FRIDAY, Jan. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) —  Everyone who’s had regular dental care knows the heavy lead apron that’s draped across your body before taking X-rays of your teeth.

But what has been an annual ritual of donning the apron and undergoing oral X-rays might look very different the next time you visit the dentis... Full Page

Doctors would do well to heed any gut feelings parents might have about their child’s health, a new study says.

Nine times out of 10, children were seriously ill if their parents had a clear or strong concern about their health, researchers reported Feb. 17 in JAMA Network Open.

In fact, asking whether a parent is worr... Full Page

Obesity affects 1 in every 5 U.S. children, a new study says.

About 20% of American children between the ages of 2 and 19 have obesity, researchers report Feb. 10 in JAMA Network Open.

“In 2024, excess youth overweight and obesity remained highly prevalent among youths in the U.S.,” wrote the research team led by... Full Page

Imagine knowing exactly when your brain might start to fail. 

It sounds like a plot from a futuristic movie, but a new "biological clock" developed by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis may make it a reality.

By analyzing a blood sample, scientists were able to estimate when a person’s Alz... Full Page

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 might offer protection against one of the most dangerous complications of pregnancy.

A large international study published online Feb. 18 in eClinicalMedicine followed more than 6,500 pregnant women across 18 countries. 

The findings linked COVID vaccination — especially with a ... Full Page

In a sudden reversal, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to review Moderna’s experimental mRNA influenza vaccine. 

The move comes just one week after the agency refused to evaluate the company’s application, a decision that sent shockwaves through the biotech industry.

The initial rejection center... Full Page

If you recently bought frozen salmon at BJ’s Wholesale Club, check the packaging before your next meal. 

Wellesley Farms Farm-Raised Atlantic Salmon is being pulled from shelves across seven states after federal testing found it contained dangerous bacteria. 

The recall involves 2-pound bags of the frozen fish. The af... Full Page

While parents have long worried that too much sugar leads to cavities and weight gain, new research suggests that sugar rush might be followed by a worry crash. 

A study from Bournemouth University in the U.K. has identified a troubling link between high-sugar drinks and increased anxiety symptoms in young people.

Researchers re... Full Page

It's often touted as the "miracle tree" for its dense nutrient profile, but a popular moringa supplement is at the center of a superbug outbreak.

Federal health officials announced Feb. 13 that a multistate outbreak of highly drug-resistant Salmonella has been traced back to moringa powder capsules.

The investigation, conduc... Full Page

It’s never too late for cancer survivors to become active, a new study reports.

Cancer survivors who engaged in even small amounts of exercise reduced their risk of cancer-related death, researchers reported Feb. 17 in JAMA Network Open.

That risk dropped even more among patients who achieved higher levels of physical ... Full Page

Ultra-marathon runners must be incredibly fit to endure races that can extend more than 100 miles, but their bodies pay a price for their athleticism, a new study says.

Extreme endurance runners experience a breakdown of their normal red blood cells during a race, putting them at increased risk of anemia, researchers reported Feb. 18 in th... Full Page

Musicians suffer hearing loss in pursuit of their passion more than twice as often as average folks, a new evidence review says.

More than 2 in 5 musicians suffer from tinnitus and a quarter are affected by hearing loss, researchers recently reported in the journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

“Many musi... Full Page

An ancient Chinese mind-body practice can lower a person’s blood pressure as well as medication or a program of brisk walking, a new study says.

Baduanjin is a widely practiced eight-movement sequence that combines slow, structured movement, deep breathing and meditation.

The practice lowered people’s blood pressure by ab... Full Page

Despite a growing mental health crisis among America’s youth, the system is still failing a massive number of children, a large study suggests. 

Nearly one-quarter of children who need mental health treatment are not receiving it, according to the analysis led by researchers at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute in Boston... Full Page

For a person living with dementia, a hospital stay can be a terrifying whirlwind of strange faces, loud noises and confusing tests. 

This disorientation often leads to a condition called delirium, which can slow down recovery and lead to more time spent in medical facilities.

However, a clinical trial sponsored by Sarasota Memor... Full Page

More than a decade after a major mining disaster in Brazil, scientists are still uncovering its health effects, including potential risks from food grown in nearby soil.

A new study suggests that bananas grown near the Doce River estuary may pose health risks for children under 6, due to lingering contamination from iron mining waste relea... Full Page

When actress and singer/songwriter Mandy Moore talks about RSV, it’s not just as a celebrity, it’s as a mom who’s lived through it.

In 2023, both of Moore’s sons came down with respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, at the same time. The experience, she says, was overwhelming.

“I just will not forget how h... Full Page

As new infectious threats emerge worldwide, a key U.S. health agency is quietly stepping away from language tied to pandemic planning, a change some experts warn could leave Americans less protected when the next crisis hits.

Staff at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have been told to remove references to &... Full Page

If you have peanut butter at home, federal health officials say it’s worth taking a closer look.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a recall of more than 20,000 peanut butter products after pieces of plastic were found during the manufacturing process.

The peanut butter was made by Ventura Foods and sold ... Full Page

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80,” American entrepreneur Henry Ford once said. “Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”

There’s something to that, a new study says.

People who engage in a lifetime pursuit of learning have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as slower ... Full Page