Some of the most effective public policies for suicide prevention aren’t crafted with suicide or mental health in mind, a new study says. Efforts to increase the minimum wage, prohibit gender discrimination, or reduce alcohol consumption “have spillover benefits in that they also prevent suicides,” lead researcher Jonathan Purtle, an associate professor of public health… read on > read on >
Public health officials must prepare to counter ongoing anti-vaccine sentiment in coming years, argues a leading pediatrician-scientist. “Antivaccine activism became a major lethal force in America” during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in an estimated 200,000 deaths among the unvaccinated, according to an article in the journal PLOS Global Public Health written by Dr. Peter Hotez.… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8,Sugar-sweetened drink consumption accounts for more than 2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes, and 1.2 million new cases of heart disease worldwide annually. According to new research published Jan. 6 in the journal Nature Medicine, people all over the world are impacted by this growing problem. Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa… read on > read on >
The Mediterranean diet is renown for its ability to improve heart health and help folks lose weight. Now a new rat study says this eating pattern also might provide folks a boost in brain power. Lab rats fed a Mediterranean diet developed changes in gut bacteria that researchers linked to better memory and improved cognitive… read on > read on >
Preventing diabetes can be as good for a person’s wallet as it is for their health, a new study says. People participating in a diabetes prevention program saved more than $5,000 in direct medical costs over two years, researchers reported recently in the journal Diabetes Care. These prediabetic folks saved money by not needing to… read on > read on >
Three GLP-1 drugs are best at helping obese and overweight people drop weight, including one that hasn’t yet been approved for that purpose. A new evidence review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that the widely-known drugs tirzepatide (Zepbound) and semaglutide (Wegovy) are both safe and effective at helping the obese shed pounds.… read on > read on >
That cold sore on your lip might be painful and unsightly, but it could also be a harbinger of debilitating brain aging. The oral herpes virus appears to be linked with Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that the common infection might play a role in the disease, a new study published in the journal Cell Reports says.… read on > read on >
The U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) released the first-ever guidelines for levels of lead in processed baby foods this week. However, many health and safety advocates say they are not satisfied with the guidance. Under the FDA’s new guidelines, baby food manufacturers should have no more than 10 parts per billion of lead in… read on > read on >
Pulse oximeters — those tiny devices that measure blood oxygen levels with a quick clip to your finger — may soon get a major upgrade to ensure they work just as well for people of all skin tones. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released draft guidelines on Jan. 6 proposing that manufacturers conduct… read on > read on >
Fluoride exposure appears to slightly decrease IQ scores in children, a new federal meta-analysis has concluded — but not at the low levels recommended for U.S. drinking water. Fluoride in drinking water was associated with reduced IQ scores at levels of less than 4 milligrams per liter, but not at less than 1.5 mg/L, according… read on > read on >
