University of South Carolina's Prevention Research Center based in the @USCArnoldSchool helps communities improve their physical activity and healthy eating
Columbia, South Carolina
Joined January 2020
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Your body’s rest and activity follow a daily rhythm, and researchers are exploring what disruptions in that rhythm might signal about brain health.
In adults 50+, more disrupted patterns were linked to changes in brain structure over time.
Read here: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/article…
A physically demanding job and regular exercise may not affect health the same way.
A recent review explores the “physical activity health paradox” and why physical activity at work may have different health effects.
Read here: link.springer.com/article/10…
Healthy changes can start with everyday choices in a church environment.
PRC’s new infographic highlights FAN findings on healthy food, physical activity, health messages, leadership, and supportive policies.
See what the findings show:
prevention.sph.sc.edu/resour…
ALT “What Makes a Healthy Church?” FAN infographic featuring a church and healthy church findings.
Late-night eating may be doing more than disrupting your sleep. Using health data from nearly 200,000 adults, a new study linked regularly eating after dinner or close to bedtime to a 20–30% higher risk of liver disease.
Read more: sciencedaily.com/releases/20…
ALT An alarm clock on a dinner plate with the message “Late dinner? The timing may matter.” Late-night eating was linked to higher liver disease risk.
Researchers followed 17,000+ adults for nearly eight years and found that more weekly activity was linked to lower cardiovascular risk. Those reaching 560+ minutes a week saw their risk drop by more than 30%.
Read more:sciencedaily.com/releases/20…
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
91% of women in a new American Cancer Society survey knew low activity levels raise cancer risk, but only 27% met recommended activity levels.
Knowing matters, but so do opportunities to act.
Read more:pressroom.cancer.org/breast-…
ALT Breast Cancer Awareness Month graphic: 91% knew low activity levels raise cancer risk, but only 27% met recommended activity levels. Closing the gap between knowing and doing.
Ten minutes of movement may go a long way. A UT Austin study found that as little as 10 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per day was associated with better sleep among young adults. Walking and standing breaks were linked to healthier sleep, too.
sciencedaily.com/releases/20…
How well is your state supporting walking, biking, and rolling?
The 2026 State Report Cards show how states support active transportation through policies, funding, and programs.
Explore how your state compares:
saferoutespartnership.org/st…
The Quarter 3 issue of USC-PRC Notes is now available. This edition covers new PRC research, community health highlights, physical activity and healthy aging, and upcoming conferences and observances.
Read it here: prevention.sph.sc.edu/newsle…
ALT Cover of the USC Prevention Research Center Quarter 3 2026 newsletter, “Promoting Health through Physical Activity.
Starting a new workout? More isn’t always better.
Muscles, tendons, and ligaments need time to adjust. Gradually increase intensity and duration, use good form, stay hydrated, rest, and choose the right equipment to help prevent injuries.
usnews.com/news/health-news/…
A food pantry in Revere, Massachusetts did something most nutrition programs do not. It provided weekly plant-based groceries for nearly three years. Those who received more packages saw greater reductions in weight and BMI.
cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2026/26_0…
Social workers may be an overlooked part of physical activity promotion. Working across homes, schools, hospitals, and communities, they often reach people facing barriers to being active. With the right support, they could play a bigger role.
link.springer.com/article/10…
For many Indigenous communities, movement has long been part of daily life and culture. Walking, canoeing, hunting, harvesting, and traditional games support well-being while strengthening connection to culture, community, and land.
ispah.org/international-day-…
Over 3 months, 389 visitors at a community mobile health unit completed a physical activity screening and 75% were inactive or insufficiently active. The screening fit into existing workflows and helped community health workers tailor counseling.
ovid.com/jnls/acsm-tj/fullte…
What if the best person to teach an adult about high blood pressure was a teenager? A six-week pilot found that both youth and adults improved their hypertension knowledge, while adults reported better blood pressure self-care.
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/article…
What shapes motivation when it comes to physical activity and behavior change? PABBS kicked off the fall semester with special guest Dr. David Conroy from the University of Michigan for a discussion on motivation and behavioral interventions in physical activity.
ALT Six attendees seated together around a table during the September PABBS meeting.
Could an automated phone call help people move more? In rural Alabama, a program combining automated calls, activity tracking, and support from community health advisors helped participants report about an extra hour of physical activity each week.
uab.edu/news/research-innova…
Where we live can shape how easy it is to stay active. The 2026 ACSM American Fitness Index found that cities with stronger active transportation and greater access to parks and recreation offered more opportunities to make movement part of everyday life.
acsm.org/american-fitness-in…
Reach for a snack without really thinking about it? You’re not alone. A study of 313 adults tested ways to interrupt automatic snacking habits. No single method came out on top, but changing what happens when the urge hits may be a good place to start.
nature.com/articles/s44271-0…
Since 2015, Milwaukee’s Veggie Chop Shop has turned 93,000+ pounds of surplus produce into 51,000+ community meals connecting food that might otherwise go unused with communities that can use it.
kunr.org/2026-09-01/the-vegg…
