Physical Activity News and Research

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560-610 minutes of exercise a week linked to substantial cardiovascular health benefits

Adults should aim to do between 560 and 610 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous physical activity to achieve a substantial reduction in the risk of heart attacks and stroke, suggest the findings of an observational study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

19 May 2026

Pennington and Vanderbilt launch major study on childhood obesity treatment

Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in collaboration with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has launched a research study, the COACH trial, to test different ways to help children and their families improve their health through lifestyle changes delivered by primary care clinics in communities in Louisiana and Tennessee.

19 May 2026

Nutrition education improves diet quality in university students

Nutrition education at universities shows promise in improving dietary habits and mental well-being, highlighting the importance of healthy eating for students.

19 May 2026

Pregnancy-related disorders may shape offspring heart health into adulthood

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy may lead to lasting cardiovascular issues in offspring, highlighting the need for improved maternal health strategies.

19 May 2026

Study finds pulmonary rehab empowers children with respiratory issues

New research presented at the 2026 ATS International Conference shows that pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) significantly improves functioning and quality of life in children with chronic respiratory conditions, regardless of whether lung function itself improves.

18 May 2026

Perimenopause nearly doubles women’s odds of poor heart health

Perimenopause is linked to worsening cardiovascular health, with significant declines in lipid and glucose scores, emphasizing the need for early assessment.

15 May 2026

Simple physical function tests may identify adults at mobility risk

Research reveals a predictive model for early mobility limitations, emphasizing the impact of the Mediterranean diet and muscle power on aging health.

15 May 2026

Research identifies significant spike in neurological disorders during the covid-19 pandemic

In 2021, neurological diseases affected 3.40 billion individuals worldwide, corresponding to 43.1 % of the global population. In China, rapid demographic shifts and lifestyle changes have contributed to a continued rise in the burden of stroke, dementia, and Parkinson's disease-a trend expected to persist.

15 May 2026

Regular arts and physical activity linked to slower aging

Research shows that leisure activities, including arts engagement and physical exercise, are linked to slower epigenetic aging and improved health outcomes.

14 May 2026

Four-week diet intervention shifts biological aging markers

A short-term shift to whole-food, plant-based diets alters aging biomarkers in older adults, suggesting rapid physiological adaptation rather than age reversal.

14 May 2026

Battery-free wearable sensor continuously monitors health through sweat

University of California, Irvine researchers have invented a wearable, wireless, battery-free, bioelectronic sensor to monitor users' health by analyzing molecular biomarkers in human sweat.

13 May 2026

Semaglutide significantly reduces obesity in treatment-resistant young adults

A weekly dose of semaglutide (2.4 mg) leads to a clinically significant reduction in body mass index (BMI) and related health outcomes in young adults with severe obesity who are treatment resistant following hospital-based non-pharmacological obesity care during childhood, according to a randomized controlled trial being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May).

13 May 2026

Higher body mass index linked to financial problems, loneliness, and stress

New research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May) shows that higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with more financial problems, loneliness, and stress.

13 May 2026

Study links obesity with fewer pleasant emotions during physical activity

A recent study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä investigated the emotions evoked by physical activity and what motivates people across different weight groups to exercise.

13 May 2026

Perimenopausal women face higher risk of low heart health

Perimenopausal women were two times more likely to have a low cardiovascular health score compared to women having regular menstrual cycles, according to an analysis of nationwide U.S. data published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

13 May 2026

Sports coaches can improve health for athletes with disabilities

Research highlights the role of sports coaches in enhancing health for athletes with disabilities, focusing on collaboration and effective health promotion.

13 May 2026

Regular arts engagement may help slow biological aging process

Regularly taking part in arts activities such as reading, listening to music or visiting a gallery or museum may slow the pace of biological aging, suggests a new study by University College London (UCL) researchers.

11 May 2026

Longer working hours linked to rising obesity across OECD countries

A new study presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May) shows that a 1% reduction in annual working hours is associated with a 0.16% decrease in obesity rates across OECD countries.

11 May 2026

Eating out regularly linked to higher obesity risk worldwide

New research to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026, Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May) suggests that no matter where people live, eating out instead of preparing meals at home is linked to weight gain and obesity.

11 May 2026

Daily orforglipron treatment reduces weight and blood sugar in seniors

A new analysis to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026, Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May) examined daily oral orforglipron treatment for the treatment of obesity, with or without diabetes, in users aged 65 years and over, with results and a safety profile similar to that seen in the ATTAIN clinical trial programme population.

11 May 2026