A new study from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology reveals that just 30 days of guided mindfulness meditation can significantly enhance key aspects of attentional control — especially how quickly and accurately people direct their focus — regardless of age. The study is among the first to use eye tracking, a powerful and objective measure of attention, to test the effects of mindfulness training on young, middle-aged, and older adults. The findings demonstrate that even short-term meditation can lead to measurable cognitive improvements.

A new study from the University of California, Davis, provides the first clinical evidence showing that regular consumption of grapes – just 1 ½ cups per day – can improve muscle strength and boost irisin levels in postmenopausal women.  The results suggest a promising strategy against age-related muscle decline, also known as sarcopenia.  

 

 

A new peer-reviewed study finds that using a multi-contaminant approach to treat drinking water could prevent over 50,000 cancer cases over a lifetime in the U.S. Published in Environmental Research, the study analyzed data from more than 17,000 water systems and found that arsenic and hexavalent chromium, two cancer-causing chemicals that often appear together, can be treated with the same technologies. By reducing arsenic levels alongside chromium-6, systems could prevent up to four times more cancer cases than targeting chromium-6 alone. The findings challenge the long-standing practice of regulating one contaminant at a time and highlight the health benefits of treating co-occurring pollutants simultaneously.

Thirty-nine percent of respondents to an online poll incorrectly said all processed foods are unhealthy, according to new research by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published today, July 8, 2025, in JAMA Network Open. When asked which foods increase type 2 diabetes risk, 51% cited sugar, 19% said desserts, and 7% said carbohydrates, in general — all inaccurately.

A new study has found that children’s health in the United States is declining across several key measurements ranging from increased chronic illnesses, higher rates of physical and mental health conditions and related symptoms, and increased mortality rates compared with other countries. The study also reveals that the issues are broad and systemic and require new ways of thinking about supporting and prioritizing the health of children.

A new large-scale study spotlights postoperative delirium as a preventable and high-impact complication, which is driven by patient frailty and surgical stress—and one that can be addressed through low-cost, evidence-based interventions.