Health, Body & Mind

Mental health

2026.07.09

Young people from less advantaged backgrounds are more likely to have an undiagnosed eating disorder

A new study from the University of Copenhagen suggests that eating disorders are not necessarily more common among families with a high level of education – but that young people from these families are more likely to b…

Physical activity

2026.07.08

After weight loss, exercise improves cardiovascular health more than weight-loss medication

People with severe obesity who exercise regularly have healthier blood vessels and lower inflammation than those who rely on medication alone, a new study from the University of Copenhagen shows.

HEALTH

2026.07.03

Language barriers and culture clash: Frustrations among Ukrainian refugees with the Danish healthcare system

Several Ukrainian refugees have sought alternative medical care and received medication from their home country despite getting rapid access to the Danish healthcare system. There is a risk that frustrated patients fall…

Mental health

2026.07.01

ADHD and autism diagnoses have increased: New study points to broader diagnoses as an explanation

Far more people are being diagnosed with ADHD and autism today than in the past, and a new study from the University of Copenhagen shows that the genetic contributions have decreased over the past 20 years.

Health

2026.07.01

Researchers to teens: get to bed – it’s good for your blood sugar

If you’re 18, getting a bit more sleep could matter more than you think. New research from the University of Copenhagen and COPSAC shows that even in healthy young people, longer nights of sleep are linked to more stabl…

Yo-yo dieting

2026.06.24

Why ‘yo-yo dieting’ may not be as harmful as often believed

A review of research on repeated weight loss and regain suggests that yo‑yo dieting is not necessarily as harmful as it is often portrayed.

Safe drinking water

2026.06.18

Researchers behind new spinout: Only a fraction of the chemicals in drinking water are tested for

Much of our drinking water contains hundreds of chemicals, but today we test for only a fraction of them. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have now launched a company offering an exceptionally broad…

ANCIENT DNA

2026.06.17

Oldest strains of plague caused deadly outbreaks 5,500 years ago

A new study published in Nature reconstructs the earliest known plague genomes and for the first time shows that early forms of plague caused deadly outbreaks – long before the Black Death killed up to half the…

Mental health

2026.06.15

New scale measures mental health promoting behaviour

With the help of a nine-item scale, researchers from the University of Copenhagen are now able to measure mental health promoting behaviour and gain insight into how it affects our well-being.

Movement

2026.06.10

Children improve their fraction skills by playing basketball in class

Combining fractions with basketball improves pupils’ mathematical skills in primary school, a new study from the University of Copenhagen concludes. The researcher behind it calls for the approach to be integrated into…

solitary confinement

2026.05.25

‘Voluntary’ solitary confinement makes prisoners in Danish prisons ill

Eight per cent of prisoners in Danish prisons choose so‑called voluntary solitary confinement to avoid violence from other inmates. However, this ‘voluntary’ isolation is unregulated, and many vulnerable prisoners…

PUBLIC HEALTH

2026.05.21

Why are young people’s sleep and mental health so poor? Researchers point to ‘vicious cycles’ as possible explanation

A new study from the University of Copenhagen maps a complex network of factors that may trap young adults in poor sleep patterns and mental distress.

Innovation

2026.05.20

Digital platform significantly reduces distress among children of divorce

A digital solution developed by researchers at the University of Copenhagen improves the mental health of children and young people after their parents’ divorce, according to a new study. The platform also reduces famil…

BRAIN RESEARCH

2026.05.18

‘Garbage collectors’ of the brain grind to a halt in fatal disease

Surprising results point to an exhausted immune system in the brain as a potential explanation for aggressive brain disease

Health

2026.05.05

Uncertainty-based communication fuels vaccine scepticism

Even small changes in official health communication can have major consequences for both trust and behaviour regarding vaccination. This is shown by an international study using US data.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH

2026.05.01

Mothers without specific fatty acid in the blood more often have children with asthma

A small molecule in the blood of pregnant women is linked to children’s risk of developing childhood asthma and respiratory infections, a new study shows.

2026.04.30

First psychiatric admission marks the beginning of a long-term illness for most patients

By following a group of young people with mental health problems for 20 years, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have found that as many as 95 per cent come into contact with hospital psychiatry again. At th…

Evolution

2026.04.20

Stone age population collapse revealed by DNA study in France

DNA analyses of ancient skeletons show that a Stone Age population in present-day France collapsed around 5,000 years ago and was replaced by people migrating from southern Europe, according to a new international study…

Mental health

2026.04.14

Brain scan can reveal the risk of psychiatric hospitalisation

The brain’s reaction to negative emotions may help predict which people with depression or bipolar disorder are at heightened risk of psychiatric hospitalisation, according to new research from the University of…

Mental health

2026.04.10

Danish soldiers to receive mental training: New programme aims to strengthen both mental health and readiness

A new research-based programme is designed to equip Danish soldiers to cope with stress – both during missions and in everyday life. The programme will be rolled out in 2026 as a fixed part of basic training and will…