Browse the evidence

Periconceptional multivitamin supplementation significantly reduces the risk of neural tube defects, limb reduction defects, and congenital urinary tract anomalies.

Taking a multivitamin before pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects, limb reduction defects, and urinary tract anomalies. It provides a broader range of nutrients than folic acid alone.

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.

Obesity is a modifiable risk factor for breast and colorectal cancer progression and survival, and excess body weight is a primary mechanism through which diet and physical activity confer benefits.

Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for breast and colorectal cancer survivors. While specific dietary compositions (like low-fat) may help, the primary benefit of diet and exercise comes from managing body weight. Survivors should focus on sustainable lifestyle changes to avoid excess body weight, as this is a key modifiable risk factor for recurrence and progression.

Physical activity has a dose-response relationship with better cancer outcomes, and there is more support for physical activity interventions than for dietary interventions in improving survival.

Engaging in regular physical activity is beneficial for cancer survivors, with greater activity levels leading to better outcomes. This is supported by more evidence than dietary interventions alone. Survivors should aim to incorporate physical activity into their routine, as it helps manage body weight and may improve survival.

Extended care (ongoing therapist contact via in-person or telephone) significantly improves long-term weight loss maintenance compared to no-contact or educational controls.

To keep weight off long-term, you need ongoing support, not just an initial diet plan. Engage in 'extended care'—regular check-ins (weekly, biweekly, or monthly) with a coach or group, either in person or by phone. This support helps you solve problems and stay motivated, preventing the common trap of regaining lost weight.

A vegan diet improves cardiovascular risk markers, specifically by lowering total and LDL cholesterol and improving fatty acid profiles, compared to a non-vegetarian diet.

Adopting a vegan diet can significantly improve your cholesterol numbers, lowering both total and LDL cholesterol by roughly 20-25% compared to a standard diet. This benefit comes from eating more plant-based oils (like rapeseed or margarine), soy, and rye, which replace animal fats and improve your overall fatty acid profile.

A hip strengthening program combined with activity-specific neuromuscular retraining (single-leg squat) significantly improves single-leg squat mechanics (reduces hip adduction, internal rotation, and pelvic drop) in female runners with abnormal mechanics.

To improve your squat mechanics, you need to practice the squat itself with feedback (visual or verbal) while strengthening your hips. Just doing hip exercises won't fix your squat form; you must actively retrain the movement pattern.

Regular consumption of non-soya pulses (dry beans, peas, lentils) significantly reduces fasting serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels, thereby lowering cardiovascular disease risk.

Incorporate 1-2 servings of non-soya pulses (like lentils, black beans, or chickpeas) into your daily diet. This simple dietary shift can lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) by about 6% and total cholesterol by 7%, which translates to a meaningful reduction in heart disease risk over time. Prepare them by soaking and rinsing to minimize digestive discomfort.

A 12-week intensive lifestyle intervention combining whey protein supplementation (30 g/day) and personalized resistance training significantly improves muscle mass and reduces proinflammatory cytokines (TWEAK, TNF-α, IL-18) while restoring metabolic hormone levels (adiponectin, insulin) in sarcopenic elderly patients.

For sarcopenic elderly individuals, a 12-week program combining 30g of whey protein daily (split around workouts) with 3 days of resistance training can significantly boost muscle mass and reduce harmful inflammation. The key is consistency and ensuring adequate protein intake (1.5g/kg/day) alongside strength exercises. This approach not only builds muscle but also improves the underlying hormonal and inflammatory drivers of muscle loss.

Polarized training (POL), characterized by high volumes of low-intensity exercise and short bursts of high-intensity intervals while minimizing time at lactate threshold, produces superior improvements in VO2peak, time to exhaustion, and peak velocity/power compared to threshold, high-intensity interval, or high-volume training in well-trained endurance athletes.

If you are an experienced endurance athlete, stop spending most of your training time at 'moderate' or 'threshold' intensity. Instead, structure your training so that roughly 80% of your time is at a very easy pace (where you can hold a conversation) and 20% is at a very hard pace (high-intensity intervals). Avoid spending significant time at your lactate threshold, as this yields diminishing returns for elite performers. This approach maximizes improvements in your aerobic capacity (VO2peak) and race performance.

A mobile phone intervention (HEART) consisting of automated text messages and a secure website significantly increases leisure time physical activity and walking in people with ischaemic heart disease compared to usual care.

If you have heart disease, using a mobile phone program with regular text messages and a website can help you get more active, especially for walking and leisure activities. This program is designed to fit your life and can be a useful addition to your standard cardiac care.

Adhering to specific dietary modifications (smaller portions, low-fat, bland foods) and slow eating habits significantly reduces the frequency and severity of gastrointestinal adverse events (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation) in patients initiating GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy.

Start with small, bland, low-fat meals and eat slowly. Stop eating when you feel full, not stuffed. This simple behavioral change is the first line of defense against nausea and vomiting when starting GLP-1 medications.

Exercise doses of 4-8 kcal/kg/week (72-136 min/week) produce weight loss that closely matches predicted caloric expenditure without triggering significant compensatory mechanisms, whereas a high dose of 12 kcal/kg/week (194 min/week) triggers compensation, resulting in only ~53% of the predicted weight loss.

If you are a sedentary, overweight postmenopausal woman, aiming for 72-136 minutes of moderate exercise per week (e.g., 30-45 minutes, 3-4 times a week) is likely more effective for weight loss than exercising for nearly 3 hours a week. Higher doses trigger compensatory mechanisms (likely increased hunger/intake) that blunt weight loss, resulting in only half the expected loss. Stick to moderate doses to maximize efficiency.

Exercise training significantly reduces waist circumference independently of total body weight loss, with reductions observed even in individuals who did not lose weight.

Don't rely solely on the scale. If you are exercising, you are likely reducing your waist circumference (visceral fat) even if your total body weight stays the same. This is a significant health benefit, particularly for postmenopausal women, as abdominal fat is linked to higher risks of metabolic disease.

Chronic supplementation with 15 g/day of essential amino acids (EAA) increases lean body mass and basal muscle protein synthesis in older women.

If you are an older woman experiencing muscle loss, consider taking 15 grams of essential amino acids daily, split into two doses between meals. This simple nutritional strategy can help increase your lean body mass and muscle protein synthesis, potentially counteracting age-related muscle loss.

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.

Extended-care behavioral counseling delivered via telephone or face-to-face sessions significantly improves long-term weight maintenance (reduces weight regain) compared to education-only control in obese rural women.

To maintain weight loss, especially if you live in a rural area with limited access to clinics, engage in regular behavioral counseling. This can be done via telephone or in-person sessions. The key is not just the contact, but using these sessions to reinforce self-monitoring (like tracking food intake). Telephone counseling is a cost-effective and effective alternative to in-person visits, removing travel barriers while maintaining adherence to weight management strategies.

Public health media campaigns using simple, consistent messages can effectively increase community knowledge and lead to measurable increases in fruit and vegetable consumption.

If you are looking for reliable nutrition advice, look for public health campaigns that use simple, consistent messages. These are more likely to be effective in helping you make positive changes to your diet, such as increasing your fruit and vegetable intake.

Adopting a low glycaemic index (GI) diet improves glycaemic control (lower HbA1c and fasting glucose) and reduces insulin requirements in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes compared to standard or high-GI diets.

For diabetic patients, replacing high-glycaemic index carbohydrates (like white bread and potatoes) with low-glycaemic index options (like pulses and legumes) is a highly effective dietary strategy. This swap significantly lowers HbA1c, reduces daily insulin needs, and stabilizes blood glucose levels without requiring drastic calorie restriction.

A low glycaemic index (GI) diet improves lipid profiles (lower total cholesterol, triglycerides, and VLDL; higher HDL) and reduces cardiovascular disease risk in both diabetic and healthy individuals.

To improve your cholesterol and triglyceride levels, focus on the glycaemic index of your carbohydrates. Swap refined carbs (white bread, sugar) for low-GI options like pulses, legumes, and whole grains. This approach lowers bad lipids (VLDL, Triglycerides) and raises good cholesterol (HDL), reducing your risk of heart disease more effectively than simply eating low-fat.

A low glycaemic index (GI) diet increases satiety and reduces voluntary energy intake, facilitating weight loss and fat mass reduction in overweight and obese individuals.

To lose weight more easily, choose low-glycaemic index carbohydrates like pulses, legumes, and whole grains. These foods prevent the blood sugar crash that triggers intense hunger and overeating. You will naturally consume fewer calories without feeling deprived, leading to better long-term weight control.

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.

Consuming up to three servings of dairy products per day is safe and confers favorable benefits for bone health, including increased bone mineral density and reduced fracture risk, without increasing cardiovascular disease risk.

Include up to three servings of dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese) daily. This provides essential calcium and protein for bone health without increasing cardiovascular risk. If lactose intolerant, choose yogurt or hard cheese.

Aerobic or resistance exercise performed concurrently with adjuvant breast cancer therapy (chemotherapy/radiotherapy) significantly improves physical fitness and reduces fatigue, while having little to no effect on depression or cancer-specific quality of life.

If you are undergoing breast cancer treatment, start a gentle aerobic or resistance exercise program (at least 6 weeks duration) as tolerated. It will likely help you maintain physical fitness and reduce tiredness. Do not expect it to cure depression or significantly change your cancer-specific quality of life scores, but it is safe and beneficial for physical capacity. Consult your oncology team before starting.