After a period of improvement, U.S. kids are eating as much fast food as they were in the early 2000s, new government figures show. Researchers found that between 2003 and 2010, there was a decline in U.S. kids’ intake of fast-food calories — dipping from an average of 14% of daily calories, to just under… read on >
Feeling woozy when you stand up may be a sign of an increased risk of developing dementia, a new study suggests. Doctors call this feeling “orthostatic hypotension,” and it occurs when there’s a sudden drop in blood pressure as you stand, explained a team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The… read on >
This school year comes with special challenges for kids as the United States grapples with a coronavirus pandemic, but experts say parents can help their children navigate the tough emotional terrain. Whether returning to a school building, continuing online learning or adjusting to a hybrid school environment, it is normal for children and adolescents to… read on >
Diverging from much of the world, Sweden let COVID-19 spread in hopes the population would develop “herd immunity.” But the risky strategy failed, a new report finds. Rather than imposing a hard lockdown in March as other countries did, the Scandinavian nation relied on individual responsibility to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus. This… read on >
All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are a big draw for adventure-loving kids, but a new study warns that the thrill ride can often land children in the ER. U.S. data shows that nearly 280,000 children were treated over a 25-year period for head and neck injuries caused by ATV accidents. That’s about 31 children each day —… read on >
Kids suffering from nearsightedness can slow the progression of their myopia by using soft bifocal contact lenses, a new trial shows. Bifocal contacts with a powerful corrective prescription slowed the progression of nearsightedness in youngsters by 43% compared to single-vision contacts, the results showed. “The higher the reading portion of the contact lens, the better… read on >
America logged its highest single-day coronavirus death total of the summer on Wednesday, as the toll from an earlier surge in cases in Sun Belt states continued to mount. At least 1,470 deaths were tallied on Wednesday, The New York Times reported. With the exception of three anomalous days this summer (when New York and… read on >
Adding to an ongoing debate over the timing of mammography, a new British study finds that screening women aged 40 to 49 for breast cancer saves lives, with only small increases in overdiagnosis. “This is a very long-term follow-up of a study which confirms that screening in women under 50 can save lives,” researcher Stephen… read on >
Taking a daily low-dose aspirin may speed the progression of cancer in the elderly, a new clinical trial shows. Daily aspirin doubled the risk that a person 70 or older would die from a stage 3 cancer, and increased the death risk associated with stage 4 cancers by nearly a third, according to data from… read on >
Regular testing to catch “silent” COVID-19 spread among students will be key to safely reopening colleges this fall, campus infection control experts say. Extensive modeling suggests that testing college students for COVID every two to three days using a low-cost, less accurate test would be the best strategy for campuses to safely reopen this fall,… read on >
