Bridging the gap between research and real life
Nearly 15 percent of people age 70 and older experience some form of dementia; that number jumps to nearly 35 percent for people over age 90. And yet other people live more than 100 years with sharp minds.
What helps some people protect their brain health well into the later years of life? That’s the question researchers from the Netherlands asked in a new, longitudinal study published in JAMA Network Open that examines mentally sharp 100-year-olds. [Read more…]
It’s well established that friendships are important influences on youth. Studies show that peers affect teens’ body image, physical activity levels, likelihood of smoking, and much more. A growing field of research demonstrates that the race and ethnicity of friends matter too.
For starters, there is a large body of evidence that shows that face-to-face interactions between members of different racial groups reduces prejudice. In other words, when you personally interact with someone from a different racial or ethnic group, you’re more likely to approach other people from that group with an open mind. [Read more…]
Opioid use has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data show the use of fentanyl and methamphetamine climbed steeply in 2020 and drug overdose deaths jumped by 18% last year.
The opioid epidemic has serious consequences for millions of Americans. Opioid misuse increases the risk of illness from COVID-19 and leads to long-term consequences for mental and physical health. People who misuse illegal substances are more likely to experience job loss, interpersonal violence, and become involved in criminal activity. [Read more…]
More than half of the world’s population is overweight or obese, a trend that is contributing to significant health problems in people across the globe. Obesity is a major risk factor for many chronic health problems including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Encouraging people to lose weight is one solution, but the evidence shows that weight loss is difficult and rarely sustained. [Read more…]
Sixty-four percent of Americans drink coffee, adding up to 400 million cups daily. That’s a lot of coffee!
Researchers have long debated the health effects of one of America’s favorite drinks. In 1991, coffee was listed as a possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization. Research has demonstrated that coffee increases blood pressure and heart rate, but less is known about its impact on cardiovascular health. Coffee is not recommended for pregnant women because it’s unknown how it affects unborn babies. [Read more…]
Transgender youth, kids whose gender identity does not match their assigned sex, experience bullying and violence in schools at much higher rates compared to cisgender youth, whose gender identity does match their assigned sex.
In fact, evidence shows that trans youth are more likely to experience what researchers call poly-victimization — multiple forms of abuse or discrimination simultaneously — compared to cis youth. This type of abuse is associated with serious mental and emotional problems including lower self-esteem, anxiety, depression, suicide, poor school performance and more. [Read more…]
Sexual assault is a serious problem on college campuses across the United States. Nearly 16 percent of female college students in the U.S. report experiencing an attempted or completed sexual assault before starting college and 19 percent report experiencing attempted or actual sexual assault during college, according to a comprehensive study. [Read more…]
At Evidence-based Living, we have covered the topic of kids and screen time fairly extensively. Up until now, a body of evidence on the topic has demonstrated that too much time on screens – and specifically “low-quality” screen time, such as binge-watching television shows or playing video games – is associated with poorer educational outcomes, behavioral problems and worse mental and physical health. [Read more…]
Most kids in the U.S. have spent more time on screens during the COVID-19 pandemic for a myriad for reasons: to complete schoolwork virtually, stay occupied while parents worked at home and maintain connections with friends and family members. [Read more…]
Work is a major component of most people’s lives. On average, Americans spend 41 hours working outside the home each week, according to the International Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. [Read more…]
Over the past decade, the prevalence of eating disorders – especially among adolescents and young adults – has been a growing problem. A review of studies found that eating disorders among young people across the globe more than doubled from 2000 to 2018. Since then, COVID-19 has created new challenges for people with eating disorders and those who treat them.
Although there isn’t a broad study yet that quantifies the impact of the pandemic, there are plenty of clues that COVID-19 has increased the prevalence of eating disorders. The National Eating Disorders Association helpline reports a 40 percent increase in calls since March 2020. [Read more…]
You can’t watch or read the news without encountering a story about police violence toward people of color, complete with graphic video footage. Often these violent encounters spark large protests and sometimes riots in the cities where the violence occurs. This week, especially, the topic of race and law enforcement is at the forefront of our national consciousness because jurors voted to convict Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of killing George Floyd. [Read more…]
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