Browse the evidence

Patients with prior experience using anti-obesity medication (AOM) demonstrate significantly higher acceptance, interest, and willingness to pay for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapies compared to those without such experience.

If you are using or have used prescription weight loss medications (like Semaglutide or Liraglutide), you are statistically more likely to benefit from and accept Traditional Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, dietary advice) than those who haven't. Healthcare providers should proactively offer TCM options to this group, as they are more open to integrative care and willing to pay for it.

In breast cancer patients, higher intake of animal and plant proteins correlates significantly with greater muscle mass, whereas total energy intake does not.

If you are a breast cancer patient, focus on getting enough protein (both animal and plant sources) rather than just counting calories. Your muscle mass is linked to how much protein you eat, not just how many calories. Don't avoid meat or dairy out of fear; ensure you are getting adequate protein to protect your muscles.

Professional indoor and beach volleyball players consistently fail to meet recommended carbohydrate intake levels, averaging 4.01 g/kg/day against a recommended 5-10 g/kg/day.

If you play competitive volleyball, your current carb intake is likely too low for optimal performance. Aim to increase carbohydrates to at least 5 grams per kilogram of body weight daily, especially on training days, to support your energy demands.

Caffeine consumption in volleyball players yields mixed results, with some studies showing improved jump height and ball velocity, while others show no performance enhancement.

Caffeine may help your jump and serve speed, but it doesn't work for everyone. If you try it, use a moderate dose (3mg/kg) before competition and test it in practice first to ensure it doesn't cause anxiety or jitters.

Moderate physical exercise reduces the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), while strenuous endurance exercise may increase the risk of AF in healthy elite athletes.

For most people, moderate exercise is best for preventing heart rhythm issues like atrial fibrillation. If you are an elite endurance athlete, be aware that extreme training volumes might increase your risk of AF, even if you are otherwise healthy. Stick to moderate intensity for general heart rhythm health.

Adding Subetta® (affinity-purified antibodies against the insulin receptor beta-subunit) and cholecalciferol (Vitamin D) to standard therapy significantly improves glycemic control, lipid profiles, and reduces body mass index in elderly women with type 2 diabetes compared to standard therapy alone.

For elderly women with Type 2 Diabetes who are struggling with weight gain and high blood sugar despite standard medication, adding Vitamin D (4000 IU daily after a loading phase) and Subetta® to their existing regimen (Metformin/Gliclazide) can significantly improve blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight loss without causing dangerous low blood sugar episodes.

Online guided self-help interventions using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for weight maintenance following prior weight loss programs offer cost-effective value for the NHS, with optimal trial designs showing significant expected net benefits.

If you have completed a weight loss program, look for online guided self-help programs that use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). These digital tools are designed to help you maintain your weight loss long-term and are increasingly recognized as cost-effective for healthcare systems.

Early intensive intervention targeting stringent glycaemic control (HbA1c ≤ 6.5%) and significant weight loss (≥10%) at diagnosis improves long-term prognosis and prevents microvascular complications in younger patients with longer life expectancy.

If you are diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and are under 65, do not accept a standard HbA1c target of 7% as the end goal. Work with your doctor to aim for a stricter target (≤ 6.5%) and significant weight loss (10% or more) immediately. This early, intensive approach is critical for preventing long-term complications like eye and kidney damage, especially given your longer life expectancy.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) and SGLT2 inhibitors are preferred first-line treatments for patients with Type 2 Diabetes and obesity or cardiovascular disease, respectively, due to their weight-reducing and cardioprotective properties.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and obesity or heart disease, ask your doctor about GLP-1 receptor agonists or SGLT2 inhibitors. These drugs not only help control blood sugar but also promote weight loss and protect your heart, making them preferred choices over metformin alone for many patients.

Waist-hip ratio (WHR) is a superior predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk compared to body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), average arm circumference (AAC), hip circumference (HC), and neck circumference (NC).

If you are concerned about your risk for type 2 diabetes, do not rely solely on your weight or BMI. Measuring your waist and hip circumferences to calculate your Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) provides a more accurate assessment of your risk. A higher WHR indicates a higher risk, even if your overall weight (BMI) appears normal. This simple measurement can help identify those who need lifestyle interventions or medical screening earlier.

Higher values of Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR ≥ 0.93), Average Arm Circumference (AAC ≥ 32.6 cm), and BMI (≥ 30 kg/m2) are significantly associated with increased odds of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.

To assess your personal risk for type 2 diabetes, check if your Waist-Hip Ratio is 0.93 or higher, your Average Arm Circumference is 32.6 cm or higher, or your BMI is 30 or higher. Exceeding any of these thresholds significantly increases your odds of having or developing diabetes compared to those with lower values.

Higher educational attainment is associated with significantly higher weight management nutrition knowledge scores.

If you have less formal education, do not assume you cannot understand nutrition. Seek out dietitians who provide structured, personalized education. The study shows that ongoing counseling can help overcome educational barriers to understanding weight management.

Sedentary lifestyle is a primary driver of metabolic syndrome in judicial officers, with 79% of the studied population exhibiting sedentary habits and 21% diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

If you work a desk job, your lack of movement is likely the biggest threat to your metabolic health, regardless of your education or awareness. You must actively incorporate physical activity because sitting for 8+ hours significantly increases your risk of metabolic syndrome, even if you are young and otherwise healthy.

High intake of refined carbohydrates is associated with increased dietary risk for metabolic syndrome, with 50% of the studied judicial officers exhibiting this habit.

Half of the judicial officers in this study ate high amounts of refined carbohydrates, which drives obesity and insulin resistance. If you consume a lot of white bread, rice, or sugary foods, reducing these refined carbs is a key step in preventing metabolic syndrome, alongside increasing physical activity.

Adding luseogliflozin (an SGLT2 inhibitor) to incretin modulator therapy produces an additive glucose-lowering effect, specifically reducing time above range, with the magnitude of benefit being significantly greater in patients consuming high-carbohydrate diets compared to low-carbohydrate diets.

If you are taking an incretin-based diabetes medication (like a GLP-1 agonist or DPP4 inhibitor) and consume a diet high in carbohydrates (e.g., >180g carbs daily), adding luseogliflozin (2.5mg daily) may provide better blood sugar control than adding it to a low-carb diet. This combination appears to work additively, meaning the drugs complement each other to handle the glucose load from carbs more effectively than either might alone in that specific context.

Moderate-to-high intensity physical activity improves lipid profiles (reducing LDL, Triglycerides, and Total Cholesterol while increasing HDL) in patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

If you have coronary artery disease and your doctor clears you for exercise, engaging in moderate-to-high intensity physical activity (like brisk walking, cycling, or interval training) for 30 minutes, 3-5 times a week, can significantly improve your cholesterol levels by lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides while raising good cholesterol (HDL). High-intensity interval training (HIIT) may offer greater lipid benefits than moderate continuous training, but always consult your cardiologist before starting.

In persons with type 2 diabetes, higher subtotal lean mass and higher maximum exercise capacity are associated with a lower risk of albuminuria, while higher subtotal fat mass is associated with a higher risk.

For people with type 2 diabetes, protecting kidney health involves more than just weight loss. Focus on maintaining muscle mass (lean body mass) and maximizing your exercise capacity. These factors, along with controlling blood sugar and blood pressure, are strong predictors of whether you will develop albuminuria (protein in the urine).

Poor sleep quality is positively associated with increased arterial stiffness (measured by baPWV) in patients with type 2 diabetes, independent of conventional cardiovascular risk factors and other lifestyle habits.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes, your sleep quality matters for your heart health as much as your blood pressure. Use a validated tool like the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess if your sleep is 'poor' (score ≥ 9). If your sleep is poor, addressing it may help reduce arterial stiffness, independent of your medication or diet.

The transition to fatherhood in young men (ages 19-39) is associated with declines in cardiovascular health, specifically through reduced physical activity, increased sedentary behavior, poor diet quality, reduced sleep, and increased body weight.

If you are becoming a father, be aware that your health metrics (weight, sleep, diet, activity) are likely to decline during the first year. Proactively schedule health checks and prioritize basic habits like sleep and movement, as the new role often disrupts these routines.

A 3-week interdisciplinary dermatological rehabilitation program significantly improves cardiorespiratory fitness (peak wattage) and reduces BMI in patients with psoriasis, thereby addressing key cardiovascular risk factors.

For psoriasis patients, seeking comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation that includes physical training and nutrition counseling can significantly improve heart health markers like fitness and weight, not just skin appearance. This holistic approach addresses the systemic nature of the disease.

In untrained individuals, high-intensity resistance exercise causes an immediate post-exercise increase in plasma sodium (Na+) concentration, and lower immediate Na+ levels are inversely correlated with higher delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) 24 hours later.

If you are new to resistance training, be aware that your body's sodium levels shift immediately after your workout. The study suggests that people who had smaller changes in sodium levels right after exercising actually felt more muscle soreness the next day. While this doesn't mean you should consume excessive sodium, it highlights that electrolyte balance (possibly via isotonic drinks) might help reduce post-workout pain for untrained individuals.

Consumption of specific edible oils (frying, sunflower, olive) with fatty acid profiles within standard ranges is associated with a reduction in household oil intake, which may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

To support heart health, consider reducing your overall intake of cooking oils, particularly frying, sunflower, and olive oils, which are commonly consumed. Ensure the brands you choose have fatty acid profiles that meet national standards, as some brands may have non-compliant levels of saturated or specific fatty acids. Reading labels can help you make informed choices, although many consumers find this difficult.

Adopting a whole-food, plant-based or Mediterranean diet and reducing ultra-processed foods can reverse or prevent chronic inflammatory conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and COPD) by correcting gut dysbiosis and lowering inflammatory markers like IL-6 and CRP, thereby potentially reducing susceptibility to severe COVID-19.

Shift your diet towards whole plant foods, vegetables, and fiber-rich options while minimizing ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and high-fat animal products. This approach supports a healthy microbiome and reduces systemic inflammation, which may lower your risk of severe outcomes from respiratory infections.

Moderate exercise (at least 150 minutes/week) positively impacts the gut microbiome and immune function, whereas excessive exercise may increase stress and decrease immune function.

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. This level of activity supports a healthy gut microbiome and immune system. If you are healthy, you may derive even greater benefits from higher volumes, but tailor the amount to your current fitness level.