As Vaping Became Popular Among Young, Smoking Rates Fell

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The advent of the e-cigarette appears to have spurred a huge drop in tobacco smoking rates among teenagers and young adults, a new study claims.

Previous research has argued that vaping could prove to be a gateway drug for smoking, by getting youngsters hooked on nicotine and used to the phys...

Don't Eat Romaine Lettuce Due to E. Coli Outbreak, FDA Warns

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Cross one ingredient off your Thanksgiving dinner menu: romaine lettuce.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with health officials from various states are asking American consumers to avoid the leafy green due to an outbreak of ...

Influential U.S. Panel Backs PrEP HIV-Prevention Pills

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- For the first time, a highly influential panel of experts says doctors should offer a daily pill to prevent HIV transmission to people who are at high risk for infection with the AIDS-causing virus.

This treatment is called pre-exposure prophylaxis -- PrEP for short -- and it has been shown to...

Warmer Winters, More Violent Crimes?

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Milder winters caused by climate change may lead to an increase in violent crime in the United States, researchers say.

"During mild winters, more people are out and about, creating the key ingredient for interpersonal crimes: opportunity," explained study author Ryan Harp, from the University...

Another Dry Eye Harm: Slowed Reading

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- People with chronic dry eye may find the condition slows them down when they have to read beyond a couple of paragraphs, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that compared with people without dry eye, those with the condition read at a slower rate when they were tasked with a 7,200-word pas...

What Are This Year's Most Dangerous Toys?

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Not all the toys in Santa's sack are safe to play with. Among this year's most dangerous playthings are data-collecting dolls and fidget spinners full of lead, a new report says.

"We should be able to trust that the toys we buy are safe. However, until that's the case, toy buyers need to watch...

1 in 4 U.S. Adults Sits More Than 8 Hours a Day

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Couch Potato Nation: Nearly half of Americans sit for far too many hours a day and don't get any exercise at all, a new study finds.

A survey of some 5,900 adults found that nearly 26 percent sit for more than eight hours a day, 45 percent don't get any moderate or vigorous exercise during th...

Obesity All on Its Own Can Raise Your Health Risks

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity itself raises odds for diabetes and heart disease, even in the absence of conditions like high blood pressure, a new study finds.

"This study is important because we can conclude that it is not solely factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol or lack of exercise that tend to c...

High Deductibles May Mean Poorer Diabetes Care

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- For Americans with diabetes, high-deductible health insurance plans may lead to delays in diagnosing and treating dangerous blood vessel diseases, a new study suggests.

"People with diabetes in high-deductible health insurance plans compared to people with diabetes without high-deductible hea...

AHA: Startling These Twins Could Put Their Hearts at Risk

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (American Heart Association) -- Katie and Lance Cox were watching TV one evening, their infant twins Carter and John asleep nearby, when Katie dropped the remote control. As it clattered across the floor, the couple froze, staring terrified at one another.

They weren't worried about the remote. They were conce...

Opioids Increasingly Tied to Deaths of Pregnant Women

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- As the U.S. opioid epidemic rages unchecked, new research shows that pregnancy-related deaths due to opioid misuse more than doubled between 2007 and 2016.

Deaths during or soon after pregnancy rose 34 percent during that time, and the percentage involving heroin, f...

Worried About the Salmonella Scare With Turkey This Holiday? Don't Be

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Ongoing news alerts of potential salmonella contamination in certain brands of raw turkey might have you rattled as Thanksgiving dinner approaches.

But although the danger is real, simple kitchen precautions can help eliminate it, health experts say.

First, the latest on the threat:...

Women as Tough as Men During Extreme Exertion

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Women are no more likely than men to have health problems due to strenuous training and extreme physical exertion, researchers report.

"Our findings contain some potentially myth-busting data on the impact of extreme physical activity on women. We have shown that wi...

Are Food Additives Good or Bad? Consumer Views Vary

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Many Americans believe they face health risks from food additives, but plenty of others think that additives in small amounts won't harm them, a new survey finds.

It seems the United States is divided about the harms and benefits of modern food production practices.

Specifically, 51...

The Skinny on New Sugar Calorie Counts

TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is getting serious about added sugars.

Acting on the health recommendation that calories from added sugars shouldn't exceed 10 percent of your daily total calories, new nutrition labels will break down a food's sugar content so you can read how much added...

Healthful Diet = Healthy Bones

MONDAY, Nov. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Trying to eat a healthier diet? Don't forget that certain foods can help protect your bones, a nutrition expert says.

"Bone disease is often preventable by getting enough calcium and vitamin D into your diet," said Kathryn Weatherford, a registered dietitian at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Cen...

When Meds Suppress HIV, Odds of Sexual Transmission Near Zero: Review

MONDAY, Nov. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- When someone with HIV has the virus suppressed with medication, there is virtually no chance of passing it on to sex partners, a new review concludes.

The Public Health Agency of Canada pulled together studies from the last decade looking at the risk of HIV transmission among partners where one...

Does Air Pollution Raise Autism Risk?

MONDAY, Nov. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Traffic-related air pollution may play a role in development of autism, new research suggests.

A Canadian study found that exposure to a common air pollutant during pregnancy was tied to higher odds of a child being diagnosed with autism by age 5.

That pollutant, nitric oxide, is asso...

AHA: Have Diabetes? Make Sure to Manage Cholesterol, Too

MONDAY, Nov. 19, 2018 (American Heart Association) -- For people with diabetes, blood sugar isn't the only important measurement. New cholesterol guidelines suggest the more than 110 million U.S. adults with diabetes or prediabetes also should manage their cholesterol.

The guidelines released earlier this month during the American He...

Drug Studies in Children Often Go Unfinished: Study

MONDAY, Nov. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Drug approvals for adults often require future studies in children, but many of these studies are never completed, a new analysis finds.

"More than 50 percent of all drugs approved by the FDA lack information on how to safely and effectively use the drug in children," said study author Dr. Flor...