Want to drop some pounds? Drop the ultra-processed foods, a new study says. People lost twice as much weight on a diet with minimally processed foods compared to one with ultra-processed products, even though both diets were nutritionally matched, researchers reported Aug. 4 in the journal Nature Medicine. “The global food system at the moment…  read on >  read on >

Folks who smoke a lot of marijuana could be facing a more than four-fold odds of developing an oral cancer, new research suggests. “Cannabis smoke contains many of the same carcinogenic compounds found in tobacco smoke, which have known damaging effects on the epithelial tissue that lines the mouth,” noted study lead author Raphael Cuomo,…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) top vaccine official is stepping down after just three months in a role that upset drug companies, patient groups and some political leaders. Dr. Vinay Prasad will leave the agency to “spend more time with his family,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services…  read on >  read on >

More than 1,000 pounds of frozen ground beef are being recalled after metal pieces were reportedly found in the product. The frozen, fully cooked beef was made by Ada Valley Meat Company and sent to food service locations and distributors in five states: California, Delaware, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food…  read on >  read on >

Two years’ involvement in programs focused on healthy eating, regular exercise and “brain training” exercises appears to have helped a wide range of older adults — even those at heightened risk for Alzheimer’s — avoid cognitive decline, a new study finds. The findings, presented Monday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto, “encourage us…  read on >  read on >