Wearable device-based health equivalence of different physical activity intensities against mortality, cardiometabolic disease, and cancer - Nature

We’re sharing this article early to provide faster access to peer-reviewed, accepted research. It is citable and carries a permanent DOI. This version is subject to further edits and will be replaced automatically by the final Version of Record. All legal disclaimers apply. AbstractCardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) develops through the accumulation of cardiometabolic conditions but is often analyzed as a single endpoint. The hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) reflects interindividual variation in HbA1c relative to that predicted by fasting glucose, but its role in stage-specific CMM progression remains unclear. This prospective cohort study included 8,075 middle-aged and older adults from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study with baseline HGI, covariates, and follow-up data from 2011 to 2018. HGI was calculated as observed HbA1c minus fasting plasma glucose–predicted HbA1c. Four states were defined: no cardiometabolic disease (NCMD), single cardiometabolic disease (SCMD), CMM (at least two of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke), and death. Continuous-time multistate Markov models estimated transition intensity ratios (TIRs) for six transitions.

In Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam, PATH and local health partners are strengthening primary health care by connecting communities, health workers, and digital tools for earlier detection and long-term management of cardiometabolic diseases. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and metabolic disorders, are now the leading causes of death in Vietnam, accounting for about 81 percent of all deaths each year. Yet for many people, especially those living farther from health facilities, opportunities for early screening and ongoing care remain limited. At the primary health care (PHC) level, services have traditionally focused heavily on hypertension, with conditions such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity receiving less attention. Health workers also face fragmented information systems, with paper records and disconnected digital platforms making it difficult to follow patients across the continuum of care.

Providing people with nutritious foods can improve the management of chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. However, most studies of "Food Is Medicine" programs have only looked at their short-term impacts - on the scale of weeks to months. A new study led by Mass General Brigham researchers shows that a longer duration Food Is Medicine program through the Mass General Brigham Revere Community Health Center's Food Pantry was associated with dose-dependent improvements in cardiometabolic health in adults. They found that patients who received weekly plant-based grocery packages for an average of 2.7 years showed dose-dependent reductions in diastolic blood pressure, body weight, and body mass index (BMI). Results are published in Preventing Chronic Disease. "Our results suggest that plant-based food interventions are promising and, in the future, should focus on longer duration for improving cardiovascular and metabolic health," said senior author Lauren Fiechtner, MD, MPH, Division Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Mass General Brigham for Children and Senior Health and Research Advisor at the Greater Boston Food Bank.

image: The food packages were designed by a dietitian and consisted of fresh fruits and vegetables, canned beans, nut butter, and whole grains. Providing people with nutritious foods can improve the management of chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. However, most studies of “Food Is Medicine” programs have only looked at their short-term impacts — on the scale of weeks to months. A new study led by Mass General Brigham researchers shows that a longer duration Food Is Medicine program through the Mass General Brigham Revere Community Health Center’s Food Pantry was associated with dose-dependent improvements in cardiometabolic health in adults. They found that patients who received weekly plant-based grocery packages for an average of 2.7 years showed dose-dependent reductions in diastolic blood pressure, body weight, and body mass index (BMI). Results are published in Preventing Chronic Disease.