How many steps should you be taking daily for better health? Taking 4,000 or fewer steps a day is considered a low level of physical activity. A goal of 10,000 steps a day is commonly cited, but new research shows that there are health benefits even if fewer than 10,000 steps are taken each day.… Continue reading Number of Steps, Not Intensity, May Be Better for Your Health
Tag: mortality
A Public Policy and Increased Patient Deaths
A policy that was supposed to reduce hospital readmissions via financial penalties was linked to a significant increase in post-discharge death for patients who had heart failure and pneumonia, according to a large-scale study. The investigation was conducted by researchers in Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s (BIDMC) Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology. It… Continue reading A Public Policy and Increased Patient Deaths
Menopausal Hormone Therapy Not Associated with Mortality or Deaths from Cardiovascular Disease
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) hormone therapy trials tested the most common formulations of hormone therapy – estrogen and progestin, and estrogen alone – to assess the benefits and risks of menopausal hormone therapy taken for chronic disease prevention, by predominantly healthy postmenopausal women. Health outcomes have been previously reported but the earlier reports did… Continue reading Menopausal Hormone Therapy Not Associated with Mortality or Deaths from Cardiovascular Disease
Family More Important than Friends in Later Years: Study
For older adults, having more or closer family members in one’s social network decreases his or her likelihood of death within a given period, but having a larger or closer group of friends does not, according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association. “We found that older individuals… Continue reading Family More Important than Friends in Later Years: Study
African-Americans with AFib Face Higher Risks than Whites
Black people suffering from atrial fibrillation (AFib) have nearly double the risk of their white counterparts of having stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease and mortality from all causes, according to a study in JAMA Cardiology. The study, funded by a grant from the Doris Duke Foundation and led by Jared Magnani, M.D., associate professor… Continue reading African-Americans with AFib Face Higher Risks than Whites
Preventive Steps Substantially Reduce Cancer Risk
If people follow cancer prevention recommendations on diet and physical activity, overall cancer incidence and mortality will be reduced, according to results of a systematic review published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Adherence to the guidelines set by leading cancer organizations also was associated with… Continue reading Preventive Steps Substantially Reduce Cancer Risk
A Newly Discovered Benefit of Strength Training
Older adults who followed strength-training guidelines had lower odds of dying than those who weren’t as physically active, according to researchers at Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Columbia University. The study is the first to demonstrate the association in a large, nationally representative sample over an… Continue reading A Newly Discovered Benefit of Strength Training
Happiness and Unhappiness Have No Direct Effect on Mortality
As we head into the holidays and the new year, many people find themselves feeling less than merry because of life events or loneliness. The good news, however, is that being unhappy is not a threat to health and longevity. A study of 700 000 women with an average age of 59, published on December… Continue reading Happiness and Unhappiness Have No Direct Effect on Mortality
A Healthier Picture for Medicare Patients
The health picture is brighter for older Medicare patients: In a 15-year study, Yale School of Medicine researchers saw an estimated 20% drop in mortality, about 30% fewer hospitalizations, and 40% reduction in deaths after hospitalization. The findings were published In JAMA’s theme issue on Medicare and Medicaid at 50. In the study, researchers took… Continue reading A Healthier Picture for Medicare Patients