Posts by Brian Burns
New Research Uncovers Gender Differences for Risk of Developing Heart Disease
New research from Massachusetts General Hospital finds that having a certain type of body fat known as ectopic fat in the midsection may put women at a greater risk for developing heart disease and other cardiovascular health issues in comparison to men.
Read MoreResearch Your Resolution: Use Evidence Based Resources to Quit Smoking in 2018
Nancy Rigotti, MD, is the Director of the Tobacco Research and Treatment Center (TRTC) at Massachusetts General Hospital. The Center provides services to help inpatients, outpatients, employees, and community members quit smoking. The Center also conducts research to identify effective smoking cessation treatments for smokers who are seen in a variety of health care settings. …
Read MoreResearch Your Resolution: Reduce Your Stress and Anxiety with Meditation
If you want to reduce your level of stress and anxiety in 2018, our imaging studies have shown that the regular practice of meditation can change how the brain works.
Read MoreResearch Your Resolution: Maintain an Exercise Routine for Health Benefits Beyond Weight Loss
Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, FAAP, FACP, FTOS Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, FAAP, FACP, FTOS, is an Obesity Medicine Physician at the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center, an Associate at the Mass General Disparities Solution Center, and Associated Faculty at the Mass General Mongan Institute for Health Policy. Her research and clinical practice take a holistic…
Read MoreResearch from Mass General Clinicians Highlights the Growing Opioid Problem and Its Impact on Health Outcomes
The opioid epidemic continues to devastate the United States, with drug overdose deaths and opioid-related health complications on the rise. According to the CDC, from 2000 to 2015 more than half a million people died from drug overdoses, and 91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.
Read MoreResearch Your Resolution: Focus on Your Mental Health, Especially As You Age
Although dementia is on the rise, it is not an inevitable part of getting older, says Mass General researcher Jennifer Gatchel, MD, PhD.
Read MoreResearch Your Resolution: Consider Heart Health Before Going Gluten-Free
In a large study which tracked the dietary habits of more than 100,000 men and women over the last several decades, we did not find any evidence that a low gluten diet was associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
Read MoreMass General Researchers Find That Early Treatment for ADHD May Lessen Risk of Substance Abuse Disorders
Mass General researcher Timothy Wilens, PhD, has found that the earlier children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) receive treatment with stimulants, the less likely they are to use marijuana or develop a substance use disorder (SUD).
Read MoreResearch Your Resolution: Take a Slow and Steady Approach to Losing Weight
If your goal for the New Year is losing weight, I recommend finding eating and exercise behaviors that lead to a steady weight loss week to week, even if the pace at which you are losing weight is slow.
Read MoreResearch Your Resolution: Boost Your Brain Health With Social Connections
Studying over 3,000 members of the Framingham, MA, community since 1948, and across multiple generations, we found that people who are the most socially isolated have lower blood levels of a molecule known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (or BDNF) which is critical for keeping brain cells healthy and forming new connections between cells.
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