Chronic inflammation, already tied to heart disease and cancer, may also worsen the emotional toll of poor sleep. A new UCLA Health study found that older adults with insomnia who experience inflammatory exposure face triple the risk of developing depressive symptoms compared to sound sleepers.

Living near Coldwater Creek—a Missouri River tributary north of St. Louis that was polluted by nuclear waste from the development of the first atomic bomb—in childhood in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s was associated with an elevated risk of cancer, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The researchers say the findings corroborate health concerns long held by community members.

About The Study: In this nationally representative cross-sectional study of U.S. children and adolescents, prevalence of extremely severe obesity significantly increased over time, particularly among older adolescents and non-Hispanic Black participants. Extremely severe obesity was associated with severe metabolic and cardiovascular complications, including metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease, prediabetes or diabetes, severe insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. These findings emphasize the urgent need for public health interventions and policies to address pediatric obesity broadly. 

About The Study: In this analytical model study, influenza vaccination provided substantial benefit in reducing infections to both the vaccinated and unvaccinated portions of the population. Even when both vaccine effectiveness and vaccine uptake were low, vaccination showed marked reductions in disease burden for transmission levels characteristic of seasonal influenza. However, when the level of transmission was very high, even a highly effective vaccine did not protect unvaccinated individuals. These findings underscore the importance of vaccination in disease prevention and control and show that indirect benefits are limited in high transmission situations. 

About The Study: This analysis indicates that proposed Medicaid reforms would have far-reaching consequences beyond federal budget savings, including negative health outcomes, economic losses, and health care system disruptions, with rural and underserved communities disproportionately affected.