a few weeks, increase the dose or change the exercise. Personalization through monitoring is key.

The combination of HIIT and TRE may induce synergistic improvements in glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity compared to either intervention alone, though this remains unproven.

This specific combination is currently under investigation. While early evidence suggests combining time-restricted eating (≤10h window) with high-intensity interval training (3x/week) might offer superior metabolic benefits compared to doing either alone, definitive proof for this specific population is not yet available. You may try combining these strategies, but monitor your health markers closely.

Pharmacological treatment for obesity is indicated for adults with a BMI ≥30 kg/m², or ≥27 kg/m² with at least one comorbidity, when lifestyle changes are insufficient to achieve or maintain weight loss objectives.

If your BMI is 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with a health condition like diabetes or high blood pressure, and diet and exercise haven't worked, you qualify for prescription weight-loss medication. This is a standard medical indication, not a failure of willpower. Discuss this with your doctor to see if it's appropriate for you.

An intensive 6-month cardiac rehabilitation program combining a moderate-carbohydrate Mediterranean diet, exercise training, and time-restricted eating (8:16) can reverse pre-diabetes to normal glucose concentrations in patients with coronary heart disease.

If you have heart disease and pre-diabetes, a structured 6-month program can help reverse your blood sugar levels. Start with a Mediterranean-style diet (less than 40% carbs, mostly plants/fish/olive oil) and reduce ultra-processed foods. Add supervised exercise (mix of steady cardio and high-intensity intervals plus strength training) 3 times a week. After 3 months, add an 8-hour eating window (16 hours fasting) 5 days a week. Do this under medical supervision.

Combining full and partial ROMs in a single training program may promote synergistic effects on muscle growth by targeting different muscle activation patterns.

Consider incorporating both full and partial ROM exercises in your training program to potentially target different muscle activation patterns, though this is a hypothesis rather than a proven fact.

Plyometric training may induce hypertrophy in Type II muscle fibers, but evidence is limited and conflicting regarding fiber-type specificity compared to resistance training.

There is not enough evidence to recommend plyometric training specifically for targeting fast-twitch muscle fibers over slow-twitch ones. Focus on whole-muscle hypertrophy strategies instead.

Nutritional interventions (dietary patterns, education, or supplementation) improve blood pressure and glycaemic control in adults with hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes in low- and middle-income countries.

This paper is a protocol outlining how researchers will analyze existing studies. It does not provide a specific diet plan for individuals. However, it highlights that dietary changes are a key management tool for hypertension and diabetes, and that these changes should be adapted to local food contexts in low-resource settings.

Incorporating almonds as 15% of energy intake within an energy-restricted diet promotes greater weight loss and limits weight regain compared to carbohydrate-rich snacks.

To potentially aid weight loss, replace 15% of your daily calories with almonds (about 30g minimum) six days a week while maintaining a calorie deficit. This strategy aims to improve satiety and limit weight regain compared to eating carbohydrate-rich snacks.

Higher BMI (overweight, obesity, and morbid obesity) is associated with a significantly increased lifetime risk of incident cardiovascular disease and a greater proportion of life lived with cardiovascular morbidity compared to normal BMI, despite similar or slightly higher all-cause longevity in the overweight group.

Maintaining a normal BMI (18.5-24.9) is associated with the lowest lifetime risk of developing cardiovascular disease and the most years lived free of heart conditions. While being overweight might not shorten your total lifespan as much as obesity, it significantly increases the number of years you will spend living with cardiovascular disease, reducing your quality of life and increasing healthcare burdens.

Sarcopenia is significantly associated with a higher risk of mortality in adults, independent of population type, sarcopenia definition, or follow-up period.

If you are an adult, especially over 50, muscle loss is a serious health risk that doubles your chance of dying, regardless of whether you live at home or in a facility. You should not accept muscle loss as 'just aging.' Get screened for sarcopenia (muscle mass and strength tests) and engage in resistance training and adequate protein intake to mitigate this risk.

Engaging in 7.5-15 MET hours/week of leisure-time physical activity significantly lowers the risk of seven specific cancer types (colon, breast, endometrial, kidney, myeloma, liver, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma) compared to no activity.

Aim for 7.5 to 15 MET hours of leisure activity per week. This is roughly 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate-intensity activity (like brisk walking) or less time of vigorous activity. This level of activity is associated with a significantly lower risk of colon, breast, endometrial, kidney, myeloma, liver, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancers. You do not need to exercise at high intensities to gain these benefits; consistency and total volume matter.

Higher levels of physical activity beyond the recommended 15 MET hours/week do not provide additional cancer risk reduction for curvilinear cancers (kidney, gastric, liver, non-Hodgkin lymphoma), whereas linear cancers (breast, colon, endometrial) continue to show reduced risk with higher activity.

If you already do 15+ MET hours of activity per week, you do not necessarily need to increase it further for cancer prevention, especially for liver, kidney, or gastric cancer risks, as the benefit plateaus. However, for breast and colon cancer, higher levels may still offer additional protection. Focus on consistency rather than excessive volume.