Introduction (Image credit: USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion)The United States may have replaced its classic food pyramid with a simple plate design in 2011, but creative food guides still reign around the world. [Beyond the Pyramid: How Food Guides Vary Around the World] Read on to learn about...

Many people want to lose weight, but what are the best ways to do it? There's a lot of advice out there, telling you to eat less (and what not to eat), and to exercise more (but don't overdo it). But what does the science say? To get the lowdown...

Just 6 percent of adults in the U.S. have adopted all five key health habits that are linked with better health or longer life, according to a new report. But adults in some states are far healthier than others: The states with the highest percentages of people who engage in...

Children whose tummies hurt for no clear reason could benefit from taking probiotics, a new review study found. The researchers looked at ways to treat so-called functional abdominal pain, or stomach pain that doesn't have a clear cause. The condition is a big problem, in children, said study co-author Dr....

Women who suffer from migraines may be more likely than other women to develop heart problems, a new study suggests. Researchers found that women who have migraines were at greater risk of having a heart attack and angina (chest pain), and of needing to undergo heart-related procedures such as coronary...

When it comes to heart health, body shape matters: A new study finds that having an apple-shaped body may increase the risk for heart disease in people with diabetes. In the study, people who had a higher waist circumference were more likely to have problems with the left ventricle of...

NEW YORK — Concussions may have lasting and widespread effects on a person's cognitive abilities, according to two new studies presented here at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society's annual meeting. In one study, presented on Sunday (April 3), researchers found that a concussion's effect on visual working memory — the ability...

One simple question may reveal a lot about a teen's risk of developing an alcohol problem, a new study finds. The study focused on teen alcohol screening, or questions that doctors can ask to flag those who may be at risk for problem drinking. Results showed that one question —...

For one New Jersey man, wearing a fitness tracker paid off in a big way: Doctors in the emergency room used the gadget to help determine the best way to treat his heart problem, according to a new report of the case. The 42-year-old man went to the ER after...

People in their 50s or 60s may benefit from taking aspirin daily, but those who start during their 50s get the most benefit from its use in preventing a heart attack, stroke and colon cancer, according to new recommendations from a government-appointed panel of independent experts. Daily aspirin is also...

NEW ORLEANS — Colorectal cancer has been linked to a number of risk factors, such as inactivity, smoking and eating a lot of red meat. Now, a new study suggests a slightly more surprising risk factor: long legs. Compared with people who had shorter legs, those with longer legs had...

Introduction (Image credit: Ditty_about_summer | Shutterstock.com)No one knows exactly why we sleep, but researchers continue to uncover important discoveries about the mysterious phenomenon, including some that seem counterintuitive. Here are five surprising findings about human sleep: Interrupted sleep is worse than staying awake (Image credit: Photographee.eu | Shutterstock.com)Not getting enough...

Some U.S. counties have seen a 70-fold increase in drug overdose deaths in the last few decades, a new study finds. However, the areas with the highest increases in drug overdose deaths are not always the places with the most drug trafficking, as identified by the government, the study found....

Scientists have uncovered how human skin cells control pigmentation — a discovery that could lead to safer ways to tan or lighten the skin. Researchers found that skin color can be regulated by estrogen and progesterone, two of the main female sex hormones. Estrogen darkens the skin; progesterone lightens the...

The next time your mom calls you by your brother's name (or even your dog's name), don't be offended — she's probably not doing it because she thinks you look like him, a new study finds. Such misnamings, or when a person calls someone else by the wrong name, occur...