Monthly Archives: June 2026

Tomato and Soy Juice Combination Shows Anti-Inflammatory Benefits in Obese Adults

A tomato-soy juice enriched with plant compounds linked to health benefits significantly reduced markers of inflammation in healthy adults with obesity after four weeks of daily consumption, according to a new study. Researchers say the findings suggest the beverage could serve as a functional food capable of helping control chronic inflammation, a condition associated with obesity and many long-term diseases. The study focused on the effects of lycopene, a carotenoid found in tomatoes, and soy isoflavones, naturally occurring compounds believed to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

The research team compared the specialised tomato-soy juice with a control tomato juice that lacked high levels of lycopene and soy isoflavones. Participants consumed two 6-ounce cans of juice daily for four weeks, followed by a washout period before switching to the control beverage for another four weeks. Blood samples collected before and after each intervention period showed that only the tomato-soy juice significantly lowered levels of three pro-inflammatory cytokines: Interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-12p70 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Researchers also observed a downward trend in tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), although the decrease was not statistically significant.

Lead author Jessica Cooperstone, associate professor of horticulture and crop science at The Ohio State University, said the study was designed to test whether food-based interventions can directly influence inflammation rigorously. Rather than relying on general assumptions about anti-inflammatory foods, the researchers aimed to measure clear biological effects in people. The findings have encouraged the team to continue investigating the therapeutic potential of the juice in clinical settings.

Lycopene gives tomatoes and other vegetables their red colouring, while soy isoflavones belong to a class of flavonoids that can mimic some actions of the hormone estrogen. Both compounds are phytochemicals that support plant health and have previously been linked to disease prevention. Earlier studies associated diets rich in tomato products or soy with a lower risk of prostate cancer, leading Ohio State researchers to develop the tomato-soy juice using tomatoes specially bred to contain high concentrations of lycopene and enriched with soy isoflavone extract. Additional research later connected the beverage to lower prostate-specific antigen levels in some men with prostate cancer.

Researchers also analysed participants’ urine samples to examine changes in metabolites, the molecular byproducts produced when the body breaks down nutrients and generates energy. The analysis revealed that both the tomato-soy juice and the control tomato juice produced some similar metabolic changes, suggesting tomatoes alone may contribute to certain biological effects. However, shifts linked specifically to soy isoflavones were more pronounced in the tomato-soy group, providing further evidence that the combination beverage was influencing human metabolism and inflammatory pathways.

Building on these findings, the research team has received funding from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to conduct a pilot clinical trial investigating whether the same tomato-soy juice can reduce inflammation in patients with pancreatitis. Previous animal studies conducted by the group suggested the beverage may lessen both inflammation and the severity of chronic pancreatitis. Because treatment for pancreatitis is largely focused on managing pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, researchers hope this dietary intervention could eventually improve quality of life for patients by targeting inflammation directly. The study was recently published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.

More information: Maria Sholola et al, Tomato-Soy Juice Reduces Inflammation and Modulates the Urinary Metabolome in Adults With Obesity, Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.70420

Journal information: Molecular Nutrition & Food Research Provided by Ohio State University

Older Adults Using Hearing Aids Effectively May Face Lower Dementia Risk, HKUMed Study Finds

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Researchers from the School of Public Health at the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), in collaboration with an international research team, have found that effective hearing aid use may be associated with a lower risk of probable dementia among older adults with hearing loss. Published in Cell Reports Medicine, the study highlights the importance of high-quality hearing rehabilitation as part of healthy ageing strategies worldwide.

Dementia is expected to affect nearly 150 million people globally by 2050, creating growing challenges for healthcare systems and communities. Hearing loss, which affects around 30% of adults over 65 and as many as 90% of those aged 85 and older, has increasingly been recognised as one of the leading potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia. According to the 2024 Lancet Commission, hearing loss may account for approximately 7% of dementia cases worldwide.

The study analysed data from 61,089 adults aged 55 and above with hearing impairment across seven ageing cohorts spanning 33 countries, including China, Korea, Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland and Mexico. Over an average follow-up period of 6.5 years, 8,911 participants developed probable dementia. Researchers found that hearing aid users had a 9% lower risk of probable dementia compared with hearing-impaired non-users.

Importantly, the protective association appeared to depend on how effectively the hearing aids improved daily hearing. Participants who reported good hearing improvement with their devices had a 14% lower risk of probable dementia, while those who reported poor improvement showed no significant reduction in risk. The findings suggest that simply wearing a hearing aid may not be enough, and that the quality and effectiveness of hearing rehabilitation play a critical role.

The association between hearing aid use and lower dementia risk appeared stronger in middle-income countries, where hearing aid adoption was substantially lower. Only 2.6% of hearing-impaired participants in these countries reported using hearing aids, compared with 20% in high-income countries. The benefits were also more pronounced among women, unmarried individuals and people with lower educational attainment, suggesting that hearing rehabilitation may be particularly valuable for socially vulnerable groups who may face greater risks of isolation and reduced access to healthcare resources.

Professor Chen Shanquan, Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health at HKUMed and joint last author of the study, said that hearing loss is increasingly recognised as one of the most important potentially addressable risk factors for dementia. He noted that the findings underscore the need not only to improve access to hearing aids but also to ensure that devices provide meaningful hearing improvement in everyday life. While the observational study cannot prove that hearing aids directly prevent dementia, the researchers believe the results provide strong international evidence supporting the integration of hearing care into dementia prevention, primary care and healthy-ageing policies.

More information: Fan Jiang et al, Hearing aid effectiveness and probable dementia risk across 33 countries: A pooled analysis of seven cohorts, Cell Reports Medicine. DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2026.102802

Journal information: Cell Reports Medicine Provided by The University of Hong Kong

Replacing Red Meat with Salmon May Improve Health and Cut Carbon Emissions

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New research from the University of Bristol and the University of Southampton suggests that replacing one beef steak with salmon each week could significantly reduce carbon emissions while also supporting healthier diets. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research: Food Systems, found that the UK’s current meat consumption remains two to three times higher than recommended dietary guidelines. Researchers examined how different dietary changes could influence emissions between 2021 and 2050.

Using data from 4,000 UK households in the Family Food Dataset, the team modelled five dietary scenarios: continuing current eating habits, reducing overall meat and dairy consumption, swapping beef for salmon once a week, following the NHS Eatwell Guide, and adopting the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet. The researchers then estimated the long-term carbon emissions associated with each approach.

If current dietary trends continue, food-related carbon emissions are projected to decline by 15% by 2050, roughly equivalent to the carbon produced by a return flight from London Heathrow to Madrid. However, replacing just one weekly portion of beef steak with UK-sourced salmon nearly doubled the reduction, cutting emissions by 28% over the same period. This saving is comparable to the emissions from a return flight between London Heathrow and Marrakech, Morocco. More substantial dietary changes produced even larger reductions, with lower meat consumption reducing emissions by 39%, the NHS Eatwell diet by 42%, and the Planetary Health Diet by 49%.

Lead author Dr Jenny Baverstock, Honorary Research Fellow at Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences and formerly Principal Enterprise Fellow at the University of Southampton, said simple dietary adjustments could make an important contribution to environmental sustainability. She noted that the salmon-for-beef substitution provides both nutritional and environmental benefits, demonstrating that health and sustainability goals can work together rather than compete against one another.

Globally, food and agriculture account for around 26% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, while the UK food system contributes approximately 20%. Animal agriculture alone is responsible for more than 80% of food industry emissions worldwide, with beef, lamb, and pork among the highest-impact protein sources. In contrast, fish, poultry, and legumes offer lower-emission alternatives. Researchers selected beef and salmon because they represent realistic and familiar choices for UK consumers and are largely produced domestically. The study estimated that this single substitution could reduce emissions by 7.3 kilograms of CO2 per person each week.

The researchers acknowledged that changing dietary habits across the population remains challenging and would require balancing the interests of livestock farmers and sustainable fishing industries. Nevertheless, they noted that UK seafood consumption currently falls well below government recommendations, while high consumption of processed and red meat is linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Co-author Professor Guy Poppy from the University of Bristol said growing public concern about planetary health may encourage more people to adopt sustainable dietary choices. He added that current global trade uncertainties and food security concerns could also create opportunities for the UK to strengthen domestic fish production and improve long-term protein security.

More information: Jenny Baverstock et al, Adapting the source of protein in diets to reduce carbon emissions: a UK case study exploring aquaculture, Environmental Research Food Systems. DOI: 10.1088/2976-601X/ae6709

Journal information: Environmental Research Food Systems Provided by University of Bristol

Immigrants Experiencing Partial Acceptance in America Report Worse Health Outcomes

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A longstanding puzzle in social epidemiology is that immigrants often arrive in the United States healthier than the native-born population. Yet, this advantage tends to fade as they grow older. Many researchers have suggested that acculturation — the process through which immigrants adopt the language, culture and behaviours of their new country — may contribute to this decline in health. However, a new study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior suggests the story is more complicated.

The study found that acculturation itself may actually protect health in later life. Older immigrants who spoke English well had 40 to 50 per cent lower odds of disability compared with those who had limited English proficiency. Similarly, immigrants married to U.S.-born spouses, often viewed as a sign of greater social integration, had 10 to 20 per cent lower odds of disability than those married to foreign-born spouses. These findings suggest that adapting to American society can provide important social and health benefits.

The research also identified a more complex pattern known as “acculturative discordance,” which occurs when immigrants are highly acculturated in some ways but not others. Immigrants who were married to U.S.-born spouses but did not speak English well faced higher risks of ambulatory disability than immigrants who had both limited English proficiency and foreign-born spouses. Ambulatory disability, which includes difficulties with walking or climbing stairs, is the most common disability among older Americans and affects roughly one in four adults aged 65 and older.

“Some immigrants behave and feel very much like Americans, yet they get perceived as foreigners because they don’t sound like the average American or they live in an immigrant enclave,” says Leafia Ye, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Toronto and author of the study. “The results indicate that this discordance can be physically stressful — and show up as disability in later life.”

The study drew on data from the American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and included 958,211 immigrants between the ages of 65 and 80. Another important finding was that acculturation appeared to offer stronger health protection for white immigrants than for Black, Hispanic and Asian immigrants. As a result, highly acculturated white immigrants were more likely to maintain their health advantage over the U.S.-born population in later life. In contrast, racially minoritized immigrants were more likely to lose that advantage.

“Racially minoritized immigrants experience another layer of discordance — as they adapt more to U.S. society, they might also confront more racial discrimination and exclusion,” says Ye, who is also affiliated with the Institute for Life Course & Aging and the Global Migration Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. “This study highlights that being ‘half-included’ is a difficult experience. Immigrants may be blending in more while simultaneously facing barriers to full acceptance, and the health consequences of that experience should not be ignored.”

More information: Leafia Zi Ye et al, Is Acculturation the Culprit? Acculturative Discordance and Immigrants’ Later-Life Health, Journal of Health and Social Behavior. DOI: 10.1177/00221465261450447

Journal information: Journal of Health and Social Behavior Provided by University of Toronto

Early-Life Socioeconomic Factors May Leave a Lasting Imprint on Young Brains

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Our brains shape who we are, but what shapes our brains? Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis sought to answer that question by examining how a wide range of childhood experiences and life circumstances influence brain development. After analyzing hundreds of biological, psychological, social and environmental factors, the researchers found that socioeconomic conditions — including a family’s financial situation and the opportunities available in a child’s neighbourhood — had the strongest connection to children’s brain structure and function. The findings, published June 11 in Science, suggest that social and economic conditions may leave a deeper imprint on children’s brains than many previously studied factors.

The research team analyzed brain scans and developmental data from nearly 12,000 children aged 9 to 10 participating in the NIH-funded Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Using MRI scans, the scientists examined relationships between brain structure, brain connectivity and 649 variables grouped into 12 categories, including socioeconomic status, screen time, cognitive abilities, physical and mental health, parenting, personality, medical history and environmental influences. Of all the variables examined, socioeconomic factors consistently showed the strongest links to brain development. Socioeconomic conditions accounted for roughly 16% of the variability in measures of brain function, greatly exceeding the influence of IQ, parenting style or health history.

Among the strongest socioeconomic influences were family income, homeownership, neighbourhood poverty rates, transportation access and overall community resources. Of the 40 variables most strongly associated with brain function, 37 were socioeconomic, while 35 of the top 40 linked to brain structure were also socioeconomic. Researchers also found that sleep quality, screen time and chronic stress were closely connected to the same brain regions influenced by socioeconomic conditions. According to senior author Nico U. Dosenbach, the findings suggest that socioeconomic disadvantage may affect children’s brains indirectly through daily burdens such as stress and disrupted sleep.

The brain regions most affected were areas involved in motor and sensory processing, which are particularly sensitive to sleep deprivation and chronic stress. In contrast, regions associated with higher-level thinking and problem-solving showed much weaker connections to socioeconomic conditions. The researchers emphasized that the findings do not indicate that children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are less intelligent. Rather, their brains may reflect the effects of ongoing stress and fatigue. The researchers noted that sleep and stress are modifiable factors, raising hope that targeted interventions could help reduce some of the observed brain differences linked to socioeconomic disadvantage.

The study also challenged long-standing assumptions about IQ and brain biology. For decades, scientists have searched for physical markers of intelligence within the brain, often reporting associations between IQ scores and features such as cortical thickness. However, when the researchers statistically adjusted for socioeconomic factors, approximately 70% of the previously observed relationships between IQ and brain measures were no longer statistically significant. In a separate analysis restricted to children from high socioeconomic backgrounds, IQ showed no meaningful correlation with brain structure or function.

The findings suggest that many earlier studies linking IQ to brain features may actually have been capturing the effects of socioeconomic conditions rather than innate intelligence. First author Scott Marek described socioeconomic status as the “elephant in the brain” because of its overwhelming influence across the analyses. The researchers concluded that children’s environments — especially factors related to stress, sleep and economic opportunity — shape brain development in profound ways. Importantly, because sleep and chronic stress can potentially be improved, the study points toward practical opportunities to support healthier brain development for children facing socioeconomic disadvantage.

More information: Scott Marek et al, Patterns of brain-wide associations reflect socioeconomics, Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.aee6213

Journal information: Science Provided by Washington University in St. Louis

Spatial Path Integration in Virtual Reality for Neurodegenerative Disease Prediction

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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is known to begin many years before clinical symptoms become obvious, with subtle brain changes occurring long before noticeable memory loss or cognitive decline. Among the earliest brain regions affected are the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex, which are essential for spatial navigation. This has encouraged researchers to investigate whether impairments in navigation ability may serve as early indicators of AD risk. One important navigation process is path integration (PI), the brain’s ability to estimate position and direction using internal cues such as movement and balance. Because these systems may deteriorate early in AD, PI impairment has emerged as a promising behavioural marker of preclinical neurodegeneration.

To explore this possibility, researchers led by Senior Assistant Professor Kazuya Kawabata, Dr. Sayuri Shima, and Prof. Hirohisa Watanabe from the Department of Neurology at Fujita Health University, Japan, examined whether subtle impairments in virtual-reality path integration (VR-PI) could predict future brain degeneration in cognitively healthy adults. Their findings were published in Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy on April 20, 2026. The study aimed to determine whether navigation-based performance could reflect early structural and biological changes associated with neurodegenerative disease before clinical symptoms emerge.

The study followed 71 cognitively unimpaired adults over approximately one year. At baseline, participants completed an immersive VR navigation task designed to measure PI ability. In the virtual environment, participants travelled to two checkpoints and were then required to return to their starting position without visual guidance. Researchers measured PI error, defined as the distance from the correct starting point, and angular error, which reflected directional deviation. Participants also underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to assess changes in cortical thickness and brain volume over time. In addition, blood biomarkers associated with AD, including p-tau181 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), were evaluated.

The findings revealed that individuals with higher PI error at baseline experienced greater cortical thinning and brain volume loss during follow-up. These structural changes were observed in regions known to be vulnerable during the early stages of AD, including the parahippocampal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex, and caudal middle frontal gyrus. Angular error showed similar associations, although age-related effects were somewhat weaker, supporting the reliability of navigation-based measures as indicators of early neurodegeneration.

Importantly, poorer VR-PI performance was also linked to biological markers of AD. Higher PI and angular errors were associated with increased plasma p-tau181 levels, while PI error was additionally linked to GFAP levels. These results suggest that navigation deficits reflect underlying molecular and structural changes rather than simple performance variation. Notably, PI error was able to identify individuals showing the most rapid decline in the parahippocampal region with high accuracy, highlighting its potential value as an early screening measure.

According to Dr. Kawabata, the findings suggest that VR-PI performance captures both blood biomarker and MRI signatures that emerge before overt clinical impairment. Overall, the study demonstrates that impaired path integration is closely associated with subsequent brain degeneration and AD-related biological changes, even among cognitively healthy individuals. By linking behavioural performance with structural and molecular indicators, the research highlights VR-PI as a promising tool for early detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases. The researchers believe this approach may eventually support earlier therapeutic intervention, potentially delaying disease progression while preserving cognitive function and quality of life.

More information: Kazuya Kawabata et al, VR-based path integration predicts individual risk of rapid cortical decline: a one-year longitudinal study in cognitively unimpaired adults, Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy. DOI: 10.1186/s13195-026-02056-x

Journal information: Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy Provided by Fujita Health University

The Brain’s Overnight Maintenance System: Sleep and Dementia Explained

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Why are chronic stress, depression, cardiovascular disease, fragmented sleep, and aging all linked to a greater risk of dementia? In a new review article published in the journal Science, neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard proposes that these seemingly different conditions may share a common biological pathway: disruption of a sleep-dependent brain rhythm that helps remove waste from the brain. Her work suggests that sleep is far more than a passive resting state. Instead, it is a highly organized biological process that coordinates brain chemistry, blood vessel activity, and cerebrospinal fluid flow to support the brain’s nightly cleaning system.

Nedergaard’s research builds on her laboratory’s groundbreaking discovery in 2012 of the glymphatic system, a brain-wide network that circulates cerebrospinal fluid through tissue surrounding blood vessels to remove metabolic waste. The system becomes especially active during sleep and has since become central to research into Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other neurological disorders. Scientists now believe this cleaning system plays an essential role in maintaining long-term brain health by clearing away potentially harmful proteins and other waste products that accumulate during waking hours.

The review focuses on neuromodulators, brain chemicals such as norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, and acetylcholine that regulate mood, attention, learning, and behaviour while people are awake. During non-REM sleep, however, these chemicals shift into synchronized, slow oscillations that repeat roughly once every minute. These rhythms are closely linked to changes in brain activity, breathing, heart rate, blood vessel movement, and the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. According to Nedergaard, this coordinated state appears to create ideal conditions for the brain’s waste-clearance system to function efficiently.

These synchronized sleep rhythms help power the glymphatic system through slow, rhythmic changes in blood vessel size known as vasomotion. Unlike the heart’s pumping action, these vascular movements gently push cerebrospinal fluid through brain tissue, helping clear waste products such as amyloid-beta and tau proteins, both strongly associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Nedergaard argues that when these rhythms are disrupted by aging, chronic stress, psychiatric illness, cardiovascular disease, poor sleep, or certain medications, the brain becomes less efficient at removing toxic proteins that may contribute to cognitive decline over time.

The article also introduces the possibility of a new biomarker for brain health: heart rate variability, which measures subtle changes in the timing between heartbeats. Researchers found that fluctuations in heart rate during sleep appear to mirror the same neuromodulator rhythms occurring in the brain. Because heart rate variability can already be monitored using consumer wearable devices, Nedergaard believes it could eventually provide a simple, noninvasive method for assessing the health of the brain’s nighttime clearance system and identifying people at elevated risk for dementia before symptoms develop.

The findings present a new way of understanding the relationship between sleep and brain health. Rather than viewing sleep solely as a period for rest, memory consolidation, or restoration, the research suggests that sleep may function as a carefully orchestrated maintenance state essential for clearing waste and preserving cognitive function. If confirmed by future studies, this work could open new opportunities for early detection, prevention, and treatment strategies aimed at protecting the brain’s natural cleaning system and reducing the risk of dementia.

More information: Maiken Nedergaard et al, The oscillatory biology of sleep: Linkage to dementia, Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.aeg2276

Journal information: Science Provided by University of Rochester Medical Center

Healthy Living May Help Offset Genetic Risk for Dementia

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With dementia cases projected to nearly triple worldwide by 2050, researchers are increasingly seeking ways to prevent or delay the disease. While genetics play a major role in determining dementia risk, lifestyle and health-related factors such as physical activity, smoking, and blood pressure management are also known to influence brain health. However, it has remained unclear whether healthy lifestyle habits provide the same protective effects for people with different levels of genetic susceptibility.

A new study led by researchers from Kyushu University and RIKEN examined whether favourable modifiable risk factors, or mRFs, could reduce dementia risk even among individuals with a strong inherited predisposition. Published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, the study explored how lifestyle and genetics jointly influence dementia development in later life.

The research team analysed data from 9,605 community-dwelling Japanese adults aged 65 and older. Each participant underwent genetic testing to determine their APOE ε4 status, the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. People inherit one copy of the APOE gene from each parent, meaning they may carry zero, one, or two APOE ε4 alleles. Researchers also calculated an mRF score for each participant using lifestyle and health-related measures, allowing them to compare dementia risk across different genetic and lifestyle profiles.

The findings showed that dementia risk increased steadily with the number of APOE ε4 alleles carried. Individuals with two APOE ε4 alleles, known as homozygotes, had more than a tenfold higher risk of dementia compared with noncarriers. However, among people carrying one or no APOE ε4 alleles, healthier lifestyles and vascular risk profiles were associated with significantly lower dementia risk. In contrast, among individuals carrying two APOE ε4 alleles, dementia risk remained high regardless of whether their lifestyle profile was favourable or unfavourable.

Brain MRI findings supported these results. Participants with one or no APOE ε4 alleles and lower mRF scores showed less brain atrophy and fewer white matter lesions, both of which are associated with cognitive decline and dementia. Meanwhile, individuals carrying two APOE ε4 alleles demonstrated greater brain shrinkage and more extensive tissue damage irrespective of lifestyle or health status, suggesting that genetic effects may outweigh the benefits of lifestyle management in this high-risk group.

According to Professor Toshiharu Ninomiya, the study highlights the importance of population-based prevention strategies targeting vascular and lifestyle risk factors. The findings suggest that maintaining favourable health behaviours may substantially reduce dementia risk for many people, including those carrying a single APOE ε4 allele. At the same time, the researchers note that individuals carrying two APOE ε4 alleles may require earlier intervention and additional preventive or therapeutic approaches beyond lifestyle and health management alone.

More information: Masaya Kumamoto et al, APOE ε4, modifiable risk factors, and dementia in community-based older Japanese adults, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring. DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70371

Journal information: Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring Provided by Kyushu University

Evidence Suggests Structured Daily Habits Could Help Delay Aging in Older Adults

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Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine have found new evidence suggesting that structured healthy lifestyle habits may help slow important aspects of aging in older adults. The findings, published in The Journals of Gerontology, are based on the Alzheimer’s Association’s U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER), one of the largest clinical trials examining whether lifestyle interventions can protect brain health and support healthy aging.

The U.S. POINTER trial previously showed that practical and accessible healthy lifestyle interventions could help preserve cognitive function in older adults at increased risk of cognitive decline. In the latest analysis, researchers examined whether these same interventions could also reduce frailty, a major measure used in aging research. Frailty reflects the accumulation of health problems over time and is strongly associated with chronic disease, disability, reduced independence and mortality. The new findings suggest that healthy behaviours such as regular exercise, healthy eating, social engagement and mentally stimulating activities may collectively help slow certain aspects of the aging process.

The two-year randomised clinical trial involved more than 2,100 adults between the ages of 60 and 79 who were considered at elevated risk for cognitive decline. Participants were divided into two groups. One group participated in a structured lifestyle program that included coaching, goal setting and regular monitoring to encourage healthy eating, physical activity, social interaction and brain-stimulating activities. The second group followed a more independent, self-guided approach to improving health and wellness.

Researchers found that while both groups improved their frailty scores over time, participants enrolled in the structured program achieved significantly greater improvements in overall health and frailty reduction. According to the research team, the findings highlight the importance of organised support systems that provide accountability, encouragement, and ongoing guidance in helping older adults maintain healthy daily habits. The results suggest that structured programs may offer benefits beyond simply encouraging people to adopt healthier lifestyles on their own.

“These findings suggest that adopting accessible healthy behaviors may help slow important aspects of aging,” said Mark A. Espeland, lead author of the study and professor of gerontology, geriatrics and internal medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “This shows the benefits of taking a structured approach to a healthy lifestyle. We know exercising and eating right is going to improve our health, but making efforts to participate in programs that offer guidance and accountability could be especially effective at keeping us healthy as we age.”

The study also found that participants in the structured intervention demonstrated stronger gains in cognitive performance. However, researchers noted that improvements in frailty alone did not fully explain the cognitive benefits observed during the trial, suggesting that multiple biological and behavioural pathways may contribute to healthier aging and brain health. Espeland added that the findings support growing evidence that targeting several areas of health simultaneously, rather than focusing on a single behaviour, may be one of the most effective ways to help older adults maintain independence, resilience and quality of life later in life.

More information: Mark A Espeland et al, Relative impact of multidomain lifestyle interventions on deficit accumulation frailty over 24 months in the U.S. POINTER trial, The Journals of Gerontology Series A. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glag094

Journal information: The Journals of Gerontology Series A Provided by Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Building Longer, Healthier Lives Through Public Health and Longevity Care

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A new editorial published in Volume 18 of Aging-US on May 18, 2026, explores how public health systems may need to adapt in response to rapidly aging populations and the growing interest in longevity science. Titled “Public health in the age of longevity interventions: from prevention to system-wide resilience,” the article was authored by Jochen Mierau from the University of Groningen and Marco Demaria from the University of Groningen and the European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA). The editorial examines how healthcare systems originally designed to combat infectious diseases are now increasingly confronted with chronic disease, frailty, multimorbidity, and functional decline associated with aging populations.

The authors note that some of the greatest improvements in human lifespan during the past century resulted not from sophisticated medical technologies, but from broad public health measures such as sanitation, vaccination, improved nutrition, safer housing, occupational protections, and expanded access to education. While these foundational public health strategies remain essential, the editorial argues that modern societies must now address a new challenge: extending healthspan alongside lifespan. As populations live longer, maintaining physical, cognitive, and functional well-being throughout later life has become increasingly important.

According to the editorial, many contemporary health risks accumulate gradually across the life course through interconnected environmental, behavioural, metabolic, and social exposures. Factors such as ultra-processed foods, sedentary lifestyles, pollution, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, climate-related stressors, and social isolation may accelerate biological aging and increase vulnerability to chronic disease. The authors emphasize that these overlapping influences cannot be adequately managed through disease-specific treatment alone. Instead, they advocate for a broader and more integrated public health approach focused on prevention, resilience, and long-term healthy aging.

The article also highlights growing scientific interest in interventions targeting the biological mechanisms of aging itself. The authors discuss processes such as cellular senescence, chronic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and impaired proteostasis, suggesting that therapies directed at these underlying pathways may help delay or reduce multiple age-related diseases simultaneously. Rather than treating conditions individually after they appear, longevity-focused interventions aim to slow biological decline before major disease develops. The editorial stresses, however, that these approaches should complement rather than replace traditional public health and clinical medicine.

Importantly, the authors propose a coordinated framework that integrates public health strategies, disease-specific clinical care, and longevity-focused interventions across the entire life course. In this model, public health measures reduce baseline risk and environmental damage, clinical medicine treats established disease, and longevity therapies may help preserve resilience and functional capacity before serious pathology becomes clinically apparent. The editorial argues that these approaches should not be viewed as separate or competing domains, but as complementary components of a unified strategy to improve population health in aging societies.

The paper also addresses several major implementation challenges, including the need for reliable biomarkers of biological aging, equitable access to therapies, regulatory clarity, and healthcare systems capable of supporting prevention-oriented longevity strategies. The authors suggest that outcomes such as physical function, cognitive capacity, resilience, independence, and quality of life may become increasingly important measures of success alongside traditional indicators such as mortality and disease incidence. Overall, the editorial presents a broader vision for how public health and longevity science may converge to support not only longer lives but also healthier, more resilient, and functionally independent aging populations.

More information: Jochen Mierau et al, Public health in the age of longevity interventions: from prevention to system-wide resilience, Aging-US. DOI: 10.18632/aging.206381

Journal information: Aging-US Provided by Impact Journals LLC

Smartphone Technology for Heart Rhythm Monitoring May Cut Healthcare Spending

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A new study published in JAMA Cardiology shows that smartphone-based heart rhythm monitoring from home can significantly reduce same-day cancellations of planned electrical cardioversion procedures in patients with atrial fibrillation. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Danderyd Hospital found that the approach could also help save substantial healthcare resources by identifying patients who had already returned to normal heart rhythm before arriving for treatment.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in adults and causes the heart to beat irregularly, often too quickly. When medication is not sufficient to control symptoms, electrical cardioversion is commonly used to restore a normal heart rhythm. During the procedure, patients receive a controlled electrical impulse while under brief general anaesthesia. Although the treatment is well established and effective, it requires specialised staff, careful scheduling, and hospital resources. A common challenge is that some patients spontaneously return to normal heart rhythm before the procedure, often without being aware of it, resulting in last-minute cancellations and unused healthcare resources.

The randomised clinical trial was conducted at Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm between 2022 and 2025 and included patients scheduled for electrical cardioversion due to atrial fibrillation. Researchers evaluated whether daily home monitoring with a smartphone could reduce unnecessary same-day cancellations. The technology, known as CORAI, uses photoplethysmography (PPG), where the smartphone camera measures small changes in blood flow through the fingertip. By analysing pulse waves, the system can assess heart rhythm with high accuracy.

Patients assigned to the active monitoring group recorded their heart rhythm twice daily for one to two weeks before their scheduled cardioversion. If the recordings suggested that a patient had already returned to normal rhythm, the patient was contacted, and the finding was confirmed using a standard ECG. The cardioversion could then be cancelled in advance if no longer needed. Patients in the control group received standard care without smartphone monitoring.

A total of 206 patients participated in the study. Among patients using smartphone monitoring, only 4.8 percent experienced same-day cancellations, compared with 23.2 percent in the control group. When focusing specifically on cancellations caused by spontaneous return to normal heart rhythm, the difference was even more striking: 1.0 percent in the monitored group compared with 18.2 percent in the standard care group, representing a relative risk reduction of 94.7 percent. According to Jonatan Fernstad, a physician, engineer, and cardiology researcher at Karolinska Institutet who developed the technology, the findings demonstrate that patients can successfully monitor their own heart rhythm from home while helping healthcare systems avoid unnecessary visits and procedures.

The researchers also noted that 99 percent of study participants owned a smartphone, despite a median age of 70 years, suggesting strong potential for broader clinical use among older adults. In the control group, many patients appeared to have already returned to normal heart rhythm before cardioversion, yet very few contacted healthcare providers to discuss cancelling the procedure. Johan Engdahl, professor of cardiology at Karolinska Institutet and senior consultant at Danderyd Hospital, said the technology could improve access to heart rhythm assessment more broadly. He added that future studies will explore how effectively smartphone-based monitoring can detect previously undiagnosed atrial fibrillation, an important goal given that untreated atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke and heart failure.

More information: Jonatan Fernstad et al, Precardioversion Heart Rhythm Monitoring Using Smartphone Photoplethysmography The SMARTBEATS Randomized Clinical Trial, JAMA Cardiology. DOI: 10.1001/jamacardio.2026.1269

Journal information: JAMA Cardiology Provided by Karolinska Institutet

Summer Sunshine Not Enough to Close Vitamin D Gap in Vulnerable Groups

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Vitamin D levels remain low throughout the year among key at-risk groups in England, challenging the widely held belief that summer sunlight alone is enough to restore healthy levels. A new study led by researchers at Newcastle University analysed vitamin D levels in almost 300 people from across northern Britain and found that many participants experienced persistent insufficiency regardless of season. The findings raise concerns about bone health, overall wellbeing, and long-term health risks linked to inadequate vitamin D.

Published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study focused on adults aged 65 and older, as well as people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds across all age groups. Researchers found that vitamin D insufficiency was widespread in both groups. More than half of older adults had insufficient levels, while rates were even higher among participants from minoritised ethnic communities. Importantly, vitamin D levels did not significantly improve during the summer months, despite increased sunlight exposure.

Vitamin D plays a critical role in maintaining bone health and supporting overall wellbeing. Low levels are associated with a greater risk of conditions such as osteoporosis, rickets, weakened immune systems, and other chronic health problems. The findings suggest that many individuals living in northern regions may not produce enough vitamin D through sunlight exposure alone, particularly those who are older or have darker skin tones, which can reduce the body’s ability to synthesise vitamin D from sunlight.

Professor Bernard Corfe, who co-led the research, said the results were especially concerning because vitamin D levels failed to recover even during the summer, when they would normally be expected to rise. He noted that for people living in areas such as the North of England, relying on sunlight alone may not be sufficient, particularly for older adults and those from minoritised ethnic backgrounds. He emphasised that individuals in higher-risk groups should not assume that spending more time outdoors in summer will solve the problem and called for more consistent, year-round approaches to maintaining healthy vitamin D levels.

Participants in the study were recruited through the local community and online outreach. Each person completed a simple finger-prick blood test, with samples analysed by a specialist laboratory. The research was funded by BetterYou Ltd, a UK-based health and wellness company that manufactures nutritional supplements. Researchers said the study strengthens evidence in an area that remains relatively under-researched and provides a clearer understanding of year-round vitamin D risk among vulnerable populations.

The findings also highlight the need for more targeted public health measures. Researchers suggest that clearer health messaging, brief vitamin D assessments during GP appointments, and appropriate supplementation could help address ongoing insufficiency among high-risk groups. The next phase of the research will focus on improving vitamin D levels through personalised and culturally appropriate strategies, including tailored dietary advice and more sensitive healthcare delivery approaches designed to meet the needs of diverse communities.

More information: Alice Goddard et al, Circannual prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in older and minoritized ethnic adults in Northern Britain: screening outcomes from a clinical trial (ISRCTN13778806), European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI: 10.1038/s41430-026-01760-z

Journal information: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition Provided by Newcastle University