That portion sizes have increased decade after decade is well known, but you can't take a bunch of measuring cups and a diet scale into a restaurant or to your friend's house at dinner. The serving size listed on the nutrition label for packaged...
Obesity rates among children from 6 to 11 in the United States has more than tripled in the past 30 years, according to the American Public Health Association. Among children and adolescents between 12 and 19, obesity rates have more than doubled...
Improving school nutrition programs cannot be summed up in a simple three-step process, but there are ways that consumers can help improve their local school system's program. According to the American Public Health Association, a sustainable food...
The website SmokeHelp.org notes that pipe and cigar tobacco contain many of the same harmful chemicals found in the tobacco in cigarettes. Depending on the brand and quality of your tobacco, it may also contain chemicals that add flavor, preserve...
Exercise balls, also known as stability balls, aren't just used for exercises such as variations of the traditional crunch or as a base for a dumbbell fly. Some people also use them as a chair, which can force muscles such as your abdominals and...
The majority of smokers have an addiction to nicotine. When a smoker decides to quit, withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, sleeplessness and nicotine cravings, can make the process very challenging. Many smoking cessation programs...
If you live in an area where natural emergencies like tornadoes or floods are common, it might be wise to put together an emergency kit. According to FEMA's Ready America website, an emergency preparedness kit should contain water, a...
During an eye examination, the doctor looks through the pupils to physically inspect the anterior chamber of the eyes. By use of dilating drops, he can temporarily paralyze the muscles that control the iris, roughly doubling the size of the...
Approximately 17 percent of children ages 2 to 17 are obese, according to the 2007 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Because obesity increases the risk for...
Lesions on and around your vagina are usually not a serious health issue. In most cases they cause mild discomfort and are not cosmetically pleasing. However, certain conditions are possibly life threatening if left untreated. Some of these...
Americans have jumped on to the healthy lifestyle bandwagon in droves. In an American Public Health Association survey, 85 percent of the population describe their lifestyle as somewhat or very healthy. As the APHA points out, healthy living is...
Many serious infections can result from ingesting contaminated water. Cholera, tularemia, typhoid fever and shigellosis are only a few of the diseases you can be infected with in this manner. These diseases mainly infect the digestive tract, and...
Tooth decay, cracks, trauma, fillings and crowns can lead to inflamed dental pulp. This soft tissue contains blood, nerves and connective tissue inside the tooth. Untreated inflammation of the pulp can lead to necrosis that produces an infection...
Cold sores are sores caused by the herpes simplex one and the herpes simplex two viruses. These sores are commonly found on the lips, nostrils, mouth and external genitalia. However, the herpes simplex viruses may also cause lesions anywhere on an...
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the mycobacterium genus. These bacteria infect almost any organ of the body. According to the American Public Health Association, 70 percent of active tuberculosis infections are located...
Small red bumps in and around your mouth are the sign of a disease known as Herpes Labials. These bumps are commonly known as cold sores. Herpes is an extremely common infectious condition. According to the American Public Health Association at...
A bump on the corner of your mouth is most likely a sign of one of two conditions: canker sores or cold sores. These conditions are extremely common. The sores may look similar in appearance but that is where the similarities end. The causes and...
After soft drinks and coffee, energy drinks have emerged as the newest caffeine-containing beverage designed to perk you up when you needed an instant, although temporary, energy boost. It wasn't too long before energy drinks began to appear at...
Depression in children is very similar to depression seen in adults. The child may suffer from feelings of worthlessness and sadness, display an inability to interact with others and may become withdrawn. According to the American Academy of Child...
Sports help teenagers live a more active life -- thus reducing their risk of obesity, diabetes and other serious health complications -- and athletics affect teens mentally, socially and psychologically. According to a 2010 West Virginia...
Talking on the phone is so old school. Most teens today prefer texting. About 75 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States own cellphones, and 75 percent of these teens send text messages, according to the Pew Research Center's Pew 2010...
Salt plays a major role in the diets of most Americans, even those who don't keep the salt shaker prominently on the dinner table. Around 75 percent of the sodium Americans consume each day comes from processed foods, which use sodium as a...
Both relaxation techniques and exercise are effective ways to lower blood pressure and are useful in preventing and managing hypertension, or chronic high blood pressure. Yoga may be especially useful in controlling hypertension as it combines...
In 1996, Americans welcomed the arrival of olestra, the safe, "fat-free" fat substitute manufacturers used to fry chips and crispy snack foods while cutting the foods' calorie count. Olestra did have people rushing around in excitement, but not to...
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dietetic Association support breastfeeding and recommend exclusive breastfeeding of infants until they reach 6 months of age and recommend that mothers continue to breastfeed at least until the...
Starting in the 1920s with adding iodine to salt, adding nutrients to foods has been one of the most significant public health actions taken in the United States. Fortifying foods like flour and milk has played a starring role in reducing the...
While many productive adults may look upon their own teen drinking as a harmless rite of passage, others can attest to alcohol’s corrosive effects on youth as far as achievement and a future are concerned. Teenagers as a class are not viewed...
As your baby becomes more mobile, the issue of ensuring a safe place to explore that mobility becomes a significant one. In 2007, a study by Karin Mack, Ph.D., found that more than 20,000 infants a year went to an emergency department for injuries...
The first year of a baby's life is filled with change. Perhaps one of the most impressive changes is when that cute little bundle becomes a crawling, then cruising, then walking little person. As your baby becomes more mobile, the issue of...