U.S. Gun Deaths Reach New Highs

THURSDAY, Oct. 6, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Murders and suicides involving guns have reached an all-time high in the United States, health officials reported Thursday.

From 2020 to 2021, the rate of firearm homicides increased by more than 8%, as did the rate of firearm suicides, according to the report from the U.S. Cent...

1 in 7 U.S. High School Students Now Vapes

Teen vaping continues at concerning levels, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

About 2.5 million middle school and high school students reported that they had vaped in the past 30 days in 2022, according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

That was 1...

Fish Oil Could Strengthen Your Aging Brain

THURSDAY, Oct. 6, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Fish has been dubbed "brain food," and a new study suggests that may really be true for middle-aged adults.

Researchers found that among more than 2,000 middle-aged people, those with higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids performed better on tests of certain thinking skills...

Late-Night Meals Especially Bad for Weight Gain: Study

Your fondness for midnight snacks has caused you to pack on the pounds over the years, and now researchers have a better understanding of why.

While late-night eating has long been linked with an increased risk for obesity, researchers weren't sure exactly how it caused weight gain until now.

"When meals are delayed by four hours and...

AHA News: He Ran a 10K, Went Into Heart Failure and Got a New Heart – All in a Few Weeks

Several days after running a 10K event in Atlanta in 2019, Arthur Vaughn found himself breathless simply walking across the room.

Vaughn's primary care physician recommended he see a cardiologist. The exam included a stress test. After three minutes on the treadmill, Vaughn vomited. The doctor told him to ask his then-wife to join them.

Move to Zero-Emission Trucks Could Save 66,000 U.S. Lives

Replacing diesel-powered trucks and the toxic pollutants they spew with electric vehicles would save tens of thousands of U.S. lives, a new American Lung Association report says.

The benefit would accrue if all medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold have zero emissions by 2050, and if the electricity they use comes from non-combustion renewabl...

COVID Boosters Could Save 90,000 Lives This Winter. Will Americans Get Them?

How many Americans will die of COVID-19 this winter could depend on how many get their booster shots, a new report shows.

Up to 90,000 U.S. COVID deaths could be prevented through the fall and winter, but that is less likely if vaccine uptake continues at the current slow pace, the Commonwealth Fund study released Wednesday predicted. Deat...

Instagram 'Post-Baby' Body Shots Don't Reflect Average Women, Study Finds

Millions of women routinely check Instagram after giving birth, only to see posts by other new moms showing off how fast they got back into svelte shape.

Of course, photos like those can be a real downer for women who don't have the time or resources to lose pregnancy weight that quickly. Are they "failures" for not doing so?

No, sa...

Petting a Dog Does Your Brain Some Good

If you have dogs, you probably already know that petting them can give you a lift.

Researchers set out to prove that using technology to show what happens in the brain when stroking or sitting next to a dog. They also compared that to petting a stuffed animal.

They found that when study participants viewed, felt and touched real do...

Under 21? Many N.J. Stores Will Still Sell You Cigarettes

Though it is illegal nationwide to sell tobacco products to anyone under age 21, many New Jersey stores still do, an undercover study revealed.

More than 40% of store visits by 18- to 20-year-olds in New Jersey resulted in purchase of cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products, the study found.

While customers in this age range w...

Another Sports Bonus for Kids: Healthier Eyes

Sometimes allergies can lead to pink, irritated eyes. But allergic conjunctivitis, or "pink eye" may have a simple fix: physical fitness.

That's the conclusion of researchers in Taiwan who tracked health data of more than 1.2 million children. The kids were examined at age 10, sometime between 2010 and 2018.

The investigators also us...

Firefighters Show Fasting Diets Can Work for Shift Workers

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- "Time-restricted" eating is a popular way to lose weight, and a new study suggests it can offer shift-workers a way to eat more healthfully.

Time-restricted eating is a form of intermittent fasting, where people limit themselves to eating within a certain time window each day. ...

Medical Groups Urge Protections for Health Workers Providing Gender-Affirming Care

Three leading medical groups have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate growing threats to doctors, hospitals and families providing and seeking gender-affirming care.

In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Medical Association (AMA) and Children's Hospital Asso...

Coldplay Suspends Tour Over Chris Martin's 'Serious Lung Infection'

The band Coldplay said Wednesday that it has to postpone several shows in Brazil because its lead singer, Chris Martin, has a “serious lung infection" and must rest for the next three weeks.

The band made the announcement on its website and social media.

“We’re optimistic that Chris will return to good health after the prescri...

Yoga, Mindfulness Could Be Powerful Tools to Manage Blood Sugar

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Yoga, meditation and other mindfulness practices may help people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar — nearly to the degree that standard medications like metformin do, a new analysis suggests.

That does not mean people should swap their medication for meditation. Th...

Severe Food Allergies Can Traumatize Kids, But New Program Helps Ease Fears

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- For a young child with life-threatening food allergies "the world looks like a minefield," a New Jersey mother says.

It's a stress-filled landscape that financial adviser Amy Leis knows all too well. Her daughter Zoe was just a few months old when she suffered her first serious...

AHA News: Abuse, Neglect in Childhood May Increase Heart Failure Risk as an Adult

Childhood trauma, especially physical abuse, might increase the risk of heart failure later in life, according to new research.

Past studies have found a connection between traumatic experiences in childhood and cardiovascular disease and other health problems. But there's been little research on a specific link to heart failure, in which ...

CDC Warns of Possible Severe Flu Season Ahead

Australia is experiencing its worst flu season in five years, and that doesn’t bode well for the United States, federal health officials warned Tuesday.

America's flu season often mirrors what unfolds in Australia, where winter spans April through October.

Making matters worse, only 49% of Americans plan to get a flu shot during t...

CDC Drops COVID Travel Advisories as Countries Stop Tracking Cases

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is dropping its foreign travel advisories for COVID. The agency explained that because so many countries have stopped tracking their COVID cases, it can no longer accurately calculate health risks to travelers.

Going forward, the CDC will only ...

Half of Cases of Childhood Blindness in U.S. Didn't Have to Happen

More than half of sightless children in the United States did not have to lose their vision, according to a new study.

The findings suggest the need to prioritize addressing preventable vision loss in all children in America, said study co-author Dr. Scott Lambert, a professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University in California.

H...