A step as simple as sticking to the same bedtime each night could improve a person’s blood pressure, new research suggests.  In just two weeks, people whose more haphazard bedtimes shifted to a regular bedtime saw improvements in blood pressure that were equal to those seen when folks exercise more or cut down on salt intake, the study showed.  “This may be a simple, yet low-risk, adjunctive strategy to control blood pressure in many people with hypertension,” wrote a team of researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), in Portland.   The study was small, involving 11 middle-aged people who already had hypertension. But the results were so striking that the team said “this ought to be tested in a larger randomized controlled trial.” The study was led by OHSU associate professor of occupational health Saurabh Thosar and was published Nov. 17 in the journal Sleep Advances. As the researchers explained, it’s long been known that day-to-day shifts in when a person goes to bed are linked to poorer heart health. One study found that irregular bedtimes could boost a person’s odds for high blood pressure by 30%. According to the Oregon team, disruptions in the body’s circadian rhythms probably account for irregular bedtimes’ effects on blood pressure. Researchers explained that blood pressure naturally declines a bit during sleep, but a disrupted “body clock” might weaken…  read on >  read on >

Seniors who eat alone tend to have poorer nutrition and be more prone to frailty and unhealthy weight loss compared to those who eat with others, new Australian research shows. “Food is more than the nutritional benefit it provides. Sharing a meal is an important social activity that can influence appetite, dietary variety and overall wellbeing,” said study lead author Caitlin Wyman, a dietitian and PhD candidate at Flinders University in Adelaide. Her team published their findings recently in the journal Appetite. They looked at data from over 20 published studies that focused on the health consequences of eating alone among people aged 65 and older. The data involved a total of 80,000 people across 12 countries. “We knew from previous research that feelings of loneliness and social isolation can contribute to reduced food intake,” Wyman said, “but we had yet to explore the nutritional and physical outcomes of older adults eating alone versus with others.” A majority of the studies reviewed found that eating alone tended to lead seniors to poorer-quality food choices, including less protein-rich fare. The researchers pointed out that protein is crucial to maintaining muscle mass as seniors age.  Solo eaters also tended to be more apt to experience weight loss and become more frail, compared to folks who ate with others.  Mealtimes together bring mental as well as physical benefits,…  read on >  read on >

Seniors who eat alone tend to have poorer nutrition and be more prone to frailty and unhealthy weight loss compared to those who eat with others, new Australian research shows. “Food is more than the nutritional benefit it provides. Sharing a meal is an important social activity that can influence appetite, dietary variety and overall wellbeing,” said study lead author Caitlin Wyman, a dietitian and PhD candidate at Flinders University in Adelaide. Her team published their findings recently in the journal Appetite. They looked at data from over 20 published studies that focused on the health consequences of eating alone among people aged 65 and older. The data involved a total of 80,000 people across 12 countries. “We knew from previous research that feelings of loneliness and social isolation can contribute to reduced food intake,” Wyman said, “but we had yet to explore the nutritional and physical outcomes of older adults eating alone versus with others.” A majority of the studies reviewed found that eating alone tended to lead seniors to poorer-quality food choices, including less protein-rich fare. The researchers pointed out that protein is crucial to maintaining muscle mass as seniors age.  Solo eaters also tended to be more apt to experience weight loss and become more frail, compared to folks who ate with others.  Mealtimes together bring mental as well as physical benefits,…  read on >  read on >

New clinical trial results bode well for what could be the first GLP-1 weight loss drug taken as a pill, not by injection. The daily pill, orforglipron, is currently under investigation by drugmaker Eli Lilly, which funded the study. In the 18-month trial, people with type 2 diabetes and obesity who took the highest (36 milligram) dose of the drug lost an average 10.5% of their starting body weight, researchers reported. Blood sugar readings also improved significantly, and the drug appeared to have no more side effects than those seen from injected GLP-1s. “We know it is harder for individuals with diabetes to lose weight. It is exciting to have an oral medication that provides double-digit weight loss, which on average was 23 lbs,” said study lead author Dr. Deborah Horn, professor and director of obesity medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. She said the drug might also prove to be more affordable. “Once FDA approved, orforglipron is scheduled to be available in 2026 at a significantly decreased cost compared to current injectables,” Horn noted in a University of Texas news release.  “This could position it to be the ‘metformin’ of obesity and become widely covered by insurance plans, opening the door to treatment for all,” according to Horn. The clinical trial results were published Nov. 20 in The Lancet. Although there is…  read on >  read on >

New clinical trial results bode well for what could be the first GLP-1 weight loss drug taken as a pill, not by injection. The daily pill, orforglipron, is currently under investigation by drugmaker Eli Lilly, which funded the study. In the 18-month trial, people with type 2 diabetes and obesity who took the highest (36 milligram) dose of the drug lost an average 10.5% of their starting body weight, researchers reported. Blood sugar readings also improved significantly, and the drug appeared to have no more side effects than those seen from injected GLP-1s. “We know it is harder for individuals with diabetes to lose weight. It is exciting to have an oral medication that provides double-digit weight loss, which on average was 23 lbs,” said study lead author Dr. Deborah Horn, professor and director of obesity medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. She said the drug might also prove to be more affordable. “Once FDA approved, orforglipron is scheduled to be available in 2026 at a significantly decreased cost compared to current injectables,” Horn noted in a University of Texas news release.  “This could position it to be the ‘metformin’ of obesity and become widely covered by insurance plans, opening the door to treatment for all,” according to Horn. The clinical trial results were published Nov. 20 in The Lancet. Although there is…  read on >  read on >