Meningitis Outbreak Tied to Students Leaves 2 Dead and 11 Sick in England

WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Health officials in southern England are investigating a meningitis outbreak that has led to the deaths of two young people and sickened at least 11 others.

Many of the cases were linked to students in the city of Canterbury, about 60 miles southeast of London, the UK Health Security Agenc...

Women More Likely To Survive Cancer Than Men — At A Cost

WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Women are more likely to survive cancer than men, but they’re also more likely to develop severe side effects to treatment, a new evidence review says.

Female cancer patients have a 21% lower risk of death than men across 12 different types of advanced cancers, researchers recently r...

Belly Fat Linked To Heart Failure Risk

WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Want to figure out your heart health risk?

Look at your belly fat, not your body mass index, a new study says.

Excess fat stored around the waist is more strongly associated with heart failure risk than BMI, an estimate of body fat based on height and weight, researchers will report ...

Ultra-Processed Foods Linked To Heart Attack, Stroke, Cardiac Arrest

WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Munching down loads of ultra-processed foods can increase your risk of suffering or dying from a heart attack, stroke or heart disease, a new study says.

Each additional daily serving of ultra-processed foods increases a person’s risk of a major cardiac event by 5%, researchers repor...

The Sunshine Vitamin and COVID: New Study Finds Mixed Results for Recovery

WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Since the pandemic’s early days, many people have looked to vitamin D as a possible shield against the worst effects of COVID-19. 

Studies have yielded mixed results, with no clear benefit to vitamin D supplementation when it comes to COVID.

But a new major clinical trial ...

Too Much Smartphone Use Linked to Disordered Eating in Teens

WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For many teenagers, a smartphone is essentially an extra limb. 

But new research suggests that spending too much time peering into that digital world might be altering how young people view their bodies and their relationship with food.

A comprehensive review from King’s C...

Norovirus Sickens Close to 200 People on Caribbean Cruise

TUESDAY, March 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A Caribbean vacation took an unpleasant turn for dozens of cruise passengers after a stomach virus spread across their ship.

Nearly 200 people aboard a Princess cruise vessel became sick with norovirus during a recent trip, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CD...

Federal Judge Pauses Kennedy’s Changes to Childhood Vaccine Schedule

TUESDAY, March 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A federal judge has stopped a major effort to change the nation’s childhood vaccine schedule.

The ruling, issued Monday in Massachusetts, blocks U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to revise vaccine recommendations for children. 

The decision stems from ...

Listening to Music for 24 Minutes May Ease Anxiety, Study Finds

TUESDAY, March 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A short music session may help ease anxiety and researchers say there’s a "sweet spot" for how long to listen.

A clinical trial found that listening to specially designed music for 24 minutes can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms. The music was paired with auditory beat stimulation...

Cream Cheese Recall Upgraded Over Listeria Risk, FDA Says

TUESDAY, March 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Health officials are warning consumers about a cream cheese recall that has been raised to the most critical level due to possible bacterial contamination.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said certain cream cheese products made by Made Fresh Salads Inc. may contain Listeria m...