Health

More than 1.4 billion people worldwide live with high blood pressure (hypertension). It’s the single biggest metabolic risk factor for early death—driving diseases such as heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure and dementia.

For many in the workforce, spending hours at a computer is an unavoidable part of daily life. Sitting for prolonged periods in the same position can contribute to low back pain (LBP), which affects up to 80% of people over their lifetime and remains a leading cause of disability worldwide. A group of French researchers decided to find out whether wearing a soft, flexible lower-back support belt can help people with common, unexplained lower back pain feel better and move more easily.

A new program developed by University of Alberta researchers is showing promise in helping stroke survivors stride toward recovery after leaving the hospital. A pilot study published in the Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation confirmed that the intervention, known as BIG STEPS, could safely and practically help people sit less and move more after returning home following hospitalization for a stroke—a “whole-of-the-day” approach that is important for long-term health and wellness, says lead author Dr. Victor Ezeugwu of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine.

Healthy eating content on social media may be promoting more than well-being, with new Flinders University research finding popular wellness posts often reflect attitudes and behaviors linked to orthorexia nervosa, an unhealthy obsession with eating foods considered healthy or pure.

Alcohol use appears to trigger specific biological changes in the human body that are linked to the development of chronic disease. These biological changes are already apparent in young adults with a short history of alcohol consumption. A new study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found specific biomarkers of chronic disease across multiple biological systems related to both immediate and long-term alcohol use patterns.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. For many years, researchers believed that its main cause was a buildup of toxic proteins. But recent findings suggest that the problem may have another origin, specifically in the bloodstream.

Findings from STAMINA, the largest trial of its kind, published in The Lancet Oncology, show that a purpose-designed lifestyle program offering structured exercise, dietary advice and behavioral support as part of routine cancer care reduced deterioration in quality of life in men undergoing treatment for prostate cancer by up to one-third.

Smoking is not social and leads to increased loneliness, according to a large Europe-wide study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

As aging populations drive rising global health care demands, finding scalable ways to prevent cognitive decline has become a public health priority. While intensive clinical trials have shown that multidomain lifestyle interventions can protect brain health, translating these resource-heavy protocols into everyday municipal practice remains challenging.

People have been making health claims about yogurt for hundreds of years.

Finishing a tough workout always feels good. That is, until a few hours later, when those uncomfortable muscle aches start setting in. This discomfort can linger for days—making easy, everyday tasks a challenge.