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When you can’t fit your entire workout into a busy day, do you think there’s no point in doing anything at all? You should rethink that mindset. Just 11 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activity per day could lower your risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease or premature death, a large new study has found. Aerobic activities include walking, dancing, running, jogging, cycling and swimming. You can gauge the intensity level of an activity by your heart rate and how hard you’re breathing as you move. (Rogers, 2/28)

Its findings show that even small amounts of exercise contribute to substantial improvements in longevity and can lower risks of developing or dying of heart disease and many types of cancer. “The investigators looked extensively at the available evidence and provided encouraging findings,” said I-Min Lee, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who was not involved in the new study. (Reynolds, 2/28)

Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States, hands down, and cholesterol-lowering drugs, known as statins, have long proven successful in helping reduce the risk for heart attacks and strokes. But a new study from Boston researchers finds that among patients at the highest risk of developing cardiovascular disease, more than one in five refused to take statin medication. (Lazar, 2/28)

Most people may not consider sexual orientation a risk factor for heart disease — but a recent study suggests that bisexual women may have poorer cardiovascular health (CVH) than heterosexual females. Researchers analyzed data from 12,180 people with an average age of 39. About half of those people were female. (Rudy, 2/28)

KHN: Listen To The Latest ‘KHN Health Minute’

On this week’s KHN Health Minute, hear about how Twitter users are shaping insulin policy and how covid vaccines may protect your heart. (2/28)

An international team of researchers collected brain scan data from multiple studies representing 101,457 brains at all stages of life. The youngest scan in the study came from a 16-week-old fetus; the oldest was from a 100-year-old. Across this large data set, some striking milestones emerged. (Gilbert, 2/28)

Experiencing three or more concussions, even mild ones, can lead to cognitive problems decades later, according to research published in the Journal of Neurotrauma. But just one moderate to severe concussion — or traumatic brain injury (TBI), in medical terms — was found to have a long-term impact on brain function, including but not limited to memory issues. (Searing, 2/28)

A growing group of scientists are mapping out the brain’s control over the body’s immune responses. There are multiple lines of communication between the nervous and the immune systems — from small local circuits in organs such as the skin, to longer-range routes beginning in the brain — with roles in a wide range of diseases, from autoimmunity to cancer. This field “has really exploded over the last several years”, says Filip Swirski, an immunologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. (Kown, 2/27)

Irv Cross was a man of faith and devout fan of football who could no longer in his final years attend Bible study or watch NFL games with friends. The degenerative brain disease that festered inside the former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback had triggered depression, mood swings and the type of memory loss that forced him into isolation. ... Cross, the former NFL defensive back who became the first Black man to work full-time as a sports analyst on national television, is the latest football player diagnosed with the brain disease CTE. Cross, who was 81 when he died Feb. 28, 2021, suffered from stage 4 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Boston University researchers said Tuesday. (Gelston, 2/28)

A new study from researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital has identified an alarming amount of medical misinformation in videos about sleep disorders on YouTube. The researchers found that “popular” videos created by bloggers garnered significantly more views than expert-led videos. Also, the popular videos contained misinformation, while promoting products and services. (Sobey, 2/27)

If you go to bed and wake up at different times throughout the week — or if your sleep gets disrupted during the night — you could face a higher risk of heart disease, according to a new study published by the American Heart Association. The study looked at 2,032 older adults, measuring both the duration and timing of their sleep. (Rudy, 2/28)

Among the nearly 130 recommendations in a report last week from the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee are: a seven-day waiting period for gun purchases on bases and other Department of Defense property as well as a four-day waiting period for ammunition purchases there, a raise in the minimum age for buying firearms there, from 18 to 25, and the repeal of a 2013 law that bars the military from tracking gun purchases. (McCarthy, 3/1)

Young people who identify as LGBTQ+ were less likely to report symptoms of depression when they had general support from their parents, according to a study published Tuesday. Previous research has examined parental support directly tied to a person's LGBTQ+ identity, but the study, which was published by the University of Texas at Austin researchers in the Child Development journal, asked LGBTQ+ youth to answer how often their parents did things like say how proud they were of them or assisted them with activities. (Archie, 3/1)