THURSDAY, Nov. 23, 2023 (Healthday News) — Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday eating season, when everyone is constantly tempted by sweet treats, rich foods and fancy, high-calorie drinks. But before diving into decadent eating, consider trying to make healthy food choices during the festivities, one expert suggests. “The holidays are a time for…  read on >  read on >

Middle-aged folks with lots of belly fat surrounding their internal organs appear to be at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease later in life, a new study suggests. This hidden abdominal fat — known as visceral fat — is related to changes in the brain up to 15 years before the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s manifest,…  read on >  read on >

Record numbers of children and tweens now take melatonin for sleep, potentially doing harm to their development, a new study warns. Nearly one in five school-aged kids are popping melatonin to help them rest, often with the help of their parents, researchers reported in the Nov. 13 issue of the journal JAMA Pediatrics. But safety…  read on >  read on >

Retatrutide, an experimental weight-loss drug that could compete against blockbusters Wegovy and Zepbound, may work wonders for obese folks with liver disease, new research shows. A wider study, published in June, found that retatrutide helped obese people lose about a quarter of their starting weight over an 11-month period. Now, findings from a subset of…  read on >  read on >

Pesticide exposure appears to be linked to lower sperm concentrations in men around the world, a new large-scale evidence review has concluded. A review of 25 studies spanning nearly 50 years found consistent links between lower sperm concentrations and two widely used classes of insecticides, organophosphates and N-methyl carbamates, researchers said. “This review is the…  read on >  read on >