Obesity is a known contributor to a host of health risks ranging from diabetes to cancer, but new research suggests it may also delay recovery from a mild traumatic brain injury. Why? The systemic inflammation that being obese can cause in the body may be a driving factor, according to researchers. “This is a very…  read on >  read on >

Nearly 4 out of 10 girls and young women aren’t getting enough iron and they may have their periods to blame, a new U.S. study shows. Menstrual bleeding, especially when heavy, is a major risk factor for iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia, the researchers explained. There are health consequences associated with being low in iron,…  read on >  read on >

Could a grocery cart save lives by preventing possible strokes? It just might. The notion stems from a new British study in which grocery cart handles were embedded with electrocardiogram (EKG) sensors. The goal: to screen shoppers for undiagnosed cases of atrial fibrillation (a-fib), the most common heart rhythm disorder. “Atrial fibrillation is a leading…  read on >  read on >

Meningococcal disease — which includes meningitis — appears to be on the rise among Americans infected with HIV, new research reveals. Researchers stress that the risk to any one person remains exceedingly rare, regardless of their HIV status. Each year between 2017 and 2021 HIV-positive patients accounted for five to 15 cases of the bacterial…  read on >  read on >

Having a couple of drinks a day won’t protect you from obesity or diabetes, a new study suggests. Everybody knows that heavy drinking isn’t good for your health, but whether moderate alcohol consumption is protective or harmful is still open for debate, researchers say. “Some research has indicated that moderate drinkers may be less likely…  read on >  read on >

Coffee kickstarts many a sleepyhead’s day, but a new study argues that it’s not the caffeine alone that provides the morning wake-up. People who took a basic caffeine pill did not experience the same sort of brain boost they did from sipping a cup of coffee, according to brain scans. Caffeine alone does activate some…  read on >  read on >

Growing up in poverty may harm the structural wiring of a child’s brain, a new study claims. Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found a link between both neighborhood and household poverty and the brain’s white matter tracts. These let the brain communicate between its regions and are important for processing…  read on >  read on >

A new study shows that older Americans with health issues are now staying with their Medicare Advantage managed plans, rather than swapping them for traditional plans through a health insurer. Although Medicare Advantage has been criticized in the past for “cherry-picking” healthy patients, that’s no longer the case, according to the research. “This is not…  read on >  read on >

“Superbug” infections are increasing in U.S. hospitals, and a coalition of medical groups has now issued a set of updated recommendations to protect patients. These guidelines are meant to prevent the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, the authors of the recommendations argue. MRSA causes about 10% of hospital-associated infections in the…  read on >  read on >