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Readers scrutinize federal cuts and medical debt

The recent KFF Health News article "Beyond Ivy League, RFK Jr.'s NIH Slashed Science Funding Across States That Backed Trump" (April 17) struck a nerve.

13 May 2025

What’s stopping restaurants from offering healthier kids’ meals?

Dutch researchers explored what motivates restaurants to offer healthier kids’ meals and what stands in the way. While willingness is high, perceived low demand, food waste, and operational barriers hold many back.

13 May 2025

Just a few plant-based swaps a week could make a difference to your heart

Replacing small weekly amounts of red or processed meat with plant-based foods was linked to modest reductions in cardiovascular disease risk in a large Finnish cohort study. The benefits varied by gender and food type, with the most consistent improvements seen when processed meat was replaced with vegetables.

13 May 2025

Researchers unlock new paths toward treating stress-related psychiatric disorders

In a comprehensive Genomic Psychiatry review article published today, researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center have synthesized decades of research on stress hormone systems in primate brains, potentially unlocking new paths toward treating stress-related psychiatric disorders.

13 May 2025

Study reveals key differences in health risks between males and females

The results of an international study led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London's Precision Healthcare University Research Institute (PHURI) shed new light the underlying biological mechanisms which cause differences in health risks, symptoms and outcomes between males and females.

13 May 2025

New brain network discovery could revolutionize depression diagnosis

In a comprehensive Genomic Press Commentary published today, researchers have identified what could be the first reliable biomarker for depression risk, potentially transforming how this devastating condition is identified and treated.

13 May 2025

Wastewater surveillance detects measles in Houston before cases are reported

An innovative outbreak detection program that tracks disease-causing viruses in wastewater identified the measles virus in Houston samples collected in early January 2025, before cases were reported.

12 May 2025

Lipid buildup predicts weaker bones once it passes a critical threshold

A large cross-sectional study using NHANES data found a non-linear negative relationship between lipid accumulation product (LAP) and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD). The association became significant only above a threshold value (ln-LAP > 2.846), independent of BMI.

12 May 2025

Simple vest could help older adults maintain weight loss long term

Wearing a weighted vest during a 6-month calorie-restricted weight loss program helped older adults with obesity regain less weight over 24 months compared to those on diet alone. This benefit may be due to better preservation of resting metabolic rate during the intervention.

12 May 2025

Study links gum disease symptoms to higher risk of multiple chronic conditions

A major new study presented at EuroPerio11, the world's leading congress in periodontology and implant dentistry by the EFP, has found that people with signs of gum disease are more likely to suffer from multiple chronic health conditions, a state known as multimorbidity.

12 May 2025

Study reveals low rate of opioid addiction medications after overdose

Medications proven to effectively treat opioid addiction are rarely given after emergency department visits for overdose, and who gets them varies, sometimes greatly, depending on race, ethnicity or geography, University of Michigan researchers say.

12 May 2025

Failure to adopt covid suppression strategy led to avoidable deaths in the UK

Early in the covid-19 pandemic, the failure of UK government advisers to follow World Health Organization (WHO) advice and emerging evidence from East Asia that suppression could bring the virus under control quickly led to avoidable UK deaths, argues an expert in The BMJ today.

12 May 2025

Ultra-processed food boosts addiction and worsens mood, study finds

A cross-sectional study of 3,997 adults in Türkiye found that ultra-processed food (UPF) intake is strongly linked to food addiction and negative mood. Surprisingly, no association was found between UPF consumption and hedonic hunger.

11 May 2025

New model reveals H5N1 is spreading undetected in US dairy herds

Researchers developed a nationwide model to simulate the spread of H5N1 in US dairy cattle, revealing significant under-reporting and predicting continued outbreaks into 2025. Targeted farm-level biosecurity and surveillance are urgently needed to contain the epidemic.

11 May 2025

Obesity in teens alters brain regions tied to memory and emotion

Adolescents with abdominal obesity have larger brain regions linked to memory and emotional control, potentially due to inflammation, according to a large MRI-based study. These brain changes, coupled with socioeconomic disadvantage, may impair cognitive and emotional development during adolescence.

10 May 2025

Study reveals phthalate exposure harms early sexual development in children

Maternal exposure to phthalates during pregnancy is linked to shorter anogenital distance in 3-year-old boys, a marker of impaired sexual development. Girls showed similar outcomes from their own postnatal exposure, highlighting the lasting hormonal risks of environmental pollutants.

10 May 2025

Using gas stoves at home significantly increases cancer risk

A new study in the Journal of Hazardous Materials modeled benzene emissions from the top 5% of gas stoves in U.S. homes, finding elevated cancer risks, especially for children, in poorly ventilated spaces. Using validated simulations, the researchers estimated up to 69 additional leukemia cases annually under high-use, unventilated scenarios.

10 May 2025

Redlining continues to impact breast cancer survival in America

In neighborhoods across America, women face a daunting threat from a federal practice that, although it was outlawed decades ago, continues to negatively impact their health today.

10 May 2025

Machine learning model guides smarter gene selection in newborn screening

More than a decade ago, researchers launched the BabySeq Project, a pilot program to return newborn genomic sequencing results to parents and measure the effects on newborn care.

10 May 2025

Virtual nurse shows promise in promoting vaccinations

Can a virtual nurse persuade people to get vaccinated? Scientists from SWPS University have proven that it is possible. Finding new forms of informing people about vaccinations is particularly important for public health while some question their validity.

10 May 2025