Once active, always active

The numbers are sobering: nearly 80 per cent of the world's teenagers don't get enough physical activity, according to the World Health Organization. But a new longitudinal study from Université de Montréal suggests the seeds of that sedentary lifestyle — or an active one — may be sown much earlier than anyone realized. Like when a child is two and a half years old.

Led by doctoral researcher Kianoush Harandian and UdeM psycho-education professor Linda S. Pagani, in collaboration with internationally recognized physical activity expert Dr. Mark Tremblay of the University of Ottawa, the study finds that three simple movement habits in toddlerhood — active play with parents, limited screen time and sufficient sleep — significantly predict a more physically active lifestyle a full decade later.

"When we analyzed the data, we found that fewer than one child in ten naturally met all three daily movement recommendations: active play, limited screens and enough sleep," said Harandian. "And yet these early habits matter enormously. They lay the foundation for how children will choose to spend their time as adolescents."

Nearly 1,700 children, followed for over a decade

The study draws on data from 1,668 children — 849 boys and 819 girls — enrolled in the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD), a population-based cohort of children born in 1997–98 and coordinated by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.

At age 2.5, parents reported how often they engaged in active leisure with their child, how much time the child spent in front of screens each day — television, video, computers and video games — and how long the child slept on average, naps included. Those same children were then surveyed at age 12 about their outdoor play habits and physical activity levels during leisure time.

To rule out alternative explanations, the researchers controlled for a wide range of factors that could influence the results: the child's temperament, body mass index and neurocognitive abilities, as well as maternal depressive symptoms, education level, family structure and household income, among others. Analyses were conducted separately for boys and girls to account for their distinct developmental trajectories.

What sets this study apart

The question of whether early childhood habits predict adolescent lifestyle is not new. But the scientific evidence, until now, has been thin. Most previous studies offered only a snapshot in time, without following children over the long term.

What distinguishes this research is the strength of its case: a representative population cohort, more than ten years of follow-up, rigorous controls for individual and family factors, and sex-specific analysis. Together, these elements make it possible, for the first time, to say with confidence that movement habits formed at age 2.5 have measurable ripple effects a decade down the road.

Habits that hold — ten years on

The results are striking. Children who played actively with a parent every day, or who spent fewer than an hour in front of a screen, were significantly more physically active at the start of adolescence.

Concretely, each additional "good" movement habit at age 2.5 was associated with roughly five more minutes of outdoor play per day at age 12 — for both boys and girls. Among girls, active play, limited screen time and adequate sleep at two and a half were also linked to higher levels of leisure-time physical activity at greater intensity and frequency.

These associations held up even after accounting for all pre-existing individual and family factors — which substantially strengthens the findings.

"Active parent-child time — playing, moving, being physically engaged together — appears to be the single most powerful lever for establishing healthy long-term habits," said Harandian. "Those shared experiences help children associate movement with enjoyment, motivation and routine."

Girls in early adolescence: a window of particular vulnerability

The findings also illuminate a troubling reality: at adolescence, girls are especially at risk of becoming sedentary. By age 12, only 14.9 per cent of girls in the cohort were considered active in their leisure time, compared with 24.5 per cent of boys. By limiting their daughter's screen time early and engaging actively in her play, parents appear to lower the barriers to an active lifestyle — and plant the seeds of lasting physical engagement.

A clear message for families and policymakers

"Family habits breed individual habits across a child's entire development," said Pagani. "By encouraging active play, setting boundaries around screens and prioritizing quality sleep from the earliest years, parents exert a durable, measurable influence on their children's long-term well-being."

The study calls for broader dissemination of WHO guidelines for children under five — at least 180 minutes of physical activity per day, no more than one hour of sedentary screen time, and 11 to 14 hours of sleep — and makes the case for hospitals, schools and public health organizations to target family lifestyle habits from the very start.

About the study

"Active Parent–Child Leisure, Sedentariness, and Sleep in Toddlerhood Promise Later Active Lifestyle in Early Adolescence"

Being physically fit helps prevent diseases

Being physically fit improves our health and keeps illness at bay. This relationship has long been assumed for numerous disorders, but until now there has been no scientific evidence demonstrating a causal link between the beneficial effects of physical exercise and a reduced risk of becoming ill. A new study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, has now confirmed this. The research was led by a team from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and Universitat Ramon Llull and has established a relationship between genetics associated with good cardiorespiratory fitness and around thirty diseases.

"Our study results indicate that there is a potentially causal effect between good physical fitness-through good cardiorespiratory fitness-and good health", explains Eleonora Fornara, a researcher at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and the Blanquerna Faculty of Health Sciences at Universitat Ramon Llull. To reach this conclusion, the research team studied the association between genetic predisposition to higher cardiorespiratory capacity-understood as the body's ability to respond efficiently to physical exertion-and the occurrence of 712 health conditions for which genetic information was available in a European population. Due to the exploratory nature of the study, the results were validated in a two-phase analysis using strict filters to avoid false positives, ultimately selecting 34 conditions. "For the first time, we have been able to establish a potential direct cause-and-effect relationship between being fit and numerous diseases through complex genetic analyses", Eleonora Fornara adds.

The results show that individuals with a high genetic predisposition to be physically fit have a lower risk of certain cardiovascular conditions, such as a specific type of ischemic stroke. They also exhibit less arterial stiffness and lower diastolic blood pressure. At the same time, they show better health in metabolic and inflammatory aspects, with less excess weight and body fat, and a reduced risk of developing diabetes and asthma, along with improved bone health and better liver function. Various markers related to thrombosis and platelets also improve, as well as those linked to academic performance.

On the other hand, the study confirmed some negative effects already known in people who engage in intense exercise, such as a higher risk of atrial fibrillation and increased systolic blood pressure.

"Our findings reinforce the evidence that engaging in physical activity and maintaining good physical fitness has a preventive effect on our health", says Dr. Marta Hernández, also a researcher at the Blanquerna Faculty of Health Sciences at Universitat Ramon Llull. In this regard, Dr. Álvaro Hernáez, a researcher at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and the Cardiovascular Diseases area of CIBER (CIBERCV), and a professor at the same faculty, states: "We have verified the observational evidence available until now and demonstrated that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between good physical fitness and good health. Therefore, we can say that recommendations encouraging people to improve their physical fitness are supported by scientific evidence, and we can promote public health actions and primary care recommendations-because it works”. 

Healthier plant-based diet associated with lower risk of Alzheimer’s, other dementias

 Highlights:

• Eating a healthful plant-based diet is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, while eating an unhealthful plant-based diet is associated with a higher risk.
• The study does not prove that eating a higher quality plant-based diet causes a lower risk of dementia, it only shows an association.
• A healthful plant-based diet prioritizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts, legumes, tea and coffee.
• An unhealthful plant-based diet includes added sugars, fruit juices, refined grains, and potatoes that tend to be eaten as part of fast foods or processed meals in the United States.
• Researchers also found that people who changed their diets to be more unhealthy over 10 years had a higher risk of dementia during the study, while people whose diets changed to be less unhealthy had a lower risk of dementia.
• The authors say adopting a plant-based diet, even starting at an older age, for example over 60 years, and refraining from low-quality plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

MINNEAPOLIS — Eating a higher quality plant-based diet is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias compared to eating a lower quality plant-based diet, according to a study published April 8, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. While the study shows an association based on observations, it does not prove that a higher quality plant-based diet causes a lower risk of dementia.

Researchers looked at three plant-based diets. The overall plant-based diet prioritizes eating more plant foods than animal products like meat, milk and eggs, without looking at quality. The healthful plant-based diet prioritizes healthy plant foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts, legumes and tea and coffee. The unhealthful plant-based diet includes less healthy plant foods like refined grains, fruit juices, potatoes and added sugars. Researchers did not look at vegetarian or vegan diets.

“Plant-based diets have been shown to be beneficial in reducing the risk of diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, but less is known about the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias,” said study author Song-Yi Park, PhD, of the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Cancer Center in Honolulu. “Our study found that the quality of a plant-based diet mattered, with a higher quality diet associated with a reduced risk, and a lower quality diet associated with an increased risk.”

The study involved 92,849 people with an average age of 59 at the start of the study. It included African American, Japanese American, Latino, Native Hawaiian and white participants. They were followed for an average of 11 years. During that time, 21,478 people developed Alzheimer’s disease or another related dementia.

Participants completed food questionnaires at the start of the study. Researchers determined how well people’s diets resembled the overall plant-based diet, the healthful plant-based diet and the unhealthful plant-based diet, by reviewing how many healthy and less healthy plant foods they ate, as well as animal fats, meat, dairy, eggs, fish and seafood. Participants were each given three scores based on how closely they followed the three plant-based diets.

Researchers then ranked the participants into five subgroups for each of the three diet scores.

After adjusting for factors like age, physical activity and diabetes, researchers found that when comparing people based on their score for the overall plant-based diet, the top subgroup who ate the most plant foods had a 12% lower risk of dementia compared to the lowest subgroup. When people were compared based on their score for the healthful plant-based diet, the top subgroup had a 7% lower risk compared to the lowest subgroup. And when compared based on their score for the unhealthful plant-based diet, the top subgroup who ate the most unhealthy plant foods had a 6% higher risk of dementia than the lowest subgroup.

Among a smaller group of 45,065 participants who reported their diet again after 10 years, 8,360 participants later developed dementia. Researchers looked at diet changes over time. When compared to people whose diets didn’t change, people whose diets changed the most toward following an unhealthful diet had a 25% higher risk of dementia while those whose diets changed the most away from following an unhealthful diet had an 11% lower risk.

“We found that adopting a plant-based diet, even starting at an older age, and refraining from low-quality plant-based diets were associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” said Park. “Our findings highlight that it is important not only to follow a plant-based diet, but also to ensure that the diet is of high quality.”

A limitation of the study was that researchers evaluated the diets based on food questionnaires completed by participants, but participants may not remember every detail of their diets accurately.

The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging and the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health.

Discover more about Alzheimer’s disease at Brain & Life®, from the American Academy of Neurology. This resource also offers a website, podcast, and books that connect patients, caregivers and anyone interested in brain health with the most trusted information, straight from the world’s leading experts in brain health. Follow Brain & Life on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

The American Academy of Neurology is the leading voice in brain health. As the world’s largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals with more than 44,000 members, the AAN provides access to the latest news, science and research affecting neurology for patients, caregivers, physicians and professionals alike. The AAN’s mission is to enhance member career fulfillment and promote brain health for all. A neurologist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, care and treatment of brain, spinal cord and nervous system diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, concussion, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, headache and migraine.

Explore the latest in neurological disease and brain health, from the minds at the AAN at AAN.com or find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Doctors group files legal petition urging colorectal cancer warning labels on processed meat

 To help protect Americans from colorectal cancer, which is now the leading cause of cancer death for people under 50, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed a legal petition today urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to require warning labels on processed meat and poultry products, such as bacon, deli meat, and hot dogs, which have been classified as “carcinogenic to humans” because of their link to colorectal cancer.

“As colorectal cancer rates continue to surge in younger people, the USDA must warn consumers that the bacon, deli meat, hot dogs, and other processed meats they are putting on their plates are putting them at risk for cancer,” says Anna Herby, DHSc, RD, CDCES, nutrition education specialist for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

The American Cancer Society estimates that, in 2026, there will be more than 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer and 55,230 deaths from colorectal cancer.

The petition cites both the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act, which direct the USDA to inspect all meat and poultry. Meat and poultry products that pass inspection are labeled as wholesome and fit for consumers to eat. Adulterated meat and poultry products—which the USDA defines, in part, as “unhealthful” or “unwholesome”—are supposed to be condemned, yet processed meat and poultry products regularly pass inspection and are labeled as fit, despite their link to colorectal cancer.

“Labels should disclose to consumers that USDA has not, and cannot, guarantee that processed meat or poultry products are ‘wholesome’ because they have been shown to increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Such labels are urgently needed,” argues the petition.

To correct the problem, the petition says the USDA should amend the mandatory label on processed meat and poultry products to include the following sentence: “This product might increase the risk of colorectal cancer.”

In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization, classified processed meat as “‘carcinogenic to humans’ (Group 1) on the basis of sufficient evidence for colorectal cancer” after 22 experts from 10 countries assessed more than 800 epidemiological studies. The experts highlighted a meta-analysis that concluded that each 50-gram portion of processed meat (about one hot dog) eaten daily increases the relative risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.

An American Cancer Society study published in JAMA earlier this year found that colorectal cancer mortality is now the leading cause of cancer death for people under 50. Research published in Nutrition and Cancer found that those under the age of 50 who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer were more likely to consume higher amounts of processed meat. 

Despite the abundance of research linking processed meat consumption to colorectal cancer risk, a recent Physicians Committee/Morning Consult poll found that nearly half of Americans are not aware that eating processed meat may increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer, and 64% support a cancer risk warning label on processed meat and poultry products.

“Instead of processed meats, Americans should be filling their plates with more fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans, which have been shown to help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer,” says Dr. Herby.

Older men most likely to reach for saltshakers

Salt has been used as seasoning and food preservative for thousands of years, but having too much of it can lead to various diseases, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and kidney disease. Salt overconsumption is also known to accelerate cognitive decline. To avoid increased likelihood of developing such diseases due to salt overconsumption, the WHO recommends adults consume no more than five grams of salt per day.

Salt added to food after preparation accounts for 6-20% of total salt intake. It is known that the behavior varies among socio-demographic groups, but in different cultural and social settings it is not always clear who is most likely to reach for the saltshaker. In a new Frontiers in Public Health study, scientists in Brazil set out to find who among older adults is most likely to do so.

“Adding salt to food at the table remains a relatively common habit among Brazilian older adults and occurs more frequently among men than among women,” said first author Dr Flávia Brito, an associate professor at Rio de Janeiro State University.

“Women’s salt-adding behavior, however, was associated with a wider range of social and dietary characteristics than men’s,” added co-author Dr Débora Santos, a titular professor at Rio de Janeiro State University.

Who likes it extra salty?

The study used survey data from 2016 and 2017 from more than 8,300 Brazilian adults aged 60 years or over. Participants recalled their dietary choices over the previous 24 hours and were asked if they do or don’t have the habit of adding extra salt at the table. Independent variables the researchers included in their analysis were sex, age groups over 60, years of education, whether people lived alone or with others, household income, area of residence, and whether participants included ultra-processed foods, fruits, and vegetables in their diets.

The findings showed that 12.7% of men and 9.4% of women added salt to their foods. Between sexes, different socio-demographic factors were identified to influence salt use at the table.

“Among men, few variables were associated with the habit of adding salt, suggesting that their behavior may be less directly related to specific dietary patterns,” Brito pointed out.

“On the other hand, women’s salt-adding behavior appeared to be more closely linked to broader dietary patterns and contextual characteristics,” added Santos.

Among men, only two factors were significantly associated with adding extra salt. Those on a special diet for high blood pressure were less than half as likely to do so than their counterparts following no such diet. Men who lived alone were 62% more likely to add salt than those living with others. Women’s odds were 68% higher if they did not follow a diet to manage high blood pressure. If they lived in urban areas or often ate ultra-processed foods, the odds doubled. For women who regularly consumed fruits or vegetables, however, the likeliness was 81% or 40% lower, respectively. This could be due to this group paying more attention to diet quality, including reduced salt intake.

Salty habits

The team pointed out that the study doesn’t uncover causal relationships. In addition, salt-adding behavior was self-reported by participants and therefore the data may be biased. It is also possible that salt use has changed since the time of surveying.

Adding extra salt may be due to both taste and habit, the team said. Repeatedly eating high-sodium foods can reduce sensitivity to salty flavors, which may lead to individuals preferring stronger saltiness. Yet, adding extra salt can be more about habit than about improving taste. To reduce overall salt consumption, measures to lower sodium contents in industrialized and ultra-processed foods are needed.

In addition to measures relating to food production, particularly processed foods, there also are measures everyone can take individually. Given the differences between men’s and women’s salt-adding behavior, the researchers said that campaigns aiming to decrease the additional use of salt should be tailored to different population groups, including gender and lifestyle characteristics

“The use of herbs and natural seasonings as alternatives to salt or culinary techniques such as using the acidity of citrus fruits may help reduce discretionary salt use while maintaining food palatability,” concluded Santos. “Practical strategies, such as avoiding the routine placement of saltshakers on the table, may also help reduce habitual salt use.”

---

Following 9 key steps for a lifetime of eating well can support heart health

Statement Highlights:

• Sustaining lifelong healthy eating patterns may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic health issues, according to the latest updated dietary guidance offered in a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association.
• The guidance emphasizes a dietary pattern rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains with less sugar, salt and ultraprocessed foods, and prioritizes protein from plant-based sources such as legumes, including beans, peas and lentils, as well as seeds and nuts.
• The update comes at a critical time, as about half of U.S. adults are living with some type of cardiovascular disease, driven in part by high rates of health factors including high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity that are often linked to lifestyle behaviors, particularly poor dietary habits and physical inactivity.

More than half of adults and about 60% of children in the U.S. have unhealthy diets, which can contribute to higher rates of health factors such as high blood pressure and obesity, and lead directly to poor health outcomes including deaths from cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions, according to the American Heart Association. Following a lifelong healthy eating pattern may significantly reduce risk and is the basis for an updated scientific statement reflecting the latest nutrition guidance published today in Circulation, the peer-reviewed, flagship journal of the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all.

The 2026 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association updates the Association’s 2021 guidance with the latest in evidence-based science aligned with reducing cardiovascular disease risk, improving quality of life and saving lives. The statement outlines nine key features of a heart-healthy dietary pattern:

1. Adjust energy intake and expenditure to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight: Try to balance how much you eat with how active you are, to reach and maintain a healthy body weight.
2. Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits and choose a wide variety: Include different colors, textures and types of produce, and remember, even canned and frozen can be nutritious and affordable.
3. Choose foods made mostly with whole grains rather than refined grains: Foods such as whole‑wheat bread, brown rice and oatmeal are better choices than refined grains including white bread or white rice.
4. Choose healthy sources of protein: Shift from meat to plant-based sources such as legumes, including beans, peas and lentils, along with nuts and seeds; regularly consume fish and seafood; select low-fat or fat-free dairy products; and if red meat is desired, choose lean cuts, avoid processed forms and limit portion size.
5. Choose sources of unsaturated fats in place of sources of saturated fat: Replace saturated fats with healthy unsaturated fats, including those from nuts, seeds, avocados and nontropical plant oils.
6. Choose minimally processed foods instead of ultraprocessed foods: Go with foods close to their natural state, with minimal added commercial ingredients, rather than those that are highly processed with additives.
7. Minimize intake of added sugars in beverages and foods: Limit the sugar-sweetened beverages you drink and the foods with added sugar you eat.
8. Choose foods low in sodium and prepare foods with minimal or no salt: Be aware of hidden sources of sodium in commercially prepared and packaged foods and season your food with healthier options such as herbs, spices or lemon instead of salt.
9. If alcohol is not consumed, do not start; if alcohol is consumed, limit intake: Alcohol can increase your risk for high blood pressure and other health conditions, so if you don’t drink, don’t start.

“As a trusted source, the American Heart Association issues evidence‑based dietary guidance about every five years, undertaking a complex review that evolves alongside emerging research. Our 2026 guidance may look familiar, as it hasn’t shifted greatly from the 2021 recommendations,” said Alice H. Lichtenstein, D.Sc., FAHA, volunteer chair of the scientific statement writing committee and senior scientist and leader of the Diet & Chronic Disease Prevention Directive at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. “We did find that the science supporting this guidance has strengthened. The stronger body of evidence is driving a few nuanced, yet important, updates that ensure the guidance remains aligned with the most current and strongest science on diet and cardiovascular health.”

The 2026 dietary guidance is a more concise statement focused specifically on what to eat for heart health. The most recent evidence affirms the key features and shifts emphasis to swapping out unhealthy choices for healthier ones. It highlights sources of healthy protein and unsaturated fat and reinforces the importance of adhering to a heart healthy dietary pattern throughout the life course.

Specifics include:

• Protein: While the evidence on the relationship between protein amount and heart disease risk is still uncertain, the 2026 updated guidance recognizes that most people currently consume more protein from meat than plants, so guidance now supports multiple healthy protein choices including plant-rich sources and encourages the exchange of red meat for multiple alternate protein-rich foods, both plant and animal.
• Saturated Fat: Previous guidance focused specifically on using liquid plant oils instead of animal fat, tropical oils or partially hydrogenated fats (trans fats). The 2026 update, instead, provides broader guidance on choosing food sources of unsaturated fat over food sources of saturated fat. The statement also underscores that “dietary patterns that adhere to the 9 features outlined in this document are unlikely to exceed 10% of energy from saturated fat” — aligning with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans issued by the federal government.
• Dairy: While still recommending low-fat and fat-free dairy products as a preferred choice to control calories and fat intake, the updated guidance recognizes that the potential health benefits of these compared with full-fat dairy products continue to be debated.
• Ultraprocessed Foods: Current research links the consumption of ultraprocessed foods to poor health outcomes. The updated guidance notes that efforts should focus on encouraging the choice of minimally processed foods as an approach to shifting the marketplace away from ultraprocessed products. The result could be increased availability of minimally processed options wherever people buy or eat food.
• Sodium: Recognizing that many foods, particularly those that are ultraprocessed, are high in sodium, the 2026 guidance puts more emphasis on choosing foods low in sodium and preparing foods with minimal or no salt. It also includes more current information on the role of potassium-rich foods in controlling blood-pressure compared to what was known in 2021.
• Alcohol: The new guidance acknowledges that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization recognize that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to the risk of developing certain cancers; the Association’s updated guidance presents the current evidence as it relates to cardiovascular disease and supports the recommendation of not starting to drink or limiting the intake of alcohol if it is consumed.

Progress over perfection

The 2026 dietary guidance focuses on the specific relationship between your health and what you eat. However, Lichtenstein said it’s important to recognize this is neither prescriptive nor restrictive. It is intentionally designed to provide flexibility in customizing a healthy dietary pattern to accommodate personal preferences, ethnic and religious practices, personal needs and budgets and varying life stages. She adds that this is the best approach to encourage lifelong adherence.

“For healthy eating to be more attainable and sustainable, we recommend people focus on their overall eating pattern rather than specific nutrients or foods. This approach is actionable, something that can be modified as people pass through different life-stages, while still adhering to the 9 key features,” she said. “The guidance applies to wherever you eat: at home, school, work, restaurants or in your community. You want to strive for progress rather than perfection. Every time you choose to make a swap for a healthier alternative, you’re making a step toward a healthier life.”

A lifetime of healthy eating: why it matters

Lichtenstein notes that what’s most critical is making healthier choices that can be sustained for a lifetime.

“Cardiovascular disease begins early in life; even prenatal factors can contribute to increased risk in children as they grow. So, it’s important that healthy eating patterns are adopted in childhood and continue throughout the entire lifespan,” she said. “The best way to do that is for adults to role model heart healthy eating patterns inside and outside the home.”

The 2026 updated guidance recommends:

• Children can and should begin following a heart‑healthy dietary pattern starting at 1 year of age.
• Families play a huge role — when adults stock the house with and choose heart-healthy foods, kids are more likely to do the same.
• Dietary needs vary throughout the life course and may change; work with your doctor and health care team to tailor these recommendations to your individual health needs and medical history.
• Heart-healthy dietary patterns are adaptable to cultural and personal food preferences.

According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, more than half of all U.S. adults currently have some type of cardiovascular disease. The Association projects that number will climb to 1 in 6 U.S. adults by 2050, driven by increased rates of health factors like high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.

Along with poor dietary habits, most people in the U.S. are not getting an adequate amount of physical activity.

• Also noted in the Association’s 2026 statistics update, only 1 in 4 U.S. adults and 1 in 5 youths 6 to 17 years of age meet national recommendations for being physically active.

This combination of unhealthy eating and physical inactivity is also likely to drive high rates of overweight and obesity among adults and kids.

• More than 40% of adults and more than 1 in 5 children (age 2-19 years of age) have obesity and those numbers are projected to increase, according to American Heart Association forecasts.

“These rates are alarming and reinforce that a lifetime of healthy eating is critical because high blood pressure and obesity are leading drivers of chronic disease and death. As we look at our work to improve the health of all people, it’s critical to understand the need for earlier prevention efforts,” said Amit Khera, M.D., FAHA, volunteer vice-chair of the dietary guidance writing committee and the director of preventive cardiology and clinical chief of cardiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “Intentional choices at all stages of life can make a big difference. Parents and other adults can support and model overall healthy behaviors for their children for a healthy start.”

Khera noted that as much as 80% of heart disease and stroke is preventable and that following the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ healthy lifestyle guidance can support those prevention efforts. Life’s Essential 8 is a set of four health behaviors (eat better, be more active, quit tobacco and get healthy sleep) and four health factors (manage weight, control cholesterol, manage blood sugar and manage blood pressure) that are key measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health.

“Integrating the elements of the 2026 dietary guidance into your everyday life is an excellent first step toward reducing — and importantly preventing — the risk of heart disease and stroke for you and your family for years to come,” he said.

Beyond heart health

The 2026 dietary guidance provides additional benefits beyond support for cardiovascular health.

A heart-healthy dietary pattern also provides a combination of foods and beverages that:

• Meet the essential nutrient requirements for most people in terms of vitamins, essential minerals and other health-promoting components. This means most people would not need to calculate how much of each nutrient is in their diet or take dietary supplements, with possible exceptions for pregnant women, some older adults and those following restricted diets.
• Are rich in healthy fiber from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes including beans, peas and lentils.
• Limit foods high in dietary cholesterol by replacing fatty and processed meats with plant-based and lean sources and replacing full fat dairy with non-fat and low-fat dairy, while allowing for moderate egg consumption.
• Help keep saturated fat to 10% or less of total daily calories.

While the updated guidance is specifically designed to improve cardiovascular health, it is generally consistent with dietary recommendations for other conditions like type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, some cancers and brain health. This is largely due to shared risk factors that impact both physical and cognitive health, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, excess weight and reduced kidney function — all impacted by dietary intake.

“What you put in your body is going to significantly impact how it performs and changes as you age,” Lichtenstein said. “A healthy dietary pattern can support lifelong health and well-being beyond cardiovascular health.”

Addressing the issue

The American Heart Association continues to aggressively address the root causes of poor diets, including food insecurity, through evidence‑based policy advocacy, community investment and health care innovation. Specific initiatives include:

• Informing the definition of ultraprocessed foods as applied in public policy.
• Supporting the development of a front-of-pack nutrition labeling system and a “healthy” icon for food packaging.
• Federal, state and local advocacy efforts support making healthy food more accessible and discouraging consumption of sugary drinks to improve diet quality.
• Advocating to increase funding for nutrition science research, including food is medicine research, at the National Institutes of Health.
• Through the Health Care by Food™ initiative and The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI)®, the Association is improving the understanding of the critical role healthy food can play in preventing and managing chronic disease.
• The Association is expanding its community-level impact by investing in local organizations through American Heart Association’s Social Impact Funds, including the Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund, to increase access to affordable, healthy foods in under‑resourced communities.

“Together, these efforts complement the Association’s new dietary guidance by helping ensure more people can consistently access and benefit from heart‑healthy foods,” Khera said.

To learn more about eating for your heart and brain health, visit heart.org/healthydiet and talk to your health care provider about what will work best for you. 

Irregular bedtime linked to higher risk of cardiac events

An irregular bedtime in midlife may signal an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study from the University of Oulu suggests that large swings in when people go to bed could double the risk of serious cardiac events—particularly among those who get less than eight hours of sleep.

The researchers found that inconsistent bedtimes and greater variability in sleep timing were strongly associated with a higher risk of major cardiovascular events, especially when measured time in bed fell below eight hours. In this group, the risk was roughly twice that of people with more regular sleep patterns. By contrast, irregular wake-up times showed no clear link to cardiac events. In the study, major cardiovascular events were defined as conditions requiring specialised medical care, such as myocardial infarction or cerebral infarction.

“Previous research has linked irregular sleep patterns to heart health risks, but this is the first time we’ve looked separately at variability in bedtime, wake-up time and the midpoint of the sleep period—and their independent associations with major cardiac events,” says postdoctoral researcher Laura Nauha from the University of Oulu.

Sleep duration and timing were estimated using activity monitors that tracked participants’ time in bed.

“Our findings suggest that the regularity of bedtime, in particular, may be important for heart health. It reflects the rhythms of everyday life—and how much they fluctuate,” Nauha says.

The study followed 3,231 individuals born in Northern Finland in 1966. Their sleep patterns were recorded over one week at age 46, and their health outcomes were tracked for more than a decade using healthcare register data.

According to Nauha, many aspects of heart health are shaped by everyday habits. “Maintaining a regular sleep schedule is one factor that most of us can influence.”