Preventive Medicine

Global physical activity patterns reveal large equity gaps and broad health benefits beyond cardiometabolic disease

This synthesis links physical inactivity to more than 5 million deaths annually and highlights benefits beyond obesity and cardiometabolic disease. Evidence summarized includes protective associations of physical activity with immunity, infectious disease, depression, and several cancers. Analysis of WHO STEPS data from 68 countries found a roughly 40‑percentage‑point gap in active leisure between wealthy men and poor women. The authors emphasize active transport, leisure, and labor as socially structured domains shaped by norms, policies, and intersecting identities. They propose a model positioning physical activity within social and environmental systems, arguing for equity‑focused, multisectoral activity policies. 1

Longitudinal evidence links heavier youth digital media use with modestly worse mental, behavioral, and developmental outcomes

This systematic review and meta-analysis pooled 153 longitudinal studies (115 cohorts; 1072 effect sizes) of digital media use in youth aged 2–19 years. Higher social media use was associated with more depression, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, self-injurious thoughts, problematic internet use, and substance use. Social media use was also linked to lower academic achievement, poorer self-perception, and less positive development. Video gaming was associated with higher aggression and externalizing behaviors, but also slightly better attention and executive functioning. Effect sizes were small but consistent, suggesting clinicians should discuss content, context, and duration rather than focus solely on screen time. 2

Composite healthy lifestyle score strongly predicts lower all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality in Korean adults

In this 18‑year cohort of 111,633 Korean adults aged 40–85 years, a five-component healthy lifestyle score predicted mortality risk. Components included non-smoking, regular moderate-to-vigorous activity, lower alcohol intake, normal BMI, and higher overall plant-based diet quality. Compared with the lowest score, the highest score was associated with substantially lower all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality in both sexes. All five lifestyle components, including diet quality, were independently associated with lower all-cause mortality. Removing smoking from the score attenuated associations, particularly in men, underscoring tobacco’s dominant contribution to mortality risk. 3