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Smartphone imaging accurately supports remote cataract referral decisions

Researchers have found a high level of agreement between cataract referral decisions based on smartphone images reviewed remotely and those made by ophthalmologists examining patients in person at rural eye camps.

15 Sep 2026

Like your tea or coffee very hot? A study of nearly 1 million adults found a striking cancer link

In pooled prospective data from 977,282 UK adults, preferring tea or coffee “very hot” was associated with more than threefold higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared with preferring drinks “warm,” while drink temperature showed no material association with adenocarcinoma risk. Consuming six or more hot drinks daily was independently associated with higher squamous cell carcinoma risk, and modeling estimated that about 440 UK cases each year could be prevented by switching from “very hot” to “hot” drinks if the association is causal.

14 Sep 2026

A large US study found no overall link between fluoride in pregnancy and children’s behavior

A US cohort study of 5,520 children found no overall association between prenatal exposure to fluoride in public drinking water and internalizing or externalizing behavioral problems across the primary analyses. Exploratory analyses identified some associations with externalizing problems at higher fluoride concentrations and in certain subgroups, but the researchers said these findings require further investigation.

13 Sep 2026

Study shows mRNA vaccines trigger more diverse flu antibody responses

Influenza remains a major global health challenge as continual antigenic drift can limit the breadth and durability of vaccine-induced antibody responses, requiring frequent vaccine updates.

11 Sep 2026

Risk factors for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease can be identified in young children

Risk factors for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease, a health condition made up of heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity, can be identified in children as young as 8, UTHealth Houston researchers discovered.

11 Sep 2026

Proteomic signatures reveal early signs of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease in children

Researchers at Vanderbilt Health, UTHealth Houston and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have identified early signs of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease (CKMD) in children as young as 8 years old that potentially can be reversed with a new class of weight loss drugs used widely by adults

11 Sep 2026

AI identifies hidden biological patterns to accurately diagnose migraines

AI can trawl vast amounts of health data which is not specifically related to migraines, but which can be used to identify people predisposed to the condition.

11 Sep 2026

Healthy checkout ordinance linked to lower soda and candy sales

A new study found that a healthy checkout ordinance implemented in Berkeley, Calif. supermarkets, drug stores, and mass-market retailers in 2021 was linked to notable decreases in soda sales overall and small-package candy in supermarkets, but greater enforcement of such policies is essential for sustained and meaningful public health benefit.

10 Sep 2026

Medicaid ACOs can improve maternal care quality and equity

A new study details how Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations can improve maternal healthcare quality and equity in the US by aligning performance mandates with innovative care coordination and social needs support among patients before, during, and after pregnancy.

10 Sep 2026

Breast cancer AI test finds no single chatbot excels across every measure

Researchers compared five large language models on breast cancer health information using 90 knowledge questions, 10 clinical cases, and 20 common patient concerns, with all prompts submitted in simplified Chinese. The models performed strongly on standardized knowledge overall, but differed in linguistic complexity and expert-rated completeness, readability, helpfulness, correctness, and safety.

10 Sep 2026

You may not need 10,000 steps if some of them are taken at a faster pace

A prospective UK Biobank study of 103,684 adults found that higher peak 30-minute stepping cadence was associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality across several daily step-count levels. The findings indicate that both total daily steps and the intensity of the most active stepping minutes may matter for mortality risk, particularly for people who find higher step totals difficult to achieve.

10 Sep 2026

Groundbreaking movement span framework redefines how we measure aging

Longstanding aging metrics have focused on how long people live and how long they live free of chronic disease, but both overlook a core component of daily well-being: the ability to move through the world with ease and confidence.

10 Sep 2026

Autistic people face a fourteen-year deficit in life expectancy

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States face a 14-year deficit in life expectancy, according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and University of Colorado Anschutz.

10 Sep 2026

Popular AMH blood test fails to predict natural fertility

Increasing numbers of Australian women are using a blood test to assess their fertility, but new research suggests it may not provide the answers many are looking for.

10 Sep 2026

New economic tool helps planners consider urban public health impacts

Senior urban development decision-makers have revealed there is currently little incentive to consider public health impacts when shaping towns and cities, according to a new study that highlights the potential of an innovative economic valuation tool to address the problem.

10 Sep 2026

Experts examine ethical risks of using AI in public health

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds profound potential to reshape public health. Although its application accelerates threat detection and targeted interventions, the rapid deployment has outpaced the regulatory, validation, and equity safeguards standard to traditional health interventions.

10 Sep 2026

Neural network model accurately predicts regional heat mortality risk

Extreme heat is a leading cause of climate-related mortality, responsible for over five million deaths globally each year. As climate change intensifies, these events are becoming more frequent and severe, posing significant challenges to public health, particularly in densely populated urban areas.

10 Sep 2026

Nighttime light exposure may alter heart structure and function

Exposure to light during the nighttime is linked to important and potentially harmful changes to the structure and function of the heart, according to a study of more than 11,000 people published in the European Heart Journal today (Thursday).

10 Sep 2026

Dementia prevention should look beyond individual choices, study finds

Efforts to prevent dementia may be placing too much responsibility on people's choices while overlooking the wider social and environmental conditions that shape brain health, according to new Curtin University research published in The Lancet Public Health.

9 Sep 2026

Why researchers are looking at psilocybin for repeated mild head injuries

In female rats with repetitive mild head injury, psilocybin reduced acute imaging measures consistent with vasogenic edema and phosphorylated tau while altering vascular reactivity, functional connectivity, neurotrophic proteins, and lipid signaling. The findings provide preclinical evidence of potential therapeutic effects, but behavioral benefits were limited, and whether these biological changes translate into lasting neurological protection or benefits in humans remains unknown.

9 Sep 2026