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Smoking during pregnancy raises children’s mental health risk

Smoking during pregnancy may increase children's mental health issues, with implications for internalizing and externalizing symptoms throughout development.

9 Apr 2026

Microplastics found in human bile may be associated with gallstones

Findings show microplastics in bile may trigger cellular senescence, suggesting a link to gallstone disease and highlighting the need for further research.

9 Apr 2026

Study reveals lung-brain link between smoking and neurodegeneration

The correlation between smoking and neurodegeneration is well-documented, with one study from 2011 finding heavy smoking in midlife was associated with a greater than 100% increase in risk of dementia, Alzheimer's and vascular dementia more than two decades later.

8 Apr 2026

New steerable optical fiber reaches previously inaccessible larynx tumors

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researchers have developed a flexible optical fiber that can be threaded through a medical endoscope and steered into the larynx to destroy hard-to-reach tumors on the vocal folds, an advance that could expand outpatient laser treatment options for patients whose only other choice might be surgery under general anesthesia.

8 Apr 2026

Never married adults face higher risk of developing cancer

Adults who have never been married face a significantly higher risk of developing cancer than those who have been married, according to a large U.S. study of more than 4 million cases.

8 Apr 2026

Smoking shrinks key brain regions while cannabis shows weaker effects

The study highlights brain changes from tobacco use and calls for more research on cannabis, as its effects on brain structure remain inadequately understood.

7 Apr 2026

Prenatal smoking linked to broader mental health issues in children

Children exposed to maternal smoking before birth are more likely to experience behavioral and mental health challenges, according to a large study funded by the National Institutes of Health's Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program.

6 Apr 2026

Large-scale exposome research shows how multiple factors influence disease risk

For decades, scientists have been carefully unraveling the role of genes in disease by examining how small variations in a person's genetic code can shape lifelong risk of developing common conditions such as cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.

6 Apr 2026

Sleep apnea raises risk of cardiovascular events and death

New research to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026, Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May) shows that those living with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have a 71% higher risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs) or death from any cause (all-cause mortality) compared with those not living with OSA.

2 Apr 2026

Moderate wine intake tied to slower biological aging in men

Researchers studying 22,495 adults in Southern Italy found that men with moderate wine intake in the traditional Mediterranean diet range showed slightly slower biomarker-based biological aging, with the lowest estimated aging signal at about 170 mL per day. The study also found that overall ethanol intake did not show the same moderate-level pattern, and higher total alcohol intake was linked to faster biological aging in dose-response analyses.

2 Apr 2026

Obesity, sleep, smoking, and inactivity show the strongest links to hypertension in U.S. adults

A cross-sectional analysis of 20,912 U.S. adults found that obesity, overweight, inadequate physical activity, smoking, and short or long sleep were each associated with higher odds of hypertension, while overall diet quality by HEI-2015 was not significantly associated. Sleep associations differed by sex, and lower sodium intake remained linked to lower odds of hypertension in sensitivity analyses.

2 Apr 2026

Rising climate pollution may double air quality alerts in the US

Research reveals climate-driven pollution will surge, increasing air quality alerts and highlighting the need for protective actions, especially for seniors.

2 Apr 2026

Do your genes dictate how your lifestyle choices impact aging?

Lifestyle-behavioral factors and socioeconomic status play an important role in shaping healthy aging, but their effects may differ depending on your DNA, according to a new international study led by Adelaide University researchers.

2 Apr 2026

Shisha smoking overlooked despite growing public health concerns in the UK

Shisha smoking continues to be overlooked as a public health issue in the UK, argue experts in The BMJ today.

1 Apr 2026

Mono infection associated with threefold higher multiple sclerosis risk

Having the disease infectious mononucleosis, often called mono, caused by the Epstein-Barr virus is associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published on April 1, 2026, in Neurology® Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

1 Apr 2026

Antibiotic use before and during pregnancy linked to psychological distress

Perinatal depression, which occurs during pregnancy or in the period after childbirth, is one of the most common mental health conditions experienced by women.

1 Apr 2026

Sleep duration and genetics interact to affect functional health

1 Apr 2026

Plant-focused diets may decelerate epigenetic aging processes

A new research paper was published in Volume 18 of Aging-US on March 20, 2026, titled "Plant-based dietary patterns are associated with slower epigenetic aging."

31 Mar 2026

Vaping beats traditional tools for quitting smoking

The review indicates nicotine e-cigarettes could surpass traditional quit aids in effectiveness, but lingering safety uncertainties warrant further research.

31 Mar 2026

How do diet, smoking, alcohol, and stress reshape the female microbiome?

This review examines how modifiable lifestyle and environmental factors shape the female vaginal, gut, oral, and skin microbiomes, with diet, alcohol, smoking, obesity, stress, hygiene, physical activity, and sexual behaviours all linked to site-specific microbial shifts. It argues that understanding these patterns could help guide future female-focused prevention and intervention strategies.

30 Mar 2026