When birth rates fall in the United States, experts try to figure out what’s happening. The fertility rate is at its lowest since the 1970s — 1.71 per woman, according to a new study. But it’s not that young people today don’t want children, new research suggests. In fact, they want about as many as… read on > read on >
Could losing your hearing as you age be a harbinger of dementia? Maybe, suggests new research that found that older people who had trouble hearing were more likely to develop dementia down the road. But there’s good news with the bad: Hearing aids — which are now available over-the-counter at much lower prices — may… read on > read on >
TUESDAY, Jan. 17, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — Like many skiers, Dr. Ouida Brown can’t narrow her love of the sport down to just one element. “I love the scenery,” said the orthopedic surgeon from Chicago. “I love the people.” She loves being the first to make tracks in fresh powder in the morning.… read on > read on >
It’s no secret: The standard American diet is at the root of the obesity epidemic and many of its associated diseases. But why is American food so unhealthy? It’s not just that Americans eat too much, which they do, but it’s also what they eat that’s unhealthy: fat, sugar, salt and ultra-processed foods. According to… read on > read on >
TUESDAY, Jan. 17, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — We’ve all walked past them: Little red, yellow or green boxes with hearts on them and the letters “AED.” They can be found in office buildings, gyms, schools, airports, shopping malls – almost anywhere large crowds gather. These little boxes can save lives. But few people… read on > read on >
COVID-19 infection in pregnancy raises a woman’s risk of death sevenfold and significantly elevates her odds for needing intensive care, a new study finds. Getting the virus during pregnancy also ups the likelihood of pneumonia, according to researchers at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. “This study provides the most comprehensive evidence to date suggesting… read on > read on >
Major surgery is a challenge for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), raising their odds of death within a year by 61%, new research shows. The researchers also found these patients incurred 13% higher health care costs in the year after their operation, compared to patients without the respiratory condition. “These increased risks and… read on > read on >
Fires started by people account for a majority of premature deaths related to inhalation of tiny smoke particles in the United States, a new study reveals. These blazes, which are increasing, led to 20,000 premature deaths in 2018. That was 270% more than in 2003, according to researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge.… read on > read on >
For people with a specific type of high blood pressure, British researchers led a new study on a particular CT scan that may enable a cure. In about 5% to 10% of high blood pressure cases, the source is a gene mutation in the adrenal glands, according to earlier research. Tiny benign nodules in the… read on > read on >
A Texas-based education initiative has found that enrolling children in poor communities in gardening and cooking classes may help boost their long-term health. Called “Texas Sprouts,” the program covered one full academic year and exposed elementary school children in 16 low-income schools access to outdoor gardening instruction, nutrition information and cooking lessons. Parents were offered… read on > read on >
