Health and medicine press releases

An artist's impression of the new National Rehabilitation Centre

Loughborough celebrates Government go ahead for new National Rehabilitation Centre

For the first time, the UK will have a ‘National Rehabilitation Centre’ (NRC) following Government approval for the plans announced today (21 September 2023), with Loughborough and Nottingham Universities as lead academic partners.
snus, a smokeless nicotine product placed between the upper lip and gumline, is shown.

‘Snus’ use in football: Loughborough University and Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) launch joint research project

A new study led by Loughborough University will investigate the use of Snus in professional football.

three sportsmen doing a joint high-five

Loughborough University joins forces with Spirit of 2012 and Counsel to explore a UK Capital of Sport

Leading researchers from Loughborough University have joined forces with Spirit of 2012 and Counsel to deliver a new project to explore the potential for a UK Capital of Sport.

A woman cooking outside with a variety of pots

More than 1.1 billion African people unlikely to have access to clean cooking fuels and technologies by 2050, new study predicts

A new Loughborough University study on clean energy accessibility in Africa forecasts that 1.1 billion people will be without eco-friendly cooking fuels or technologies by 2050.
A baby lying on top of a giant tape measure

What makes people grow? Love and hope, concludes expert in human development

Love and hope are critical factors in promoting healthy human development and come together in complex ways to support emotional well-being, an expert in human development has concluded.

the latest experts in sport podcast logo

Experts in Sport: Training load monitoring in elite sport - limitations and lessons from medicine

Among the plethora of sports technologies now available, how is athletes’ training and performance impacted and what effect does this have on sport as a whole?

A GP's stethoscope in a top pocket

UK GPs under mounting health pressures - new study reveals

GPs from across the UK are experiencing concerningly high levels of burnout, a new Loughborough University study has found.

CONTACT being held up to a rugby player's face

Student designs handheld device that aims to detect sports-related concussions in 10 seconds and prevent long-term health problems

A handheld device designed to detect sports-related concussions in under 10 seconds has been prototyped by an innovative Loughborough University student in a bid to protect players of all levels from long-term health problems.

Testing the impact of extreme weather on urban sleep quality – new project

With global temperatures set to increase, a team of researchers at Loughborough University is looking at the impact of extreme weather on sleep.
Sunny design product on a table, the product is shaped like an astronaut with a rocket ship

Student designs sun cream monitor that takes the guesswork out of protecting kids' skin

Parents and guardians may soon bid farewell to the nagging worry of missed spots when applying sun cream to their children's skin, thanks to an invention by a Loughborough University student.

a marathon runner running through mountains

Researchers discover evolutionary evidence in ultra marathon runners

The brains of ultra marathon runners taking part in gruelling long-distance races may hold clues about our evolutionary past, a new study has found.

a woman checking her smartwatch

Short bursts of daily activity linked to reduced cancer risk

Promising new research suggests a total of just 4.5 minutes of vigorous activity that makes you huff and puff during daily tasks could reduce the risk of some cancers by up to 32 percent.

Nursery children happily ate vegetables 60% of the time when offered them at breakfast - new study

Researchers who offered carrots and cucumber to nursery-age youngsters at breakfast found that children ate the vegetables more than 60% of the time.
A stock image of a woman taking notes.

Seven techniques to avoid weight regain, approved by experts

Losing weight is challenging. But as anyone who has ever successfully lost weight knows, it’s avoiding weight re-gain that’s the real challenge.

Woman driving a car with a cup of coffee in her hand

New research project aims to assess the effectiveness of ‘caffeine-naps’ for drivers with obstructive sleep apnoea

A new Loughborough University-led project will assess whether a ‘caffeine-nap’ can counteract sleepiness among drivers who suffer with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

Experts in Sport: National Rehabilitation Centre series

This week, the Experts in Sport podcast has released a new, three-episode series dedicated to the development of the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), delivered by the NRC Clinical and Academic Partnership led by Loughborough University and the University of Nottingham. The partnership brings together a ‘hub and spoke’ network of more than 20 universities across the country, allowing educators and researchers to work with and learn from each other, in a coordinated approach to rehabilitation research.

Experts in Sport: Improving global child health and nutrition

In this episode of the Experts in Sport podcast, Paula Griffiths (Professor of Population Health) and Emily Rousham (Professor of Global Public Health) sit down with host Martin Foster to discuss their research, focusing on the health and nutrition challenges that lower and middle-income countries experience.

An image of a human on some weighing scales

Body mass index: why practitioners are relying on it less when looking at a patient’s health

Body mass index has long been used by doctors as the standard method for measuring health – and often still is. But earlier this month, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a new policy that cautions medical professionals from using the body mass index (BMI) as a stand-alone clinical tool during patient consultations. In 2022, England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) also made similar changes to obesity guidelines, recommending that waist-to-hip ratio be used alongside BMI.

Fruits spelling 'keto'

Keto diet may slow cancer tumour growth in mice – but not without potentially deadly consequences

The ketogenic (keto) diet has been popular in recent years among people looking to lose weight and keep fit. But what many people don’t realise is that this low carb, high-fat diet has actually been used for centuries in the treatment of medical maladies, such as epilepsy. More recently, researchers have been investigating its use alongside chemotherapy to improve remission and survival in patients with advanced metastatic cancers.

Loughborough to host discussion with MPs on concussion in British wrestling

Experts and Members of Parliament are due to join together at Loughborough University this month for a discussion about the dangers of concussions and head injuries in wrestling.
Woman with eyes closed and a vector of a brain overlaying the photo. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

Technology is radically changing sleep as we know it

From sleep trackers to wakefulness drugs, the 21st century has seen an influx of new technology that could radically alter the way we sleep.
The researchers’ small molecule probe binding to 5-PP-InsP5 and emitting bright red light. Image generated by Dr Felix Plasser, Loughborough University.

Scientists develop probe that could unlock the mysteries of a vital cellular messenger and pave the way for new drug discoveries

A ground-breaking study by Loughborough University and the University of Oxford has led to the development of a small molecule probe that could deepen our understanding of a crucial cellular messenger and lead to the development of new therapeutic drugs.
Dr Joan Fitzpatrick

Raising children in the 16th century: Parenting tips you may (not) want to try

“Children should be seen and not heard”, “we didn’t raise children like that in my day”, “children today don’t have any manners or respect”.

How can toys, games and apps help children strengthen their emotional intelligence?

Researchers are attempting to design toys to boost young children’s emotional intelligence to help them better handle their feelings and improve their interaction with others.
An old person holding hands with a robot arm

New project to create friendly robotic service to support elderly people

A friendly robotic service for preventative care amongst older adults at risk of frailty is to be developed as part of a new collaborative project involving Loughborough University.