Nearly 7 million American seniors are living with Alzheimer’s dementia, placing a huge strain on both personal caregivers and the U.S. health care system, according to a new Alzheimer’s Association report. The cost of caring for seniors with Alzheimer’s is projected to reach $360 billion this year, up $15 billion from just a year ago,… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
U.S. Falls Out of Top 20 in ‘World’s Happiest Countries’ List
For the first time, the United States has fallen out of the top 20 spots on the annual world’s happiest nations list. Americans are now No. 23, far behind the top five countries — Finland (No. 1), Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Israel. “The United States of America (23rd) has fallen out of the top 20… read on > read on >
One in 10 U.S. School-Age Kids Have ADHD: Report
About 1 in every 10 U.S. children ages 5 to 17 has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the latest government statistics. The data from the National Health Interview Survey covers the years 2020 through 2022 and came from in-person or phone interviews involving a representative sample of American homes. It… read on > read on >
Almost 70% of Young Kids in Chicago Are Exposed to Lead in Tap Water
More than two-thirds of Chicago kids younger than 6 live in homes with tap water tainted by lead, a new analysis says. There are detectable levels of lead in the drinking water supplied to 68% of young children in the Windy City, say researchers with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “The extent… read on > read on >
Roadside Trees, Bushes Are Cutting Air Pollution, Study Finds
Planting trees and bushes near busy highways helps clear the air of harmful air pollutants from motor vehicles, new research affirms. “They provide benefits that go beyond aesthetics,” Roby Greenwald, an associate professor of public health at Georgia State University in Atlanta, said in a university news release. “But,” he added, “I don’t want to… read on > read on >
Sodas, Fruit Juices Raise Boys’ Odds for Type 2 Diabetes
WEDNESDAY, March 20, 2024 — Boys who drink lots of sugary soda and fruit juice could be more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life, a new study has found. Each daily 8-ounce serving of sugary drinks during a boy’s childhood is associated with a 34% increase in insulin resistance by the time… read on > read on >
Lupus, Type 1 Diabetes Linked to Pregnancy Complications
People with autoimmune disorders such as lupus, type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis tend to have fewer children, and women with this class of illnesses often have higher risks for complications of pregnancy, new research shows. Researchers in Finland compared pregnancy and childbirth outcomes for the roughly 8% of Finnish adults who have some form… read on > read on >
Could Double-Jointed Folk Face Higher COVID Risks?
People who are double-jointed might be at increased risk of developing long COVID, a new study reports. Double-jointed folks are 30% more likely to not fully recover from COVID-19 infection, compared with those who are less flexible, researchers report in the journal BMJ Public Health. They also are more likely to experience the persistent fatigue… read on > read on >
U.S. Abortion Rates Rose After Dobbs Decision, Led by Medication Abortions
Following the historic reversal of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, the number of abortions in the United States has risen to more than a million per year, with medication abortions representing nearly two-thirds of those cases. The numbers come from a new report by the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization focused… read on > read on >
Could Intermittent Fasting Diets Raise Heart Risks?
Intermittent fasting might be bad for your heart, a new study warns. People who restricted their eating to an 8-hour window had nearly twice the risk of heart-related death compared to folks who ate freely, results show. This runs counter to previous research in which intermittent fasting improved several measures related to heart health, including… read on > read on >