Want to hold a preschooler’s interest in learning something new? Give them just enough information to make them want to know more, a new study suggests. This creates the perfect mix of uncertainty and curiosity in children, said researchers from Rutgers University, in New Jersey. “There is an infinite amount of information in the real… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
Fireworks Deaths Spiked in Pandemic; Stay Safe This 4th
The COVID-19 pandemic likely played a role in the 50% increase in deaths from fireworks in the United States last year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says. Many public fireworks displays were canceled last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That led many people to light rockets, sparklers and firecrackers in their own… read on > read on >
Wealth & Health: How Big Financial Changes Affect Your Heart
The state of your finances may affect more than your pocketbook. So claims new research that suggests a loss of wealth is associated with an increased risk of heart problems, while a boost in finances is associated with a lower risk. “Low wealth is a risk factor that can dynamically change over a person’s life… read on > read on >
New Insights Into How Eating Disorders Alter the Brain
Behaviors associated with eating disorders can make real changes to the brain, new research shows. The findings could help explain why these serious disorders are often chronic — and may also point the way to new treatments. Eating disorders — such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge-eating disorder — can result in severe complications, including… read on > read on >
More Evidence Spanking Kids Doesn’t Work, Can Cause Harm
Is spanking good for parents? Is spanking good for kids? Is spanking good for anyone? No, no and no, according to a big new review of prior research. “Zero studies found that physical punishment predicted better child behavior over time,” said study co-author Elizabeth Gershoff, a professor of human development and family sciences at the… read on > read on >
Women’s Cancer Screenings Plummeted During Pandemic
Breast and cervical cancer screenings dropped sharply among low-income minority women during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. That could lead to delayed cancer diagnoses, health consequences and an increase in existing disparities, the agency warned. The new findings “reinforce the need to safely maintain routine health care services… read on > read on >
Most Americans Who Wanted COVID Vaccine Have Already Gotten One: Poll
In another sign that coronavirus vaccination rates have plateaued in America, a new poll shows that most adults who wanted a COVID-19 vaccine have already gotten one. Released Wednesday, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) report shows 65% of adults polled have received at least one dose of the vaccine, up from 62% in May. But… read on > read on >
Delicious & Deadly: Southern U.S. Diet Tied to Higher Odds for Sudden Death
Planning to celebrate the Fourth of July with a traditional Southern-style spread of fried chicken, pork rinds, buttermilk biscuits and sweet tea? Don’t make it an everyday habit. These staples of a regional diet heavy in fried foods, fats and sugary drinks may boost your odds for sudden cardiac death, a new study warns. The… read on > read on >
Some Myeloma Patients Get No Protection From COVID-19 Vaccines
Because they’re often given drugs that suppress their immune systems, people battling a blood cancer known as multiple myeloma have varying responses to the COVID-19 vaccine, new research shows. Some patients had no evidence at all of COVID-fighting antibody production after getting two doses of vaccine, the new study found. In a minority of cases,… read on > read on >
Gene Differences Could Have Black Patients Undergoing Unnecessary Biopsies
A gene variant may be driving high rates of unnecessary bone marrow biopsies in Black Americans, researchers say. The variant is responsible for lower white blood cell levels in some healthy Black people, the investigators said. “We’ve essentially created this racial health disparity by not fully considering how genetic variation affects white blood cell levels,”… read on > read on >