A new year might mean new viral threats. Old viruses are constantly evolving. A warming and increasingly populated planet puts humans in contact with more and different viruses. And increased…
Category: Anthropology
Wearing a weighted vest can promote bone health and weight loss, but it’s not a cure-all
Health and fitness trends come and go, and many fads don’t deliver on their promises – remember vibrating belts or sauna suits? Today, weighted vests, made from sturdy fabrics like…
RFK Jr. guts the US childhood vaccine schedule despite its decades-long safety record
The Trump administration’s overhauling of the decades-old childhood vaccination schedule, announced by federal health officials on Jan. 5, 2026, has raised alarm among public health experts and pediatricians. The U.S.…
Philly’s walkable streets and public parks offer older residents chances to stay active – but public transit and accessibility pose challenges
One in five Philadelphians are age 60 or older, and the city’s senior population has been growing for at least the past decade. I’m a Philly-based physical therapist and researcher…
Midlife weight gain can start long before menopause – but you can take steps early on to help your body weather the hormonal shift
You’re in your mid-40s, eating healthy and exercising regularly. It’s the same routine that has worked for years. Yet lately, the number on the scale is creeping up. Clothes fit…
The world risks forgetting one of humanity’s greatest triumphs as polio nears global eradication − 70 years after Jonas Salk developed the vaccine in a Pittsburgh lab
It was like a horror movie. The invisible polio virus would strike, leaving young children on crutches, in wheelchairs or in a dreaded “iron lung” ventilator. Each summer, the fear…
How C-reactive protein outpaced ‘bad’ cholesterol as leading heart disease risk marker
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Since researchers first established the link between diet, cholesterol and heart disease in the 1950s, risk for heart…
As millions of Americans face a steep rise in health insurance costs, lawmakers continue a century-long battle over who should pay for health care
Dec. 15, 2025 – the deadline for enrolling in a marketplace plan through the Affordable Care Act for 2026 – came and went without an agreement on the federal subsidies…
RFK Jr. wants to scrutinize the vaccine schedule – but its safety record is already decades long
The U.S. childhood immunization schedule, the grid of colored bars pediatricians share with parents, recommends a set of vaccines given from birth through adolescence to prevent a range of serious…
Rest is essential during the holidays, but it may mean getting active, not crashing on the couch
The holiday season is often painted as an idyllic vision of rest, conjuring images of warm beverages and bountiful time with loved ones. But many people have trouble unwinding at…
