A study published in JAMA Network Open examined cancer screening rates across 3,142 US counties from 1997 to 2019 and found regional disparities. While overall screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer increased and geographic variation decreased, high-screening clusters continue to be seen in the Northeast and low-screening clusters are persisting in the Southwest.

An animal study in the journal Brain Medicine suggests that exercise can reduce depressive and anxiety-like symptoms linked to a diet high-fat, high-sugar diet. Researchers found that exercise helped normalize insulin and leptin levels and reduced the decline in gut microbiome metabolites that are important for brain health.

A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggested that longer walks are more beneficial for heart health than shorter ones. Researchers found that walking 15 minutes or more, rather than doing multiple shorter walks, was associated with lower risks of heart disease and mortality over nearly a decade. The study involved 33,560 adults with a median age of 62.

A meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that common viral infections like influenza, HIV, hepatitis C and shingles may increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The review of 155 studies found that flu infections raised the risk of heart attack sixfold in the month after infection. COVID-19 infections were associated with nearly twice the risk of heart disease or stroke, compared with not having an infection.

Women may need less exercise than men to protect against coronary heart disease, according to a study in Nature Cardiovascular Research. The study of more than 85,000 adults finds that women who engaged in four hours of moderate exercise weekly lowered their heart disease risk by 30%, whereas men needed eight hours for similar benefits.

Dr. Casey Means, President Donald Trump's nominee for surgeon general, is expected to emphasize a focus on prevention and healing in her Senate confirmation hearing today. Means, a wellness entrepreneur, has faced criticism for her unconventional medical background, including not completing her surgical residency and having an inactive medical license. She has pledged to resign from her role at Levels Health and stop promoting wellness products and her book if confirmed.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise highlighted GOP health proposals aimed at reaching a year-end agreement, with a focus on funding Affordable Care Act cost-sharing reductions to lower premiums and save government funds. Republicans say this approach could reduce ACA premiums, though Democrats counter that it may raise out-of-pocket costs for some patients.

The release of new US dietary guidelines has been delayed, tentatively to December, due to the government shutdown. The guidelines, updated every five years, influence federal nutrition programs and school meals. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said the guidelines will emphasize whole foods and increased saturated fats, a significant shift from current recommendations.

Join us on Tuesday, November 18, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET for An Overview of an Adjunctive Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder as AbbVie discusses the humanistic and economic burden of major depressive disorder and examines the role, efficacy, and safety of adjunctive therapies within the treatment paradigm.