Most parents, educators and policymakers agree that children should eat healthy foods. However, our peer-reviewed paper suggests the strategy adults often use to achieve that can sometimes backfire. Fortunately, there’s…
Category: Anthropology
New studies suggest millions with mild cognitive impairment go undiagnosed, often until it’s too late
Mild cognitive impairment – an early stage of dementia – is widely underdiagnosed in people 65 and older. That is the key takeaway of two recent studies from our team.…
Are you one of the millions about to have cataract surgery? Here’s what ophthalmologists say you need to know
Cataract surgery is one of the most popular and commonly performed procedures in the world. The vast majority of patients have excellent outcomes with few complications. Here are the numbers:…
How much stress is too much? A psychiatrist explains the links between toxic stress and poor health − and how to get help
COVID-19 taught most people that the line between tolerable and toxic stress – defined as persistent demands that lead to disease – varies widely. But some people will age faster…
Children experience more injuries, stress and even burnout when they specialize in one sport
From football to baseball, gymnastics to tennis, more young athletes are becoming sports specialists. They join expensive sports clubs or youth leagues and devote themselves to a single sport all…
Free school meals for all may reduce childhood obesity, while easing financial and logistical burdens for families and schools
School meals are critical to child health. Research has shown that school meals can be more nutritious than meals from other sources, such as meals brought from home. A recent…
How meth became an epidemic in America, and what’s happening now that it’s faded from the headlines
Rural America has long suffered from an epidemic of methamphetamine use, which accounts for thousands of drug overdoses and deaths every year. William Garriott, an anthropologist at Drake University, explored…
How for-profit nursing home regulators can use the powers they already have to fix growing problems with poor-quality care
Governments at both state and federal levels have yet to fully wield their authority to fight poor-quality care at for-profit nursing homes nationwide, leaving the pressing need for elder care…
CDC says people ages 65 and up should get a shot this spring – a geriatrician explains why it’s vitally important
In my mind, the spring season will always be associated with COVID-19. In spring 2020, the federal government declared a nationwide emergency, and life drastically changed. Schools and businesses closed,…
Buyouts can bring relief from medical debt, but they’re far from a cure
One in 10 Americans carry medical debt, while 2 in 5 are underinsured and at risk of not being able to pay their medical bills. This burden crushes millions of…
