Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:26:44 +0000Latest in epidemiology research/article/health-benefits-if-cities-are-densified-right-wayTue, 27 Jan 2026 15:26:44 +0000/article/health-benefits-if-cities-are-densified-right-wayIt is not easy to be an urban planner. Cities must be built more densely because surrounding agricultural land and nature must be protected – while at the same time health requirements are high. Over a period of five years researchers at Lund University in Sweden, have closely studied densification plans in three cities and found keys to solving this difficult equation. /article/full-fat-cheese-linked-lower-risk-dementiaThu, 18 Dec 2025 01:30:33 +0000/article/full-fat-cheese-linked-lower-risk-dementiaEating cheese and cream with a high fat content may be linked to a lower risk of developing dementia. This is shown by a new large-scale study from Lund University. The researchers analysed the dietary habits of more than 27,000 people and linked these to the occurrence of dementia over a follow-up period of up to 25 years. /article/tattoos-could-be-risk-factor-melanomaTue, 25 Nov 2025 12:42:02 +0000/article/tattoos-could-be-risk-factor-melanomaA new epidemiological study from Lund University in Sweden suggests that tattoos could be a risk factor for melanoma./article/type-1-diabetes-increased-among-young-people-during-pandemicWed, 15 Oct 2025 10:05:03 +0000/article/type-1-diabetes-increased-among-young-people-during-pandemicDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, there was an unexpected increase in the number of cases of type 1 diabetes in Sweden, particularly among children under five and young adult men. The infection accelerated the onset of diabetes among children between the ages of five and nine. /article/unexpected-discovery-revives-abandoned-breast-cancer-treatmentWed, 04 Dec 2024 13:19:45 +0000/article/unexpected-discovery-revives-abandoned-breast-cancer-treatmentA new study led by Lund University in Sweden has solved a years-old mystery: which patients with aggressive breast cancer are helped by a targeted cancer treatment that had been under development but was shelved. The study is important since it brings hope that the development of the drug can continue and that it will make it all the way to these patients./article/causes-osteoarthritis-mapped-new-biobankTue, 25 Jul 2023 07:59:00 +0000/article/causes-osteoarthritis-mapped-new-biobankThrough molecular studies of knee tissue and advanced synchrotron radiation imaging techniques, researchers hope to gain new insights into the early development of osteoarthritis. The hope is to pave the way for new treatments./article/we-are-getting-older-and-heavier-osteoarthritis-increasingThu, 15 Jun 2023 10:58:02 +0000/article/we-are-getting-older-and-heavier-osteoarthritis-increasingThe number of patients with osteoarthritis has increased dramatically since the 1950s. Along with diabetes, the illness is now one of the fastest-growing endemic diseases in the world. Andrea Dell’Isola, an associate professor at the Department of Clinical Sciences at Lund University in Sweden, investigating the connection between osteoarthritis and metabolic diseases in a new research project./article/new-study-questions-efficacy-many-osteoarthritis-treatmentsWed, 26 Apr 2023 10:04:42 +0000/article/new-study-questions-efficacy-many-osteoarthritis-treatmentsRecruiting osteoarthritis patients with a lot of pain to clinical studies, may give incorrect results if the researcher does account for the natural variation in pain that occurs. A research group from Lund University in Sweden is now drawing attention to the traps in clinical studies on osteoarthritis./article/complications-pregnancy-linked-increased-risk-heart-diseaseWed, 08 Feb 2023 10:58:28 +0000/article/complications-pregnancy-linked-increased-risk-heart-diseaseCertain complications during pregnancy bring an increased risk of heart disease later on. However, there is still much to learn about how arteriosclerosis develops between pregnancy and heart disease later in life. A large new study led by researchers from Lund University in Sweden shows that narrowing and calcification of the blood vessels of the heart are more common in women previously affected by pregnancy complications./article/metabolic-health-plays-role-obesity-related-cancersTue, 07 Feb 2023 10:51:12 +0000/article/metabolic-health-plays-role-obesity-related-cancersFor up to 40 years, nearly 800,000 people from Sweden, Norway and Austria have been tracked based on how their BMI and metabolic health – that is, their blood pressure, blood glucose levels and blood fats - affect the risk of suffering from obesity-related cancers. The study shows that those who are metabolically unhealthy are at a higher risk of certain forms of cancer, regardless of their body weight./article/learning-more-about-endocrine-system-could-lead-fewer-cases-type-2-diabetes-and-obesityWed, 25 Jan 2023 08:13:09 +0000/article/learning-more-about-endocrine-system-could-lead-fewer-cases-type-2-diabetes-and-obesityHow much water do we need to drink to stay healthy? How do different diets affect our metabolism? Studies of various hormones in the body are providing diabetes researchers with new answers to these questions. The goal is to develop individualized treatments and dietary recommendations that could lower the risk of developing obesity and diseases such as type 2 diabetes./article/tumour-environment-can-affect-breast-cancer-prognosisThu, 25 Aug 2022 07:34:40 +0000/article/tumour-environment-can-affect-breast-cancer-prognosisThe environment in which breast cancer arises –the interplay between the patient’s BMI, tumour size and cancer-specific proteins –is of importance for the prognosis. This is shown in a study from Lund University in Sweden. The knowledge could further enhance precision medicine in breast cancer./article/smoking-worsens-prognosis-men-prostate-cancerTue, 10 May 2022 09:23:51 +0000/article/smoking-worsens-prognosis-men-prostate-cancerSmokers have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer, but a higher risk of dying from the disease, according to a large population study led by Lund University in Sweden. The researchers followed more than 350 000 people over several decades, and the results are now published in European Urology./article/better-methods-are-needed-understand-how-sugar-affects-our-bodiesWed, 16 Feb 2022 14:59:55 +0000/article/better-methods-are-needed-understand-how-sugar-affects-our-bodiesLess than ten per cent of energy intake from food should come from added sugar, according to the current Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. For adults, this corresponds to approximately 50–75 grams of added sugar per day and one can of soft drink contains approximately 30 grams of sugar. “Drinking soft drinks is not necessarily dangerous for a particular individual, however, at the group level, across a whole population, we can observe the effects”, says Stina Ramne, certified dietician and nutrition researcher. /article/environmentally-sustainable-diet-linked-health-benefitsThu, 09 Dec 2021 09:55:25 +0000/article/environmentally-sustainable-diet-linked-health-benefitsA large population study from Lund University in Sweden has shown that more sustainable dietary habits are linked to health benefits, such as a reduced risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease and cancer. The study is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition./article/diabetes-research-collaboration-can-pave-way-innovationThu, 11 Nov 2021 07:52:04 +0000/article/diabetes-research-collaboration-can-pave-way-innovationMetformin is often described as the first-line medication for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, not all patients respond to the drug. Researchers at Lund University have discovered a combination of biomarkers that can predict which patients will benefit from the treatment. This work is now continuing in order to confirm the results in a larger patient group, with the intention of developing a test for clinical use./article/rapid-covid-19-tests-using-saliva-could-be-easier-alternativesWed, 10 Nov 2021 09:12:04 +0000/article/rapid-covid-19-tests-using-saliva-could-be-easier-alternativesThe most common tests for COVID-19 are PCR tests, involving a nose and throat sample taken with a cotton swab. The procedure is often unpleasant, and the tests results require laboratory analysis. In a new study from Lund University in Sweden, researchers have now investigated whether rapid antigen testing can be used on saliva instead of swabbing the nasal cavity. The results are published in Infection Ecology & Epidemiology./article/ai-help-combat-future-pandemicsThu, 28 Oct 2021 10:03:44 +0000/article/ai-help-combat-future-pandemicsResearchers at Lund University want to use AI methods, population registers, mobile data and novel data sources to develop and evaluate applications that can be used to detect and combat pandemics in the future. A large collaborative project is funded by Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency./article/hours-you-sleep-mean-more-you-thinkTue, 24 Aug 2021 12:29:23 +0000/article/hours-you-sleep-mean-more-you-thinkIn a new study, researchers at Lund University and Uppsala University have seen a clear connection between how long a person sleeps and a number of biomarkers linked to cardiometabolic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. “With greater knowledge of the actual mechanisms of disease development, the possibilities for a more specific and targeted treatment increase, says Sölve Elmståhl, one of the researchers behind the study./article/precision-medicine-emerging-approach-complex-diseasesTue, 06 Jul 2021 12:35:44 +0000/article/precision-medicine-emerging-approach-complex-diseasesNewborn babies are already being screened for mutations and genetic tests help families with hereditary breast cancer. Genomic-driven precision medicine (GDPM) is an emerging approach for disease treatment. Around 30 Swedish researchers suggest a direction forward in a review article in Journal of Internal Medicine (JIM)./article/study-tracks-spread-covid-19-swedenWed, 09 Jun 2021 06:26:22 +0000/article/study-tracks-spread-covid-19-swedenDuring the pandemic, the free COVID Symptom 92kyy�����ϼ� app has helped researchers understand the complexity and spread of the corona virus better. “The study has exceeded our expectations since its launch in Sweden in April 2020. Participants from all over Sweden got involved and many of them have spent one minute every day answering questions about their health”, says Maria Gomez, Professor of physiology at Lund University. /article/new-rapid-and-robust-covid-19-antibody-test-developedWed, 12 Aug 2020 12:27:39 +0000/article/new-rapid-and-robust-covid-19-antibody-test-developedA new COVID-19 antibody test developed by scientists at Lund University in Sweden has shown robust performance upon clinical validation and application. The test detects antibodies in the blood targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, and determines in just 15 minutes whether a person has had COVID-19, regardless of whether they have had any symptoms./article/roadmap-precision-medicine-diabetes-careMon, 22 Jun 2020 14:12:34 +0000/article/roadmap-precision-medicine-diabetes-careA new joint report from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the 92kyy�����ϼ� of Diabetes (EASD) presents the largest venture ever on precision medicine in diabetes. The report includes a detailed overview and roadmap for how this new approach to diabetes medicine can be evaluated and implemented into clinical practice./article/sweden-under-fire-relaxed-coronavirus-approach-heres-science-behind-itMon, 30 Mar 2020 16:03:28 +0000/article/sweden-under-fire-relaxed-coronavirus-approach-heres-science-behind-itThis article was written by Paul W Franks, Professor in Genetic Epidemiology at Lund University, and Peter Nilsson, Professor of Epidemiology at Lund University for The Conversation (https://theconversation.com/uk). It was published on March 27th 2020. /article/covid-19-mitigating-impact-research-through-matchmakingMon, 30 Mar 2020 11:59:35 +0000/article/covid-19-mitigating-impact-research-through-matchmakingThe frustration with not being able to contribute to the difficult situation surrounding the covid-19 pandemic led researchers at LUPOP to launch a matchmaking initiative. Their idea is to help researchers with clinical background, now needed in healthcare, by supporting their research and application work./article/association-between-coeliac-disease-risk-and-gluten-intake-confirmedWed, 14 Aug 2019 09:08:44 +0000/article/association-between-coeliac-disease-risk-and-gluten-intake-confirmedAn extensive study has confirmed that the risk of developing coeliac disease is connected to the amount of gluten children consume. The new study is observational and therefore does not prove causation; however, it is the most comprehensive of its kind to date. The results are presented in the prestigious journal JAMA. /article/osteoarthritis-linked-higher-risk-dying-cardiovascular-diseaseTue, 16 Jul 2019 10:18:24 +0000/article/osteoarthritis-linked-higher-risk-dying-cardiovascular-diseaseResearchers at Lund University in Sweden have investigated the link between osteoarthritis and mortality in an epidemiological study. It was shown that the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease was higher for people with osteoarthritis than for the rest of the population. /article/high-rates-opioid-prescriptions-osteoarthritisMon, 08 Jul 2019 08:42:47 +0000/article/high-rates-opioid-prescriptions-osteoarthritisOpioids work against severe pain but the risks of side effects and addiction are high. In the USA alone, 26 people die every day from overdoses. Now researchers in an international collaboration have investigated how common opioid prescriptions are for osteoarthritis patients in Sweden. It emerged that every fourth patient was prescribed opioids at some point between November 2014 and October 2015. /article/even-sprat-can-thrive-being-born-small-gestational-ageWed, 22 Aug 2018 22:00:00 +0000/article/even-sprat-can-thrive-being-born-small-gestational-ageWe were all small, newborn infants once. But some of us were perhaps too small as newborns? A child that is born “small for gestational age” means that they have not grown according to their normal curve during the foetal period. By studying the group of small newborns in epidemiological, or register, studies, researchers follow what happens to these infants later in life. This knowledge is of great importance, as there is much to indicate that ill-health in adulthood may be caused by factors such as poor growth during the foetal period./article/live-healthily-sake-your-future-childrenWed, 22 Aug 2018 22:00:00 +0000/article/live-healthily-sake-your-future-childrenOur health in later life is shaped not only by the way we live, what our childhood was like or our time in our mothers’ wombs. Even our parents’ health and lifestyle at the time of our conception may affect our health. Peter M Nilsson, professor of clinical cardiovascular research at Lund University, is calling for a major investment in health and lifestyle advice for adolescents and those planning to have children./article/how-healthy-your-food-patternFri, 17 Aug 2018 12:25:37 +0000/article/how-healthy-your-food-patternDo you eat a lot of chicken, pasta, cheese and oils? Or do you prefer yogurt and cereal, but stay away from coffee and meat? A unique population study from Lund University in Sweden has identified different food patterns - and found that some are healthier than others./article/jan-sundquist-lund-university-awarded-erc-advanced-grantMon, 09 Apr 2018 13:26:52 +0000/article/jan-sundquist-lund-university-awarded-erc-advanced-grantProfessor and family physician Jan Sundquist at the Center for Primary Health Care Research at Lund University in Sweden has been awarded an ERC Advanced Grant from the European Research Council in the 2017 call for applications. ERC Advanced Grant (ERC AdG) is awarded to world-leading researchers in support of excellent and innovative research./article/marker-involved-lymphatic-system-connected-heart-failureWed, 07 Mar 2018 15:16:40 +0000/article/marker-involved-lymphatic-system-connected-heart-failureResearchers at Lund University in Sweden have found a new marker in the blood that is associated with an increased risk of heart failure. Surprisingly, the marker is not directly involved in how the heart functions, unlike most of the previously known markers. Instead, the new marker affects processes in the lymphatic system./article/new-link-between-gut-bacteria-and-obesityFri, 23 Feb 2018 12:52:30 +0000/article/new-link-between-gut-bacteria-and-obesityResearchers at Lund University in Sweden have discovered a new link between gut bacteria and obesity. They found that certain amino acids in our blood can be connected to both obesity and the composition of the gut microbiome./article/bacteria-important-gut-feelingThu, 22 Feb 2018 23:00:00 +0000/article/bacteria-important-gut-feelingIn the major population survey, Malmö Offspring 92kyy�����ϼ�, researchers are trying to discover how our intestinal flora is affected by diet and the consequences this has on health. “We have about one and a half kilos of bacteria in our intestines”, says Louise Brunkwall – doctoral student in the research group Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease – Genetic Epidemiology./article/prestigious-erc-grants-awarded-lund-researchersThu, 30 Nov 2017 15:06:56 +0000/article/prestigious-erc-grants-awarded-lund-researchersCapsules for transporting drugs, knee injuries that are really osteoarthritis, skin cells reprogrammed into nerve cells, variations in our DNA affecting the production of blood cells, and the urban sharing economy as a potential solution to our sustainability challenges. These are the research areas which have been awarded ERC Consolidator Grants from the European Research Council (ERC) in the 2017 round of awards. /article/high-fat-dairy-products-linked-reduced-type-2-diabetes-riskThu, 02 Apr 2015 08:39:46 +0000/article/high-fat-dairy-products-linked-reduced-type-2-diabetes-riskConsumption of high-fat yoghurt and cheese are linked to a reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as a fifth, according to new research from Lund University in Sweden. High meat consumption, on the other hand, is linked to a higher risk./article/type-2-diabetes-risk-starts-pregnancyFri, 05 Dec 2014 12:16:36 +0000/article/type-2-diabetes-risk-starts-pregnancyThe risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease is affected by exposures in the uterus. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden are now calling for updated guidelines in light of research evidence from the past decades./article/mindfulness-treatment-effective-cbt-depression-and-anxietyThu, 27 Nov 2014 15:22:20 +0000/article/mindfulness-treatment-effective-cbt-depression-and-anxietyGroup mindfulness treatment is as effective as individual cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in patients with depression and anxiety, according to a new study from Lund University in Sweden and Region Skåne. This is the first randomised study to compare group mindfulness treatment and individual cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with depression and anxiety in primary health care.