2000%? RFK, Jr. claims that chronic disease in the U.S. has skyrocketed in 20 years. Here’s why that's absurd

2000%? RFK, Jr. claims that chronic disease in the U.S. has skyrocketed in 20 years. Here’s why that’s absurd

Glenn Kessler | Washington Post |
“We’ve got the highest chronic disease burden of any country in the world. When my uncle was president, 3 percent ...
Protein propaganda and expensive pee: Supplement shakes and massive steak consumption have no health benefits and is a waste of money

Protein propaganda and expensive pee: Supplement shakes and massive steak consumption have no health benefits and is a waste of money

The nearly ubiquitous social media message is, whoever we are, we need more protein. ...  “Whey protein has falsely been ...
Viewpoint: We have a successful playbook to beat measles. RFK, Jr. is doing mostly the opposite

Viewpoint: We have a successful playbook to beat measles. RFK, Jr. is doing mostly the opposite

Leana Wen | Washington Post |
There is well-known playbook for stopping measles outbreaks. It takes hard work, because measles is so contagious that 9 of out of ...
USAID cuts gut access to lifesaving vaccinations for millions of people in the world’s poorest countries

USAID cuts gut access to lifesaving vaccinations for millions of people in the world’s poorest countries

The United States is planning to terminate more than $1 billion in funding for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, an international ...
Could reprogramming our genes stop the aging process?

Could reprogramming our genes stop the aging process?

Cellular reprogramming is now hailed by its supporters as the most promising scientific approach to improving human healthspans and lifespans. Proponents ...
Some junk snack foods are not nearly as unhealthy as others. Here are better options of popcorn, chips, crackers, cookies and more

Some junk snack foods are not nearly as unhealthy as others. Here are better options of popcorn, chips, crackers, cookies and more

Anahad O'Connor | Washington Post |
Because snacking tends to make up a large portion of our daily calories, the type of foods you choose to ...
The dangerous downside of ‘clean eating’

The dangerous downside of ‘clean eating’

Amy McHugh | Washington Post |
In 1997, physician Steven Bratman coined the term “orthorexia” (orthos, “right” and orexia, “appetite,” translating to “righteous eating”) in response to ...
Trump-Kennedy NIH shutting down 40+ grants investigating vaccine hesitancy

Trump-Kennedy NIH shutting down 40+ grants investigating vaccine hesitancy

The National Institutes of Health will cancel or cut back dozens of grants for research on why some people are reluctant ...
Do you have a ‘favorite child’? Here’s how genes, birth order and other factors influence that

Do you have a ‘favorite child’? Here’s how genes, birth order and other factors influence that

Caitlin Gibson | Washington Post |
The idea of parental favoritism might seem inherently subjective (what do we mean by “favorite,” exactly?) but researchers have developed ...
Viewpoint: The skinny on 'energy-dense food—Ultra-processing is not the reason we should be concerned about ultra-processed foods

Viewpoint: The skinny on ‘energy-dense food—Ultra-processing is not the reason we should be concerned about ultra-processed foods

Tamar Haspel | Washington Post |
If you’re scanning ingredient lists to find the ice cream that doesn’t have cellulose gum, you’ve lost the thread. I ...
No, Elderberry is not a magic elixir

No, Elderberry is not a magic elixir

Teddy Amenabar | Washington Post |
Elderberry supplements — marketed for boosting the immune system — have recently become one of the most popular herbal supplements in the ...
Quirky DeepSeek: A look under the hood of China’s clever new open-source search engine

Quirky DeepSeek: A look under the hood of China’s clever new open-source search engine

DeepSeek’s success and a technical paper it published last week suggest that Chinese AI developers can match their U.S. counterparts ...
Determining dementia risk: 21-question Brain Care Score predicts chances of dementia and stroke later in life

One out of three people are likely to develop dementia as they age. Here are 15 ways science can help slow or prevent the process

Marlene Cimons | Washington Post |
A disturbing [study] has predicted that new cases of dementia will double by 2060, estimating that 1 million adults will develop the ...
Is the fiber supplement psyllium the only supplement shown to really work?

Is the fiber supplement psyllium the only supplement shown to really work?

Trisha Pasricha | Washington Post |
In most cases, the supposed benefits of supplements popularized on social media aren’t backed by strong data. But there is ...
Twelve states mandate water fluoridation. What might happen if RFK, Jr. is approved as HHS secretary?

Twelve states mandate water fluoridation. What might happen if RFK, Jr. is approved as HHS secretary?

Hannah Recht | Washington Post |
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the nation’s health agency, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has railed against the practice of ...
Are ultra-processed foods ‘addictive’? It depends

Are ultra-processed foods ‘addictive’? It depends

Tamar Haspel | Washington Post |
Are some foods actually addictive? The answer is straightforward and, you might think, inconsequential: It depends entirely on your definition ...
Western diets need to change to meet sustainability challenges. How resistant will consumers be to munch on insects or plant-based meats

Western diets need to change to meet sustainability challenges. How resistant will consumers be to munch on insects or plant-based meats

Alexandra Plakias | Washington Post |
What will the diets of the future look like? The answer depends in part on what foods Westerners can be ...
Trump’s prospective 'Health Czar' RFK, Jr. says new administration will push to ban fluoride in water

Trump’s prospective ‘Health Czar’ RFK, Jr. says new administration will push to ban fluoride in water

Dan Diamond | Washington Post |
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged ... that a future Trump administration would seek to remove fluoride from drinking water as ...
Following new Idaho law, doctors delayed the pelvic exam of a pregnant 13-year-old girl because they couldn't locate her homeless mother

Following new Idaho law, doctors delayed the pelvic exam of a pregnant 13-year-old girl because they couldn’t locate her homeless mother

Karin Brulliard | Washington Post |
[Mom-to-be Aleah], 36 weeks pregnant, was having mild but frequent contractions.... In most cases, physician Caitlin Gustafson would have begun ...
Viewpoint: The FDA should not be bullied into taking away consumer's choice to eat cell-grown meat

Viewpoint: The FDA should not be bullied into taking away consumer’s choice to eat cell-grown meat

Catherine Rampell | Washington Post |
Consumers might already be weirded out by the prospect of eating lab-grown animal products, so the ideal product should taste ...
The threat of biological conflict is rising. Are we prepared?

The threat of biological conflict is rising. Are we prepared?

George Will | Washington Post |
The coronavirus, [Roger Brent (professor of basic sciences), T. Greg McKelvey Jr. (adviser to the Rand think tank) and Jason ...
Louisiana’s classification of abortion pills as ‘controlled dangerous substances’ signals further anti-abortion restrictions likely in other conservative states

Louisiana’s classification of abortion pills as ‘controlled dangerous substances’ signals further anti-abortion restrictions likely in other conservative states

Emily Wax-Thibodeaux | Washington Post |
Staff in some Louisiana hospitals are doing timed drills, sprinting from patient rooms and through halls to the locked medicine ...
Here’s what people really use AI chatbots for

Here’s what people really use AI chatbots for

Thousands of conversations were analyzed to see what people are really asking them and what topics are most discussed ...
Viewpoint: The dangerous emerging anti-vaccine political alliance between Donald Trump and RFK, Jr.

Viewpoint: The dangerous emerging anti-vaccine political alliance between Donald Trump and RFK, Jr.

Former president Donald Trump appeared to share Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s long-held vaccine skepticism and urged the independent presidential candidate to do something “big” ...
'Anthropocene' debate: Scientists debate whether we are in a new geological epoch, and here's why it matters

‘Anthropocene’ debate: Scientists disagree over whether we are in a new geological epoch, and here’s why it matters

Dino Grandoni | Washington Post |
A panel of scientists rejected the term “Anthropocene” to describe a period in which humans have profoundly impacted the environment ...
What can Chesapeake Bay tell us about how and when humans first made it to the Americas?

What can Chesapeake Bay tell us about how and when humans first made it to the Americas?

The story of the first Americans has long been a matter of public and scientific fascination, undergirded at times by ...
Can you beat the house in sports wagering? Some people think AI might be your best bet

Can you beat the house in sports wagering? Some people think AI might be your best bet

Washington Post |
Advanced artificial intelligence is already changing the face of professional sports. AI-generated analytics and algorithms can more precisely track such metrics as ...