Analysis Predicts Big Drop for U.S. in Global Health Rankings

Americans are falling farther behind the rest of the developed world when it comes to health and life expectancy, a new study shows.

Life expectancy in the United States is expected to increase to 79.9 years in 2035 and 80.4 years by 2050, up from 78.3 years in 2022, researchers reported.

That sounds good, but it’s actually a m...

Eating Ultra-processed Foods Could Add Fat to Your Thighs

Eating lots of ultra-processed foods appears linked to a buildup of fat in the thighs, which in turn raises a person's odds for arthritis in the knees, new research shows.

“In an adult population at risk for but without knee or hip osteoarthritis, consuming ultra-processed foods is linked to increased fat within the thigh muscles,&rd...

U.S. Overdose Deaths Linked to Fentanyl May Be Declining

Deaths from fentanyl-linked drug overdoses have begun to decline in the United States, but the crisis is far from over and those numbers could easily rise again, a new government report shows.

About 70% of fatal drug overdoses recorded in 2023 involved fentanyl, the research showed. The number of these deaths dropped 7.8% nationwide in the...

Prenatal Blood Tests for Baby Are Spotting Cancers in Moms-to-Be

Could a prenatal blood test designed to find abnormalities in a fetus also detect hidden cancer in the mom-to-be?

A new study says yes: Scientists report they discovered cancer in nearly half (48%) of expecting mothers with abnormal results on the blood test, known as a prenatal cell-free DNA test.

The cancers included colon, breast,...

Weight Loss Brings Americans Big Health Care Savings

The advent of GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Wegovy and Zepbound has spurred debate as to whether the drugs' cost should be covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers.

Late last month, the Biden administration proposed that the drugs be covered by Medicare and Medicaid, a move that would have to be approved by the incoming ...

Prevention Outpaced Treatment Advances in Saving Lives From Major Cancers

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” founding father Benjamin Franklin once said.

That’s definitely true of cancer, a new study has found.

Cancer prevention and screening has saved more people from five types of cancer during the past 45 years than advances in treatment, researchers report.

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