Browse the evidence

Specific subgroups of ultra-processed foods, namely fats/condiments/sauces and ice cream/sherbet, are associated with increased cardiovascular and colorectal cancer-specific mortality, respectively, in CRC survivors.

CRC survivors should pay attention to specific UPF categories. High intake of fats/condiments/sauces is linked to higher heart disease death risk, while ice cream/sherbet is linked to higher cancer death risk. Reducing these specific items may offer targeted benefits.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (specifically liraglutide and semaglutide) improve histological features of NASH and achieve resolution of NASH without worsening fibrosis in adults with or without type 2 diabetes.

If you have NASH, GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide or liraglutide are proven to improve liver health, potentially resolving the disease without worsening scarring. They are taken as injections (daily or weekly). While they can cause nausea, the liver benefits are substantial, especially if you have type 2 diabetes or obesity. Consult your doctor for dosing.

SGLT2 inhibitors (empagliflozin, dapagliflozin) reduce liver fat content in patients with NAFLD, as assessed by MRI-based techniques.

SGLT2 inhibitors like empagliflozin or dapagliflozin reduce liver fat in people with type 2 diabetes and fatty liver. They are oral medications taken daily. They can increase the risk of genital infections, so good hygiene is important. They also help with weight and blood sugar.

Physical exercise provides cardiovascular and mental health benefits independent of weight loss, justifying its inclusion in obesity treatment even when pharmacological weight loss is significant.

Even if your medication helps you lose weight, keep exercising. It protects your heart and mood in ways that weight loss alone might not. Focus on brisk walking and basic strength exercises rather than intense workouts.

The current food environment in Dutch supermarkets and out-of-home chains predominantly promotes energy-dense, nutrient-poor products, with 79% of supermarket assortment and 90% of out-of-home assortment falling outside healthy dietary guidelines (Schijf van Vijf).

Recognize that the default food environment is engineered to promote unhealthy eating. 79% of supermarket items and 90% of out-of-home items do not meet basic healthy dietary guidelines. To eat healthily, you must actively seek out specific healthy items rather than assuming they are the norm, as they are often less promoted and less accessible than unhealthy alternatives.

Promotional strategies in supermarkets, including folder offers and in-store placements (end-caps, impulse displays), heavily favor unhealthy products, with 81% of promoted items falling outside healthy dietary guidelines.

Be cautious of promotions and in-store placements, as they are designed to sell unhealthy products. 81% of promoted items do not meet healthy dietary guidelines. To eat healthily, avoid impulse buys and promotions, and stick to a shopping list of healthy items.

Industrial trans fats are harmful and should be avoided, while natural trans fats (from ruminants) are beneficial and may protect against heart disease.

Avoid processed foods with 'partially hydrogenated oils' (industrial trans fats). However, do not avoid natural trans fats found in butter and meat from grass-fed animals, as they may actually protect your heart.

Gastric bypass results in large and long-lasting weight loss (25-27% total body weight loss at 12-15 years) and remission of obesity-related conditions, making it suitable for patients with BMI 35-50 kg/m2, especially with type 2 diabetes or reflux.

Gastric bypass is a highly effective surgical option for patients with BMI 35-50, especially those with type 2 diabetes or reflux. It leads to large, long-lasting weight loss (25-27% at 12-15 years) and remission of obesity-related conditions.

Poly-metabolite scores derived from blood and urine metabolomics can objectively quantify ultra-processed food (UPF) intake, serving as a valid alternative to self-reported dietary assessments.

If you want to accurately track your ultra-processed food intake without relying on memory or self-reporting bias, emerging metabolomic scores offer a precise biological alternative. While currently a research tool, these scores objectively reflect your actual UPF consumption by analyzing specific metabolites in blood and urine, bypassing the common errors of dietary surveys.

Moderate carbohydrate restriction (30% energy) inducing weight loss does not negatively affect global cognition or health-related quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes compared to a conventional diabetes diet.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes, switching to a moderate low-carb diet (around 30% of calories from carbs) for 6 weeks to lose weight will not harm your thinking abilities or how you feel about your health. It performs similarly to standard diabetic diets regarding mental well-being and cognitive function, though you may see a slight, non-significant boost in mental health scores.

Moderate carbohydrate restriction (30% energy) selectively worsens psychomotor speed (measured by SDMT) compared to a conventional diabetes diet, despite no effect on global cognition.

Be aware that switching to a moderate low-carb diet might make you feel slightly slower at processing information or performing quick mental tasks (like the Symbol Digit Test) in the first few weeks. However, this does not appear to affect your overall memory or general thinking ability, and this specific slowdown may improve with longer-term adherence.

Tirzepatide (15 mg) produces a greater improvement in insulin sensitivity per unit of weight loss compared to semaglutide (1 mg) in patients with type 2 diabetes, suggesting mechanisms beyond simple adiposity reduction.

If you are treating type 2 diabetes with GLP-1 based therapies, tirzepatide (15 mg) appears to offer superior improvements in how your body uses insulin for every pound lost, compared to semaglutide (1 mg). This suggests tirzepatide works through additional hormonal pathways (GIP/GLP-1) beyond just reducing fat mass. For patients prioritizing metabolic health improvements alongside weight loss, this distinction may be clinically relevant.

A low-carbohydrate diet may cause a significant increase in LDL cholesterol in a subset of individuals (approx. 30%), necessitating lipid monitoring despite average group stability.

If you follow a low-carb diet, get your blood work done after 3 months. If your LDL cholesterol rises significantly (especially >30% increase), consult your doctor. You may need to adjust your fat sources (e.g., more unsaturated fats) or reduce total fat intake, even if your triglycerides and HDL are improving.

A 152-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) provides reasonably valid estimates for ranking individuals' long-term intake of energy and 44 nutrients when compared against multiple 7-day dietary records or automated 24-hour recalls, provided that within-person variation in the comparison methods is statistically accounted for.

For researchers and health professionals, this paper validates the use of the 152-item SFFQ for assessing long-term dietary patterns in large cohorts. It confirms that while SFFQs may underestimate sodium and overestimate some nutrients, they are statistically robust for ranking nutrient intake when compared against detailed records, provided statistical adjustments for day-to-day variation are applied.

Estimated total daily sleep duration of 6–8 hours is associated with the lowest risk of all-cause mortality and major cardiovascular events, while durations exceeding 8 hours are associated with a significantly increased risk.

Aim for 6–8 hours of total daily sleep (nocturnal plus naps) for optimal cardiovascular health and longevity. If you naturally sleep longer than 8 hours, monitor for underlying health issues, as this is associated with higher risk. If you sleep less than 6 hours, daytime napping may help mitigate some risks, but napping while getting sufficient nighttime sleep (>6h) may increase risk.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., Liraglutide) reduce appetite and improve glucose tolerance by stimulating anorexigenic POMC/CART neurons and suppressing orexigenic AgRP/NPY neurons via cAMP and GABA-dependent signaling pathways.

GLP-1 based therapies work by targeting the brain's hunger centers (POMC/CART) to reduce appetite and improve blood sugar control. This suggests that obesity management can involve pharmacological support of natural hormonal signals, rather than relying solely on behavioral changes.

Maintaining circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels between 75 and 100 nmol/L is associated with a statistically significant reduction in colorectal cancer risk compared to levels considered sufficient for bone health (50-62.5 nmol/L).

If you are concerned about colorectal cancer risk, aim for a circulating 25(OH)D level between 75 and 100 nmol/L. This range is associated with a 19-27% lower risk compared to the standard 'sufficiency' range (50-62.5 nmol/L) used for bone health. Note that levels above 100 nmol/L did not show further risk reduction. Women showed a statistically significant benefit, while men showed a non-significant inverse trend. Consult a healthcare provider to test your levels and determine if supplementation is appropriate for you.

The incidence of allergic reactions to mycoprotein is exceptionally low (1 in 9 million packages) compared to common allergens, making it a safe novel protein source.

You can safely consume mycoprotein. The risk of an allergic reaction is extremely low (1 in 9 million packages), making it a safe option for most people.

Cardiometabolic conditions (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure) are major independent risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes, with obesity being the leading contributor to hospitalizations.

Maintaining healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight is not just about long-term heart health; it is a critical defense against severe respiratory infections. If you have cardiometabolic conditions, proactive management (diet, activity, medication adherence) directly reduces your risk of hospitalization if you contract COVID-19.

Adhering to a vegan diet for 8 weeks significantly reduces high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels compared to an American Heart Association (AHA)-recommended diet in patients with established coronary artery disease, independent of changes in body weight or lipid profiles.

If you have heart disease, switching to a vegan diet for just two months can significantly lower your inflammation markers (hsCRP) more than a standard heart-healthy diet, even if you don't lose weight. This benefit comes from the types of food you eat (plant-based proteins, fiber) rather than just calorie counting. You don't need to do it alone; using tools like cookbooks and getting professional counseling can help you stick to it while continuing your prescribed heart medications.

High intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) significantly reduces CVD risk, while the efficacy of n-6 PUFA and combined n-3/n-6 PUFA is inconsistent.

Ensure adequate intake of n-3 PUFA, which has been shown to significantly reduce CVD risk in randomized trials. Be aware that the benefits of n-6 PUFA and combined n-3/n-6 supplements are less clear. Prioritize natural sources of n-3 fats.

The effectiveness of taste-focused labeling is moderated by the average tastiness of the vegetable recipes served in a specific dining hall; labeling is less effective or ineffective in settings where vegetables are perceived as less tasty.

Taste-focused labeling is most effective when the underlying food is actually good. If vegetables are poorly prepared, taste-focused labels may fail to increase consumption. Ensure the base recipe is palatable before relying on labeling strategies.

A government-supported 'soft regulation' policy combining industry agreements and public education to reduce sodium intake by 10% over 10 years is highly cost-effective globally, averting millions of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) at a mean cost of approximately I$204 per DALY saved.

Governments can significantly reduce cardiovascular disease and save lives by implementing a 'soft regulation' policy that encourages food manufacturers to lower sodium in processed foods, supported by public education. This approach is highly cost-effective, costing roughly $204 per disability-adjusted life year saved, which is well below standard thresholds for cost-effective interventions. Even in high-income countries, it remains a 'best buy' for public health.

Consumption of whole-fat dairy foods (milk, cheese) does not promote long-term weight gain and may improve body composition by reducing fat mass and increasing lean body mass, contradicting the reductionist view that saturated fat and calories in dairy drive obesity.

You do not need to restrict yourself to low-fat or non-fat dairy to manage your weight. Current evidence suggests that whole-fat milk and cheese do not contribute to long-term weight gain, and yogurt consumption is actually linked to weight loss. Focus on consuming unsweetened, fermented dairy products like yogurt and cheese, as they appear to support healthy body composition by reducing fat mass and increasing lean mass.