African Americans who attend Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) may be at lower risk for health problems later in adulthood compared to African Americans who attend predominantly white institutions, a new study suggests. The research showed that Black adults who had enrolled in an HBCUs had a 35% lower probability of developing metabolic syndrome...
Health
Don’t Be Fooled by Pretty Food, Research Warns
As the holiday season nears, thoughts of pumpkin pies, roasted chestnuts and turkey dinners fill our dreams and our grocery shopping lists. While visions of holiday food may be pleasing to the eyes and tantalizing to the palate, it would be a mistake to conclude that pretty food is healthier than other food. Yet consumers...
Health Care Use Drops During Pandemic; Switch to Telemedicine Creates Disparities
During the first two months of the pandemic lockdown, Americans dramatically reduced their use of preventive and elective health care, while increasing use of telemedicine — but the switch was not enough to offset reductions in in-person care, according to a new study. The analysis, one of the first to quantify the cuts in elective...
Exploring Gender Gap in Strength-Training, Possible Solutions
Strength training is an important part of any exercise routine, but some women may not be getting the recommended hours. New Penn State research discovered some of the barriers preventing women from strength training, as well as some solutions to overcoming those obstacles. In a study of college students, researchers found that women were less...
Tokyo’s Voluntary Standstill May Have Stopped COVID-19 in Its Tracks
Why did Japan largely contain COVID-19 despite famously jam-packed Tokyo and despite the country’s proximity to China? With no penalties and only requests for cooperation, Japan’s state of emergency somehow averted the large-scale outbreaks seen elsewhere. At least one viable answer has now emerged. A new comparative analysis of people’s mobility during the virus’ first...
How COVID Death Counts Become the Stuff of Conspiracy Theories
In the waning days of the campaign, President Donald Trump complained repeatedly about how the United States tracks the number of people who have died from COVID-19, claiming, “This country and its reporting systems are just not doing it right.” He went on to blame those reporting systems for inflating the number of deaths, pointing...
More Republicans Follow COVID Guidelines When They’re Told It Will Protect Themselves
For decades, scientists have predicted that a deadly pandemic would sweep the globe — but what they didn’t expect was that basic public health measures such as mask wearing and social distancing would become political flashpoints, especially in the United States. But according to new research from the University of British Columbia (UBC) Sauder School...
ACA’s Expansion of Medicaid Improved Maternal Health
The period of time before pregnancy is critically important for the health of a woman and her infant, yet not all women have access to health insurance during this time. New research finds that the expansion of Medicaid for many states under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) had a positive impact on a variety of...
Removing This Hidden Nasty from Our Food Could Save Thousands of Lives
Banning a harmful ingredient from the Australian food supply could prevent thousands of deaths from heart disease according to new research from The George Institute for Global Health. Trans fatty acids – made during the industrial process that converts vegetable oils into a solid form of fat – are a well-known risk factor for heart...
Hot or Cold, Weather Alone Has No Significant Effect on COVID-19 Spread
At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, there were high hopes that hot summer temperatures could reduce its spread. Although summer didn’t bring widespread relief, the connection between the weather and COVID-19 continues to be a hot topic. The link between weather and COVID-19 is complicated. Weather influences the environment in which the coronavirus must...