Health News

Health News for 12/06/12

December 06, 2012

1262012

Health Tip: How Radon Can Get in Your Home

Radon is an odorless but toxic gas that can seep into buildings, including ground-level homes.

Health Tip: Getting a Tattoo?

Tattoos may be popular forms of body art and expression, but they pose a number of potential health problems, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.

Health Tip: Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes

People with type 2 diabetes either don't produce enough insulin, or their bodies don't process insulin correctly. More than 90 percent of people with diabetes have type 2, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says.

Study Reveals Why Elderly Often Vulnerable to Scams

Older adults are less able to spot people with untrustworthy faces, which may help explain why they're more likely to be victims of fraud, according to new research.

Chemo May Extend Survival After Breast Cancer's Return

In women with breast cancer that has recurred but remains confined to in or near the breast, post-surgical chemotherapy appears to boost survival, new research shows.

Fruit Flies Use Detection System to Avoid Spoiled Food

Fruit flies have a special brain circuit that prevents them from eating, or laying their eggs on, spoiled food that contains toxic molds and bacteria, a new study finds.

Plastics Chemical BPA Found in Fetal Livers

Researchers who found the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in the livers of fetuses say it shows that there is considerable exposure to the chemical during pregnancy.

Childless People Die Sooner, Study Says

A new study of couples treated for infertility found a significantly higher death rate among couples who remained childless and lower odds of psychiatric illness among those who adopt.

Kids May Be at Slightly Higher Asthma Risk If Parents Had Infertility Treatments

Children born after in vitro fertilization are more likely to have asthma, according to a new British study.

Consider Weight When Choosing Blood Pressure Meds: Study

Taking a patient's weight into account when choosing blood pressure medications might help prevent strokes, heart attacks and death, a new study suggests.

Sedatives May Raise Pneumonia Risk

People taking the widely prescribed sedatives known as benzodiazepines may be putting themselves at greater risk for developing pneumonia, British researchers report.

Cleaner Air in U.S. Boosting Life Expectancy, Study Finds

As air pollution in the United States declines, it appears Americans are living longer, according to a new study.

Thinking You Ate a Lot May Help You Feel Full

Believing you had a large meal can make you feel less hungry hours after the meal, a finding that could lead to new methods of weight control, researchers say.

For Aggressive Breast Cancer, Chemo May Work Better in the Young

Younger women with aggressive breast cancers often benefit more than older women when they undergo early, pre-operative chemotherapy, a new study finds.

Health Highlights: Dec. 6, 2012

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