One side effect of the coronavirus pandemic could be long-lasting: U.S. school closures may worsen the child obesity crisis, experts warn. Previous research has shown that kids tend to gain weight when they’re out of school during the summer — especially Hispanic and black youngsters and children who are already overweight. “There could be long-term…  read on >

Even if your takeout dinner was prepared by a cook who has COVID-19, there’s little need to worry about your risk of infection, according to an expert in viruses. “Restaurant kitchens can be one of the safest places in this coronavirus outbreak because they already practice strict hygiene protocols to avoid foodborne illness,” said Paula…  read on >

People with high blood pressure and heart disease may be vulnerable to complications from COVID-19, heart experts say. Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Based on current knowledge, seniors “with coronary heart disease or high blood pressure may be more susceptible to the coronavirus and more…  read on >

Trapped in the house with a cupboard full of food: Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic can spawn an unintended side effect — stress eating. It may be tempting to ease your anxiety with your favorite comfort foods, but emotional eating can hurt you physically and mentally, according to experts from Rush University Medical Center…  read on >

New research suggests that having an underlying health condition might be one of the most significant risk factors for developing a severe case of COVID-19. Scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took a look at a group of U.S. adult COVID-19 patients and found roughly three-quarters of those who wound up…  read on >

Folks with clogged arteries do as well with medication and lifestyle changes as they do after undergoing invasive procedures to reopen their blood vessels, a major new clinical trial reports. Bypass surgery, balloon angioplasty and stenting are no better than drugs, eating right and exercising at reducing the risk of heart attack and death in…  read on >

As hospitals give more and more COVID-19 patients albuterol to help them breathe, people with asthma may have a hard time getting an inhaler. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) said some areas of the United States are experiencing shortages of albuterol inhalers, and the shortage may spread. But Dr. Michael Blaiss,…  read on >

Dentists, hygienists and other dental professionals are at high risk for work-related exposure to coronavirus, but they can take steps to protect themselves. “We have really good ways to prescreen patients: by taking their temperature, asking them questions regarding travel in the last two weeks, asking how they’re feeling and if they have flu-like symptoms,”…  read on >

In a bit of good news about the novel coronavirus, one expert says it looks like livestock and poultry don’t appear to be at risk from COVID-19. The coronavirus most likely jumped from an animal species into humans and mutated into a virus that mostly affects people, said Jim Roth, director of the Center for…  read on >