Browse the evidence

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.

Substituting 30 minutes of brisk walking for 30 minutes of jogging/running results in weight gain (1.57 kg over 6 years), whereas substituting brisk walking for TV watching or slow walking results in weight loss, demonstrating that the health benefit of an activity depends entirely on what it displaces.

Do not assume that swapping your run for a walk will maintain your weight loss. If you are replacing vigorous exercise with moderate walking, you will likely gain weight. Walking is most effective for weight management when it replaces sedentary behaviors like watching TV, not when it replaces higher-intensity workouts.

In dialysis patients, low muscle strength is a significant predictor of all-cause mortality, whereas low muscle mass alone is not associated with increased mortality risk when adjusted for confounders.

If you are on dialysis, focus on building functional strength (e.g., handgrip, leg press) rather than just trying to increase muscle size. Your ability to generate force is a much stronger predictor of your survival chances than how much muscle you have. Consult your care team for resistance training protocols suitable for your condition.

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.

Anthropometric measures of adiposity (BMI and waist circumference) demonstrate validity comparable to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) when evaluated against obesity-related biologic factors and metabolic syndrome prevalence.

You do not need expensive body composition scans (like DXA) to assess your risk for metabolic issues. Standard measurements like BMI and waist circumference are just as effective at predicting risks like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation. Focus on maintaining a healthy waist circumference and BMI, as these simple metrics reliably reflect your underlying biological health status.

Spending 21 or more hours per week watching television is associated with an increased risk of clinical depression compared to watching 0-1 hour per week.

Limit your television watching to less than 5 hours per week to potentially lower your risk of depression. If you watch more than 21 hours a week, your risk increases by about 13%. Replacing some of this sedentary time with physical activity, even just walking, is the recommended strategy.

Higher circulating levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are inversely associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), whereas omega-6 linoleic acid (LA) and plant-derived alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) show no significant protective association with CVD incidence.

Focus on increasing long-chain omega-3s (EPA/DHA) from seafood sources rather than relying solely on plant-based omega-3s (ALA) or omega-6 oils for cardiovascular prevention. Higher blood levels of EPA and DHA are strongly linked to a significantly lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

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.

Energy restriction induces metabolic adaptations (adaptive thermogenesis, increased mitochondrial efficiency, and hormonal shifts) that reduce total daily energy expenditure beyond what is predicted by body mass loss, thereby attenuating further weight loss and promoting weight regain.

When dieting, expect your metabolism to slow down more than just the loss of weight would predict. This is your body trying to conserve energy. To manage this, use small caloric deficits rather than extreme ones, and consider strategies like periodic refeeding to temporarily boost hormones like leptin, though these are not guaranteed fixes.

Persistent energy imbalance triggers metabolic adaptation (adaptive thermogenesis), causing energy expenditure to deviate disproportionately from predictions based on changes in body composition.

When you lose weight, your body burns fewer calories than expected for your new size. This is a normal survival response called metabolic adaptation. To counter this, focus on preserving muscle mass through resistance training and consider a slower, more gradual weight loss approach to minimize the metabolic drop.

Increased adiposity (measured by BMI) causes an increased risk of incident heart failure and ischaemic stroke, as demonstrated by Mendelian randomization analysis using a genetic risk score.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is a direct way to lower your risk of heart failure and stroke. This isn't just about appearance; excess weight actively causes these conditions. Focus on sustainable lifestyle changes to manage weight, as this directly impacts your cardiovascular health.

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.

Immediate post-exercise nutrient timing does not provide a hypertrophic advantage over delayed intake when total daily protein and energy intake are matched.

Stop stressing about eating immediately after your workout. As long as you consume your daily protein target (approx. 1.6-2.2g/kg) and total calories, the exact timing of your post-workout meal does not significantly impact muscle growth. You can safely wait 1-2 hours or more without losing gains.

Pre-exercise protein ingestion can sustain elevated amino acid levels into the post-exercise period, rendering immediate post-exercise protein dosing redundant for most trainees.

If you eat a protein-rich meal 1-2 hours before your workout, you do not need to rush to drink a protein shake immediately after. The amino acids from your pre-workout meal will still be circulating and supporting muscle repair for hours after you finish training.

Higher circulating levels of the dairy-specific fatty acid pentadecanoic acid (15:0) are inversely associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD).

This observational study suggests that higher levels of pentadecanoic acid (15:0) in the blood, which serves as a biomarker for dairy fat intake, are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. While this does not prove that eating dairy prevents heart disease, it challenges the idea that all dairy fat is harmful. For general health, focusing on whole food sources like dairy may be neutral or beneficial, but this is not a prescription to increase dairy intake specifically for heart health without considering other dietary factors.

Regression from prediabetes to normal glucose regulation (NGR) is associated with a significant reduction in estimated 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

If you have prediabetes, working to return your blood sugar levels to the normal range (NGR) is associated with a lower estimated risk of cardiovascular disease over 10 years compared to staying in the prediabetes state. This suggests that interventions achieving NGR, whether through lifestyle changes or medication, may offer cardiovascular benefits.

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.