Health and wellbeing

Health and well-being have a central role in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) endorsed by the United Nations, emphasizing the integral part they play in building a sustainable future. The third SDG explicitly calls for ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. This goal encompasses a wide range of health objectives, from reducing maternal and child mortality rates, combatting disease epidemics, to improving mental health and well-being. But beyond SDG 3, health is intrinsically linked with almost all the other goals.

When addressing SDG 1, which aims to end poverty, one cannot neglect the social determinants of health. Economic hardship often translates into poor nutrition, inadequate housing, and limited access to health care, leading to a vicious cycle of poverty and poor health. Similarly, achieving SDG 2, ending hunger, also contributes to better health through adequate nutrition, essential for physical and mental development and the prevention of various diseases.

Conversely, the repercussions of climate change, encapsulated in SDG 13, profoundly impact health. Rising global temperatures can lead to increased spread of infectious diseases, compromised food and water supplies, and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, all posing severe health risks. Conversely, the promotion of good health can also mitigate climate change through the reduction of carbon-intensive lifestyles and adoption of healthier, more sustainable behaviors.

SDG 5, advocating for gender equality, also has substantial health implications. Ensuring women's access to sexual and reproductive health services not only improves their health outcomes, but also contributes to societal and economic development. Furthermore, achieving SDG 4, quality education, is also critical for health promotion. Education fosters health literacy, empowering individuals to make informed health decisions, hence improving overall community health.

Lastly, SDG 17 underlines the importance of partnerships for achieving these goals. Multi-sector collaboration is vital to integrate health considerations into all policies and practices. Stakeholders from various sectors, including health, education, agriculture, finance, and urban planning, need to align their efforts in creating sustainable environments that foster health and well-being.

Hence, the relationship between health, well-being, and the SDGs is reciprocal. Improving health and well-being helps in achieving sustainable development, and vice versa. In this context, health and well-being are not just outcomes but are also powerful enablers of sustainable development. For the world to truly thrive, it must recognize and act upon these interconnections.

This article describes the discovery and characterization of FJMU1887, a novel brain-penetrant small-molecule inhibitor of Galectin-3 (Gal-3) identified through an AI-driven drug discovery platform. FJMU1887 demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory effects, reduced Aβ pathology, and improved cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease mouse models, highlighting its therapeutic potential for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
This study investigated how repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with cognitive training affects functional connectivity in both gray matter and white matter in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Results showed that rTMS modulated activity in key brain regions, particularly within the limbic system, with changes in white matter connectivity correlating with cognitive improvements.
Elsevier,

Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease, Volume 12, 1 August 2025

The study found that long-duration and high-intensity walking were associated with reduced amyloid-beta accumulation over 4 years, with the greatest benefits seen in those who started walking earlier in life. However, walking activity was not linked to changes in tau deposition, neurodegeneration, or white matter hyperintensities.
The article estimates the value-based price of a blood test for Alzheimer's disease pathology, finding it would be $290-$1150 in primary care and $450-$1950 in specialty care, projecting substantial cost savings.
Elsevier,

Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Volume 392, August 2025

This review discusses the dual role of amyloid-beta (Aβ) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). While Aβ accumulation is a hallmark of AD pathology, soluble Aβ also plays a neuroprotective role in regulating synaptic plasticity and memory. The review explores the potential of anti-Aβ immunotherapy as a treatment strategy, highlighting the need to balance targeting toxic Aβ species while preserving the physiological functions of Aβ.`
The article provides a comprehensive overview of the role of the endogenous detoxification system in the pathogenesis of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). It highlights epidemiological evidence linking environmental toxicant exposure to the onset and progression of these diseases, and discusses how dysfunction of detoxification pathways, including enzymes and transporters, can exacerbate neurodegenerative processes. The article also explores the potential of targeting nuclear receptor signaling pathways, such as the pregnane X receptor (PXR), as a promising therapeutic strategy to restore detoxification capacity and modify disease trajectories.

This content aligns with Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing and Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure by considering the role heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium can play in Alzheimer's Disease.

Ceria nanoclusters, with their ultra-small particle size and and targeted peptides, provides substantial penetration of the blood drain barrier for rapid and susptained relief from neuroinflammation.

The article underscores the vital role of traditional country foods in supporting the health of Nunavik Inuit, as these foods are primary sources of important antioxidants like ergothioneine and selenoneine. The markedly higher levels of these compounds among Nunavimmiut�especially among women, elders, and frequent country food consumers�demonstrate the nutritional and cultural significance of maintaining access to wild foods. The findings advocate for the protection and promotion of traditional food systems to preserve both health benefits and Indigenous food sovereignty, while also calling for further research into the health impacts of these unique dietary antioxidants in Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations alike.

The article highlights the importance of tailoring interventions to local cultural contexts and engaging with indigenous communities to ensure the feasibility and sustainability of Echinococcus control efforts.

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