Nicotine levels in cigarettes sold in the U.S. would have to be drastically lowered under a proposal released Wednesday by the Food and Drug Administration. If finalized, the change would mean that cigarettes would lose their ability to hook most people into addiction. “By reducing the nicotine level of cigarettes and certain other combusted tobacco…
The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it’s banning the use of Red No. 3, a synthetic dye that gives food and drinks their bright red cherry color but has been linked to cancer in animals. The dye is still used in thousands of foods, including candy, cereals, cherries in fruit cocktails and strawberry-flavored milkshakes,…
A group of global experts is proposing a new way to define and diagnose obesity, reducing the emphasis on the controversial body mass index and hoping to better identify people who need treatment for the disease caused by excess body fat. Under recommendations released Tuesday night, obesity would no longer be defined solely by BMI, a calculation of…
How strong are your bones? At least 1 in 5 women older than 50 in the U.S. have osteoporosis, but many don’t realize it. Women 65 years and older should have a bone density scan to screen for osteoporosis, updated guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend. Osteoporosis is often described as a “silent…
Just one alcoholic drink a day is linked to a wide range of negative health effects, according to a federal report released Tuesday. The findings, which apply to both men and women, tied a daily drink to an increased risk of liver cirrhosis, several cancers, and injuries, but a lower risk of ischemic stroke. That…