Key Research Findings

🫀 Protect Your Heart with Smart Nutrition! 
 
A healthy diet can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease! According to the KIHD study, consuming the right nutrients can protect your heart. 
✅ Eat whole grains for a healthy heart 
✅ Include fatty fish rich in omega-3 
✅ Enjoy berries & veggies packed with antioxidants 
✅ Avoid processed foods & excess sugar 
Move More, Stay Healthy! 

📢 Sedentary lifestyles are linked to obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. 
The study highlights that regular physical activity improves metabolism, burns excess fat, and enhances overall health. 
🏋️ Best Exercises for Health: 
🚶‍♂️ Brisk walking or jogging – 30 minutes a day 
🧘 Yoga or stretching – great for reducing stress and inflammation 
🚴 Cycling or swimming – improves cardiovascular fitness 
🏋️ Strength training – builds muscle and boosts metabolism 

Maintain a Healthy Weight – Prevent Obesity! 

📢 Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and liver disease! 
The study found that a balanced diet and regular exercise play a key role in weight management and long-term health. 
✅ Choose nutrient-dense foods – whole grains, lean protein, and vegetables 
✅ Avoid ultra-processed foods – high in sugar and unhealthy fats 
✅ Stay active daily – at least 30 minutes of movement 
✅ Control portion sizes – listen to your body’s hunger cues 
Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes with Smart Food Choices!

Unhealthy eating habits can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. 
Making the right dietary choices can lower blood sugar levels and reduce diabetes risk. 
🥗 Healthy Eating Tips for Diabetes Prevention: 
🥦 Fill half your plate with vegetables – fiber helps regulate blood sugar 
🍞 Choose whole grains over refined carbs – oats, quinoa, whole wheat 
🚫 Limit added sugars – avoid sugary drinks and processed snacks 
🥜 Include healthy fats – nuts, olive oil, and avocados.

Findings from Kraav SL, Awoyemi O, Junttila N, Vornanen R, Kauhanen J, Toikko T, Lehto SM, Hantunen S, Tolmunen T. The effects of loneliness and social isolation on all-cause, injury, cancer, and CVD mortality in a cohort of middle-aged Finnish men. A prospective study. Aging Ment Health. 2021 Dec;25(12):2219-2228. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2020.1830945. Epub 2020 Oct 14. PMID: 33939562. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33939562/

  • Loneliness and social isolation (having few or no social connections) both increase the risk of dying earlier. 
  • The study followed over 2,500 middle-aged Finnish men for more than 23 years. 
  • Loneliness increased the risk of death from all causes (even after considering other factors). 
  • Increased the risk of death from cancer and heart disease, but this link weakened when accounting for depression and lifestyle habits. 
  • Social isolation increased the risk of death from all causes and accidents/injuries. 
  • Its effect on death risk was partly explained by loneliness and depression. 
  • This means feeling lonely and being socially isolated are both harmful, but loneliness and depression may be the real drivers behind why isolation is so dangerous.
  • This means feeling lonely and being socially isolated are both harmful, but loneliness and depression may be the real drivers behind why isolation is so dangerous

Findings from Jarroch R, Tuomainen TP, Tajik B, Kauhanen J. Economic recession and cardiovascular disease among women: a cohort study from Eastern Finland. Scand J Public Health. 2022 Mar;50(2):250-256. doi: 10.1177/1403494821990259. Epub 2021 Feb 10. PMID: 33568021; PMCID: PMC8873296. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8873296/

  • Women who faced socioeconomic hardships during Finland’s 1990s recession had a 23–27% higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) over 20 years.
  • This increased risk remained significant even after adjusting for lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and prior health conditions.
  • 64% of participants reported hardship, with affected women more likely to smoke and have a higher BMI.
  • The study highlights that economic stress impacts long-term heart health, especially among women.
  • Findings support the need for public health planning during economic crises to reduce future disease risk.

Findings from Piiroinen, I., Tuomainen, T. P., Tolmunen, T., Kauhanen, J., Kurl, S., Nilsen, C., … & Voutilainen, A. (2022). Long-term changes in sense of coherence and mortality among middle-aged men: A population-based follow-up study. Advances in Life Course Research, 53, 100494. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S104026082200034X

  • Sense of Coherence (SOC) is a psychological concept that reflects how people view life as manageable, meaningful, and understandable.
  • The study followed middle-aged Finnish men over several years to examine how changes in their SOC levels affected their risk of death (all-cause mortality).
  • SOC was not stable over time — it changed for many men during the follow-up period.
  • A decline in SOC was clearly linked to a higher risk of death:
    • A 1 standard deviation (SD) drop in SOC increased death risk by about 35%.
    • A 2 SD drop raised the risk by about 70%.
    • A 2.5 SD drop doubled the risk (about 100% increase).
  • These results held true even after adjusting for 12 other health risk factors like blood pressure, smoking, cholesterol, and medical history.
  • An increase in SOC had only a small connection to lower mortality, suggesting that loss of SOC is more harmful than gain is protective.
  • The findings suggest that supporting and strengthening SOC during middle age could help reduce death rates and improve quality of life in older age.