MediWeek

Globally, over 25% of the adults do not meet the recommended physical activity levels advocated for better cardiovascular health. Common barriers to physical activity include health issues, limited resources, financial constraints, and time scarcity. One practical solution to engage in physical activity is integrating stair climbing in daily routine and replacing elevators for short-to-medium distances […]

A close association between the brain and the gut is widely established in studies. Psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression affect a lot of people and are often related to many diseases of the digestive tract, including the gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Evidence suggests that people with depression are 1.7 times more likely to

Lifestyle factors like diet, physical activity, smoking behavior, and alcohol consumption are well-documented risk factors for diabetes. There is a growing evidence that sleep and its attributes such as duration, quality, regularity, disturbance, and timing also potentially contribute to diabetes risk. A recent study published in the journal, Sleep Health by the National Sleep Foundation,

The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics advise limiting screen time exposure to one hour per day for children aged 2 to 5 years. With rapid advances in the digital technology and easy access to digital devices in the recent years, it is not surprising that these guidelines are not adhered to

The World Health Organization identified sedentary lifestyle as the 4th leading cause of death globally, impacting approximately 1.5 billion people and contributing to at least 3.2 million deaths annually. Walking is one of the easiest forms of physical activity, but the optimal number of steps needed for noticeable health benefits remain uncertain. A recent meta-analysis

Exercise training is one of the proven lifestyle modification techniques for reductions in blood pressure (BP) in people with hypertension [1]. Isometric exercise training (IET), also known as static strength training, is recognized as a potential modality for lowering both systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). It involves static, tightening (contractions) exercises of a

Consuming a poor diet is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Current guidelines from the American Heart Association and Diabetes organizations as well as supportive evidence from clinical studies emphasize on vegetarian diets for prevention of  heart diseases, type 2 diabetes and some of its metabolic complications. Though the benefits of vegetarian

Excessive consumption of soft drinks, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages, is linked with weight gain in children and adolescents; however, there is limited data available on the association of soft drink consumption with the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents. A study by Hu H et al., recently published in the journal “JAMA Network Open”, reported

Guidelines on physical activity recommendations for adults emphasize that “Adults should move more and sit less throughout the day and some activity is better than none”. The American Medical Association highlights the recommendations for intensity, time, and type of physical activity required to obtain optimum health benefits (Graphic 1). This recent report published in “JAMA”

A rising trend in sedentary behaviors, including television (TV) viewing and other modes of screen time, is seen in the younger population, particularly after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. According to the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, excessive TV watching among children and adolescents (aged 5–15 years) is associated with poor health in their