No matter how much you weigh, having a big belly could be hazardous to your health. A new study's confirmed the way fat is distributed in the body especially at the waistline may be even more important than how much weight a person is carrying. While the danger of abdominal fat is becoming clear, experts don't fully understand why a big stomach is unhealthy, even among people who weigh pretty much what they should.

Routine brain scans in a group of middle-aged people show that 10-percent of them have suffered a stroke without knowing it. And people with the most common type of irregular heartbeat had more than twice that rate. These so-called silent strokes usually don't result in any injuries but do raise the risk for a major stroke that can do a lot of damage.

Older adults with low vitamin B levels appear to be at increased risk of suffering a hip fracture. Doctors say diet changes and supplements are an easy way to make sure you’re getting enough of this important ingredient.

The number of illnesses from Salmonella in tomatoes continues to grow. The CDC now reports more than 750 people in 36 states have been infected with the rare strain of Salmonella. Officials have linked the outbreak to raw plum, Roma and round tomatoes but investigators are still trying to find the source of the contamination

U-S health officials say the battle to snuff out teen smoking has stalled out. The CDC reports efforts to reduce teen smoking have slowed as states lose funding for anti-tobacco campaigns and companies use new strategies to recruit young customers. While fewer kids are trying cigarettes for the first time overall teen smoking rates have remained around 22 percent for the last five years.

More and more American companies are finding the resources to offer their employees incentives to kick the habit or slim down. A new report finds increasing numbers of the nation's largest employers are handing out gift cards and cash incentives to encourage healthy living. More than three-quarters of big U-S employers offer formal health and wellness programs amid rising health-care costs.

A new nationwide survey of teens finds in many cases adults are serving up alcohol. More than 40 percent of the nation's estimated 10-point-eight million underage drinkers say they got their alcohol free from adults. One in 16 say in the past month their parents gave them an alcoholic drink.

Scientists have singled out a gene that may raise the risk of Alzheimer's. Researchers say the gene appears to hamper a brain cell's ability to take in calcium contributing to the most common form of Alzhemier's. The scientists believe finding a drug that could reverse the gene's effect may be useful in fighting the disease.

The FDA is telling the maker of the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil to hold off marketing the drug to older women. Merck wants the vaccine cleared for use in women ages 27 though 45. The FDA told the company it has issues that preclude approval for this age group. Currently the drug is approved for use in girls and young women ages 9 to 26.

Diabetes in this country is on the rise. The CDC reports that 24 million Americans have diabetes an increase of more than three million in just two years. Most of the cases are type-2 diabetes which is linked to obesity, poor diet and a lack of exercise.

Despite lab evidence that some painkillers can protect against melanoma a large new study didn't come up with any support for that theory. Researchers followed more than 60-thousand subjects who reported their use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including aspirin and ibuprofen over the last decade. The scientists could not find any association between the use of the painkillers and melanoma risk.

And if your normal sleep pattern is disrupted the chances are greater you could be up and walking. Canadian researchers found sleepwalking episodes appear more likely when sleepwalkers experience sleep deprivation or sleep that is interrupted by disturbances such as loud noises. Their recommendation those prone to sleepwalking do everything they can to maintain regular sleep cycles.

Not getting enough Vitamin D could be deadly. Researchers warn people with a deficiency are as much as twice as likely to die from ANY cause including cardiovascular disease compared to people whose blood shows higher levels. Doctors say hardly any of us get enough of the vitamin, which can be gained through diet, supplements, or even spending more time in the sun.

The standard weapons in the fight against cancer surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation may soon be joined by something far simpler: exercise. New research shows that regular physical activity helps reduce the risk of breast cancer and slows the advance of prostate cancer. Experts say any exercise the equivalent of a 30-minute walk 5 days a week will do.

The medication topira-mate, often sold as topamax, has been shown to reduce drinking in alcoholics now a new study says it can boost their quality of life as well. Researchers found patients on the drug saw a greater improvement in weight, liver function, cholesterol level and blood pressure compared to other patients taking a placebo.

Government drug regulators are close to allowing doctors to electronically prescribe some of the most addictive drugs. Unlike most prescription medicines, drugs with the highest potential for abuse such as powerful painkillers must be sold with a written prescription. Under the new rule, doctors could prescribe the restricted medications by e-mail, but it's not yet clear which drugs would apply.

Researchers say falling levels of a hormone called leptin that helps the brain resist tempting foods may explain why people who lose weight often have a hard time keeping it off. Restoring the hormone to pre-diet levels may reverse this problem.Work is already underway to determine if some kind of supplement is possible.

The world is far from prepared for a flu pandemic. That warning from infectious disease experts who predict the bird flu could kill millions if it becomes easily transmissible among people. Experts want greater cooperation among countries to track where the virus travels and how it mutates.

A new study argues obese patients who have surgery to lose weight may reduce their risk of developing some cancers by as much as 80-percent. The research confirms that obesity is an enormous risk factor for the disease and shows that weight loss does seem to affect the development of tumors. But not everyone is convinced. Many researchers believe the study results are skewed because weight-loss surgery candidates are usually screened for cancer before the procedure.

Just 4-percent of American doctors have switched from conventional paper to electronic health records. The biggest stumbling block: money. The system promises to reduce costly medical errors, but it can cost more than 60-thousand-dollars per doctor per practice and many can't or aren't willing to make the commitment.

Self-confident kids may make for healthier adults. A survey's found children age 10 who felt they had the most control over their lives were much less likely to be overweight at age 30. The link remained even after researchers weighed a number of other factors including education and family income.

Breakfast may REALLY be the most important meal of the day when it comes to losing weight. A new study's found women who eat half their daily calories first thing in the morning lose more weight in the long-term than those who start the day with a small breakfast. The research also indicates an early meal heavy in carbohydrates means they're less likely to put the weight back on.

Deepening debt isn't just hitting Americans in the pocketbook. Survey results show people who report high financial stress also suffer from illnesses such as migraines, ulcers, and depression, and often more than one.

The F-D-A's cracking down on internet crackpot cancer cures. The agency's threatened penalties against more than 2 dozen online companies selling various creams, teas, and pills that claim to fight the disease. Officials say they're primarily concerned people will waste time instead of money.

A new report card compares how quickly and accurately health insurers pay doctors. Almost 98-percent of medical services billed were paid correctly by Medicare, compared with 71-percent for Aetna and 62-percent for United Healthcare, which had the lowest rate of compliance. The aim of the report card is to lower processing costs which, when combined with wasteful administration spending, adds up to 210-BILLION-dollars a year.

Screening for bone loss in older adults can be done as infrequently as every 5 years. Canadian researchers say their data shows the amount of bone loss the elderly suffer is not as significant as previously believed. Women aged 50 to 54 had the most pronounced loss of the study participants.1-point-3 percent.

Doctors may need to rethink the way they measure blood pressure. Experts say they should focus only on the higher of the two conventional readings because so-called "systolic" pressure is the key risk factor for older patients most susceptile to heart problems. This would simplify treatment strategies and probably make it easier for patients to understand their condition.

New research may explain why some people who are anxious or depressed overeat. Scientists have found the so-called "hunger hormone" that increases when a person goes without food might also help defend against depression and anxiety. In some people, this would mean as stress increases, the brain sends the signal that the body is hungry, even if the person has recently eaten. Researchers hope further study can shed light on both depression and obesity.

The Food And Drug Administration fails to review nearly half of generic drug applications on time. A new government report has found the average approval time to be almost a year-and-a-half. The agency says they need time to carefully review each product but is considering some ways to streamline the process and get cheaper drugs on the market faster.

Your daily pick-me-up may have an additional perk. Two decades worth of research show people who drink 2 to 6 cups of coffee a day have a slightly lower risk of dying from heart disease, type-2 diabetes and even some kinds of cancer. But experts caution too MUCH coffee can have a negative effect usually by raising the blood pressure.

The F-D-A may have found the source of the Salmonella that's sickened hundreds of people though tainted tomatoes. All signs point to South Florida and Mexico for the outbreak. Mexican officials insist their product is being unjustly targeted, but investigators say they narrowed it down by tracking people who got sick eating at different outlets of the same restaurant chain.

Researchers have found some the strongest evidence yet linking traffic pollution to childhood allergies. They say the risk of developing asthma, hay fever, or other allergies is about 50-percent higher for children living 50 yards from a busy road than for those living a thousand yards away.

Women who smoke are no more likely than men to get lung cancer but among non-smokers, women appear to be at higher danger. They said more study needs to be done to find out if - and why - women really do have more of a risk. Lung cancer kills more than 160-thousand people every year in the U-S alone, including 15-thousand who never smoked.

Not getting enough sleep may be doing more harm than just keeping you tired. A new study indicates people who don't get enough rest often indulge in excessive snacking. Researchers found when people's sleep was cut down, they ate more, and what they did eat was frequently junk food. The results back up the theory that lack of sleep contributes to obesity.

The percentage of underweight babies born in the U-S has hit its highest rate in 40 years. Babies born underweight - defined as less than 5-and-a-half pounds - face all kinds of dangers, including an increased risk of death during infancy and long-term disabilities. New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Massachusetts had the best rankings, while Mississippi, New Mexico, and Alabama scored the worst.

Allergies cost Americans 11-billion-dollars in 2005 almost double than 5 years before. It's an exploding field - that 11-billion doesn't even include popular over-the-counter remedies. Sneezing, itchy eyes, and other miseries will send a projected 30-million people to the doctor this year alone.

There are 47 million in the U-S without insurance. But health advocates are growing nearly as worried about another group of people. The ranks of the so-called "under-insured" - people who DO have health coverage but not enough of it - rose 60-percent in the past 5 years to more than 25 million. Hardest hit was the middle-class, who researchers said have been increasingly forced to go without needed care OR pay more out-of-pocket costs and watch their debt rise.

Smoking cigarettes cuts 5 to 10 years off your life. That according to new mortality estimates, which also found heart disease and breast cancer to be the top threats for non-smoking men and women. But overall, smoking remains the biggest killer population-wide, and it’s not even close.

The cost of treating cancer has soared in the U-S as more chemotherapy and radiation treatments become available to more patients. The greater availability is good news, but researchers warn the expanding costs will strain public insurance plans such as Medicare. Experts warn the public and private sector need to work together to make sure the cost of care doesn’t bankrupt the government health care system.

Better lighting may help people with Alzheimer's disease. Patients often sleep during the day and stay awake at night, and the change in lighting can get their body clock back on track. This can also improve their mood and cut back on aggressive behavior. A new study concludes this minor adjustment can slow the development of dementia by as much as 5-percent, which means patients may be able to live in their own homes longer.

By pinpointing a compound produced by prostate cancer, researchers are close to developing a test that can detect the disease earlier than any current method. This will help doctors figure out which patients need more careful monitoring after surgery or radiation to destroy tumors.

The osteoporosis drug Evista may help prevent the most common type of breast cancer. A new study involving 10-thousand women found those who took the bone medication were 55-percent less likely to develop the disease. The results are more evidence that hormone replacement drugs may NOT raise the risk of breast cancer as much as previously thought.

Doctors have known for years vitamin D is needed to prevent brittle bones now they say it can also prevent heart attacks. A study followed more than 18-thousand men over the age of 40 for 10 years. Those with low vitamin D levels not only had more than double the risk of heart attack they appeared more likely to die from it. Experts say most people need 3 to 4 times as much vitamin D as they're currently getting. They can get it from the sun, a change in diet, or vitamin supplements.

Smoking hurts the mind as well as the body. A new survey's found middle-aged smokers preformed poorly on tests of memory, vocabulary, and reasoning compared to non-smokers. Researchers note they found it difficult to perform lengthy follow-up testing on these smokers, because so many had died earlier than expected.

Survivors of childhood cancer who had aggressive chemotherapy are at increased risk of heart trouble later in life. Many cancer treatment drugs are known to increase the danger of heart damage. Now researchers are working on a more effective system to evaluate the present benefits and possible future risks of cancer care and drug therapy.

Doctors may have figured out why heart-related deaths spike in the winter. It's well-known the cold puts more stress on the heart but new research indicates 5 consecutive days of cold weather boosts inflammation in the body which in turn makes blood thicker and increases its ability to clot. Experts say this could push patients already on the verge of a heart attack over the edge.

Becoming overweight or even obese may not be so bad for people battling type-1 diabetes, the less common form of the disease. A new survey’s found people who put on weight over time were less likely to die than others studied, and those classified as underweight were at the greatest risk for death. Experts caution, however, that this is NOT a license to eat without consequence.

A few drinks a week may help ward off arthritis. 2 studies found that moderate drinking - up to 9 alcoholic beverages a week - cut the risk of the condition by almost 50-percent. Researchers also found smoking to be an even bigger risk factor for arthritis than previously thought.

Experts have some advice for parents of overweight kids do more, talk less. A new study's found even parents who recognize their children are too heavy don't do enough to help such as cooking healthy meals family or encouraging their kids to get off the couch. Just pressuring kids to diet is likely to backfire. For both boys and girls, being encouraged to cut back what they eat without emphasizing exercise roughly tripled their likelihood of still being overweight 5 years later.

Children exposed to secondhand smoke early in life are at greater risk of serious infection. The danger of being hospitalized was greatest among infants 6 months and younger, but the increased risk persisted up until 8 years old. The findings suggest secondhand smoke may not only be harmful to the respiratory system but to the immune system as well.

Nursing homes aren't making enough use of osteoporosis drugs. That from a new study that found only 12-percent of residents who suffered a bone fracture were prescribed a medication for the bone-thinning illness. Worries about side effects may be one reason, but advocates say the facilities need to enhance their approach to a increasingly common problem.

Wondering why that diet’s not working? It could be your brain’s not on the same page. Researchers say serotonin the same hormone that controls your mood may direct the body to store calories as fat, regardless of how much food you eat. Scientists think the brain chemical usually decides whether to burn the calories or stockpile them in the body. The discovery could lead to better diet drugs and more effective treatments for diseases such as diabetes.

Human stem cells have helped brain-impaired mice suffering from a condition similar to many childhood diseases such as Cerebral Palsey and Tay-Sachs. Some, but not all, of the mice in the study made major improvements after a one-time injection of stem cells, leading the scientists to express hope the same approach might be tried in children within just a couple of years.

Disinfectant wipes routinely used in hospitals may actually SPREAD drug-resistant bacteria. New research has found they did kill most of the dangerous germs, but they didn’t get them all and could even transfer the so-called superbugs to other surfaces. The study authors found hospital workers often weren’t following basic directions - such as only using the wipes once or making SURE to wash their hands.

It's not the fountain of youth but a compound found in red wine may protect the heart against the aging process. Experiments with mice showed the compound stalled the decline in heart function that happens as we get older. Research is already in the works to figure out how to distill the benefit into a supplement that can help people.

Heart failure patients may over-estimate how much time they've got left. A new survey's found these people typically think they will live 3 years longer than standard models predict. Experts say doctors need to do a better job of making sure patients understand the full reality of their condition.

Heavier arthritis patients tend to suffer less joint damage. Researchers looking for a link beween obesity and arthritis instead found people were better able to cope with the bone-weakening condition if they were overweight. They're not sure how or why but hope the finding leads to better therapies.

A new cancer vaccine appears to double the survival time of people with the most common and deadly type of brain tumor. Clinical trials show patients treated with the vaccine lived, on average, 33 months, while those who relied on standard therapy alone lived only 14 months. It also took tumors far longer to return after surgery. Researchers say the results are promising but just preliminary a larger study is already underway.

All babies benefit from breast-feeding but in at least one respect, girls get more of a benefit. New research shows infant girls who were breast-fed were far less likely than baby boys to develop serious respiratory infections. Scientists think there may be something in breast milk that better activates the girls' immune systems.

Many young children aren't getting enough vitamin D. A study's found 2 of every 5 kids has less-than-optimal levels. This deficiency can show up later as broken bones or a weakened immune system prone to disease. The main risk factors are not drinking enough milk, not taking vitamins, and being overweight.

Baby boomers exercising well into middle age are doing their hearts a world of good. But there are some draw-backs. Doctors are reporting an explosion of wear and tear problems in these athletes’ joints. The exercise is great, but experts say instead of activities like running, it may be worth considering something more low-impact such as swimming to cut down on all those overuse injuries.

The number of young un-insured adults in the U-S is still growing. People age 19 to 29 accounted for 17-percent of the non-elderly population in 2006 but made up almost 30-percent of the uninsured. Analysts say these young adults usually end up in low-end jobs that don’t offer coverage.

Researchers say a high dose of the arthritis drug Celebrex has showed early signs it may help prevent lung cancer in heavy smokers. They think it reduces levels of an enzyme tumors need to develop. But experts caution the finding is very early and needs to be confirmed in longer, larger studies.