Patti Neighmond

A new study finds that people who are overweight, but not obese, have shorter life spans. It's the opposite of a 2013 study that got a lot of attention by finding a few pounds might be good for you.

Cytomegalovirus is everywhere, and it usually doesn't make people sick. But if a woman gets infected while pregnant, in rare cases it can cause serious problems for the baby.

There's not enough good evidence to make the call as to whether an annual pelvic exam is a good screening tool, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says.

A majority of models say they're threatened with job loss if they don't shed pounds. Researchers worry this contributes to poor body image and might increase eating disorders among teenage girls.

Several studies out this week show mixed results for testosterone replacement. It appears to protect bone density and strength and prevent anemia, but there is no effect on memory and cognition.

New guidelines encourage doctors to tell patients to try non-drug therapies for acute lower back pain first.

Cooling caps haven't been studied much in the U.S., and only one is approved by the FDA. Studies of two different caps show they can reduce hair loss by half in many women undergoing chemo.

A study tracking depression rates among U.S. teens from 2005 to 2014 finds an increase — especially among girls. A steady diet of harsh judgments from social media may play a role, researchers say.

With drug prices climbing, you may be tempted to keep unused pills and cough syrups past their expiration date. Don't do it, pharmacists warn. And get all medicine out of the bathroom cabinet now.

Holding a newborn on a parent's bare chest has long been used to help premature babies. Hospitals increasingly recommend it for full term babies, too. Doctors say it reduces pain and lowers stress.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine sorted through 10,000 studies to determine the good and bad health effects of marijuana. Tight drug restrictions impede research, they say.

Researchers who surveyed 244 shops across the U.S. found that, despite label warnings, two thirds would recommend the dietary supplement to a 15-year-old football player trying to gain muscle.

A decade after HPV vaccine was introduced in the U.S., many doctors still hesitate to routinely recommend that children get vaccinated against the cancer-causing virus.

Lung cancer affects mostly older people, but they're often not offered surgery as a treatment. A study finds that most older people can tolerate surgery, and that it extends lives.

Giving infants peanut puree as one of their first solid foods can help prevent peanut allergies, research has shown. To do that safely, start early — and only after checking with your doctor.

About 20 states are in the process of creating a system for rating child care providers. But it's hard to decide which standards best measure quality and which are most useful to parents.

The most common challenge parents face when looking for child care is the high cost. At an average cost of $10,000 a year, infant child care rivals a year's tuition at a state college or university.

Parents decline to vaccinate kids against the flu because they don't think they need it. Influenza leads to more hospitalizations and deaths among children than any other vaccine preventable disease.

The state's 2002 law offers six weeks' leave at a little over half-pay to eligible workers after the birth of a child. Ninety percent of businesses say the law's had a "neutral or positive" impact.

The biggest mistake parents make is over dosing. Part of the problem is the spoons and measuring cups the parents use are not accurate, and researchers suggest using a syringe instead.