Health

Australia’s updated cardiovascular disease risk calculator is identifying substantially more Australians aged 45–74 as being at “intermediate” risk of heart attack and stroke, according to new analysis published in the Medical Journal of Australia. The insights could provide patients and their general practitioners with a valuable opportunity to act early and prevent cardiovascular events.

A new rapid attribution study by Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) finds that human-induced climate change made the June 2026 heat wave in Belgium 3.9°C hotter and more than doubled the number of heat-related deaths. Of the estimated 1,181 deaths statistically linked to the extreme temperatures recorded between June 17 and 28, 2026, 665—or 56%—would not have occurred without anthropogenic climate change. This is the first time heat-related deaths during a specific Belgian heat wave have been attributed to human-induced climate change.

Urban residents with more greenery within 100 meters (328 feet) of their homes have a 20% lower risk of developing dementia over time, according to a new study from Stockholm University and Karolinska Institute that followed nearly 3,000 older adults for 16 years. Published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, the study highlights the importance of greenspace in the immediate surroundings of the home for sustainable urban planning that supports brain health.

For decades, boys and men were more likely than their female peers to use nicotine. But a new study from MUSC shows that among U.S. adolescents, that pattern has reversed for vaping.

Ultraprocessed foods have a terrible reputation.

Staying active before surgery may do more than strengthen the body for recovery—it may protect the brain. Regular physical activity at least seven times a week before cancer surgery was linked to a lower risk of developing postoperative delirium, according to research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026 annual meeting.

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) could transform diabetes management for millions of Americans with type 2 diabetes who don’t take insulin, according to findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

To understand what goes wrong in the body, scientists must first know what right looks like. Salk Institute researchers are building a scientific reference, piece by piece, for what makes a body healthy. Their latest effort maps how exercise reshapes the body at the molecular level, examining responses across organs, cell types, sexes and circadian phases in mice.

The disability burden associated with alcohol-related cirrhosis complicated by heart failure is projected to rise substantially by 2050 across Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the United States (US), according to new research presented at UEG Week 2026.

Learning new eating habits isn’t simple. Our preexisting feelings around food—whether it’s a distaste for olives or a love of pastries—could make it harder to learn new eating habits, according to new research from Yale School of Medicine.

Survivors of major trauma can achieve a remarkable rate of recovery when given the right support, according to a new University of Manchester–led study examining a pioneering rehabilitation program developed in response to the needs arising from the Manchester Arena bombing.