Health News

Health News for 05/05/11

May 05, 2011

Images of Overweight People Can Thwart Diet, Study Finds

Seeing overweight people can cause you to choose unhealthy foods and to eat more of them unless you consciously focus on your health goals, according to new research.

Health Tip: Could Your Child Be Constipated?

Children may become constipated from a practice experts call "stool withholding" -- deliberately not going to the bathroom because of embarrassment, fear of an unpleasant experience, or the desire not to interrupt playtime.

Health Tip: Drink More Water

Though anyone can become dehydrated, there are some people who should be careful to drink enough water.

Parents' Limited English May Prolong Child's Hospital Stay

Children have longer hospital stays if their parents or other main caregivers have poor English language skills, a U.S. study finds.

Obese Teens Lack Vitamin D, Study Finds

Low levels of vitamin D are common in obese adolescents, a new study finds.

Blood Pressure May Hint at Kidney Cancer Outcome

In people with advanced kidney cancer, blood pressure appears to indicate how well their medication is working, with high blood pressure linked to longer survival, new research shows.

Many Dialysis Patients Short on 'Health Literacy'

About one in six kidney dialysis patients in the United States doesn't understand health information that's important for their well-being, a new study says.

Flood Cleanup Requires Extra Care for Those With Allergies

People with allergies and asthma need to take extra precautions if their home is flooded, experts advise.

Race Seems to Play Role in Colorectal Cancer Screening

Elderly black and Hispanic Americans are less likely than whites to get colorectal cancer screening, even though Medicare has expanded coverage for screening tests such as colonoscopy and fecal occult blood test, a new study has found.

Calorie Intake Rises When Fast-Food Restaurants Nearby: Study

Increased access to fast food restaurants is associated with higher calorie intake among black Americans in the southeastern United States, a new study found.

Prolonged Bottle Feeding Boosts Kids' Obesity Risk: Study

Babies who are still drinking from a bottle at 2 years of age may be prone to obesity by the time they turn 5, a new study suggests.

Cardiac Arrest Less Deadly in Exercise Facilities, Study Finds

You stand a better chance of survival if your heart stops beating while you're in an exercise facility than if you're in another type of indoor public place, a new study found.

Moderate Levels of Arsenic in Water Can Pose Health Threat

Even moderate levels of arsenic in drinking water increases the risk for heart disease, a new study suggests.

Can Hormone Therapy or the Pill Prevent Brain Aneurysms?

Taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy could protect women against brain aneurysms later in life, a new study suggests, although one neurologist questioned the quality of the research.

Sex, Coffee May Boost Risk of Brain Aneurysm Rupture: Study

If you have a brain aneurysm, drinking coffee, having sex or even getting angry may boost the risk of it rupturing, a new study suggests.

Drugmakers to End Infant Formulas of Products With Acetaminophen

The makers of cold and fever medications that contain the painkiller acetaminophen said Wednesday night that they will discontinue infant-drops versions of the products to avoid confusion that might lead to overdoses, the Associated Press reported.

Health Highlights: May 5, 2011

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Few Babies in Child-Care Centers Receive Breast Milk: Study

While new mothers are strongly encouraged to breast-feed their babies for at least a year, a small study of child-care centers suggests that relatively few are set up to help moms to do so.

Screening Teens' Hearts Could Be Lifesaving

Checking the hearts of teenagers, athletes and non-athletes alike, could save thousands of lives, a new study suggests.

Surgery May Beat Antibiotics for Appendicitis, Study Finds

Although some researchers believe antibiotics can often cure appendicitis, surgery remains the more effective treatment, French investigators suggest.