Browse the evidence

Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with a 17% lower incidence of diabetes, with risk decreasing markedly up to 60 minutes per week (L-shaped association).

To reduce your risk of developing diabetes, incorporate 30-60 minutes of muscle-strengthening exercises per week. The biggest benefit comes from getting up to 60 minutes, after which additional time yields diminishing returns for diabetes risk specifically.

Providing diabetes-appropriate food boxes combined with self-management support and HbA1c monitoring to food-insecure adults with diabetes improves glycemic control (HbA1c) and dietary intake.

If you have diabetes and struggle to afford healthy food, look for local food pantries that offer 'diabetes-appropriate' food boxes. These boxes typically contain whole grains, lean proteins, and vegetables. Ask if they offer any support like blood sugar monitoring or education. This combination of free healthy food and health support can help lower your blood sugar levels and improve your diet.

Among women, both short (<5 hours) and long (≥8 hours) sleep durations are associated with adverse lipid profiles, specifically high serum triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol, forming a U-shaped risk curve relative to the 6-7 hour reference group.

For women, aiming for 6-7 hours of sleep appears to be the optimal window for maintaining healthy triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels. Both sleeping less than 5 hours and more than 8 hours is associated with significantly higher risks of dyslipidemia. While this study is observational, prioritizing consistent, moderate sleep duration may support cardiovascular health markers.

Among men, sleeping ≥8 hours is associated with a significantly lower risk of high LDL cholesterol compared to sleeping 6-7 hours, suggesting a potential benefit of long sleep for this specific lipid marker in men.

For men, sleeping 8 hours or more may be associated with lower LDL cholesterol levels compared to sleeping 6-7 hours. However, this does not mean long sleep is universally better, as other lipid markers (triglycerides, HDL) did not show significant associations in men. Men should prioritize overall sleep quality and consistency.

Homozygosity for the C allele at position -174 of the IL-6 gene is associated with lower plasma IL-6 levels, increased insulin sensitivity, and lower postload glucose levels compared to carriers of the G allele.

This research highlights that your genetics, specifically the IL-6 gene, influence how sensitive you are to insulin. If you carry the G allele, you may have higher baseline inflammation and lower insulin sensitivity. While you cannot change your genes, this knowledge underscores the importance of maintaining healthy body composition and managing inflammation, as these factors interact with your genetic predisposition to affect metabolic health.

Overweight individuals (BMI 25-30 kg/m2) experience a significant decrease in insulin sensitivity when consuming a saturated fat diet compared to a monounsaturated fat diet, suggesting they are more susceptible to dietary fat-induced insulin resistance.

If you are overweight, be mindful of saturated fat intake. This study suggests that consuming a diet high in saturated fats (9% of energy from palmitic acid) can significantly reduce your insulin sensitivity compared to monounsaturated fats, even if you are otherwise healthy. Lean individuals may not experience this drop.

Frequent consumption of fast food is associated with higher total and saturated fat intake, lower vegetable intake, and higher obesity rates in African American adults.

For African American adults, frequent fast food eating is linked to higher fat intake, lower vegetable intake, and obesity. Interventions should focus on addressing convenience barriers and strengthening the belief in diet-disease relationships rather than just providing nutritional knowledge.

Higher adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet (MeDi) in middle-aged adults is associated with slower longitudinal progression of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers, specifically reduced rates of cerebral glucose hypometabolism and beta-amyloid deposition, compared to lower adherence.

Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet in middle age may help slow the brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease, such as reduced glucose metabolism and amyloid buildup. Focus on increasing fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, and fish, while reducing dairy, meat, and saturated fats. This dietary pattern may provide up to 3.5 years of protection against these specific brain biomarkers.

Encapsulating plant polyphenols in green bio-based nanocarriers (proteins, polysaccharides, or lipids) significantly improves their oral bioavailability and stability compared to unencapsulated forms.

If you take polyphenol supplements (like green tea extract or curcumin), look for those using advanced delivery systems (like nano-encapsulation). Standard powders may pass through your system without being absorbed effectively. The technology ensures the active ingredients actually enter your bloodstream.

Long-term consumption of foods rich in plant polyphenols is associated with the prevention or improvement of chronic diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Incorporate a variety of polyphenol-rich plant foods (fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee) into your daily diet. This long-term dietary pattern supports heart health, blood sugar regulation, and cognitive function, acting as a preventive measure against chronic diseases.

Obesity is associated with a higher consumption of energy-dense foods, but this is driven by cue-reactivity and desire rather than a heightened hedonic liking (pleasure) for those foods.

While obese individuals may consume more energy-dense foods, this is not necessarily because they enjoy them more. Focus on managing environmental cues and your motivation to eat, rather than assuming you simply have a stronger taste preference for these foods.

Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) activation and 'browning' of white fat are promising anti-obesity strategies that increase energy expenditure and improve glucose homeostasis.

Adults can have metabolically active brown fat, which burns calories as heat. While cold exposure activates it, future drugs may mimic this effect. Currently, maintaining a healthy weight helps preserve BAT function, which is often reduced in obesity.

Cross-sex hormone therapy (testosterone for trans men, estrogen/anti-androgens for trans women) significantly improves quality of life, mood, and reduces perceived stress and cortisol levels.

If you are transgender and experiencing gender dysphoria, cross-sex hormone therapy is the standard medical treatment to align your body with your identity. This treatment is proven to improve quality of life, mood, and reduce stress. While there are physical risks to monitor (like bone and heart health), the psychological benefits are significant. Work with a provider to find the right regimen for you.

Testosterone therapy in transgender men is effective for virilization, with higher doses achieving effects faster but not resulting in greater final outcomes compared to lower doses over the intermediate term.

For trans men, testosterone therapy effectively causes virilization. While higher doses might speed up early changes, they do not produce better results than lower doses after six months. It is safer to start with a lower dose and titrate up to a target range (300-1,000 ng/dL) to minimize risks while achieving the same physical changes.

University students' physical activity levels significantly decreased and sedentary behavior significantly increased during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, failing to offset the health risks of prolonged sitting.

If you are a student or young adult, expect your activity levels to drop and sitting time to rise during periods of confinement or routine disruption. To mitigate this, you must intentionally schedule movement, as the default environment will likely increase sedentary time by several hours daily.

During pandemic lockdowns, university students experienced a significant decrease in nutrient and caloric intake alongside a significant increase in alcohol consumption.

During disruptions, prioritize maintaining nutrient density even if calories drop. Be aware that alcohol consumption may increase as a coping mechanism, which can further displace essential nutrients.

High DHA fish oil supplementation slows the rate of cognitive decline in older adults, although its effects on depression disorders remain unclear.

For older adults concerned about memory loss, high DHA fish oil (where DHA is higher than EPA) may help slow cognitive decline. However, do not expect it to treat depression, as evidence for that is currently unclear.

Adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern (defined by at least two components such as high monounsaturated/saturated fat ratio, high fruit/vegetable intake, etc.) produces small but statistically significant reductions in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in adults, though it does not significantly reduce clinical cardiovascular events in primary prevention settings based on current trial data.

Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet, defined by incorporating at least two key components like using olive oil as your main fat and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, leads to small but measurable improvements in cholesterol levels (specifically total and LDL cholesterol). While this pattern may not directly prevent heart attacks or strokes in the short term based on current trials, it effectively modifies key cardiovascular risk factors. Focus on these two core changes rather than trying to replicate every aspect of the traditional diet perfectly.

Processing methods (blanching, freezing, drying) significantly alter the retention of bioactive compounds in carrots, with some methods increasing phenolic content while others decrease it.

How you prepare carrots matters. Blanching before freezing or juicing can sometimes increase the availability of phenolic compounds compared to just pasteurizing. However, making jam or marmalade from black carrots significantly reduces phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. For maximum benefit, consider blanching or light cooking rather than prolonged high-heat processing or making jams.

Positional therapy (PT) significantly reduces the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) in patients with position-dependent obstructive sleep apnea (POSA), though it is less effective than CPAP at normalizing AHI, while offering superior long-term compliance.

If you have sleep apnea that gets worse when you sleep on your back, positional therapy is a valid, non-invasive treatment option. It works by keeping you off your back, which significantly reduces breathing interruptions (AHI). While it may not be as powerful as CPAP at completely eliminating apneas, it is often easier to stick with long-term because it is less intrusive. Devices range from simple tennis ball techniques to modern vibrating neck devices. The key is finding a method you can tolerate nightly.

Higher diet quality has limited and inconsistent evidence for preventing declines in muscle strength and muscle mass in older adults.

While improving diet quality is crucial for physical mobility, its direct impact on preserving muscle mass and strength is less certain based on current evidence. Older adults should still prioritize diet quality for overall health, but should not rely on diet alone to prevent muscle loss; resistance training remains essential.

Periodic fasting (4-21 days) with 200-250 kcal/day intake is safe, well-tolerated, and improves cardiovascular risk factors and well-being in a large observational cohort.

If you are healthy and want to try a prolonged fast, start with a shorter duration (4-5 days) and ensure you have medical supervision. The Buchinger method involves consuming very few calories (200-250) from plant-based sources, drinking plenty of water, and engaging in light activity. Expect weight loss and improved blood markers, but be aware that hunger and mild symptoms are common in the first few days.

Combined diet and exercise interventions during pregnancy reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) compared to standard care alone, with moderate-quality evidence showing a possible reduction in risk (RR 0.85).

If you are pregnant, engaging in a combined program of healthy eating and physical activity, as guided by healthcare providers, may help lower your risk of developing gestational diabetes compared to standard care alone. While the statistical evidence is not definitive, the trend is favorable, and these lifestyle changes also support overall maternal and infant health.

Combined diet and exercise interventions during pregnancy may reduce the risk of caesarean section compared to standard care, with moderate-quality evidence.

Adopting a healthy diet and exercise routine during pregnancy might lower your chances of needing a caesarean section. While the evidence is not conclusive, the potential benefit exists alongside other health advantages for you and your baby.