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Brisk Walks May Help, Not Harm, Arthritic Knees

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- If you suffer from knee arthritis and worry that walking will only worsen your damaged joint, a new study suggests you put your fears aside, slip on some sneakers, and take a brief but brisk walk.

The researchers estimated that if older adults with the condition added just 5 minutes of brisk w...

FDA Too Quick to Call BPA Chemical Safe, Health Experts Say

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration "jumped the gun" when it declared the chemical BPA safe for consumers earlier this year, experts from the Endocrine Society claimed Tuesday.

The FDA asserted in February that its "initial review supports our determination that currently authorized uses of ...

Warmer Weather Gets Seniors Outdoors and Moving

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The better the weather, the more seniors venture out and get active.

So say researchers who assessed the activity levels of more than 1,200 adults in Norway, aged 70 to 77, who were grouped based on whether they scored low, medium or high on a fitness test.

"Older people in poor phys...

Does Living in U.S. Heighten Hispanic Men's Obesity Risk?

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- New research seems to suggest that living in the United States might make Hispanic men more prone to obesity.

To arrive at that conclusion, researchers analyzed responses from more than 1,000 men who took part in a 2002-2003 survey.

The results showed that Hispanic men who are born o...

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Has Dementia

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor -- the first woman on the high court -- has dementia, "probably Alzheimer's disease," she announced Tuesday.

Doctors diagnosed her with the beginning stages of dementia "some time ago," O'Connor, 88, said in a letter addressed to "friends ...

Poorer Care at For-Profit Nursing Homes, Study Claims

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults who live in for-profit nursing homes are nearly twice as likely to have health problems linked to poor care than those in nonprofit nursing homes and those who live in private homes, a new study finds.

"We saw more -- and more serious -- diagnoses among residents of for-profit fac...

Is Crowdfunding Too Often Used for Bogus Treatments?

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Crowdfunding pleas for dubious or potentially unsafe medical treatments are increasingly common, and raised nearly $7 million on social media in two years, researchers report.

An ill patient pleading for naturopathic cancer treatments or hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be hard to resist. Ditto a...

Kids With Autism, Delays More Likely to Be Overweight by Age 5: Study

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Children with autism or developmental delays may be at increased risk for obesity, a new study finds.

The study included nearly 2,500 2- to 5-year-olds in the United States. Of those, 668 children had autism spectrum disorder (ASD); 914 had developmental delays; and a control group of 884 chil...

AHA: Heart Health's Impact on Brain May Begin in Childhood

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (American Heart Association) -- A child's blood pressure could indicate cognition problems into adulthood, according to a new study suggesting the cardiovascular connection to cognitive decline could begin much earlier in life than previously believed.

The findings may provide a window into the roots of dement...

You Probably Have 'Microplastics' in Your Poop: Study

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- There's a good chance a dose of tiny plastic particles has taken up residence in your gut, a new, small study argues.

Microplastics, as they are called, were found in stool samples from a handful of volunteers located across Europe and Asia, researchers report.

Every single person ou...

Don't Become a Flu Statistic. Get Vaccinated

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- With flu season imminent, U.S. health officials urge everyone 6 months and older to get a flu shot.

Already, one unvaccinated child in Florida has died from flu, the officials warned.

Not many cases have been reported so far, so it's too soon to know if this year's strains will be a...

Exploring Fitness Workshops & Fairs

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- One of the more popular fitness trends are education programs designed for consumers. Fitness buffs and weekend warriors alike can explore new ideas and techniques, and learn from professionals in various fields.

These programs take many forms. More and more communities now stage health and f...

Hard Arteries Hard on the Aging Brain?

MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Stiff arteries may significantly raise the risk of dementia, researchers report.

Investigators analyzed data from 356 elderly people (average age 78) in Pittsburgh who were followed for more than 15 years. They found that stiff arteries were a good predictor of dementia.

Specifically,...

Age of Liver Transplant Donor Might Not Matter

MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who get a liver transplant from an older donor have better long-term survival than those who refuse this type of transplant, new research shows.

Transplant surgeons mainly use livers from donors under age 70 to avoid risks such as rejection and death. But a shortage of organs means tha...

1 in 4 College Students Really Stressed Out by 2016 Election: Survey

MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- For some college students in the United States, the 2016 presidential election triggered significant distress symptoms, a new survey suggests.

Nearly 800 students were surveyed at one university. One-quarter suffered distress levels similar to what's seen among witnesses to a mass shooting, res...

Love Organic Foods? Your Odds for Some Cancers May Fall

MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Paying extra for those pricey organic fruits and vegetables might pay off: New research suggests eating them might help you dodge a cancer diagnosis.

People who consumed the most organic foods had a 25 percent lower cancer risk compared with those who ate the least, the study found.

...

Widely Used Antipsychotics May Not Ease Delirium in ICU

MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Two common antipsychotic drugs are ineffective in treating delirium in intensive care unit patients, and don't shorten the length of time spent in the ICU or the hospital, a new study finds.

Despite widespread use of haloperidol or ziprasidone, "we found, after extensive investigation with medi...

Many Supplements Still Contain Dangerous Stimulants: Study

MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Drug and Food Administration has repeatedly warned manufacturers that many dietary supplements contain dangerous, experimental stimulants. But according to a new report, 75 percent of supplements tested still contain the compounds.

"Consumers turn to supplements for safe, natural ways...

AHA: The Heart Problem This Stroke, Bypass Surgery Survivor Wasn't Expecting

MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (American Heart Association) -- When Tom Broussard came out of quadruple heart bypass surgery, the then-59-year-old was just glad to have avoided a heart attack. So he didn't give much thought to the heart valve that surgeons replaced at the same time.

"I figured everything was fixed and didn't need to worry abou...

Disabling Hip Ailment Is Another Health Risk for Obese Kids

MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Childhood obesity has been linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and early heart disease, but new research now ties it to a sometimes crippling hip condition.

It's called slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), and it causes the hip to become deformed, occasionally so much so that the hi...