Bacterial infections are to blame for 1 in 8 deaths and are second only to heart disease as the world’s leading cause of death, a new report reveals. About 7.7 million people died in 2019 from infection with one of 33 common types of bacteria, according to the report published Nov. 21 in The Lancet.… read on > read on >
With U.S. health officials calling childhood obesity a public health crisis, conversations about weight are important. But what you say to your kids can be challenging, and even counterproductive, a new study found. “Body weight is a sensitive issue and the way we talk about it matters,” said lead author Rebecca Puhl, deputy director of… read on > read on >
Flu season has struck the United States hard and early, burdening hospitals that are also coping with a surge in other respiratory viruses, including RSV and COVID-19. The nation has seen at least 4.4 million cases of flu so far this season, with 38,000 hospitalizations and 2,100 deaths from flu, the U.S. Centers for Disease… read on > read on >
Vaccines have become a hot topic in the past few years, but a new survey finds many parents aren’t discussing immunization with their child’s doctor. Though a child’s pediatrician has often been the go-to resource on vaccines, the University of Michigan Medicine poll found that 1 in 7 parents have not discussed vaccines with their… read on > read on >
Fungi found in the soil are causing lung infections nationwide, even in places that doctors aren’t aware are at risk. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not revised maps for environmental fungi since 1969, according to a new study that found one disease-causing fungus — histoplasma, or histo — to be more… read on > read on >
When loved ones come together for your Thanksgiving feast, keep in mind your those who have food allergies. Practice safety in menu planning, food preparation and even serving, urged Courtney Cary, a senior dietitian at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Be aware of the eight most common allergens: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy,… read on > read on >
The Biden administration on Thursday offered assistance to communities and hospitals dealing with a surge in cases of pediatric respiratory illnesses, but it did not declare a national public health emergency. The Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics had asked President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra for… read on > read on >
Something — or rather, someone — may be standing between moms and a regular exercise routine: their children. New research from the universities of Cambridge and Southampton in the United Kingdom suggests that fewer than half of mothers met recommended activity levels, a number that was even lower when the children were younger or there… read on > read on >
It’s sort of like the Goldilocks principle — a room that’s either too dry or too humid can influence transmission of COVID-19 and cause more illness or death, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers say. Maintaining an indoor relative humidity between 40% and 60% is associated with lower rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths, they reported… read on > read on >
Millions of parents drop their toddlers off at day care centers so they can go to work, but some are racked with guilt about it. One of their main concerns? Time spent in group day care could encourage their toddler to start acting out. Now, a large, new study suggests that parents can breathe a… read on > read on >
