Some of the most effective public policies for suicide prevention aren’t crafted with suicide or mental health in mind, a new study says. Efforts to increase the minimum wage, prohibit gender discrimination, or reduce alcohol consumption “have spillover benefits in that they also prevent suicides,” lead researcher Jonathan Purtle, an associate professor of public health… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8,Sugar-sweetened drink consumption accounts for more than 2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes, and 1.2 million new cases of heart disease worldwide annually. According to new research published Jan. 6 in the journal Nature Medicine, people all over the world are impacted by this growing problem. Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa… read on > read on >
The Mediterranean diet is renown for its ability to improve heart health and help folks lose weight. Now a new rat study says this eating pattern also might provide folks a boost in brain power. Lab rats fed a Mediterranean diet developed changes in gut bacteria that researchers linked to better memory and improved cognitive… read on > read on >
Preventing diabetes can be as good for a person’s wallet as it is for their health, a new study says. People participating in a diabetes prevention program saved more than $5,000 in direct medical costs over two years, researchers reported recently in the journal Diabetes Care. These prediabetic folks saved money by not needing to… read on > read on >
That cold sore on your lip might be painful and unsightly, but it could also be a harbinger of debilitating brain aging. The oral herpes virus appears to be linked with Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that the common infection might play a role in the disease, a new study published in the journal Cell Reports says.… read on > read on >
The U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) released the first-ever guidelines for levels of lead in processed baby foods this week. However, many health and safety advocates say they are not satisfied with the guidance. Under the FDA’s new guidelines, baby food manufacturers should have no more than 10 parts per billion of lead in… read on > read on >
Pulse oximeters — those tiny devices that measure blood oxygen levels with a quick clip to your finger — may soon get a major upgrade to ensure they work just as well for people of all skin tones. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released draft guidelines on Jan. 6 proposing that manufacturers conduct… read on > read on >
Fluoride exposure appears to slightly decrease IQ scores in children, a new federal meta-analysis has concluded — but not at the low levels recommended for U.S. drinking water. Fluoride in drinking water was associated with reduced IQ scores at levels of less than 4 milligrams per liter, but not at less than 1.5 mg/L, according… read on > read on >
A Louisiana resident has died after being hospitalized with bird flu in December of last year, marking the first known U.S. death from the virus. The patient who, “was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions,” state health officials announced in a statement, tested positive for the virus and… read on > read on >
It’s long been a mystery why folks need a flu vaccine every year, even though immunizations they got in childhood continue to protect them from measles and mumps. Researchers now think they know why vaccine effectiveness varies — and they’ve even come up with a blood test to check a vaccine’s durability. “Our study defines… read on > read on >
