New Weight Loss Research Questions Need for GLP-1 Drugs

FRIDAY, April 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A new approach to weight loss research is challenging one of the biggest assumptions behind popular weight loss drugs: Are GLP-1s actually needed to achieve weight loss?

In a new study published April 15 in the journal Molecular Metabolism, researchers tested a drug that targets two ...

Trump Names CDC Director Pick

FRIDAY, April 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — After months of leadership changes, President Donald Trump has chosen a new candidate to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The White House announced Thursday that Dr. Erica Schwartz, a physician and former deputy surgeon general, is the new nominee. 

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Rising Colon Cancer Deaths Hit Younger Adults Without Degrees Hardest

FRIDAY, April 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A growing number of younger adults are dying from colon cancer, but the increase isn’t affecting everyone in the same way.

New research, published April 16 in JAMA Oncology, shows the rise in colon cancer deaths is happening mostly among adults without a four-year college degre...

FDA To Review Whether To Allow More Access To Certain Peptides

FRIDAY, April 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will soon review whether certain peptides should be allowed in customized medications made by compounding pharmacies.

Peptides are small chains of amino acids that are marketed for a wide range of uses, including treating wounds, obesity, insomnia a...

Most People Would Take A Blood Test For Alzheimer's, Study Says

FRIDAY, April 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Most people would want to take a blood test that can assess their risk of Alzheimer’s disease, rather than remain anxious about their odds, a new study says.

About 85% of primary care patients said they’d take a blood test that looks for the toxic proteins linked to Alzheimer&rsqu...

Memory Problems? Your Salt Intake Could Make Matters Worse, Study Says

FRIDAY, April 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Reaching for the salt shaker could have long-lasting implications for your memory and brain health, a new study says.

Higher sodium intake appears to affect episodic memory, the type of memory used to recall personal experiences and specific events from your past, researchers report in the Ju...

Ultra-Processed Foods Linked To Fatty Muscles, Potential Knee Arthritis

FRIDAY, April 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Ultra-processed foods don't just contribute to flab around your middle, but also to fat inside your muscles, a new study has found.

A diet high in ultra-processed foods is associated with larger amounts of fat stored inside thigh muscles, regardless of a person’s calorie or fat intake, ...

This Sexually Transmitted Infection Linked To Heart Attack, Stroke

FRIDAY, April 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Syphilis is on the rise in the United States, and with it the threat that a long-term untreated infection could pose to a person’s heart health, a new study says.

The sexually transmitted disease (STD) doubles a person’s risk of ruptured blood vessels and dramatically increases th...

New Depression Treatment Matches ECT with Less Memory Loss, Study Says

FRIDAY, April 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For patients with severe depression, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has long been the go-to when other treatments haven’t helped.

However, the fear of losing memories or experiencing confusion often leads patients to steer clear of ECT, which uses an electric current to induce seizure ...

How Playtime at Age 2, Especially with Parents, Shapes Teen Fitness Habits

FRIDAY, April 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — If you thought your toddler’s relentless energy was just a phase to be managed, think again. 

New research suggests those early years of running, jumping and playing are actually the foundation for their health as teens.

A study from the University of Montreal found that the ...

One Lot of Xanax Recalled Nationwide Over Quality Issue, FDA Says

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A widely used anxiety medication is being pulled from shelves due to "failed dissolution specifications," the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.

The agency's enforcement report said that one lot of Xanax has been recalled nationwide by the company Viatris.

The recall, issue...

Rising ACA Costs Leave Many Unable To Pay for Coverage

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Higher health insurance costs are forcing some people to walk away from coverage even after signing up.

About 14% of people who enrolled in Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans for 2026 did not pay their first monthly premium, according to a new analysis from Wakely Consulting Group, an actuaria...

Cough Drops From Several Brands Being Recalled, FDA Says

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Several common cough drop brands are being pulled from shelves after officials raised concerns about how they were made.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said a China-based company, Xiamen Kang Zhongyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd, issued a recall that includes 15 products.

The...

CDC May Get New Leader as Officials Consider Erica Schwartz

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Federal health officials are considering Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to people familiar with the discussions.

The decision is not yet final and would still need approval from President Donald Trump. It’s also not clea...

New Alzheimer's Drugs Provide No Meaningful Benefit, Major Evidence Review Concludes

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — New anti-amyloid drugs approved to treat Alzheimer’s disease have no clinically meaningful positive effects for patients, a major evidence review has concluded.

Drugs like Leqembi (lecanemab) and Kinsula (donanemab) have little to no effect on patients’ cognitive decline and dem...

This Simple Step Could Improve The Benefits From Your Regular Workouts

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — People might get more from their workouts if they time their exercise to their sleep schedule, a new study says.

“Early birds” and “night owls” who timed their exercise to when they were most alert wound up with lower blood pressure, blood sugar and “bad”...

E-Bikes And E-Scooters A Growing Menace On City Streets, Study Says

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Battery-driven bicycles and scooters are becoming a public hazard, endangering both riders and pedestrians, a new study reports.

E-bike and e-scooter crashes now account for more than half of bike- and scooter-related trauma cases treated at a major New York City hospital, up from less than...

Why Walking Remains Unsteady After Partial Spinal Cord Injury

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — People who’ve recovered from a spinal cord injury enough to walk continue to have trouble standing, balancing or moving smoothly – and researchers now think they know why.

The way the human body compensates for a spinal injury appears to result in herky-jerky movement on the mus...

Study Says Stress, Weight And Hormones Alter Timing of Puberty in Girls

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For decades, doctors have noticed that girls are entering puberty at increasingly younger ages without a clear reason to explain it.

While many have pointed to diet or environment, a new Columbia University study points to a complex triple threat: High stress, hormones and body mass index (...

Air Pollution and Weather Tied to Migraines

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — If you suffer from migraines, you might track your sleep, stress and diet, but new research suggests you should also keep a close eye on the smog report.

Air pollution — from car exhaust to industrial smoke — is a significant driver of migraine activity, especially when combined...