College of Contemporary Health

13/04/2026

Colour coding on is becoming increasingly common, particularly as policymakers and manufacturers seek ways to guide consumers towards healthier dietary choices.

A recent study conducted by researchers from Uniwersytet SWPS the UW-Oshkosh, and the UMass Amherst suggests that these visual systems are significantly more effective than traditional nutritional tables.

The findings, published in Current Psychology, indicate that the effectiveness of colour-coded labels lies in how the brain processes signals of benefit and risk.

Rather than requiring effortful interpretation, allow for rapid, intuitive judgements about a product’s healthfulness.

Study shows colour-coded nutrition labels help consumers make healthier food choices by simplifying risk and benefit signals.

12/04/2026

There’s a moment most healthcare professionals reach with AI tools. The output comes back and it’s almost right. So you fix it. Then fix it again. Then look at the clock and realise you’ve spent twenty minutes on something that should’ve taken two.

That feeling isn’t a sign the tool isn’t for you. It’s a sign the prompt wasn’t doing enough of the work.

There’s a structured way to change that. And it doesn’t take long to learn.

Course link in bio.

—-

10/04/2026

A large national cohort study from Sweden, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, suggests that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists may offer benefits beyond metabolic control.

The findings indicate that medications such as and could help reduce the risk of worsening mental illness in people living with diabetes and co-existing obesity, anxiety, or .

GLP-1 receptor agonists are widely used in the management of type 2 and .

However, their impact on outcomes has remained uncertain, with previous research producing mixed results.

This study contributes new large-scale evidence suggesting a potentially protective effect.

GLP-1 receptor agonists may reduce risks of depression, anxiety, and self-harm in people with diabetes, a large Swedish study suggests.

09/04/2026

A large observational study suggests a modest increase in and related conditions among people taking receptor agonists over five years.

The underlying cause remains unclear, with itself, rather than the drugs alone, likely contributing to changes in bone health.

Despite these findings, the cardiovascular and metabolic benefits of GLP-1 therapies continue to outweigh potential skeletal risks for most people.

Five-year study suggests a possible link between GLP-1 weight loss drugs and bone health risks, including osteoporosis and bone loss.

08/04/2026

Children living with who show no immediate signs of metabolic complications may still be at substantial risk of developing serious conditions later in life.

New research from the Karolinska Institutet, published in JAMA Pediatrics, challenges the long-standing notion that some children with obesity can be considered “metabolically healthy” and therefore may not require intervention.

The findings contribute to an ongoing clinical debate about whether normal blood markers, liver function and blood pressure in childhood are sufficient indicators of long-term health.

Study finds children with obesity remain at higher risk of diabetes and heart disease later in life, even when early clinical tests appear normal.

31/03/2026

A recent study from Michigan Medicine examined 218.1 million clinical notes from the of 1.6 million people receiving care.

The findings revealed a notable rise in emoji usage by both professionals and patients between January 2020 and September 2025.

Across all records analysed, researchers identified 372 unique appearing in 4,162 notes.

While this represents a small proportion of total , the upward trend signals a shift in how digital communication is entering clinical environments.

Even though emojis may offer efficiency and emotional nuance, their integration into clinical documentation raises important questions about clarity, accessibility, professionalism, and patient safety.

As their use continues to grow, healthcare systems may need to balance flexibility with standardisation to ensure communication remains precise, inclusive, and clinically appropriate.

A new study finds increasing emoji use in electronic health records, raising concerns about misinterpretation, communication clarity and patient safety.

30/03/2026

Here is something that surprises most healthcare professionals when they first hear it.

Removing a patient’s name from a prompt is not enough to make it safe to input into a public AI tool. Age, condition, location, an unusual combination of medications – any of these can be identifying, even without a name attached.

Knowing exactly where the line sits is not optional. It is part of your professional obligation. And once you know it, applying it takes seconds.

This course covers this directly – clearly, practically, and without the legal jargon.

Course link in bio – launching this month at 50% off.

30/03/2026

A novel algorithm developed by researchers at the University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Technology has demonstrated encouraging results in supporting people living with to better manage their blood glucose levels.

The system works in combination with a continuous glucose monitor and provides tailored recommendations for insulin dose adjustments.

Rather than relying solely on manual interpretation of glucose readings, the analyses patterns over time and offers structured, data-informed guidance.

In a clinical trial involving 30 participants, individuals were randomly assigned to one of two approaches over a 16-week period:

🔹 Algorithm-guided insulin adjustment using continuous glucose monitoring data

🔹 Traditional self-monitoring of blood glucose with independent dose adjustment

The results showed a marked improvement in glycaemic control among those using the algorithm.

Participants in this group increased their average time spent within a safe blood glucose range from 54.1% to 75.3%.

By contrast, those relying on self-monitoring alone saw a more modest increase from 50.2% to 55.3%.

Algorithm-guided insulin dosing using continuous glucose monitoring significantly improves blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes, study finds.

26/03/2026

A recent review published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (Canadian Science Publishing) highlights growing interest in the role of the gut microbiota in shaping responses to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, commonly referred to as .

These medications are widely used in the management of people living with type 2 and those living with overweight or .

The analysis suggests that gut microbial communities and their metabolites may contribute to the variability observed in treatment responses.

At the same time, GLP-1 receptor agonists may themselves influence the composition of the .

This bidirectional relationship positions the as both a potential contributor to treatment variability and a possible future target for more personalised metabolic therapies.

New research suggests the gut microbiome may shape how people respond to GLP-1 drugs for obesity and type 2 diabetes, with diet playing a key role.

25/03/2026

For many years, researchers have recognised a clear association between and an increased risk of , particularly in organs such as the liver, kidneys and pancreas.

However, the biological mechanism underpinning this relationship has remained uncertain.

A research team from City of Hope and its Translational Genomics Research Institute, known as TGen, has now provided a clearer explanation.

Their findings suggest that the relationship may be explained by a straightforward principle – larger bodies tend to have larger organs, and larger organs contain more cells.

This increase in cell number creates more opportunities for mutations and, consequently, cancer development.

New research shows larger organ size in obesity may raise cancer risk due to increased cell numbers, offering a clearer biological explanation.

24/03/2026

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to support dietary planning, particularly in areas where access to qualified professionals is limited.

However, a new study published in Frontiers in Nutrition raises important concerns about the reliability of these tools when applied to adolescents living with overweight or .

Globally, adolescent overweight and obesity are rising at pace, affecting an estimated 390 million young people in 2022.

Alongside physical risks, adolescents may experience body image concerns and engage in harmful weight control behaviours such as self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives.

Dietary modification remains central to improving outcomes. Dietitians play a key role in delivering tailored, evidence-based nutrition plans aligned with established guidelines.

However, limited access and workforce pressures can restrict the availability of personalised support.

tools, including and large language models, are increasingly being explored as a way to bridge this gap.

While they can provide general dietary guidance, concerns remain about their accuracy, safety, and ability to replicate the individualised care provided by trained professionals.

Study finds AI-generated diet plans for adolescents underestimate energy and key nutrients, raising concerns about safety and clinical use.

20/03/2026

Obesity and type 2 are complex metabolic conditions influenced by a combination of environmental, behavioural and genetic factors.

While traditional clinical measures such as body mass index have long been used to assess risk, they do not fully capture the biological complexity underlying these conditions.

In a new study published in Cell Metabolism, researchers from Mass General Brigham have developed an advanced polygenic risk score designed to improve prediction of both and type 2 diabetes, as well as their long-term consequences.

Polygenic risk scores work by aggregating the effects of many genetic variants across the , providing an estimate of an individual’s predisposition to developing a given condition.

A new genetic risk score improves prediction of obesity and type 2 diabetes, helping identify people at risk of complications and future treatment needs.