Physical Activity News and Research

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Physical activity linked to fewer perimenopause symptoms, global study finds

Regular physical activity results in numerous health benefits. It has been shown to improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and reduce anxiety, while also building muscle, strengthening bones, and helping to control weight.

20 Oct 2026

Your age may not tell the whole story about how healthy you are

Researchers developed a five-factor Lifestyle Index assessing physical activity, BMI, smoking, sleep quality, and sexual satisfaction in 312 Swiss adults aged 35 to 65 years. Higher scores were modestly associated with younger bio-functional age, suggesting a relationship between combined lifestyle patterns and functional health, although the findings cannot establish causation.

19 Oct 2026

Fruit and sugary drinks stood out in a three-year study of teenage mental health

A three-year study of 6,537 Australian adolescents found that higher fruit consumption was associated with a lower risk of elevated depression and anxiety symptoms, while greater sugar-sweetened beverage intake was associated with increased risk. Vegetable consumption showed no significant association with either outcome, and the observational findings cannot establish cause and effect.

19 Oct 2026

Residential greenery linked to lower dementia risk in older adults

Urban residents with more greenery within 100 meters of their homes have a lower risk of developing dementia over time.

19 Oct 2026

Preoperative physical activity linked to lower delirium risk after surgery

Staying active before surgery may do more than strengthen the body for recovery - it may protect the brain.

19 Oct 2026

Could ultraprocessed foods affect your brain before you notice?

Ultraprocessed food intake correlates with increased body fat and vascular brain injury in middle-aged adults, though cognitive performance remains unaffected.

19 Oct 2026

Could this flowering plant help people lose body fat?

Lythrum salicaria extract supplementation led to body fat reduction in a clinical trial, suggesting a promising plant-based approach to weight management.

19 Oct 2026

What you did last week may be the strongest clue to how much you'll exercise this week

Researchers analyzing exercise records from 5.17 million Strava users across 65 countries found that recent exercise history was the strongest predictor of whether individuals would meet a weekly physical activity threshold during the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical activity patterns varied considerably across regions, with greater disruption in many middle-income countries and better adherence associated with greater access to outdoor exercise facilities.

18 Oct 2026

You don't need 10,000 steps a day to benefit your heart, cardiologists say

A new American College of Cardiology scientific statement recommends integrating individualized exercise prescriptions into routine cardiovascular care, drawing on evidence supporting aerobic activity, resistance training, and cardiac rehabilitation. The authors emphasize that previously inactive individuals have the most to gain from increasing physical activity, while exercise recommendations should consider individual health conditions, functional capacity, and safety.

18 Oct 2026

Your age may not tell the whole story about your health, but your blood could

Researchers analyzed plasma metabolites from 18,476 individuals aged 1 to 96 years and developed two metabolomic aging measures to assess biological aging, chronic disease, and mortality risk. Accelerated metabolomic aging was associated with greater risks of chronic disease and death, while a separate mortality-linked measure provided additional information about health status and disease burden beyond conventional clinical assessments.

18 Oct 2026

A CDC survey finds 4 in 5 US teenagers fall short of high heart health scores

A CDC study of 5,192 US high school students found that approximately 80% had low or moderate cardiovascular health scores based on five measures assessed in a national survey. Diet, sleep, and physical activity received the least favorable scores, with differences observed across sex, grade, and racial and ethnic groups.

15 Oct 2026

New scientific statement urges doctors to prescribe exercise for heart health

Exercise should be prescribed as a foundational component of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and treatment, according to a new American College of Cardiology Scientific Statement published today in JACC, its flagship journal.

15 Oct 2026

Coffee drinkers had fewer repeat blood clots in a Norwegian study

A Norwegian study involving 2,071 patients found that those who reported drinking 1 to 2 cups of coffee daily before their first venous thromboembolism had a 51% lower estimated risk of recurrence than non-drinkers. The association was strongest among patients whose initial blood clot was provoked, although the observational study could not establish that coffee consumption prevents recurrence.

14 Oct 2026

Losing weight is one thing. Keeping your muscle is another, experts say

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stand concludes that sustained calorie restriction drives weight loss, while adequate protein intake and resistance training help preserve lean mass. Reviewing intermittent fasting, ketogenic diets, and other dietary approaches, the authors emphasize individualized nutrition plans, body composition, and sustainable weight management rather than rapid weight loss alone.

14 Oct 2026

People who walk more each day tend to score better on several brain tests

Researchers analyzed 14 years of physical activity and blood pressure records from 3,093 US adults and found that higher daily step counts were associated with better performance on tests of attention, cognitive control, and reward-related decision-making. Higher systolic blood pressure was associated with poorer delay-discounting performance, but accounted for only 4.8% of its association with physical activity, while the single cognitive assessment prevented conclusions about causation or cognitive decline.

14 Oct 2026

Doctors avoided two common words when talking about weight with patients

Researchers analyzed 123 recorded primary care consultations involving adults with type 2 diabetes and elevated BMI, finding that weight was discussed in just 39% of visits. Clinicians avoided potentially stigmatizing terms such as "overweight" and "obesity," while weight-related conversations occurred more frequently among patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists.

13 Oct 2026

ACLM launches resources to meet new medical nutrition requirements

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has launched two resources to help medical schools meet new federal nutrition requirements and to support practicing physicians seeking education relevant to state-level nutrition education requirements.

13 Oct 2026

Exercise boosts psychological wellbeing for menopausal women

Engaging in physical activity during menopause can improve depression, mood and overall quality of life, a new study led by UCL researchers has found.

13 Oct 2026

Switching to a vegan diet rapidly alters liver metabolism

A team from UNIGE has shown that switching from a vegetarian to a vegan diet is enough to modify the liver’s metabolism within a few days.

13 Oct 2026

Who moves first at night, you or your dog?

Researchers monitored 25 adults and 38 dogs and found no significant association between bedsharing and objectively measured human sleep duration or efficiency, although owners of multiple dogs reported poorer sleep quality in an analysis requiring cautious interpretation. Human and dog movements were positively correlated, with human activity more often preceding canine activity among pairs with identifiable associations, although the study could not determine which species drove the other's movements.

12 Oct 2026