Study: Banning fast food ads could slash obesity rate

A study funded in part by the federal government found a ban on fast-food ads aimed at children could slash the national obesity rate by 18%. "We have known for some time that childhood obesity has gripped our culture, but little empirical research has been done that identifies television advertising as a possible cause," said a study author. More...

U.S. adults have lower LDL cholesterol, higher triglycerides

Researchers say that while U.S. adults have reduced their levels of bad LDL cholesterol since 1980, their levels of harmful triglycerides have almost quintupled. The gains may be due to increased awareness about heart disease, healthier diets and the use of statins, while the elevated triglyceride levels may be attributed to the growing obesity epidemic, researchers said. More..

Family history carries breast cancer risk without gene mutations

A study of 1,500 women with a family history of breast cancer who tested negative for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations found the women still had a fourfold increased risk of developing breast cancer. The women did not have an increased risk for ovarian cancer, the study found. More...

Group therapy improves survival for breast cancer patients

A study including 227 women with breast cancer found that those who took part in one year of psychological group therapy were 56% less likely to die of breast cancer and 45% less likely to experience recurrence than patients who did not undergo therapy. Researchers said stress reduction may have boosted the women's immune function and contributed to the improved survival. More...

Too little sleep linked to higher risk of heart disease

Researchers studied 1,225 seniors with a history of hypertension and found a 33% higher incidence of cardiovascular events among people who got less than seven and a half hours of sleep each night and had elevated overnight blood pressure, compared with those who slept longer. More...

The 20 Unhealthiest Drinks in America

A study from the University of North Carolina found that we consume 450 calories a day from beverages, nearly twice as many as 30 years ago! This increase amounts to an extra 23 pounds a year that we're forced to work off—or carry around with us. More...

Google tool provides early warning for flu outbreaks

Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, has developed a Web tool that can detect regional flu outbreaks seven to 10 days ahead of CDC reports. Google Flu Trends works by monitoring trends in flu-related search terms on its search engine. Google plans to expand the service, which currently only covers the U.S., to track influenza and other diseases globally. More...

Heart-failure patients can exercise

Heart failure patients can safely work out at the gym, ride bikes and do other exercises once deemed too strenuous, although the activity was not linked to a reduction in hospitalizations or death, according to new research from Duke University. The findings could spark an effort to change public policy on treating heart failure and prompt Medicare and private insurers to cover physician-guided exercise programs for these patients. More..

The 10 healthiest grocery stores in the U.S.

Whole Foods, Safeway and Harris Teeter top the list of the freshest and healthiest grocers in the U.S., according to Health magazine. The stores offer wide selections of produce and organic products, as well as clear nutritional labeling and healthful prepared meals. More..

Lack of Potassium Linked to High Blood Pressure

Consuming too little potassium may pose as much of a risk for high blood pressure as too much sodium, particularly for blacks, new research says. The link between high blood pressure and low potassium was strong even when age, race and other cardiovascular risk factors were taken into account. More..

Aspirin Doesn't Guard Diabetics Against Heart Disease

Two studies show low-dose aspirin and vitamins E and C don't significantly protect certain patients from cardiac events. A study of more than 2,500 Japanese diabetics shows a daily aspirin regimen resulted in only a slight reduction in risk but did reduce combined fatal coronary and cerebrovascular events. A separate, eight-year study of more than 14,000 U.S. male physicians found vitamins E and C had no affect on the incidence of major cardiovascular events or death. more...

CDC: Too many Americans unaware of pre-diabetes

A CDC analysis of data on 24,000 U.S. adults found that more than 25% of Americans have pre-diabetes but only 4% were aware of their condition. Researchers said more awareness about pre-diabetes could help people make healthier lifestyle choices and reduce their risk of developing diabetes. More...

Research shows no cancer risk reduction with vitamin B

U.S. researchers say women who took vitamin B supplements for more than seven years were no more or less likely to develop or die from cancer than were women who took a placebo. The study included 5,442 women who were health care professionals and who had cardiovascular disease or risk factors, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels. More..

Poll shows few people concerned about diabetes risk

An online Harris Interactive poll of more than 2,400 adults found getting cancer is the biggest health fear for 49% of respondents, while only 3% said they worry about getting diabetes. Each disease has about the same number of expected new cases each year. The CDC commissioned the poll to try to find out why people don't take diabetes as seriously as they should. More...

CDC: Diabetes rate doubled in last 10 years; obesity to blame

The rate of new diabetes cases nearly doubled in the U.S. in the past 10 years, and roughly 90% are Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity, CDC researchers say. Nationally, the rate of new cases climbed from about five per 1,000 in the mid-1990s to 9 per 1,000 in the middle of this decade, with the highest rates in the South. More..

Tough economic times could lead to more obesity

Public health officials fear the economic downturn could mean an upswing in obesity, as people turn to cheaper packaged and high-fat fast food instead of healthy fresh fare. University of Washington professor Adam Drewnowski says people spend less money but eat more with inexpensive calorie-rich and nutrient-poor foods. More..

Vigorous exercise protects against breast cancer

A study of more than 30,000 postmenopausal women found those who were at normal weight and exercised vigorously reduced their breast cancer risk by 30%. Overall, the women who exercised the most were 13% less likely to develop breast cancer. More...