Mom's Good Heart Health Lowers Risk Of Baby's Developmental Delays

Want to give your baby the best start in life?

Then tend to your heart health, both prior to and during pregnancy, a new study says.

Expectant mothers in worse heart health are more likely to have children who suffer from developmental delays, researchers reported June 23 in JAMA Network Open.

“Better maternal ca...

Belly Laughs Spring From The Primitive Brain, Researchers Say

Ever bark with laughter when something funny hits you out of left field? Or get a case of the giggles so bad you can’t stop, even though your sides ache?

That sort of spontaneous laughter might originate from a more primitive part of the human brain, researchers reported June 23 in the journal Trends in Neurosciences.

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Racial Gaps Narrow For U.S. Cancer Deaths, Report Finds

Racial disparities are narrowing among cancer patients, but people of color remain more likely to die from cancer, a new report says.

The disparity in cancer death rates between Black and white Americans has narrowed substantially, from 34% higher in 1991 to 9% in 2024, the American Association for Cancer Research says in its report.

Sunscreen Misinformation Popular On TikTok, Study Finds

Healthy use of sunscreen is overwhelmingly promoted in popular TikTok videos, a new study says.

However, people more often like, share and comment on the rare TikTok offerings that feature negative misinformation regarding sunscreen, researchers reported June 18 in the journal PLOS Digital Health.

“Sunscreen misinforma...

Patient Portal Messages Double, Doctors Face Rising Workload

More than 1 in 10 Americans now use patient portals and health apps to communicate with their doctor, a new study says.

Online portal messages from patients more than doubled between 2020 and 2025, researchers reported June 22 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

At least 12% of patients now use these secure p...

Most Americans Unaware Of Link Between Alcohol And Cancer — And Aren't Interested In Spreading The Word, Either

Fewer than half of Americans understand that booze is a cancer-causing substance along the lines of known carcinogens like tobacco, asbestos and formaldehyde, a new study says.

Alcohol has been listed as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer since the late 1980s, according to the U.S. National Cancer Insti...

Kids’ Juice And Soda Intake Linked To Higher Blood Pressure Risk As Young Adults

That juice box you hand your child as a daily treat could be setting them up for poor heart health later on, a new study says.

Drinking fruit juice or sugary sodas throughout childhood may be linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure in adulthood, researchers reported June 22 in the journal Circulation.

Kids who dra...

Middle-Aged Women Drink More, Know Less About Breast Cancer Risk

Middle-aged women have the highest levels of problematic alcohol use, a new national survey shows, yet they may be the least aware that drinking can increase breast cancer risk.

Researchers questioned 2,200 women, 18 and older, about their drinking habits and mental health, as well as their knowledge and beliefs about alcohol and breast ca...

Rising Healthcare Costs Leave Many Americans Less Secure

A growing number of Americans are finding themselves priced out of the healthcare system.

Only 49% of U.S. adults report being “cost secure,” meaning they can pay for the medical visits and treatments they need. That leaves half of Americans under stress to pay for medical bills. 

The finding is based on the latest s...

Short Videos Help First-Time Dads Learn Newborn Safety Basics

Brief videos can help first-time fathers better protect their newborns, a new study says.

Videos on safe sleep, infant crying and car safety helped educate dads on ways they can guard against injury, researchers reported June 19 in the journal Pediatrics Open Science.

“New fathers often report feeling like bystanders i...

Federal Push To Increase U.S. Primary Care Docs Has Fizzled, Study Says

Federal efforts to expand the number of primary care doctors in America have fallen short, a new study says.

Primary care’s share of 1,000 new U.S. residency positions funded by Medicare has dwindled over time, researchers reported June 15 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Overall, primary care positi...

Fish Oil Supplements May Be A Bust For Alzheimer's Prevention

Millions of Americans take fish oil supplements hoping to keep their brains sharp as they age.

But evidence just published in the journal EBioMedicine suggests those capsules may not deliver the cognitive boost many expect.

"We all wish there was a silver bullet for preventing Alzheimer's, but our findings showed t...

Dog Owners Feel Similar Grief Whether Pets Euthanized, Die Naturally

The grief pet owners feel at the loss of a beloved companion is strikingly similar regardless of the circumstances surrounding the death, a new study says.

Dog owners felt the same emotions — grief, guilt, blame — whether their pet was euthanized or died naturally, researchers reported recently in the Journal of the America...