A new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, highlights critical constructs essential for addressing dietary inequalities and promoting overall health. Researchers noted key environmental and psychosocial factors critical to improving diet quality. These factors include access to healthy foods, social dynamics, and coping mechanisms that influence nutritional choices. Understanding these interconnected elements can guide the development of more effective public health interventions and policy decisions.

A collaborative study conducted by researchers at Maharishi International University (MIU), the University of Siegen, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences reveals that individuals practicing Transcendental Meditation® (TM®) technologies long-term show favorable biological markers of aging and stress. The research compared gene expression, cognitive function (via EEG), and hair glucocorticoids (cortisol and cortisone) in 12-year and 40-year TM groups and non-meditator controls.

Authoritarian states increasingly use persuasive narratives to shape public opinion in democracies. A new study finds that Japanese voters are broadly susceptible to illiberal narratives from China and Russia, which exert a stronger influence than democratic messaging. Surprisingly, susceptibility was widespread across the population, regardless of political knowledge or beliefs. The findings highlight Japan’s vulnerability to foreign influence operations and underscore the urgent need for countermeasures to protect democratic discourse from manipulative, cognitive warfare.