Poll Shows Most Americans Want to Slim Down

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — As the New Year’s resolutions take center stage, a new nationwide poll shows that while a majority of American adults want to be thinner, only a fraction are doing anything about it.

In all, 52% of Americans want to lose weight but just 26% are making a serious effort to do so, the new...

The Gender-Stress Gap: Women Benefit Most from a Daily Workout

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — If you are looking to lower your stress levels this year, hitting the gym — or going for a brisk walk — might be your best strategy, especially if you are a woman. 

A new report from the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index reveals that women experience a more dramati...

Wyoming Supreme Court Keeps Abortion Legal in the State

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Abortion will stay legal in Wyoming after the state Supreme Court ruled that a pair of abortion bans passed by lawmakers violate the state constitution.

Tuesday’s ruling blocks a nearly complete abortion ban as well as a separate law that would have made Wyoming the only U.S. state to ...

Study Finds ADHD Drugs May Work Differently Than Scientists Once Thought

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For decades, doctors assumed ADHD medications like Ritalin and Adderall work by fixing problems in the brain’s attention system.

A new study suggests that assumption may be wrong.

Instead of acting on attention centers, these stimulant drugs appear to target the brain’s rew...

Walking, Household Chores Can Be Lifesaving Therapy For People With Metabolic Syndrome

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Walking or doing a few household chores may be lifesaving for people with metabolic syndrome, a new study says.

Just a one-hour daily increase in such light physical activity was associated with a 14% to 20% lower risk of death over 14 years among people with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic ...

Ozempic, Wegovy Might Lower Colon Cancer Risk

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Ozempic and Wegovy might help people avoid colon cancer as well as promote weight loss or control diabetes, a new study says.

People who took a GLP-1 drug were 36% less likely to get colon cancer than people who took aspirin, according to findings scheduled for presentation Saturday at a mee...

Surgery Should Be Last Resort For Chronic Constipation, Guidelines Say

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Surgery should be a last resort for people suffering from severe, chronic constipation, according to new guidelines from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA).

Colectomy – surgical removal of part or all of the colon – is often considered for people with constipation...

Excess Weight Increases Risk Of Low Back Pain, Researchers Find

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Did holiday treats add a few extra pounds to your frame?

If so, your risk for low back pain might have increased, as well, a new study says.

A person’s risk of back pain increases as their weight goes up, researchers recently reported in the journal Pain Medicine.

...

Sleep Lab Data Can Predict Illnesses Years Earlier, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Your body is talking while you sleep, and what it’s saying could help doctors predict your future risk for major diseases, a new study says.

An experimental artificial intelligence (AI) called SleepFM can use people’s sleep data to predict their risk of developing more than 100 h...

AI-Powered Mesh Sleeve Can Monitor Seniors For Signs Of Frailty

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — An experimental AI-powered mesh sleeve can detect subtle signs of frailty among the elderly, researchers say.

The soft mesh sleeve, worn around the lower thigh, monitors a senior’s walking patterns, researchers recently reported in the journal Nature Communications.

An A...

U.S. Cuts Recommended Childhood Vaccines

TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Federal health officials have decided to narrow the list of vaccines routinely recommended for U.S. children, a move that has outraged public health experts.

The updated childhood immunization schedule —  released Monday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) &...

Nearly 3,000 Pounds of Ground Beef Recalled for Possible E. coli

TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Nearly 3,000 pounds of raw ground beef sold in six states is being recalled after testing found possible contamination with E. coli O26, federal food safety officials said.

The recall involves grass-fed ground beef produced by Mountain West Food Group, LLC, based in Heyburn, Idaho, ac...

U.S. Backs At-Home HPV Testing to Boost Cervical Cancer Screening

TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Women may soon have an easier, lower-cost way to get screened for cervical cancer.

Federal health officials say self-collected vaginal samples can now be used to screen for cervical cancer, and most private insurance plans will be required to cover the testing without charging patients out of ...

Novo Nordisk Launches Daily Weight-Loss Pill to Expand GLP-1 Access

TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A daily pill for weight loss has officially arrived in the U.S.

On Monday, Novo Nordisk rolled out the first GLP-1 weight-loss pill, an oral version of Wegovy. 

The company says the new option is designed to reach people who want the benefits of GLP-1 drugs without injections, and t...

Young Adults With IBD Face Insurance, Cost Barriers To Care, Survey Finds

TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Young adults are having a tough time accessing treatment for their inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a new study says.

They are more likely to face insurance barriers and financial strain to get proper care for their IBD, researchers reported today in the journal Crohn’s & Coliti...