Preventive Medicine

Lower legal BAC limits associate with fewer alcohol-attributable traffic deaths worldwide, especially among men

In 165 countries, lower national legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits were associated with lower alcohol-attributable traffic mortality rates (ATMRs). The protective association was significantly stronger in men, who also bore a larger share of the mortality burden. Higher income, stronger health systems, lower gender inequality, and lower per capita alcohol use each correlated with lower ATMRs. Roughly 30% of countries exceeded WHO-recommended BAC limits, indicating substantial room for policy tightening. 1

Vulnerable women in wealthy countries have markedly higher cervical cancer and high-grade lesion risk

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 127 studies examined cervical cancer risk in vulnerable women in high- and upper-middle-income settings. Populations included women with low socioeconomic status, migrants, prisoners, sex workers, women with substance use disorders or mental illness, and women living with HIV. Across vulnerable groups, cervical cancer risk was nearly tripled (RR 2.78, 95% CI 2.32–3.32) compared with other women. Risk of high-grade cervical lesions was also elevated (RR 2.5, 95% CI 2.05–3.04), with considerable heterogeneity. 2

Accelerometer-measured moderate activity lowers incident cardiometabolic disease and multimorbidity progression

In an accelerometer-based cohort of 59,161 adults followed a median 7.9 years, 4,074 developed a first cardiometabolic disease (FCMD) and 295 progressed to multimorbidity (CMM). Guideline-adherent moderate-intensity physical activity (150–300 minutes per week) was linked to 29% lower FCMD risk (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.62–0.81). The same activity level was associated with 40% lower CMM risk (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.39–0.93). Per 244.7 minutes per week higher moderate activity, hazard for healthy-to-FCMD transition was 0.75 versus 0.92 for FCMD-to-CMM. 3

Early, sustained gestational diabetes control attenuates offspring obesity risk

This Kaiser Permanente Northern California cohort included 206,464 pregnancies with offspring BMI measured from ages 2–10 years. Among 14,870 gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pregnancies, four glycemic management trajectories from diagnosis to delivery were identified. Children of mothers with stably optimal control (≥80% readings in ADA target) had BMI and obesity risk by age 10 similar to unexposed offspring. Offspring of mothers with later or suboptimal control showed progressively higher BMI and obesity risk in a clear dose–response gradient. 4