It’s probably fair to say that most people know of the so-called “Freshman 15” — the weight that college students are often said to gain when they’re away from home for the first time. But in recent decades, matters have gotten much worse in the United States. A new study using national data for people…  read on >  read on >

A COVID-19 vaccine booster shot gives cancer patients — especially those with blood cancer — much-needed protection, new research reports. “Our study demonstrates in clear terms how the booster shot can make all the difference for some people with compromised immune systems, such as people with cancer,” study co-author Dr. Balazs Halmos said in a…  read on >  read on >

Neurologists must make sure Alzheimer’s patients and their families understand that the controversial drug aducanumab does not restore mental function, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) said in new position statement that includes ethical guidelines. “Aducanumab is not a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, yet since it has been approved by the [U.S. Food and Drug…  read on >  read on >

Race-based gaps in health care and health outcomes persist in every region of the United States, a new state-by-state report card shows. Racial and ethnic disparities woven throughout America and its system of health care mean that people of color are more likely to die younger from preventable illnesses than white people, according to a…  read on >  read on >

Despite stereotypes about seniors and technology, a small study suggests that older adults in the early stages of dementia can use smartphone apps as memory aids. The researchers found that older people with mild impairments in memory and thinking were not only able to learn how to use the apps, they said the digital aids…  read on >  read on >

Moderna asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday to allow emergency use of the company’s coronavirus vaccine booster for all adults aged 18 and older. Currently, the booster is approved for people 65 and older, along with adults in long-term care homes, those with underlying medical conditions and those with jobs that put…  read on >  read on >

Nearly a third of health care staff in U.S. hospitals were not vaccinated against COVID-19 as of mid-September, a new study shows. Researchers analyzed data on more than 3.3 million health care workers at more than 2,000 hospitals nationwide between Jan. 20 and Sept. 15. “Our analysis revealed that vaccine coverage among U.S. hospital-based [health…  read on >  read on >

Vaccinated health care workers with breakthrough COVID-19 infections shed less virus than those who are unvaccinated and infected, according to University of California, Los Angeles researchers. “SARS-CoV-2 viral loads are known to be a critical driver of transmission,” wrote authors led by Dr. Paul Adamson, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of infectious…  read on >  read on >