The key to a long life may be your attitude. Researchers at Harvard studied the impact of optimism on women’s lifespans, finding that optimism was associated with greater longevity, such as living past age 90. Lead study author Hayami Koga, a PhD candidate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, decided…  read on >  read on >

A new study warns that the social media giant TikTok is filled with confusing and wrong information about the heart-healthy, plant-based approach to eating dubbed the Mediterranean diet. For the study, researchers analyzed 200 videos posted to the platform last August. They were the first to pop up on a search for content tagged #mediterraneandiet.…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine advisory panel voted unanimously on Tuesday to recommend the agency approve the emergency use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 6 to 17. Despite the unanimous support, some panel members worried that trials of the vaccine were conducted before the emergence of the Omicron variant. They noted…  read on >  read on >

Overall use of insulin pumps among U.S. youngsters with type 1 diabetes has climbed in recent decades, but those who are poor or from minority groups are less likely to have the devices, a new study finds. Insulin pumps, which do away with the need for numerous painful injections, have been shown to improve control…  read on >  read on >

Catnip may do more than give cats a wicked buzz: A new study finds it may also help protect them from pests such as mosquitoes. The leaves of catnip and its Asian counterpart, silvervine, contain nepetalactol and nepetalactone — two types of compounds called iridoids, which repel insects. Researchers in Japan investigated how cats’ chewing…  read on >  read on >

People who have never outgrown an aversion to broccoli, or an addiction to potato chips, can place part of the blame on their genes, preliminary research suggests. The study, of over 6,200 adults, turned up correlations between certain taste-related genes and people’s preferences for particular food groups. Those whose genes made them sensitive to bitter…  read on >  read on >

Many people think they make healthy food choices, but they may be viewing their diet through rose-colored glasses. That’s the main finding of a new study that aimed to identify disconnects between how healthfully Americans think they eat and how they actually do. “It appears difficult for adults in the United States to accurately assess…  read on >  read on >

The first reported case of a cat giving COVID-19 to a person shouldn’t alarm pet owners, but a Canadian expert says it’s a reminder to take precautions. “I think it’s important for us to recognize this virus still can move between species,” veterinary specialist Dr. Scott Weese recently told the New York Times. The case…  read on >  read on >