Environmental and lifestyle factors play a far greater role than genetics in determining the likelihood of dying young, according to the largest study yet to untangle the contributions of nature and nurture to healthy aging.

A range of external factors including exercise and smoking — collectively dubbed the “exposome” — was almost 10 ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: A friend from my book club recently had a stroke. I learned that women have a higher risk of strokes. What are the risk factors, and are there signs to watch for that indicate someone is having a stroke?

ANSWER: A stroke can happen at any time and to anyone. You might be talking to your loved one and notice they're suddenly ...Read more

Elon Musk’s deep cuts to the 9/11 health fund have sparked rare bipartisan outrage as Republicans join Democratic lawmakers in demanding they be restored.

The budget-slashing billionaire’s rapid fire cuts have already eliminated about 20% of the staff at the federal program that provides care to survivors of the deadliest terror attack on ...Read more

In January, during a congressional hearing on his way to becoming secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got basic details wrong about Medicaid — a program he now oversees.

He said that Medicaid is fully funded by the federal government (it’s not) and that many enrollees are unsatisfied with high out...Read more

McMINNVILLE, Tenn. — Each month, Michelle Shaw went to a pain clinic to get the shots that made her back feel worse — so she could get the pills that made her back feel better.

Shaw, 56, who has been dependent on opioid painkillers since she injured her back in a fall a decade ago, said in both an interview with KFF Health News and in sworn...Read more

Washington state health care professionals who treat children are bracing as a new commission launched by President Donald Trump's administration takes aim at psychiatric drugs.

Last Thursday, an executive order from the White House established a new "Make America Healthy Again Commission," chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert ...Read more

Multiple well-known Illinois health systems have allowed workers accused of sexually abusing patients to keep providing care, a yearlong Tribune investigation has found.

And while some medical systems in other states have reckoned publicly with their failures, Illinois health care providers have quietly settled lawsuits, entered into ...Read more

For decades, military doctors faced a critical challenge: What’s the best way to safely and effectively deliver oxygen to patients in remote combat zones, rural hospitals or disaster-stricken areas?

Oxygen tanks are heavy, costly and dangerous in combat zones. A direct hit from a missile or a bullet can turn a lifesaving resource ...Read more

Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a critical role in many of the body’s functions but is often overlooked in daily diets. Found in a variety of foods, magnesium is vital for maintaining health and wellness. From supporting heart function to energy production, this article will explore the importance of magnesium, daily needs, and ...Read more

After a long day of work and errands, planning dinner can be a drag. This is especially true if you’re a busy bee, or your schedule is constantly changing. As a result, you might find yourself eating dinner at a different time each day — but does it actually matter? Ahead, dietitians explain the best time to eat dinner, and whether it’s ...Read more

News flash: What we eat can play a pivotal role in warding off — or treating — disease and enhancing quality of life. You may already believe this, and certainly mounting evidence supports that idea. But on the cluttered shelf of diets claiming top health benefits, which one ranks as the absolute best?

That’s a trick question. In fact, ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I recently heard about a type of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma. I’m not familiar with this condition. Can you explain what it is? Do I need to do anything different to protect myself?

ANSWER: Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that 1 in every 5 people ...Read more

Keeping kids healthy can be a big job. From the day their children are born, parents ferry them to and from medical offices, getting their immune systems boosted, teeth cleaned, eyes checked and stuffy noses decongested.

But experts say there's one body part parents and health care professionals may be overlooking: the heart.

"As a ...Read more

Federal cuts to the World Trade Center Health Program have resulted in a 23% reduction in the agency’s staffing and could put 9/11 survivors at risk, critics said Tuesday.

New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have already reached out to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., demanding the “insulting” and...Read more

Transgender youth in Kansas will soon be prohibited from receiving medically approved gender-affirming care within state borders.

The Kansas House and Senate both voted Tuesday to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of the care ban, capping off a bitter three-year fight over whether trans minors should be allowed access to treatment options that...Read more

U.S. consumers often pay more for gluten-free products, yet these items typically provide less protein and more sugar and calories compared with gluten-containing alternatives. That is the key finding of my new study, published in the journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition.

This study compared gluten-free products with their gluten-...Read more

Restrictions on medical care for transgender youth assume that without the ability to medically transition, trans people will vanish.

As of 2024, 26 U.S. states have banned gender-affirming care for young people. Less than a month into office, President Donald Trump issued numerous executive orders targeting transgender people, ...Read more

You may be familiar with high-density, or good cholesterol; low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or bad cholesterol; and their connections to heart health. But what about triglycerides? Often that word gets skimmed over when talking about cholesterol levels.

Dr. Regis Fernandes, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, says triglycerides provide the body with ...Read more

In Arkansas, state health officials announced a stunning statistic for 2023: The total number of abortions in the state, where some 1.5 million women live, was zero.

In South Dakota, too, official records show zero abortions that year.

And in Idaho, home to abortion battles that have recently made their way to the U.S. Supreme Court, the ...Read more