A minimally invasive procedure called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) was as effective as the recommended surgery for treating fibroids in the uterus, a new study says. In UFE, the fibroid growths’ blood supply is cut off using a small tube. The new research found that this approach also led to fewer complications compared to myomectomy,…  read on >

The healthiest community in the United States is Douglas County in Colorado, according to the 2019 rankings just released by U.S. News & World Report. The others in the top five healthiest communities are Los Alamos County in New Mexico; the city of Falls Church and Loudoun County, both in Virginia; and Broomfield County in…  read on >

Two medical groups have declared war on sodas and energy drinks by calling for taxes on what has become the leading source of sugar in the diets of children and teens. In a new joint policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Heart Association (AHA) also recommended a host of other…  read on >

More U.S. veterans are at increased risk for heart disease, a looming public health problem, researchers say. They analyzed data from more than 153,000 people who took part in the National Health Interview Survey, conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Vets between the ages of…  read on >

Maybe you rush around with work and activities during the day, then settle in for a large, relaxing meal in the evening. But new research says the later in the day you eat, the more weight you’re likely to pack on. That’s the takeaway from a week-long study involving 31 overweight and obese patients, mostly…  read on >

Fathers-to-be who expose their pregnant partners to secondhand smoke put their babies at risk of heart defects, researchers warn. For the new study, investigators in China reviewed 125 studies that included a total of nearly 9 million prospective parents and more than 137,000 babies with congenital heart defects. All types of parental smoking were linked…  read on >

More American women had health insurance and access to care after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was fully in place in 2014, and poorest women benefited most, according to a new report. For the study, researchers examined U.S. National Health Interview Survey data on insurance affordability, access to care and the use of preventive services…  read on >

No one likes to get a colonoscopy, but new research suggests that mailing at-home colon cancer tests to folks who are overdue for their checks might prompt them to get screened. “We believe that mailing kits directly to patients, which frames participation as the default, reduced steps in the screening process, making it easier for…  read on >

Expectant moms often try to plan as many aspects of their upcoming delivery as they can. But one thing they might not consider is what type of pain relief they will choose if they need to have a C-section. Now, new research from the University of Texas suggests that while opioids can control pain, a…  read on >

Video games provide unlimited entertainment, and interactive ones can even help you burn off calories. But you may not know that playing games — either in person or through shared online networks — can unite family members from many generations in meaningful ways. Researchers at Concordia University in Montreal found that playing social network games,…  read on >