Americans are falling farther behind the rest of the developed world when it comes to health and life expectancy, a new study shows. Life expectancy in the United States is expected to increase to 79.9 years in 2035 and 80.4 years by 2050, up from 78.3 years in 2022, researchers reported. That sounds good, but… read on > read on >
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1 in 20 Pregnant U.S. Women Face Emotional, Physical Abuse
Pregnancy can be a trying time for women at best, but new research shows that 1 in every 20 pregnant American women also suffer physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Abuse can take a toll on the mental and physical health of the mom-to-be and her baby, because it’s strongly linked to “delayed prenatal care, depression… read on > read on >
AI Reads Multiple Mammograms to Help Predict Breast Cancer Risk
A new AI can help identify women at higher risk for developing breast cancer by tracking changes in breast tissue, a new study shows. The AI compares women’s own mammograms over time, looking for early signs of breast cancer that are tough to see even by a well-trained specialist, researchers said. “Our new method is… read on > read on >
Stroke Survivors Face Much Higher Odds for Dementia
Stroke survivors have an 80% increased risk of dementia compared to people who’ve never suffered a stroke, a new study finds. About 19% of people who’d had a stroke developed dementia during an average six-year follow-up, compared with just 13% of those with no stroke, researchers reported Dec. 4 in the journal Neurology. “Importantly, our… read on > read on >
Eating Ultra-processed Foods Could Add Fat to Your Thighs
Eating lots of ultra-processed foods appears linked to a buildup of fat in the thighs, which in turn raises a person’s odds for arthritis in the knees, new research shows. “In an adult population at risk for but without knee or hip osteoarthritis, consuming ultra-processed foods is linked to increased fat within the thigh muscles,”… read on > read on >
U.S. Overdose Deaths Linked to Fentanyl May Be Declining
Deaths from fentanyl-linked drug overdoses have begun to decline in the United States, but the crisis is far from over and those numbers could easily rise again, a new government report shows. About 70% of fatal drug overdoses recorded in 2023 involved fentanyl, the research showed. The number of these deaths dropped 7.8% nationwide in… read on > read on >
Prenatal Blood Tests for Baby Are Spotting Cancers in Moms-to-Be
Could a prenatal blood test designed to find abnormalities in a fetus also detect hidden cancer in the mom-to-be? A new study says yes: Scientists report they discovered cancer in nearly half (48%) of expecting mothers with abnormal results on the blood test, known as a prenatal cell-free DNA test. The cancers included colon, breast,… read on > read on >
Weight Loss Brings Americans Big Health Care Savings
The advent of GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Wegovy and Zepbound has spurred debate as to whether the drugs’ cost should be covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers. Late last month, the Biden administration proposed that the drugs be covered by Medicare and Medicaid, a move that would have to be approved by the… read on > read on >
CTE Rates Rise Year-by-Year in Pro Hockey Players
Hockey players’ chances of developing concussion-related brain injury increase with every year they spend on the ice, a new study finds. The odds of having chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) increase among hockey players 34% for each year played, researchers reported Dec. 4 in JAMA Network Open. Results show 18 out of 19 National Hockey League… read on > read on >
California Farm Expands Raw Milk Recall After Bird Flu Virus Found in More Samples
A California dairy farm has expanded a recall of its raw milk and cream after state health officials discovered bird flu virus in more milk samples. In a notice posted Tuesday, Fresno-based Raw Farm LLC said it has now recalled all whole milk and cream products with “use by” dates of Nov. 27 to Dec.… read on > read on >