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Prebiotic fiber supplement lowers pain sensitivity in people with knee osteoarthritis

A new study has found that a prebiotic fiber supplement reduced pain, improved grip strength, and lowered pain sensitivity in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) - with far fewer dropouts than a digital physiotherapy programme.

12 Mar 2026

Everyday wearable data could reveal early brain health signals

Wearable sensors combined with AI offer a novel approach to continuous monitoring of cognitive and emotional health, detecting early changes in brain function.

12 Mar 2026

New digital shield against metabolic disease in youth psychosis

A new clinic-ready web-based risk prediction tool called PsyMetRiC is now available to forecast the risk of young people with psychosis developing cardiometabolic disorders such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

12 Mar 2026

Does coffee disrupt sleep? Large population study suggests the impact may be minimal

A large cross-sectional analysis of 25,381 Swedish adults aged 50–64 found that habitual coffee consumption showed only very weak associations with sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. Genetic analyses confirmed known coffee-related variants and suggested that long-term caffeine exposure may lead to adaptation in the brain’s adenosine signaling system.

11 Mar 2026

Blood test marker p-tau217 helps detect early dementia risk in cognitively healthy older women

A long-term study of 2,766 women in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study found that higher baseline plasma p-tau217 levels were associated with a greater risk of developing mild cognitive impairment or probable dementia.

11 Mar 2026

How social and environmental exposures across life influence mental health risk

Researchers outline how the exposome framework, which captures the totality of environmental exposures across the lifespan, can help explain how non-genetic factors shape mental health risk and resilience. The perspective highlights how integrating environmental, biological, and social data could improve prevention strategies, research models, and personalized mental health care.

10 Mar 2026

Global study reveals how inequality limits access to exercise and why it matters for health

A global analysis of physical activity data from 68 countries shows large socioeconomic and gender inequalities in access to choice-based exercise, particularly active leisure. The study also synthesizes evidence linking physical activity to lower risks of severe infectious disease, depression, and cancer mortality, and proposes a new “physical activity for health and wellbeing” public health framework.

10 Mar 2026

Using a smartwatch to detect changes in brain health

Can smartphones or smartwatches help detect early signs of neurological or mental illness? Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) monitored a group of participants wearing connected devices, and used artificial intelligence to analyze data such as heart rate, physical activity, sleep and air pollution.

10 Mar 2026

Study sheds new light on the link between cholesterol levels and mortality risks

A recent study published in Engineering has shed new light on the relationship between cholesterol levels and mortality risks.

10 Mar 2026

Global physical activity levels remain low despite widespread policy adoption

The prevalence of physical activity among the global population has remained low for the last two decades despite a majority of countries making notable progress in developing policies that include physical activity, UTHealth Houston researchers found.

9 Mar 2026

Alcohol intake linked to lower micronutrient intake in men with type 2 diabetes

Researchers analyzed 1,565 Japanese outpatients with type 2 diabetes and found that higher alcohol consumption was associated with lower intake of several micronutrients, particularly potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and C, in younger men. The study also linked alcohol intake to a savory dietary pattern rich in rice, meat, fish, and seasonings, highlighting age- and sex-specific nutritional risks.

9 Mar 2026

Most weight lost on GLP-1 drugs returns within a year after stopping

The cessation of GLP-1RAs is linked to a 60% weight regain within a year, emphasizing the importance of tailored strategies for effective long-term weight loss.

9 Mar 2026

Redefining the "aging brain" through diverse data

Age is more than just one number. While neuroscientists used to think of cognitive aging as a single trendline, they now realize that vast individual differences require a more predictive and personalized approach. As they uncover more factors that affect cognition over time, they are realizing that modeling the aging brain requires more diverse data than traditionally captured.

9 Mar 2026

Yale study identifies parent stress as an obesity risk factor

In recent years, rates of childhood obesity have been rising, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimating in 2024 that approximately one in five children and adolescents met the clinical definition of obese.

9 Mar 2026

Post amputation pain differs with movement and prosthetic type

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz have identified a critical gap in how post-amputation pain is evaluated and treated.

6 Mar 2026

Weekend lie-ins may boost insulin sensitivity, but too much may backfire

This study explores the relationship between sleep patterns and insulin sensitivity, emphasizing the impact of weekday sleep and weekend catch-up on metabolism.

6 Mar 2026

Study finds toddlers who eat more ultra-processed foods show slightly higher behavioral symptoms

A prospective analysis of 2,077 children in the Canadian CHILD Cohort Study found that higher intake of ultra-processed foods at age three was associated with slightly higher behavioral and emotional symptom scores by age five. Modeling showed that replacing 10% of calories from ultra-processed foods with minimally processed foods was associated with modestly lower symptom scores.

5 Mar 2026