Bridging the gap between research and real life
More than half of adults in the U.S. over age 80 experience frailty, an increased health vulnerability that hampers their ability to cope with everyday life.
Frailty is a complex condition that involves a variety of physical and mental factors including walking, balance, cognitive impairment, and other chronic health problems. Frailty can reduce endurance levels, make it more difficult to live independently, reduce quality of life, and increase the risk of dying sooner. [Read more…]
What makes a happy life? In some ways, this feels like one of the most important questions a person can ask.
To look for answers, researchers from Harvard University have been following two very different groups of men for more than 80 years—268 Harvard graduates and 456 men who grew up in inner-city Boston. This is the longest-running study ever of human life. Researchers were particularly interested in the social and psychological factors that impact health and well-being in later in life. [Read more…]
If you’ve ever cared for small children, worked a night shift, or stayed out late at a party, you know the feeling of going to bed much later than usual and sleeping in the next day. Sleep researchers call this phenomenon “social jet lag.” They have found it can lead to many negative consequences, including poor sleep quality, reduced cognitive performance, unhealthy eating patterns, depression, and anxiety.
More than 20 million adults in the U.S. experience depressive episodes each year. Among youth, the incidence of depression and anxiety has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.
The most common forms of treatment for depression are medications and talk therapy. But a large body of evidence demonstrates that exercise is also effective in treating depression. In fact, some data show that regular exercise is just as effective as medications and therapy in reducing the symptoms of depression. [Read more…]
The American Academy of Pediatricians is recommending a new approach to childhood obesity that addresses the condition as a complex disease and recommends intense behavioral treatment.
Twenty-one of the nation’s top experts in childhood health developed new guidelines after reviewing the body of evidence on childhood obesity; this is the first time in 15 years the group has addressed the topic. [Read more…]
Dementia is a serious health concern among older adults. Approximately 22% of Americans ages 85 to 89 have dementia, and that number increases to 33% for people older than 90. As baby boomers reach their senior years, that number is expected to grow substantially.
Health researchers are looking for ways to prevent or slow the development of dementia among older adults. One potential solution has been around for decades: hearing aids. [Read more…]
The human body is roughly 60 percent water. This vital nutrient is a building block of every cell in the body. It helps to regulate our body temperature, transport nutrients and energy through the bloodstream, flush out waste products, act as a shock absorber for our brain and spinal cord, and lubricate our joints. [Read more…]
While this time of year is full of social engagements and holiday cheer for many, it is also the darkest and coldest time of the year, especially for those living in northern latitudes. While most people undergo physical changes in the winter, such as lower energy levels, sleepiness, and increased appetite, approximately 1 in 10 individuals experience something more serious–seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. [Read more…]
In much of North America, it officially feels like fall. Temperatures and leaves are dropping, and the fall rituals of football games, Halloween, and pumpkin spice-flavored everything are in full swing.
All this fall goodness is accompanied by a scheduling shift. On Sunday, Nov. 6, most of North America will “fall back” to standard time, setting clocks back one hour for the end of daylight saving time. [Read more…]
It’s well-documented that exercise is good for you. Study after study shows physical activity is the key to health and wellness. But if exercise isn’t part of your normal routine, it can be hard to stick with it. In fact, less than one-quarter of American adults get the recommended amount of exercise each week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [Read more…]
A significant portion of people in the U.S. rely on prescription medications. More than 131 million Americans take, on average, four prescriptions daily. Among adults ages 40 to 79, nearly a quarter use five or more medications a day.
The term for taking multiple prescriptions is “polypharmacy,” and it can lead to all sorts of problems including drug interactions and amplified side effects.
Vitamin D is one of the most commonly taken supplements in the U.S., consumed by an estimated one-third of people age 60 and older. For decades, doctors have touted the vitamin’s ability to help the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, which help bone growth, reduce cancer cell growth, and control infections. [Read more…]
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