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22 May

Sunscreen Confusion Is Putting More Americans at Risk for Melanoma

A national survey from the Melanoma Research Alliance finds less than a third of people practice sun safety every day.

21 May

Common Food Preservatives Linked to Major Heart Problems

A new study finds people who consume high levels of preservatives found in processed foods have higher risks of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

20 May

How You Write Could Be a Window into Your Brain

New study finds link between writing speed and dementia risk.

Sunscreen Confusion Puts More Americans At Risk For Melanoma

HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter May 22, 2026

Sunscreen Confusion Puts More Americans At Risk For Melanoma

Melanoma — the most serious form of skin cancer — doesn't just happen at the beach or in a tanning booth.

It happens on the drive to work, while walking the dog or sitting by a window.

And most Americans don't realize it.

A new survey from the Melanoma Research Alliance finds widespread confusion about sunscreen and... Full Page

Severe Asthma Often Comes With Other Serious Health Problems

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 22, 2026

Severe Asthma Often Comes With Other Serious Health Problems

People with severe asthma typically are battling other health problems as well, a new study says.

Nearly all individuals with asthma suffer from at least one other major health issue, with most suffering three or more, researchers reported recently in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe.

“The patterns we found were linke... Full Page

1 In 10 U.S. Surgeons Quit Practice, Study Warns Of Shortage

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 22, 2026

1 In 10 U.S. Surgeons Quit Practice, Study Warns Of Shortage

American health care is experiencing a surgeon shortage, a new study says.

Nearly 10% of surgeons left clinical practice between 2013 and 2020, researchers reported May 20 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and plastic and reconstructive surgery had ... Full Page

Video Game Can Detect Depression In Minutes, Study Says

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 22, 2026

Video Game Can Detect Depression In Minutes, Study Says

Playing a quick apple-picking video game can help doctors quickly identify patients with depression, a new study says.

The game can reliably detect depression in as little as three minutes, researchers reported May 18 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

People who quit the ... Full Page

Quitting Smoking Might Lower Your Dementia Risk

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 22, 2026

Quitting Smoking Might Lower Your Dementia Risk

Quitting smoking might protect your future brain health, a new study says.

People who quit smoking had a lower risk of developing dementia, especially if they didn’t gain excess weight afterward, researchers reported May 20 in the journal Neurology.

“People often worry about what happens after they quit smoking &... Full Page

RFK Jr. Fires Two Leaders Of Major U.S. Health Task Force

Andria Park Huynh HealthDay Reporter May 21, 2026

RFK Jr. Fires Two Leaders Of Major U.S. Health Task Force

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired two key leaders of the task force that sets insurance coverage rules.

Dr. John Wong, a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, and Dr. Esa Davis, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, were notified by mail that ... Full Page

Common Food Preservatives Linked to Major Heart Problems

Stephanie Brown HealthDay Reporter May 21, 2026

Common Food Preservatives Linked to Major Heart Problems

That grab-and-go snack or frozen meal may be doing more than lasting longer on the shelf — it could also be raising your risk of heart disease.

Preservatives are used in hundreds of thousands of industrially processed foods. 

"Experimental studies suggest that some preservative food additives may be harmful to cardiovascul... Full Page

Migraine With Aura Linked To Middle-Age Stroke Risk

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 21, 2026

Migraine With Aura Linked To Middle-Age Stroke Risk

Middle-aged folks who suffer migraine with an aura could be more likely to suffer a stroke, a new study says.

Overall, people who have migraine with an accompanying aura have a 73% increased risk of stroke, researchers reported recently in the journal Neurology.

By comparison, people living with migraine who don’t expe... Full Page

Nicotine Vapes Triple Smokers' Odds Of Quitting Tobacco

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 21, 2026

Nicotine Vapes Triple Smokers' Odds Of Quitting Tobacco

Nicotine vapes can triple smokers’ odds of successfully giving up traditional cigarettes, while also exposing them to fewer harmful chemicals, a new study argues.

Smokers who started using a nicotine e-cigarette were over three times more likely to quit smoking within six weeks, compared to smokers who used an identical e-cigarette c... Full Page

Fatty Liver Disease Increases Heart Attack Risk, Study Says

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 21, 2026

Fatty Liver Disease Increases Heart Attack Risk, Study Says

Fatty liver disease is dangerous for the heart as well as the liver, a new study says.

People with fatty liver disease have nearly doubled rates of heart attack and other heart health emergencies, researchers reported May 20 in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

That’s because they have higher levels... Full Page

CPAP Insurance Rules Too Stringent, Deny Device Coverage To Sleep Apnea Patients Who Would Benefit

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 21, 2026

CPAP Insurance Rules Too Stringent, Deny Device Coverage To Sleep Apnea Patients Who Would Benefit

It’s notoriously difficult for some sleep apnea patients to adapt to using a CPAP machine – but most will and should be given the chance before insurance companies cut off coverage for the devices, a new study says.

Despite not meeting Medicare requirements that would have ended coverage, more than one-third of patients still u... Full Page

Rollback of PFAS Drinking Water Standards Raises Safety Fears

Andria Park Huynh HealthDay Reporter May 20, 2026

Rollback of PFAS Drinking Water Standards Raises Safety Fears

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Monday it wants to roll back some regulations on "forever chemicals" in drinking water put into place in 2024.

The agency proposed eliminating drinking water limits for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and delaying enforcement deadlines for two, The Washington Post Full Page

Your Handwriting Could Be a Window Into Your Aging Brain

HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter May 20, 2026

Your Handwriting Could Be a Window Into Your Aging Brain

Your handwriting could reveal more than what you’re trying to say — it may offer clues about how your brain is aging.

Researchers in Portugal studied 58 adults, ages 62 to 92, living in care homes. Thirty-eight had previously been diagnosed with a cognitive impairment.

All were asked to use a digital pen and tablet to dra... Full Page

Teens Turning To Creatine, Not Steroids, For 'Looksmaxxing'

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 20, 2026

Teens Turning To Creatine, Not Steroids, For 'Looksmaxxing'

U.S. teens trying to build up their muscles are turning from steroids to creatine supplements, a new study says.

Creatine use rose by 90% among boys and a whopping 168% among girls between 2019-2020 and 2023-2024, researchers report in the August issue of the journal Annals of Epidemiology.

This happened even as steroid use ... Full Page

Once-A-Day Pill Effective In Treating Sleep Apnea Without CPAP, Clinical Trial Says

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 20, 2026

Once-A-Day Pill Effective In Treating Sleep Apnea Without CPAP, Clinical Trial Says

Some people with sleep apnea might be able to shed their CPAP masks in favor of a once-nightly pill, a new study says.

The experimental pill, called AD109, helps treat sleep apnea by making a person’s airways resistant to collapse, researchers say.

In clinical trials, people taking the pill saw their breathing interruptions dec... Full Page

How Do Caffeine, Alcohol, Weed, Nicotine Affect MS Symptoms?

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 20, 2026

How Do Caffeine, Alcohol, Weed, Nicotine Affect MS Symptoms?

There are lots of legal substances people use regularly to alter their mood – alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and in some locales, weed.

But how do these substances affect people with multiple sclerosis (MS)?

Most have drawbacks that come along with their benefits, according to a study recently published in the Archives of Phys... Full Page

Childhood Trauma Tied to Higher Obesity Risk, But One Caring Adult Can Make A Difference

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 20, 2026

Childhood Trauma Tied to Higher Obesity Risk, But One Caring Adult Can Make A Difference

Childhood trauma can increase a kid’s risk of obesity, a study says.

Children’s body mass index (BMI) rose steadily as their personal list of traumas mounted, including abuse, divorce, poverty, neglect or bullying, researchers reported in JAMA Network Open.

However, a caring presence could counteract the stress a... Full Page

More Kids Seeking Anxiety Help at Routine Doctor Visits, Study Finds

HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter May 19, 2026

More Kids Seeking Anxiety Help at Routine Doctor Visits, Study Finds

Children are showing up at routine doctor visits with mental health concerns at much higher rates than they were a decade ago -- especially for anxiety.

A new study of nearly 1.8 million children in Massachusetts, published May 18 in JAMA Network Open, found anxiety-related visits in primary care jumped 300% between 2014 and 2023.... Full Page

Weed/Opioid Combo Doesn't Help Knee Arthritis Pain

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 19, 2026

Weed/Opioid Combo Doesn't Help Knee Arthritis Pain

Adding a synthetic weed-derived drug to opioid painkillers brings no relief to people with excruciating knee pain, a new study says.

Neither the cannabis drug dronabinol nor the opioid hydromorphone alone provided significant pain relief for people with knee arthritis, and combining them did not improve results, researchers reported recent... Full Page

Losing A Parent Can Dent An Adult's Earning Power

Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter May 19, 2026

Losing A Parent Can Dent An Adult's Earning Power

Losing a parent in adulthood not only breaks your heart, but can put a sizable dent in your bank account, a new study says.

Adults’ earning power persistently declines following the death of a parent, researchers report in the May issue of the American Economic Review.

The mental turmoil of bereavement likely explains ... Full Page

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