Physical Activity News and Research

RSS

Long-term exposure to polluted air weakens the health benefits of exercise

Long-term exposure to toxic air can substantially weaken the health benefits of regular exercise, suggests a new study by an international team including UCL (University College London) researchers.

28 Nov 2025

Alternate-day fasting cuts body fat but also reduces muscle

Research reveals that alternate-day fasting reduces body weight and fat but also leads to muscle loss, with whey protein supplementation proving ineffective.

28 Nov 2025

Tai chi offers comparable benefits to CBT for chronic insomnia

Tai chi, a form of mind-body exercise widely practiced in Chinese communities, has similar benefits to talking therapy for middle aged and older people with chronic insomnia, finds a trial from Hong Kong published by The BMJ today.

26 Nov 2025

Sex-specific changes in gluteus maximus shape linked to aging and metabolic health

The shape of the gluteus maximus muscle in the buttocks changes in different ways with aging, lifestyle, frailty, osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes, and these changes differ between women and men, according to new research being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

25 Nov 2025

Study: Fewer than 1 in 4 preschoolers meet the recommended daily physical activity levels

Fewer than 1 in 4 children aged 2 to 4 meet the recommended daily physical activity levels, a new study has found.

24 Nov 2025

Combined healthy eating and exercise linked to greater reductions in visceral fat

Improving diet and increasing physical activity levels together may be more effective at preventing weight gain – particularly harmful fat inside the abdomen – than just changing one of these behaviours, new research from the University of Cambridge suggests.

21 Nov 2025

Ultraprocessed diets affect teens and young adults differently

A study reveals that adolescents consume more calories on ultraprocessed diets, highlighting a critical vulnerability in modern food environments.

21 Nov 2025

Oral GLP-1 pill shows strong weight loss and blood sugar benefits in adults with diabetes

A new oral GLP-1 medication can help adults with obesity and Type 2 diabetes lose more weight and improve their blood sugar levels compared to a placebo, according to findings from the ATTAIN-2 trial led by a UTHealth Houston researcher.

20 Nov 2025

Nationwide study maps epilepsy incidence rates among older adults in the United States

A first-of-its-kind nationwide study has mapped epilepsy incidence rates among older adults in the United States and identified key social and environmental factors associated with the neurological condition.

20 Nov 2025

Midlife exercise cuts dementia risk by up to 45 percent, new study shows

Higher physical activity in midlife and late life is linked to a substantially lower risk of all-cause and Alzheimer’s dementia. Midlife benefits are strongest for moderate or heavy activity, while late-life activity is protective across all intensity levels.

20 Nov 2025

Global experts call for urgent action to curb rising ultra-processed food consumption

Food companies are driving a global rise in ultra-processed food consumption that is damaging our health, and also preventing government action that could limit its harm, an international study reveals.

20 Nov 2025

Global experts map out the practical steps that help extend life expectancy

The 1st World Longevity Summit in Kyotango, Japan brought together global experts to share advances in aging biology, lifestyle medicine, and community-based strategies for healthy longevity. Its joint declaration identified four pillars – social connection, plant-based diets, daily activity, and gratitude with purpose – as core foundations for extending healthy life expectancy worldwide.

19 Nov 2025

Scientists uncover genetic components linked to bone density in young people

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) revealed important genetic components that affect bone density in children and adolescents.

19 Nov 2025

Muscle-driven gene therapy shows promise for protecting memory in Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating cause of memory loss and cognitive decline, for which no curative treatment is available.

18 Nov 2025

Reclassifying wine intake reshapes the Mediterranean diet’s cognitive impact

Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was not associated with better cognition when wine was scored as a “beneficial” component. When wine was reverse scored, Mediterranean diet adherence showed a modest positive association with MMSE performance and a borderline link with MoCA in Portuguese older adults at high dementia risk.

17 Nov 2025

Chronic pain in adults linked to increased risk of developing high blood pressure

Chronic pain in adults may increase their risk of high blood pressure, and the location and extent of pain and if they also had depression were contributing factors, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

17 Nov 2025

WHO releases first global guidelines for managing diabetes during pregnancy

The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its first global guidelines for the management of diabetes during pregnancy, a condition affecting about one in six pregnancies – or 21 million women annually.

14 Nov 2025

Testing nicotinamide riboside as a potential aid for long COVID recovery

Chao-Yi Wu, PhD, OT, from the Department of Neurology and Edmarie Guzmán-Vélez, PhD, of the Department of Psychiatry at Mass General Brigham, are the lead and senior authors of a paper published in eClinicalMedicine, "Effects of Nicotinamide Riboside on NAD+ Levels, Cognition, and Symptom Recovery in Long-COVID: A Randomized Controlled Trial."

14 Nov 2025

Making school a happier place for every child

Well-being and school results are inter-connected, but some children simply do not enjoy school. So what can we do to make school a happier experience for more children?

14 Nov 2025

Poor sleep raises injury risk in recreational runners

Research shows that sleep quality and duration are critical for injury prevention in recreational runners, emphasizing sleep's role in athletic performance.

13 Nov 2025