Browse the evidence

Pre-existing eating disorder symptoms (SCOFF score ≥2) are the strongest predictor of both binge eating episodes and dietary restriction during lockdown.

If you have a history of eating disorder symptoms, lockdown stress poses a significantly higher risk for relapse into binge eating or restriction. Prioritize screening and seek targeted psychological interventions or counseling to manage these risks effectively during stressful periods.

Greater exposure to COVID-19-related media is associated with increased dietary restriction intentions and binge eating intentions, but not necessarily past-week restriction behaviors.

High exposure to pandemic-related media is linked to increased intentions to restrict food or binge eat. To mitigate this, limit your consumption of pandemic news and focus on positive or neutral content to reduce anxiety-driven eating behaviors.

Consumer-grade wearable sleep-tracking devices (e.g., smartwatches, rings) provide sleep data that is comparable to or superior to traditional actigraphy when validated against polysomnography (PSG), primarily due to the integration of photoplethysmography (PPG) and machine learning algorithms.

For sleep research, modern consumer wearables (smartwatches/rings) are now more accurate than traditional actigraphy for estimating sleep stages, provided you account for their limitations in specific populations (e.g., obesity, darker skin). Do not assume 'research-grade' labels guarantee accuracy without validation; validate the specific device against PSG for your target population.

Prebiotics, specifically inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), selectively stimulate the growth of beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacteria, leading to the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which have physiological benefits.

Incorporate prebiotic fibers like inulin and FOS into your diet to support beneficial gut bacteria. Start with small amounts to minimize potential digestive discomfort. These fibers help produce beneficial short-chain fatty acids.

Substituting plant-based relishes with small dried whole fish (with bones) twice daily significantly increases zinc and iron bioavailability in rural Malawian preschool children by providing haem iron and animal protein that counteract phytate inhibition.

For families relying on maize and plant-based diets, adding small dried whole fish (with bones) to meals twice a day is a highly effective way to boost zinc and iron absorption. This works because the fish provides 'haem' iron and animal protein that help your body absorb nutrients from plants, even if those plants contain compounds that usually block absorption. This is particularly important for young children in rural areas where meat is not a regular part of the diet.

Soaking or fermenting maize flour to reduce phytic acid (IP-6 and IP-5) content significantly improves zinc and iron bioavailability when combined with animal protein sources, but has minimal impact on bioavailability when used alone.

If you prepare maize porridge, soaking the flour in water before cooking (or fermenting it) breaks down compounds that block nutrient absorption. However, this step alone isn't enough to fix deficiencies. You must combine this preparation method with sources of animal protein, like small dried fish, to truly unlock the iron and zinc in the maize.

Restoring leptin levels to pre-weight loss concentrations reverses brain activity changes and metabolic adaptations (increased energy expenditure) induced by caloric restriction, thereby sustaining weight loss.

If you have lost weight, your body fights back by lowering leptin, which increases hunger and slows metabolism. This paper suggests that replacing leptin to pre-weight-loss levels can stop this fight-back mechanism. However, this is not a general weight-loss drug for currently obese people, as most have high leptin and don't respond to it. It may be relevant for a small subset of obese individuals with low leptin levels.

Females exhibit greater susceptibility to disuse-induced muscle atrophy compared to males, evidenced by faster onset of muscle loss and greater percent loss of oxidative (Type I) muscle mass during conditions like hindlimb unloading or ICU bed rest.

If you are female, be aware that your muscles may waste away faster than a male's during periods of inactivity (like bed rest or casting). This is partly because you naturally have more 'slow-twitch' muscle fibers, which are more vulnerable to disuse. Prioritize early, gentle movement or specific resistance strategies sooner than you might expect, as your body is biologically predisposed to lose this muscle type faster.

Dietary fiber and probiotic-induced short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) reduce blood pressure and improve vascular health through G-protein coupled receptor signaling and histone deacetylase inhibition.

Increase your intake of dietary fiber and consider probiotics to boost short-chain fatty acid production. This metabolic shift activates specific receptors (GPR41/43) and enzymes that help lower blood pressure and improve vascular function. Focus on non-starch polysaccharides and low-digestible saccharides found in whole plant foods.

Elevated plasma levels of Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, thrombosis, and atherosclerosis, primarily through platelet hyper-reactivity and macrophage scavenger receptor stimulation.

High levels of TMAO, produced when gut bacteria metabolize choline and carnitine from foods like red meat and eggs, are linked to higher cardiovascular risk and blood clotting. To mitigate this, balance your intake of these foods with high-fiber diets that may alter microbiota composition, and monitor TMAO levels if you have existing cardiovascular risk factors.

A 6-week very-low-calorie diet (VLCD) significantly improves flow-mediated endothelial vasodilation in overweight adults, with the magnitude of improvement directly correlated with the reduction in fasting plasma glucose levels.

If you are overweight and have endothelial dysfunction (a precursor to heart disease), a short-term, medically supervised very-low-calorie diet (approx. 580 kcal/day) for 6 weeks can significantly improve your blood vessel health. Crucially, this benefit is driven by lowering your blood glucose, not just by losing weight. Ensure you do not have diabetes or other contraindications before attempting this.

Carriers of the ADRB2 Gln27Glu polymorphism experience increased obesity risk when consuming high carbohydrate diets (>49% total energy), whereas non-carriers do not show this specific dietary interaction.

If you carry the ADRB2 Glu27 variant, limiting carbohydrates to less than 49% of your total daily energy intake may help reduce obesity risk. Standard high-carb diets might disproportionately increase your risk compared to non-carriers.

Carriers of the ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism have a significantly higher risk of obesity when engaging in low levels of physical activity, but this risk is not apparent in active subjects.

If you carry the ADRB3 Trp64Arg variant, maintaining regular physical activity is crucial to mitigating your obesity risk. Sedentary behavior significantly amplifies your genetic risk, but being active appears to neutralize it.

Carriers of the ADRB2 Gln27Glu polymorphism, particularly females, face a significantly higher obesity risk associated with sedentary behavior (high TV watching time), and may not benefit from reducing sedentary time as much as non-carriers.

For females with the ADRB2 Glu27 variant, minimizing time spent watching TV is especially important. They may have a higher baseline risk from sedentary behavior and might not see the same obesity risk reduction from cutting screen time as others.

Reducing sodium intake lowers blood pressure, particularly in hypertensive, diabetic, obese, and elderly individuals, but the effect in normotensive populations is smaller and less consistent.

Reduce sodium intake to no more than 6g of sodium chloride (2.4g sodium) per day. This is most effective if you are hypertensive, diabetic, obese, or elderly. Achieve this by avoiding added salt and processed foods.

Visceral adiposity, rather than overall body mass index (BMI), is the critical driver of metabolic syndrome comorbidities, including insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk.

Do not rely on BMI alone to assess your health risk. Waist circumference is a better indicator of visceral fat, which drives metabolic syndrome. Even if you are lean, high abdominal fat increases your risk for diabetes and heart disease.

Acute endurance exercise induces a marked increase in plasma follistatin (a myostatin inhibitor) originating from the liver, peaking during recovery rather than during the exercise bout itself.

To maximize the natural release of follistatin (which helps inhibit muscle breakdown by blocking myostatin), engage in sustained endurance exercise (e.g., 3 hours of cycling at moderate intensity). Note that the beneficial hormone levels peak during the recovery period (3 hours post-exercise), not necessarily during the workout itself. This suggests recovery is a critical phase for muscle-protective signaling.

The Munich ChronoType Questionnaire for Shift-Workers (MCTQShift) accurately assesses chronotype in shift-workers by using mid-sleep on free days following evening shifts (MSFE), which remains stable and correlates strongly with physiological markers despite rotating shift schedules.

If you work rotating shifts, your 'natural' sleep time (chronotype) can still be measured accurately. Use the MCTQShift method: track your mid-sleep time on free days, specifically those following evening shifts. This value (MSFE) is the most stable indicator of your circadian phase and can be used to optimize shift schedules, potentially reducing social jetlag and health risks associated with misalignment.

Letrozole is the first-line pharmacological treatment for anovulatory infertility in women with PCOS, offering higher live birth and clinical pregnancy rates compared to Clomiphene Citrate (CC).

If you have PCOS and are struggling with infertility due to lack of ovulation, Letrozole is now the preferred first medication. It works better than the older drug Clomiphene (CC) and has a lower risk of twins and complications. It is often used off-label, so discuss this with your doctor.

Indiscriminate use of energy drinks, particularly consuming more than one serving per day, may lead to adverse events and harmful side effects.

Do not consume more than one serving of an energy drink per day. If you need more caffeine, consider other sources or spacing them out, but be aware that high consumption increases the risk of adverse side effects. Consult a physician if you have any pre-existing health conditions.

High-calorie energy drinks may promote weight gain if the energy intake from the drink is not carefully considered as part of the total daily energy intake.

If your goal is weight loss, choose low-calorie energy drinks. If you consume high-calorie energy drinks, ensure you account for their calories in your daily diet to avoid weight gain.

Biased attention toward food cues causally contributes to subsequent food intake, regardless of whether the bias stems from craving (approach) or worry (avoidance).

If you find yourself constantly drawn to food cues (like seeing snacks or smelling food), this automatic attention can trigger overeating. To counter this, practice shifting your focus away from food cues. Techniques like attention bias modification training can help retrain your brain to not automatically prioritize food, potentially reducing subsequent food intake.

Household food insecurity is significantly associated with higher rates of parental overweight and obesity, primarily driven by the consumption of cheaper, energy-dense foods and reduced access to nutrient-dense options.

If you are struggling to afford food, prioritize calorie density from healthy sources if possible, but recognize that the system makes healthy food more expensive per calorie. The risk of obesity in food-insecure households is real and driven by the economics of food, not just lack of knowledge. Look for programs that subsidize fruits and vegetables to make them more accessible.

Food insecurity is associated with a higher prevalence of binge eating, characterized by cycles of deprivation followed by overconsumption when food is available.

If you experience binge eating, understand it may be a response to periods of food scarcity. The cycle of restriction and overeating is a common pattern in food-insecure households. Addressing the underlying food insecurity and ensuring consistent access to food may help break this cycle.