Yikes! The way parents use their phones around their kids may influence how much inappropriate content kids consume. Researchers reported Feb. 4 in the journal BMC Pediatrics that the odds of kids watching R-rated movies or playing mature-rated video games rose with higher parental screen use and inconsistent family media rules. The study analyzed data…  read on >  read on >

Never mind the grumbles and groans that accompany a clock alarm, along with a lunge for the snooze bar and murmurs of “five more minutes.” People generally wake in their best frame of mind, enjoying peak mental health and wellbeing in the morning, researchers reported in a new study published Feb. 4 in BMJ Mental…  read on >  read on >

Many Americans don’t see anything wrong with taking daily low-dose aspirin, even though experts have concluded its risks outweigh its benefits, a new survey has found. Nearly half (48%) of people incorrectly think that the benefits of taking low-dose aspirin daily to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke outweigh the risks, according to…  read on >  read on >

Landing in the hospital with COVID or the flu can put your heart health at dire risk, a new study suggests. Adults hospitalized for a severe infection are more than twice as likely to develop heart failure years later, according to findings published Jan. 30 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The results…  read on >  read on >

Cold showers or ice baths have become a trendy way to recuperate after a heavy-duty workout, but do they actually help? A new evidence review suggests there’s some science to back up the hype. People report lower stress, improved sleep and better quality of life following cold-water immersion, researchers reported Jan. 29 in the journal…  read on >  read on >

COVID-19 continues to be a threat to America’s health, causing more illness and death than either influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a new study suggests. COVID accounted for 3 of 5 (60%) respiratory illnesses among military veterans treated by the U.S. Veterans Health Administration during the 2023-2024 cold and flu season, researchers reported Jan.…  read on >  read on >

That busy highway could be contributing to depression, and not just because you’re snarled in a traffic jam. Air pollution from traffic appears to increase risk of depression among women, according to a new study published Jan. 21 in the journal Menopause. Further, researchers think this air pollution might be raising depression risk by affecting…  read on >  read on >

A proposed ban on formaldehyde in chemical hair straightening products — linked to cancer and other health risks — has hit a roadblock after an executive order from President Donald Trump paused all new regulations. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been considering banning formaldehyde and ingredients that release formaldehyde when heated from…  read on >  read on >

Hesitancy over the COVID-19 vaccine is leading some parents to skip important vaccinations for their children. Young children of parents who declined the COVID vaccine are about 25% less likely to get the standard measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, researchers reported in a new study published recently in the American Journal of Public Health. Public health officials…  read on >  read on >