It’s easy to blame parents when young children gain too much weight, but the latest research suggests that certain obesity risk factors are out of Mom and Dad’s control.
Environmental Health
Mom’s Exposure to Air Pollution Can Increase Kids’ Behavior Problems
Prenatal exposure to pollutants in city air is linked to later anxiety, depression and behavior problems in children.
Toxic Bling: Jewelry Contains Hazardous Levels of Lead and Other Chemicals
Jewelry sold at popular retailers could contain dangerous levels of cancer-causing toxic chemicals, according to an analysis by a non-profit environmental group.
Study: BPA May Be Linked with Heart Disease
Researchers link the ubiquitous chemical, found in plastics and in the lining of food and beverage cans, to an increased risk of heart disease in humans.
Oh, Baby: There May Be Arsenic in Your Formula
A new study suggests that organic brown-rice syrup — a sweetener used in many organic and gluten-free foods, including baby formula — may be a hidden source of arsenic
Air Pollution Linked to Higher Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
It’s not just an environmental hazard. Dirty air can impact health immediately after exposure.
What’s in Your Lipstick? FDA Finds Lead in 400 Shades
Your favorite shade of Marilyn Monroe red may contain lead, according to a recently updated test of lipstick by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Why Electric Cars Are More Polluting than Gas Guzzlers — at Least in China
Electric cars are all the rage in China, but they may not be helping to clean up the environment or protect human health from pollution.
Exposure to Common Chemicals May Weaken Vaccine Response
A study finds disturbing evidence that chemicals found in furniture, fast-food packaging and microwave popcorn bags may compromise children’s immune systems.
Do Antiperspirants Cause Breast Cancer?
Parabens, a major compound in antiperspirants, are found in many breast tumors. But they’re present in tissues of non-users as well
A Bird Flu Death in China. What it Means — and Doesn’t Mean
Bird flu claims a life in China. Should you be worried?
Key to Bed Bugs’ Persistence: Inbreeding
If bed bugs seem to be everywhere, it’s probably because they are. Some bug watchers have estimated that populations of the tiny, blood-sucking mattress-dwellers have jumped by as much as 500% in recent years, and a 2010 survey …
Arsenic and Old Rice: Should We Worry About a Toxic Chemical in a Popular Food?
Arsenic is nasty stuff. Concentrated doses of the chemical can be fatal — one reason it’s long been a popular poison for assassins and unhappy widows. And chronic high exposure has been linked to skin lesions, certain cancers …