Despite reports that rates of childhood obesity are decreasing, kids seem to be packing on pounds at younger ages. In 1998, just under 73% of children entering kindergarten in 1998 had a normal body mass index (BMI), while 15.1% were overweight, and 12% were obese. However, fast forward 12 years and just 69% of kids… read on > read on >
In yet another report that illustrates the dangers pot poses to the young, developing brain, a new British study finds teenagers are much more likely than adults to develop an addiction to marijuana. “We found that teenagers are three and a half times more likely to have severe cannabis use disorder, which is essentially cannabis… read on > read on >
Exactly when do your kids become curious about smoking or alcohol? Earlier than you think, new research shows. Children as young as 9 and 10 start to wonder about tobacco, booze and even marijuana, and many may have easy access to these substances at home, mostly because their parents have not forbidden their use yet.… read on > read on >
COVID-19 has officially joined heart disease and cancer as a leading cause of death in the United States for two years in a row. The virus was the third-leading cause of death for the period between when the pandemic began in March 2020 and October 2021, according to an analysis of national death certificate data… read on > read on >
(HealthDay News) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked a recent Listeria outbreak to ice cream made by Florida-based Big Olaf Creamery. One person has died in the outbreak involving 10 states, while 22 have been hospitalized. The agency said that health officials interviewed 17 of those those who got sick… read on > read on >
(HealthDay News) – Most U.S. children and adults have poor scores for heart health, according to a new assessment tool called “Life’s Essential 8.” Fewer than 30% of 2- to 19-year-olds had high scores for cardiovascular health on the new American Heart Association scoring tool. And their scores got lower with age. Just 14% of… read on > read on >
Vitamin D, the “Sunshine Vitamin,” boosts the immune system and helps prevent cancer, among other health benefits, but a significant number of Black and Hispanic teens have low levels of this nutrient, according to a new study. “This paper calls attention to the need to raise awareness among clinicians regarding social determinants of health and… read on > read on >
(HealthDay News) – The symptoms of patients with monkeypox in the United Kingdom differ from those in previous outbreaks of the virus, a new study shows. It said there have been fewer reports of fever and tiredness while reports of skin lesions in the genital and anal areas have been more common. Location of the… read on > read on >
Death rates for U.S. pregnant women or those who had just delivered jumped sharply during the first year of the pandemic, new research shows. While U.S. death rates increased overall by 16% in 2020, for pregnant and early postpartum women it was officially even higher, at 18%, according to U.S. National Center for Health Statistics… read on > read on >
If a national abortion ban follows a Supreme Court ruling overturning the nearly 50-year-old Roe v. Wade decision, U.S. maternal deaths would likely increase by 24%, new research suggests. That assessment, based on newly released 2020 data, is a 14% increase over an earlier estimate based on 2017 data. Pregnant Black women would face even… read on > read on >
