Communities with easy access to fast food were 77% more likely to have high levels of obesity-related cancer mortality, based on data from a new cross-sectional study of more than 3,000 communities.

Although increased healthy eating has been associated with reduced risk of obesity and with reduced cancer incidence and mortality, access to healthier eating remains a challenge in communities with less access to grocery stores and healthy food options (food deserts) and/or easy access to convenience stores and fast food (food swamps).

In addition, data on the association between food deserts and swamps and obesity-related cancer mortality are limited.

“We felt that the study was important given the fact that obesity is an epidemic in the United States, and multiple factors contribute to obesity, especially adverse food environments,” Dr. Bevel said. Also, I lived in these areas my whole life, and saw how it affected underserved populations. There was a story that needed to be told, so we’re telling it,”.

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Liam Davenport

Intermittent fasting with time-restricted early eating can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals, according to the results of a randomised controlled study published in Nature Medicine.

Intermittent fasting plus early time-restricted eating was associated with significant improvement in glucose control compared with caloric restriction alone at 6 months, while both interventions were associated with improved cardiovascular risk markers and reduced BMI compared with standard weight loss advice.

“Following a time-restricted intermittent fasting diet may help reduce the chances of developing type 2 diabetes,”  says lead author Leonie K. Heilbronn, Ph.D., University of Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia.

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The U.S. approved the first vaccine for RSV on Wednesday, shots to protect older adults against a respiratory virus that’s most notorious for attacking babies but endangers their grandparents, too.

The Food and Drug Administration decision makes GSK’s shot, called Arexvy, the first of several potential vaccines in the pipeline for RSV to be licensed anywhere.

The move sets the stage for adults 60 and older to get vaccinated this fall — but first, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must decide if every senior really needs RSV protection or only those considered at high risk from the respiratory syncytial virus. CDC’s advisers will debate that question in June.

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Osteoarthritis is a tough disease to manage.

Exercise helps ease the stiffness and pain of  the joints, but at the same time, the disease makes it difficult to do that beneficial exercise. Even a relatively simple activity like jogging can hurt more than it helps. If only there were a low-impact exercise that was incredibly popular among the generally older population who are likely to have arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a common source of disability In the population, only 64% reported their physical health to be good, very good, or excellent. Among the 459 golfers with OA that the study authors surveyed, however, the percentage reporting good health rose to more than 90%.

A similar story emerged when they looked at mental health. Nearly a quarter of non

golfers with OA reported high or very high levels of psychological distress, compare

d with just 8% of golfers. This pattern of improved physical and mental health remained when the researchers looked at the general, non-OA population.

This isn’t the first-time golf’s has been related to improved health, and previous studys

have shown golf to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, among other things.

Just walking one 18-hole round significantly exceeds the CDC’s recommended 150 minutes of physical activity per week. Go out multiple times a week – leaving the cart and beer at home, and you’ll be fit for a lifetime.

The golfers on our staff, however, are still waiting for those mental health benefits to kick in because we’re still adding up our scorecard after that string of four double bogeys to end the round.