32 h. ago RFK’s health report omits key facts in painting dark vision for US children

Maha report ignores leading causes of death for children, firearms and crashes, and focuses on lifestyle and vaccinesA new report led by health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr lays out a dark vision of American children’s health and calls for agencies to examine vaccines, ultra-processed foods, environmental chemicals, lack of exercise and “overmedicalization”.Kennedy has made combatting the chronic disease “epidemic” a cornerstone of his vision for the US, even as he has ignored common causes of chronic conditions, such as smoking and alcohol use. Continue reading...

Society

3 d. ago I'm a Harvard researcher who studies seed oils... here's the terrifying truth about their dangers

Online forums, influencers, and even top health officials have labeled seed oils toxic, blaming them for chronic disease. But researchers still know little about the true risks and benefits of them.

Events

3 d. ago How the strength of your grip could predict your risk of chronic disease

Predicting your risk of a range of health outcomes can be as simple as testing how tight your grip is

Events

2 w. ago Trump nominates Dr Casey Means, influencer close to RFK Jr, for surgeon general

President taps wellness influencer after withdrawing initial pick, former Fox News contributor Janette NesheiwatDonald Trump has tapped Dr Casey Means, a wellness influencer with close ties to Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, as nominee for surgeon general after withdrawing his initial pick for the influential health post.The US president said in a social media post on Wednesday that Means has “impeccable ‘MAHA’ credentials” – referring to the “make America healthy again” slogan – and that she will work to eradicate chronic disease and improve the health and wellbeing of Americans. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Want to live longer? This tennis ball trick could be a longevity ‘grand slam’

Grip strength is an important indicator of overall health

Politics

2 w. ago My rare disease was getting closer to a cure. RFK Jr could undermine that | Jameson Rich

The Trump administration’s funding cuts to the NIH could destroy a wave of approaching research breakthroughsSince Robert F Kennedy Jr assumed control of the US health department in February, with a mandate to “[lower] chronic disease rates and [end] childhood chronic disease”, he has moved quickly to remake the US’s federal health infrastructure. But the Trump administration’s actions on medical research are already threatening that goal – and could end medical progress in this country for good.Kennedy’s office oversees the National Institutes of Health, the control center of disease research in the United States. Kennedy’s agency has killed almost 800 active projects, according to Nature, affecting medical research into HIV/Aids, diabetes, women’s health, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and more. The administration wants to cut the NIH’s budget up to 40% while consolidating its 27 agencies – separated by disease area – into just eight. Elon Musk’s Doge has been reviewing previo...

Politics

2 w. ago How menopause symptoms could predict women’s risk of dementia

Menopause can provide early warning signs, write Jasper Crockford, Maryam Ghahremani and Zahinoor Ismail

Events

3 w. ago Simple 'bad cholesterol' test could better predict heart disease risk and 'replace standard tests'

A simple blood test for "bad" cholesterol proteins could be a more accurate risk predictor of cardiovascular disease

Events

3 w. ago Test for ‘bad cholesterol’ proteins could better predict heart disease risk

Researchers in Sweden and the US suggest measuring levels of lipoproteins may be a more accurate risk predictor.

Events

3 w. ago Could RFK Jr’s assault on Covid protections be bad news for chronic disease?

The health secretary has pledged to fight chronic illness, but experts say he risks increasing it with department cutsThe US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, entered office with a pledge to tackle the US’s chronic disease epidemic and give infectious disease a “break”. In at least one of those goals, Kennedy has been expeditious.Experts said as Kennedy makes major cuts in public health in his first weeks in office, the infrastructure built to mitigate Covid-19 has become a clear target – an aim that has the dual effect of weakening immunization efforts as the US endures the largest measles outbreak since 2000. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago How ‘revenge of the Covid contrarians’ unleashed by RFK Jr puts broader vaccine advances at risk

The health secretary has pledged to fight chronic illness, but experts say he risks increasing it with department cutsThe US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, entered office with a pledge to tackle the US’s chronic disease epidemic and give infectious disease a “break”. In at least one of those goals, Kennedy has been expeditious.Experts said as Kennedy makes major cuts in public health in his first weeks in office, the infrastructure built to mitigate Covid-19 has become a clear target – an aim that has the dual effect of weakening immunization efforts as the US endures the largest measles outbreak since 2000. Continue reading...

Events

4 w. ago Experts say drug commonly taken by millions can increase dementia risk 33 per cent

Doctors have warned about the risks of long-term use of the drug, which has also been linked to strokes, bone fractures and chronic kidney disease.

Events