Browse the evidence

Combining SGLT-2 inhibitors with appetite-suppressing agents (like GLP-1 receptor agonists or phentermine) overcomes the counter-regulatory increase in food intake, resulting in significantly greater weight loss (3–7.3 kg) than either drug alone.

If SGLT-2 inhibitors alone aren't moving the needle enough, combining them with an appetite suppressant (like a GLP-1 agonist or phentermine) is a proven strategy. This combo tackles weight loss from two angles: peeing out calories and feeling less hungry. Clinical trials show this can lead to 3–7 kg of weight loss, significantly more than either drug used by itself.

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation significantly reduces all-cause hospital admissions in patients with coronary heart disease.

Participating in supervised exercise programs after a heart event can significantly reduce the number of times you need to be hospitalized. This is a key benefit of cardiac rehabilitation.

Adherence to the Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015 (DHD15-index) is significantly associated with lower BMI, lower energy intake, and reduced consumption of total and saturated fats, while being positively associated with higher intake of fiber and micronutrients.

To improve your diet quality score, focus on eating at least 200g of vegetables and fruit daily, choosing wholegrain products, limiting red and processed meat, and reducing sweetened beverages. This pattern is associated with lower BMI and better nutrient intake.

Engaging in brief, sporadic bouts of vigorous-intensity physical activity (VILPA) lasting 1-2 minutes during daily life significantly reduces all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in non-exercisers, with effects comparable to structured vigorous exercise.

You do not need to join a gym or set aside large blocks of time for exercise to significantly lower your risk of death from heart disease or cancer. Look for opportunities in your daily routine to move vigorously for just 1-2 minutes at a time. Examples include climbing stairs quickly, walking very fast to catch a bus, or moving briskly between tasks. Doing this 3 times a day (totaling about 4-5 minutes) provides substantial health benefits comparable to structured exercise.

In hypertensive populations (SBP ≥140 mmHg), various exercise types (endurance, resistance, isometric, combination) are equally effective as most antihypertensive medications (ACE-I, ARB, beta-blockers, diuretics).

If you have high blood pressure, structured exercise is a powerful tool that works as well as common blood pressure medications. You can use exercise as a primary treatment or alongside medication. Consult your doctor to determine the best approach for your specific case.

Combination exercise (endurance + resistance) is more effective than dynamic resistance alone for lowering SBP.

Combining cardio and strength training may lower blood pressure more than strength training alone. Try to include both types of exercise in your routine.

Increasing exercise training dose (volume) eliminates cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) non-response in healthy individuals, with hemoglobin mass being the primary determinant of this improvement.

If you have been exercising consistently for a few weeks and see no improvement in your fitness, do not conclude that you are a 'non-responder.' The research indicates that your current exercise volume is likely too low to trigger the necessary physiological adaptations. To see improvements, you must significantly increase your total exercise time (volume) per week, as higher doses eliminate non-response.

Regular, supervised, individualized exercise (aerobic, resistance, balance, or combined) is safe and effective for improving cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, fatigue, and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), without triggering disease exacerbation.

Start with a medical screening to ensure safety. Begin with low-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercise (like walking or cycling) for 10-40 minutes, 2-5 times a week. Add resistance training 2-3 times a week using machines for safety. If you get hot or tired, use cooling strategies (fans, cool water) and take breaks. Focus on consistency and gradual progression rather than intensity. Consult a specialist to tailor the program to your specific disability level.

Postprandial glucose response to identical meals varies significantly between individuals, suggesting that personalized nutrition based on glycemic response is more effective than standardized dietary guidelines focused solely on macronutrient composition.

Generic dietary advice (like 'low carb') may not work for everyone. Your body's response to specific foods (e.g., milk/cereal vs. protein bars) varies. Using CGM to test your response to specific foods can help you identify which foods cause severe glucose spikes for you personally, allowing for personalized nutrition.

Adherence to the traditional Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is associated with an 11% relative reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality or incidence for each 2-point increment in a 0-9 adherence score.

To get the cardiovascular benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, you don't need to move to Italy. Focus on making extra-virgin olive oil your primary cooking fat and dressing for salads. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Limit red and processed meats, and choose fish and poultry more often. If you drink alcohol, do so moderately with meals, preferably wine. This pattern, not just individual 'superfoods', is what reduces heart disease risk.

For women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), lifestyle modification (medical nutrition therapy and physical activity) alone is sufficient to control blood glucose in 70–85% of cases, making it the essential first-line treatment.

Start with diet and exercise. Aim for at least 175g of carbs daily, focusing on complex carbs and fiber. Monitor your weight gain according to your pre-pregnancy BMI. This approach works for the majority of women with GDM.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) produces greater improvements in peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) compared to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), primarily due to greater metabolic stress and mitochondrial biogenesis.

If you have stable heart disease, HIIT can boost your heart's efficiency (VO2peak) more than steady-state exercise. However, it is not strictly necessary for everyone. The most important factor is doing enough total exercise (energy expenditure). If you hate HIIT, do moderate exercise instead; just make sure you do enough of it. Always consult your doctor, and choose the intensity you can stick with long-term.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is superior to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) for improving cardiorespiratory fitness in cardiac rehabilitation patients, with significant benefits observed in programs lasting 7–12 weeks.

If you have coronary artery disease and are in cardiac rehab, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is likely more effective than moderate continuous exercise for improving your heart fitness. Look for programs that last 7 to 12 weeks and use intervals at 85% or more of your max capacity. These programs are supervised and have been shown to be safe, with no increased risk of cardiac events compared to moderate exercise.

A structured, three-stage low FODMAP diet (restriction, reintroduction, personalization) administered by a trained dietitian effectively manages functional gastrointestinal symptoms in 50-80% of patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

If you have IBS, do not start a restrictive diet on your own. First, see a doctor to rule out other conditions. Then, work with a dietitian trained in the low FODMAP diet. The process has three steps: 1) Restrict high-FODMAP foods for 4-8 weeks to see if symptoms improve. 2) If they do, systematically reintroduce specific food groups to identify your personal triggers. 3) Create a long-term diet that excludes only your triggers, allowing you to eat a wider variety of foods. Use provided resources like apps and diet sheets to help, but rely on your dietitian for guidance.

Regular exercise training in older adults largely negates the age-associated decline in skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacity, thereby preserving muscle health, insulin sensitivity, and physical function.

If you are an older adult, regular exercise training can significantly improve your muscle's energy production (mitochondrial capacity), insulin sensitivity, and physical performance, effectively counteracting many negative effects of aging. Focus on consistent physical activity rather than accepting decline as inevitable.

A brief (3-week) diet intervention emphasizing increased intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats while reducing processed foods, saturated fats, and refined sugars significantly reduces symptoms of depression in young adults with elevated baseline symptoms.

If you are a young adult struggling with low mood, try a 3-week experiment: significantly increase your intake of vegetables (5 servings/day), fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats (nuts, olive oil), while cutting back on processed foods, sugar, and fatty meats. You do not need to be perfect; even partial adherence can lead to noticeable improvements in depressive symptoms within weeks. Consider using a meal plan or getting help with grocery shopping to make it easier.

Higher levels of physical activity are associated with a lower risk of incident obesity, coronary heart disease, and type 2 diabetes in adults.

Engage in regular physical activity to significantly lower your risk of developing obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. You do not need to be an elite athlete; higher levels of activity correlate with lower risk. Focus on consistency and increasing your overall activity volume over time.

Low muscle mass is a significant predictor of poor clinical outcomes, including higher surgical complications, longer hospital stays, reduced physical function, and shorter survival, across diverse patient populations in inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care settings.

For patients in clinical settings, low muscle mass is a critical risk factor for poor outcomes, regardless of body weight. Healthcare providers should prioritize measuring muscle mass (via CT, DXA, or BIA) over BMI alone to identify at-risk individuals. Interventions should focus on preventing and reversing muscle loss through multimodal approaches, including exercise and nutrition, to improve survival and reduce healthcare costs.

Plant-based diets significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers) and have a lower environmental impact (greenhouse gas emissions, land/water use) compared to meat-containing diets.

Adopting a plant-based diet offers significant health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, while also being more environmentally sustainable. This makes it a viable long-term strategy for overall health, even if performance benefits are neutral.

Adherence to high-quality dietary patterns, specifically the Mediterranean diet, is associated with a significantly lower risk of incident frailty in older adults.

Focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and olive oil while reducing meat and dairy. This pattern is consistently linked to lower frailty risk in older adults. You do not need to be perfect; even moderate adherence shows benefits.

Mean propulsive velocity (MPV) provides a highly accurate estimate of relative load (%1RM) in the full back squat, allowing for real-time load monitoring and prescription without the need for traditional 1RM testing.

Use a velocity sensor to track your squat reps. If you can move a weight faster than usual (higher MPV), it is effectively lighter than you think, so increase the weight. If you move it slower, decrease the weight. This replaces the need to test your max every few weeks.

Specific dietary components, including omega-3 fatty acids, Mediterranean diet patterns, B-vitamins, probiotics, polyphenols, and weight loss, acutely and chronically improve HRV, while high saturated/trans fats and high glycemic carbohydrates reduce it.

To improve your HRV, focus on a Mediterranean-style diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish), B-vitamins, probiotics, and polyphenols. Avoid high intakes of saturated and trans fats, as well as high glycemic carbohydrates, which have been shown to reduce HRV. Weight loss is also associated with improved HRV. These dietary changes support autonomic nervous system balance and reduce inflammation, leading to better overall health.

Physical activity enhances sleep quality in adults, with specific benefits observed in older populations.

Incorporate regular physical activity into your routine to improve sleep quality, which is essential for healthy ageing and overall well-being.

Consuming complex, whole plant foods containing diverse dietary fibers and phytonutrients increases gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiota diversity and stability more effectively than consuming purified fiber isolates or ultra-processed foods.

Prioritize whole plant foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) over isolated fiber supplements or highly processed foods. The physical structure and variety of fibers and phytonutrients in whole foods are essential for feeding a diverse and healthy gut microbiome, which in turn supports metabolic health and reduces inflammation.