Health
Less fat, more fruit may cut risk of dying of breast cancer
For the first time, a large experiment suggests that trimming dietary fat and eating more fruits and vegetables may lower a woman's risk of dying of breast cancer. The results are notable because they come from a rigorous test involving 49,000 women over two decades rather than other studies that… Read
Fights to end polio, contain Ebola made tougher by rising violence, research finds
Documented attacks on health workers in conflict areas increased dramatically last year, endangering both children waiting for polio vaccines and efforts to contain the latest outbreak of Ebola, research shows. Last year 973 attacks were reported on health workers in nearly two dozen conflict-ridden countries, killing 167 workers, according to… Read
Smartphone app can sound out sign of kids' ear infections
Researchers have created a way for a smartphone to "hear" a warning sign of ear infections — fluid buildup behind the eardrum. If it pans out, parents might one day check their tots' ears at home simply using a phone app and "stuff you have around the house — paper,… Read
WHO issues first advice on dementia: exercise and don't smoke
The World Health Organization has published its first guidelines on the prevention and management of dementia, putting physical activity at the top of its list of recommendations for preventing cognitive decline. Stopping smoking, a healthy diet and avoiding harmful use of alcohol were also among the recommendations of the WHO's… Read
Study urges mandatory measles jabs as cases surge
Vaccination against measles should be mandatory for children before they start school in order to prevent future outbreaks of the resurgent disease, according to new analysis released Friday. The World Health Organization says cases of measles -- a highly contagious viral infection that causes rashes and fever that can prove… Read
LED light can damage eyes, French health authority warns
The "blue light" in LED lighting can damage the eye's retina and disturb natural sleep rhythms, France's government-run health watchdog said this week. New findings confirm earlier concerns that "exposure to an intense and powerful [LED] light is 'photo-toxic' and can lead to irreversible loss of retinal cells and diminished… Read
'Zombie cells' buildup in your body may play role in aging
Call them zombie cells — they refuse to die. As they build up in your body, studies suggest, they promote aging and the conditions that come with it like osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease. Researchers are studying drugs that can kill zombie cells and possibly treat the problems they bring. Basically… Read
Antibiotics after assisted births could stop thousands of infections
Giving a single dose of antibiotics to mothers who have a medically assisted birth using forceps or vacuum could prevent almost half of maternal infections, researchers say, and global health authorities should change their advice. In a study published in The Lancet medical journal, the researchers said prescribing antibiotics as… Read
Lilly's new migraine drug pulls ahead of Amgen in fierce battle for new prescriptions
Eli Lilly and Co has pulled ahead in a three-way race with Amgen Inc and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd in attracting new patients to a new class of migraine drugs, and seeks to build on that advantage by stressing that its therapy can completely prevent headaches in a small percentage… Read
Worldwide, obesity rising faster in rural areas
Obesity worldwide is increasing more quickly in rural areas than in cities, a study reports, challenging a long-held assumption that the global epidemic of excess weight is mainly an urban problem. Data covering 200 countries and territories compiled by more than 1,000 researchers showed an average gain of roughly five… Read
