Is the USDA’s New Food Plate Pie in the Sky?

Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled MyPlate, a new food icon designed to tell Americans how to divvy up their diet among the five major food groups. The icon is simpler and easier to understand than the food pyramid it replaced, but it’s largely a cosmetic change—MyPlate is based on the same…

Mental Illness Leading Cause of Disability in Youth

Mental health problems such as depression account for nearly half of all disability among young people between the ages of 10 and 24, according to a new study from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Researchers looked at data from 191 countries and estimated the number of years of good health lost to disability resulting from disease and injury…

Women Who Delay Returning to Work Breast-Feed Longer

The longer a working mother stays at home with her newborn, the more likely she is to breast-feed and continue doing so for the recommended six months, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics.

Women who waited at least 13 weeks after giving birth to resume working were far more likely than those who returned within…

Warning Signs of Pregnancy-Related Diabetes Appear Years Earlier

Diabetes stemming from pregnancy can cause a host of problems for baby and mother alike, including birth complications and a higher risk of developing the more serious type 2 diabetes later in life.

In a new study, researchers say they’ve identified a series of routine health measures that can help doctors predict years in advance which women will develop…

Eating Baked, Broiled Fish Protects the Heart

For years, doctors have been telling their patients to eat more fish in order to boost heart health. They may want to start giving out recipes with that advice: According to a new study, how fish is cooked can make a dramatic difference in the heart benefits it provides.

The study followed the eating habits and…

Post-Baby Weight Gain Raises Diabetes Risk in Next Pregnancy

Women who gain weight after giving birth for the first time dramatically increase their risk of developing pregnancy-related diabetes during their second pregnancy, a new study suggests.

Compared to women of similar height who maintain their weight, a 5-foot-4 woman who gains roughly 12 to 17 pounds after giving birth more than doubles her odds…

Autism, ADHD Rates on the Rise

The proportion of children and teens in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with a developmental disability such as autism has increased 17% since the late 1990s, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Between 1997 and 2008, the number of children diagnosed with a disability rose from 8.2…

New Antidepressant Targets Body Clock

Sleep problems and depressed mood often go hand in hand. Insomnia, early-morning waking, and nighttime disturbances can be symptoms as well as warning signs of depression—as can too much sleep and daytime fatigue.

For the past several decades, the treatment of depression has centered on medications that affect levels of brain chemicals involved in mood, such as…

Coffee Linked to Lower Risk of Fatal Prostate Cancer

Men who drink a lot of coffee might feel a bit jittery or high-strung, but those side effects may come with a hidden benefit: prostate health. According to a new study, drinking six or more cups of coffee per day can lower a man’s risk of fatal prostate cancer by up to 60%.

A decreased risk of cancer was seen…

Skin Infestation a Delusion

For years, dermatologists have been aware of—and baffled by—people who feel a constant creepy-crawly sensation beneath their skin, which they believe is due to bugs, worms, or eggs below the surface.

Now, in the largest study to date to examine skin samples from patients with these symptoms, doctors have firm proof that these infestations—known as delusional parasitosis…

Binge Drinking May Harm Learning, Memory

After a night of partying, it’s not uncommon for college students to wake up with a fuzzy recollection of the evening’s events. But a new study suggests that binge drinking may impair memory in young people long after the hangover has worn off, perhaps because of damage to the hippocampus, a brain region involved in learning.

In the study, which…