Preventive medicine https://medicalxpress.com/preventive-medicine-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Preventive medicine Severe flooding linked to increased deaths from opioid use in rural Appalachia Severe flooding may contribute to higher mortality rates from opioid use in rural Appalachia, according to a study by researchers at Penn State. The findings—published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences—are particularly relevant as severe floods are increasing in prevalence and severity because of climate change, said Kristina Brant, assistant professor of rural sociology and co-lead author of the paper. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-severe-linked-deaths-opioid-rural.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:00:06 EDT news703748650 A new plan for healthy aging starts before we're born Most of us would like to hang around on the planet for as long as possible, and thankfully, lifespans in many countries are increasing. Scientists are also developing a new field known as longevity medicine, which aims to help people stay healthier for longer as they age. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-healthy-aging-born.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:40:02 EDT news703763143 More than half of US adults now eligible for statins under new guidelines, study finds More than half of U.S. adults ages 30 to 79—about 87.5 million people—are now recommended for statins to prevent cardiovascular disease under newly updated clinical guidelines, according to a study by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers published today in JAMA. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-adults-eligible-statins-guidelines.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:00:03 EDT news703505707 Heavy TV watching associated with smaller brain structures, study finds "Turn off that TV, it'll rot your brain!" has been a household refrain for decades. While "rot" might be too strong a term, researchers are finding that the overall sentiment could have some merit. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-heavy-tv-smaller-brain.html Sun, 19 Jul 2026 14:00:01 EDT news703687543 New body index aims to move beyond BMI and works for babies too Body Mass Index (BMI) has long been used in public health and clinical settings as a simple tool to classify an individual's physical status based on their height and weight. Originally developed in the 1830s by Belgian mathematician Adolphe Quetelet, BMI was designed to describe the characteristics of the average man rather than to assess an individual's health, and it did not account for age, sex, ethnicity or body composition. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-body-index-aims-bmi-babies.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:50:02 EDT news703491612 Around a third of all heart related deaths and disease may be due to ultraprocessed foods New research published in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine and presented at this year's International Congress on Obesity (ICO 2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico (July 15–17), suggests that 23%-38% of all cardiovascular deaths and 23%-37% of all cases of cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease and stroke) are attributable to ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-heart-deaths-disease-due-ultraprocessed.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 11:20:11 EDT news703407563 How exercise keeps our brains healthy as we age There's growing evidence linking brain health with exercise. A new study from Victoria University (VU) strengthens the case for exercise as a critical part of protecting the brain from age-related decline like dementia and Alzheimer's disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-brains-healthy-age.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:30:02 EDT news703326005