https://medicalxpress.com/healthy-living-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Healthy Living A significant number of Brazilians engage in improper food hygiene and handling practices at home. Examples include washing meat in the kitchen sink and failing to properly wash vegetables. These findings were revealed by a nationwide survey that examined food hygiene, handling, and storage habits in 5,000 households of various income levels across all regions of Brazil. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-poor-hygiene-food-bacterial-outbreaks.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:00:03 EDT news695486225 For individuals at risk for knee osteoarthritis, high ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption is associated with higher muscle fat content, according to a study published online April 14 in Radiology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-ultraprocessed-food-linked-thigh-muscle.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:20:03 EDT news695488982 Replacing just one meat dish with a vegetarian option in workplace cafeterias can significantly shift what people eat, cutting both calories and carbon emissions, according to a new study from researchers at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford. In the new study published in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, researchers tested the change in six English worksite cafeterias, asking managers to swap one meat-based lunch option for a vegetarian dish while keeping prices, choice and all other menu features the same. Customers were not told about the change, and meat options remained available. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-simple-menu-tweak-boost-vegetarian.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:00:01 EDT news695484721 New research published in The European Journal of Endocrinology shows that increased total body fat mass and abdominal fat mass from late adolescence to early 20s, but not from the childhood period before this, predicts progressively worsening cardiac structural and functional outcomes by young adulthood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-future-heart-health-body-fat.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:00:03 EDT news695476947 The way in which the body processes cholesterol affects the risk of cardiovascular diseases. LDL cholesterol is obtained from saturated fats in food and from hepatic cholesterol synthesis. Its accumulation in the arterial walls can obstruct blood flow. In a study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, long-term monitoring has revealed that high cholesterol absorption predicted myocardial infarctions and cardiac mortality in patients who had previously had an acute coronary artery event. The worst prognosis was seen in patients with the highest cholesterol absorption, while low cholesterol absorption was associated with a better prognosis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-effective-cholesterol-absorption-intestine-cardiac.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:20:09 EDT news695482441 A new study examines the role of palmitic acid and oleic acid—among the main fatty acids in the diet—in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, a chronic condition associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The research, published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, is led by teams from the CIBER Area for Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM) at the University of Barcelona. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-quality-quantity-fat-diet-affects.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:20:10 EDT news695481661 Adolescents who consume more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have significantly higher odds of being overweight or obese, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the open-access journal PLOS One by Mekuriaw Nibret Aweke of the University of Gondar, Ethiopia, and colleagues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-ultra-food-intake-sharply-higher.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:00:11 EDT news695466061 New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found that higher sodium intake may negatively affect episodic memory, the type of memory used to recall personal experiences and specific events from one's past such as where you parked your car or your first day of school. The findings suggest that diets high in salt could have broader cognitive impacts than previously understood, highlighting the importance of dietary choices in supporting brain health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-high-salt-diet-linked-faster.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:20:02 EDT news695469361 One in four U.S. adults—the equivalent of over 66 million Americans—report having used artificial intelligence tools or chatbots for physical or mental health care information or advice, according to new research released by the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America. Rather than replacing traditional care, more than half say they turn to AI to supplement their health care experiences, using the technology before or after seeing a doctor. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-poll-reveals-millions-americans-ai.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:10:01 EDT news695394541 When health risks become visible in black and white, perspectives often shift. A study from Umeå University shows that when ultrasound images of atherosclerosis in subjects' carotid arteries are combined with a motivational dialogue, the patients are more likely to be motivated to improve their lifestyle habits and take preventive medication. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-artery-images-nurse-boosted-heart.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:40:06 EDT news695384731 Timing exercise to match body clock chronotype—the natural predisposition to morning or evening alertness—may lower cardiovascular disease risk among those who are already vulnerable, suggests research published in the open access journal Open Heart. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-body-clock-chronotype-cardiovascular-disease.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:30:03 EDT news695294521 New waist-to-height cutoffs to assess fat mass and obesity predicted the risk of hypertension better than body mass index, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University in the US. The aim of the study was to externally validate new pediatric waist circumference-to-height ratio (WHtR)-estimated fat mass cutoffs for predicting the risk of elevated blood pressure and hypertension among a multiracial population of children and adults in the U.S. The work is published in The Journal of Nutrition. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-waist-height-ratio-hypertension-bmi.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:20:01 EDT news695397601 A new survey from two food industry groups shows growing interest in meat as a "healthy" food choice, even as doctors warn that too much red meat can raise health risks. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-meat-consumption-protein-trend-experts.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:00:03 EDT news695394030 Over the past decade, as youth e-cigarette use reached what the Surgeon General labeled epidemic proportions, at least 30 U.S. states and numerous local municipalities have implemented excise taxes on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) to curb consumption. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-vaping-taxes-teen-nicotine.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:40:03 EDT news695390101 Researchers found that a diet high in ultra-processed foods is associated with higher amounts of fat stored inside thigh muscles, regardless of calorie or fat intake, physical activity or sociodemographic factors in a population at risk for knee osteoarthritis. Results of the study were published in Radiology. Higher amounts of intramuscular fat in the thigh could potentially increase the risk for knee osteoarthritis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-people-consume-ultra-foods-worse.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:00:01 EDT news695293502 Restricting calories has long been recognized as a powerful way to live longer, with periods of intermittent fasting proving more effective than a steady diet. However, the mechanism behind this phenomenon has been unclear. Research led by UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists and published in Nature Communications suggests it's not the fast itself that extends life, but how the body metabolically pivots during refeeding after fasting. Although the findings were made in Caenorhabditis elegans, a roundworm often used as a lab model, they could eventually lead to new ways to boost health in humans. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-fasting-longer-lifespan.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:20:01 EDT news695375356 People just aren't drinking the way they used to. "As recently as the late 1990s or early 2000s, 85% or more of high school seniors said they drank in the past year. Now that number is down to about 42%," said Kathryn McHugh, a Harvard Medical School associate professor of psychology at McLean Hospital and the director of the McLean Hospital Stress, Anxiety, and Substance Abuse Laboratory. "Those are whopping changes in effectively less than a generation." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-term-alcoholic-conjures-outdated-stereotypes.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:40:03 EDT news695294397 Losing teeth might cause you to gain weight, a new study says. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-teeth-weight-gain.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:00:01 EDT news695295963 Efforts to crack down on illegal e-cigs in the U.S. may not be keeping pace with sales, a new government report suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-crackdown-vapes-falling-short.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:40:01 EDT news695295401 Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are used across industries, and are present in waterproof clothing, makeup, carpets, upholstery, cookware, fast-food containers, and myriad other items we encounter in our daily lives. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-pfas-shown-thyroid-function.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:20:01 EDT news695295991 Researchers from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE) and other partner institutions of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) have now identified a previously unknown function of the PICALM protein in skeletal muscle: The protein responds sensitively to physical activity and intermittent fasting. It also plays a decisive role in the formation of new muscle fibers. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-picalm-links-intermittent-fasting-muscle.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:00:07 EDT news695309161 Air pollution just isn't what it used to be. While levels of lead and sulfur dioxide have dropped due to environmental regulations, other threats to air quality persist. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-limit-health-posed-polluted-air.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:40:02 EDT news695281624 We live in what has been called the "distraction economy": an environment full of triggers that are engineered to demand our attention at every turn. The result is often fragmented attention, loss of focus, and sometimes even increased rumination and anxiety. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-distracted-hobbies-state-brain.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:00:01 EDT news695294871 In a study involving over 600,000 people, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have investigated how changes in weight between the ages of 17 and 60 are linked to the risk of dying from various diseases. The results show a clear pattern: weight gain early in adulthood has the greatest impact. The work is published in the journal eClinicalMedicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-weight-gain-20s-health-impact.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:20:08 EDT news695300761 Osteoarthritis affects around 600 million people globally. It causes pain, stiffness, and reduced joint function—most commonly in the knees, hands, and hips. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-steroid-joint-pain.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:40:03 EDT news695293982 New research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Istanbul, Turkey (May 12–15), reveals distinct patterns of heart, metabolic, and inflammatory health risks between men and women living with obesity, providing an insight into how clinicians may be able to tailor management approaches. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-heart-metabolic-inflammatory-patterns-differ.html Sun, 12 Apr 2026 18:10:01 EDT news695040781 U.S. medical organizations are looking to reduce deaths caused by heart disease, the nation's No. 1 killer, with new guidelines that reframe prevention as a lifelong battle that begins with testing in childhood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-heart-disease-qa-specialist-shift.html Sat, 11 Apr 2026 14:00:06 EDT news695042464 Your morning cup of coffee may be more than just a pick-me-up. It may also be a simple boost for your mental well-being. In a recent study, researchers from Fudan University, China, wanted to find out whether the amount of coffee a person drinks each day and the type they choose have any bearing on their risk of developing stress and mood disorders over time. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-coffee-sweet-mental-health.html Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:00:01 EDT news695033124 A rise of high-tech recovery culture is underway. As sports science becomes increasingly accessible, we're seeing a trickle-down effect from elite athletes to weekend warriors, and even recreational exercisers, who are exploring ways to biohack better health and speed up recovery. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-biohacks-basics-recovery.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 21:20:04 EDT news695019481 Suburban areas often struggle with a first- and last-mile mobility problem, where residents have difficulty reaching the nearest public transport hub from their homes. Demand-responsive transport (DRT) has emerged as a flexible solution, yet the potential health benefits of combining DRT with existing public transport networks have yet to be assessed. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-pair-combining-demand-buses-boosts.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:50:01 EDT news695047550