Physical activity and exercise Archive

A 2024 study of people ages 80 and older suggested that following healthy habits-like eating a diversified diet that includes high amounts of fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, and tea; regularly exercising; and not smoking-can help people live longer.

The 1,000 Hours Outside challenge can motivate people to spend more time outdoors by trying to accumulate 1,000 hours of outdoor time over a year.

Body roundness index, which is calculated based on a person's height, waist, and hip size, might be a more accurate measurement than body mass index for predicting weight-related health risks, according to a 2024 study.

Walking is one of the most accessible and versatile types of exercise. It can help people get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, and workouts can be adjusted to fit any fitness level. But sometimes walking becomes too routine. To make outings more exciting and challenging, people can do interval training, add hills or stairs, use walking poles, carry weights, incorporate body-weight exercises, or try to beat their best time on a route.

Of the cancer screening tests for men, tests for colon cancer has the strongest evidence for benefit. Men who opt in for prostate cancer screening may have more options beyond PSA blood testing to more accurately identify aggressive cancers. Other screening tests such as full body scans have not been shown to improve outcomes.

A 2024 study found that women who closely followed a Mediterranean diet were up to 23% less likely than women who didn't to die over a study period of 25 years.

A 2024 study suggests that cognitive changes are a more reliable signal than either age or biological signs of Alzheimer's disease to foreshadow an older adult's decision to stop driving.

A 2024 study suggests that having one or more tattoos may raise a person's risk of developing lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.

People often aren't aware of the full range of conditions that physical therapy (PT) can effectively treat. PT can be used not only after surgery or injury, but also for stroke, brain injuries, balance problems, neuromuscular conditions, spinal cord injuries, and more. PT is also done to help people avoid falls, as well as for pelvic floor dysfunction and vertigo. People participating in PT work with physical therapists to determine goals and plan a course of treatment to meet those goals by improving mobility, strength, and flexibility.

If it's hard to fit balance training into a busy schedule, it might be easier to just do a one-minute balance exercise at different points in the day. Those points might occur during TV watching, cooking, or toothbrushing. Ideas for simple balance exercises include standing on one leg, heel raises, or sit-to-stands-going from a sitting to a standing position, arms crossed, then returning to a sitting position and repeating the process. It's best to stand near a counter or chair for support.