Chicago's Short-Lived 'Soda Tax' Cut Consumption, Boosted Health Care Funds

Chicago's brief and now-defunct soda tax did cut the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, a new study finds, along with raising funds for public health initiatives.

From August to November 2017, when the tax was in effect, the volume of soda sold in Cook County dropped 21% and the tax raised nearly $62 million, nearly $17 million...

They Thought She Drank, But Her Body Actually 'Auto-Brewed'

Doctors thought they had a fairly common scenario in front of them: A patient with advanced liver disease who needed help for her alcohol abuse. Then they discovered her own bladder was making the alcohol.

The doctors, at the University of Pittsburgh, say it's a previously unrecognized variant of so-called auto-brewery syndrome. ABS, w...

How Safe Is It to Fly?

Buckle up and get ready for take-off: Flying has never been safer, an expert says.

Despite recent high-profile crashes of Boeing aircraft, the news on flight safety is good: Airline passenger deaths have dropped sharply in recent decades around the world, according to Arnold Barnett, a professor of management at MIT.

"The wor...

Variety is Key for the Fittest Americans

Very fit American adults enjoy a wider range of physical activities than those who are less active, a new study finds.

The findings could help point to ways to boost physical activity in adults, according to the researchers.

Data gathered from more than 9,800 adults nationwide between 2003 and 2006 showed that those who were...

Patients Care Little About ER Doctors' Race or Sex: Study

Americans don't seem to care about the race or sex of emergency room doctors, a new study shows.

Participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with a simulated ER visit and the scores were the same whether their doctor was white or black, or a man or a woman.

"We were really surprised that even after looking at these da...

Pot Use Among U.S. Seniors Nearly Doubled in 3 Years

Americans may want to rethink the stereotype of the pot-loving teen: More U.S. seniors are using the drug now than ever before.

The proportion of folks 65 and older who use pot stands at 4.2%, up from 2.4% in 2015, according to figures from the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

"The change from 2.4 up to 4....

Many Kids in Rural U.S. Are All Too Familiar With Handguns

About one-third of boys and 10% of girls in rural U.S. communities have carried a handgun, a new study finds. Many started carrying as early as sixth grade.

This study "provides evidence that youth handgun carrying in these settings is not uncommon," said lead author Dr. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar. He is an associate professor of epidemiol...

Mealtime Choices Could Affect Your Odds for Stroke

Want to avoid a stroke? Reach for fruits and veggies, new research suggests.

The new European study of more than 418,000 people found that what you eat can influence your risk for different types of stroke.

"The most important finding is that higher consumption of both dietary fiber and fruit and vegetables was strongly asso...

Social Media Stokes Myths About Vaccines

Nearly 1 in 5 American adults has mistaken beliefs about vaccines, and misinformation is more common among those who rely on social media than on traditional media, a new study finds.

Researchers surveyed nearly 2,500 adults nationwide in the spring and fall of 2019, when the United States was dealing with its largest measles outbreak ...

For Tracking Steps, Patients Stick With Phones, Not Wearable Devices: Study

Smartphones appear to be more effective than wearable fitness devices in helping doctors track patients' physical activity, researchers say.

Their new study included 500 patients who joined activity tracking programs at two Philadelphia hospitals. Half used a smartphone app to track their daily steps after leaving the hospital. The ot...

AHA News: When an Untreated Infection Leads to Heart Valve Disease

Much as he tried, Gabriel Oluka could never keep up with other children.

As he got older, he experienced heaviness in his chest, frequent sore throats and occasional painful joints. Sometimes his breathing became too rapid, and he couldn't always sleep lying down.

But what he remembers the most was constant exhaustion.

AHA News: Can a Phone Call Help Restart the Heart?

When the heart suddenly stops beating, each passing moment can mean life or death. That is why emergency health providers and advocates are urging states to develop uniform standards and training for telecommunicator CPR.

A new policy statement from an American Heart Association task force lays out steps for a widespread system for 911 d...

Global Coronavirus Outbreaks Stoking Fears of Pandemic

A coronavirus pandemic looked ever more likely on Monday as multiple countries around the world raced to stem outbreaks of "untraceable" cases of the virus.

Clusters of cases arising in South Korea, Italy and Iran with no clear ties to outbreak's epicenter in China have heightened concerns about local, self-sustaining epidemics and a g...

Certain Gut Bacteria Tied to Lung Vessel Disease

A specific collection of gut bacteria may be a culprit in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a new study shows.

PAH is a chronic disease marked by the narrowing of arteries that supply blood to the lungs. With constant high blood pressure in these arteries, the right side of the heart is forced to work harder, wh...

Global Coronavirus Outbreaks Raise Fears of Pandemic

The chances of a coronavirus pandemic continued to climb Sunday as multiple countries around the world raced to stem outbreaks of "untraceable" cases of the virus.

Clusters of cases arising in South Korea, Italy, Iran and Canada with no clear ties to outbreak's epicenter in China have heightened concerns about local, self-sustaining e...

A Woman's Guide to Skin Care During and After Menopause

People sometimes refer to menopause as "the change of life," but many women are surprised that one of the things that changes is their skin, an expert says.

"Although fluctuating hormones during menopause can result in a number of skin changes, these don't need to be disruptive to daily life," said New York City dermatologist Dr. Diane...

Global Coronavirus Outbreaks Worry Experts, as U.S. Cases Reach 34

Outbreaks of "untraceable" cases of coronavirus in multiple countries around the world are raising the real possibility of a pandemic, public health experts say.

Clusters of cases arising in South Korea, Iran, Italy and Canada with no clear ties to the outbreak's epicenter in China have boosted concerns about local, self-sustaining epi...

5 Expert Tips for Preventing Winter Sports Accidents

Hitting the slopes or the skating rink as the winter of 2020 winds down? Don't let an accident or injury spoil your fun.

"Winter sports and recreational activities have great health and cardiovascular benefits," said Dr. Joseph Bosco, vice president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). "However, it's important not t...

Breast Cancer Care Far From Home for Rural Patients

As rural hospitals and specialty care units close, a new study shows that some breast cancer patients are forced to travel long distances for their treatments.

University of Minnesota researchers found that those living in rural parts of the United States travel three times as far as urban women for radiation therapy.

The s...

Without Symptoms or Clear Test Results, Woman May Have Still Spread Coronavirus

A report from doctors battling China's coronavirus outbreak raises concern that people who have no symptoms and initially test negative on medical tests might still harbor and spread the COVID-19 virus.

The case involves an asymptomatic 20-year-old woman who appears to have spread the illness to five relatives who later became ill.