Smoking is powerful enough to affect almost every part of the body. Yet surveys in the past has revealed that most smokers try to quit but fail, despite knowing ill effects. Now, new research has found that having peers who smoke doubles the risk that non-smoking teenagers will also pick up the habit. Led by Jiaying Liu, PhD, a recent graduate from the Read More

The Senate health committee meets next month to discuss ways to stabilize the insurance markets. Insurers have until Sept. 27 to commit to selling policies on the ACA marketplaces in 2018. Andrew Harnik/AP Congress and the Trump administration could boost insurance coverage by a couple of million people and lower premiums by taking a few actions to stabilize the Affordable Read More

Donald Trump is wrong about a lot of things. But in his ongoing war of words with congressional Republicans, he’s right about one big thing — the failure of Affordable Care Act repeal efforts is fundamentally the failure of the Republican Party’s House and Senate leaders. Republicans on Capitol Hill like to complain that on health care, Trump didn’t really Read More

This is the web version of VoxCare, a daily newsletter from Vox on the latest twists and turns in America’s health care debate. Like what you’re reading? Sign up to get VoxCare in your inbox here. You hear a lot about how much Medicaid pays health care providers and whether the program provides its patients adequate access to doctors and hospitals. Read More

A mountaintop removal project in Blair, W. Va., a site that was approved by the Army Corps of Engineers, but was reevaluated by the Environmental Protection Agency. CreditTodd Heisler/The New York Times WASHINGTON — The Interior Department has ordered a halt to a scientific study begun under President Obama of the public health risks of mountaintop-removal coal mining. The National Academies Read More

A few months ago, after an urgent care visit, an overnight stay in the hospital and a slew of medical exams, I discovered my blood pressure was abnormally high. The high blood pressure symptoms were just a manifestation of a deeper health issue I was experiencing — chronic anxiety. Wasting no time, I threw myself into self-care. I wanted to find the right Read More

Targets are to be set to reduce calories in pizzas, burgers and ready meals as part of the government’s drive to tackle child obesity in England. Health officials believe the move is needed as people are consuming 200 to 300 calories too many each day. It could see the size of products reduced or ingredients changed in food and drinks Read More

A review of screening mammography placed overdiagnosis of breast cancer at about 30%. Photograph: Enrique Castro-Mendivil/Reuters Australia’s peak independent cancer authority, the Cancer Council, has endorsed a statement calling for a plan to stop patients being harmed by the overdiagnosis and overtreatment of diseases. The statement developed by doctors and researchers was published on Thursday morning and described growing evidence and concern Read More

Do you substitute refined sugar with artificial sweeteners? It may be time to stop. Scientists say diet foods and artificial sweeteners may trigger weight gain and increase the risk of diabetes, as their sweet taste fools the body’s metabolism into believing that we are consuming more calories. In nature, sweetness signals the presence of energy and its intensity reflects the amount Read More

It is hard distinguishing between fads and products that have real benefits. So, if you are confused about superfoods, you are not alone. It is hard to distinguish between superfoods that offer real health benefits and others whose benefits have been invented for marketing purposes. Nutri-therapy specialist Olivia Charlet, who is also a marathon runner and naturopath, separates fact from fiction: Sprouts Read More