U.S. Adult Obesity Rate Fell in 2023, as Use of GLP-1 Meds Rose

The U.S. obesity rate declined for the first time in a decade last year, coinciding with the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss meds, a new study finds.

Data on almost 17 million adults nationwide showed the obesity rate -- which has been rising for years -- fell from 46.2% of adults in 2021 to 45.6% in 2023, Harvard University researchers report....

Eat Less Meat, More Beans & Lentils for Protein, New USDA Guidelines Say

Beans, peas and lentils take center stage in newly proposed changes to dietary guidelines for Americans.

In a report released this week by an advisory committee to the Agriculture Department, experts suggest that the protein-packed legumes are the perfect substitute for red or processed meat. They came to that conclusion after analyzing sc...

Newer Drug Could Be Advance Against Tough-to-Treat Breast Cancers

An experimental hormone therapy pill has shown promise in extending the lives of women with tough-to-treat advanced breast cancer, a new clinical trial shows.

The drug, imlunestrant, improved progression-free survival in patients whose breast cancer was driven by the female hormone estrogen.

The drug was particularly effective in bre...

'Watch and Wait' May Equal Active Treatment for Early DCIS Breast Cancers, Studies Find

A “watch-and-wait” strategy might be the best option for some women with early-stage, low-risk breast cancer.

According to two new studies presented Thursday at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, active monitoring of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) resulted in breast cancer recurrence rates similar to those of women who h...

Blood Test Might Alert Doctors to Problem Drinking

Have you been boozing more often than usual?

A new blood test might be able to tell if you’re damaging your liver from too many beers, margaritas or belts of scotch, researchers report.

A blood-borne byproduct of alcohol consumption called phosphatidylethanol (PEth) can give doctors a fair idea of how much liver scarring has oc...

Breast, Ovary Removal Can Lengthen Lives of Women With Breast Cancer Genes

It's a decision no woman wants to have to make, but new research shows that young breast cancer patients with high-risk genes may be able to prevent their cancer from returning if they have their breasts or ovaries removed.

Breast cancer patients aged 40 or younger with BRCA mutations had a 35% lower risk of death and 42% lower risk of can...

Air Pollution Could Be Raising Your Odds for a Blood Clot

Breathing in smoggy air over time can significantly raise a person's chances for dangerous blood clots, new research shows.

“What’s striking from our study is the increase in serious blood clotting disease with exposure to some of the most common types of pollutants in the air we breathe,” said study lead author Pamela Lu...

In Mouse Studies, New Hope Against a Dangerous Complication of Pregnancy

The same technology behind COVID vaccines might be able to protect both the mother and child from a dangerous complication of pregnancy.

A new mouse study published Dec. 11 in the journal Nature shows that injections based on that vaccine platform reduced the risk of preeclampsia in lab mice.

Preeclampsia is persistent high ...

Caregiving Stress Can Raise Blood Pressure for Young Black Women

Caregiving for children or sick loved ones can be very stressful. so much so it can affect your heart health, new research shows.

High caregiving stress increases risk of high blood pressure by nearly 40% among Black women ages 21 to 44, according to results published recently in the journal Hypertension.

“Our analysis...

Who's Most Likely to Get the Mpox Shot in U.S.?

When an outbreak of mpox first hit the United States in 2022, a vaccine called Jynneos was available to help protect the most vulnerable population, gay and bisexual men.

Now, there's new data showing which individuals in the LGBTQ+ community were most likely to get vaccinated against the virus.

According to the U.S. Centers fo...