Some of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s picks for the government’s top health posts have expressed skepticism about the safety of childhood vaccines. It’s a sentiment shared by a growing number of parents, who are choosing to skip recommended shots for their children. But while everyone seems to be talking aboutContinue Reading
The average American first sees online pornography at age 12, and nearly three-quarters of all teenagers have encountered it, according to a 2023 survey of adolescents by Common Sense. It’s enough to make most any parent squirm, but Brian Willoughby, a social scientist at Brigham Young University who studies theContinue Reading
Brian Willoughby knows he’s doing a good job when parents become uncomfortable. That’s because part of his job involves telling them that their teenagers are looking at pornography — hard-core, explicit, often violent. Sometimes, the conversation is with a church group. Dr. Willoughby is a social scientist at Brigham YoungContinue Reading
Food used to be a daily source of joy for Sarah Carter. A self-described “vegetable head” in San Mateo, Calif., she loved perusing farmers’ markets, tending her garden, cooking elaborate meals and exploring Bay Area restaurants. That changed in October 2023, when Ms. Carter, 36, had Covid for the firstContinue Reading
In the final days of the Biden administration, the Food and Drug Administration is seeking White House approval to propose a drastic reduction in the amount of nicotine in cigarettes, a longstanding goal of public health experts that has faced stiff opposition from the powerful tobacco lobby. The F.D.A. submittedContinue Reading
Domestic cats could provide an unexpected new route for the bird flu virus H5N1 to evolve into a more dangerous form, according to a new study published on Monday. In the year since the virus began circulating in dairy cattle, it has killed many cats, primarily on farms with affectedContinue Reading
Close your eyes and imagine a shopping cart full of ultraprocessed foods. Yes, it probably contains items like potato chips and hot dogs. But ultraprocessed foods is a wide-ranging category that also includes foods you might associate with nutritious eating, like many whole grain breads, breakfast cereals and flavored yogurts.Continue Reading
Over her life, Tanya Murphy had become accustomed to hiding her depression. In the Christian social circles in Georgia where she raised her three children, this was the rule — not the exception, she said. “God forbid you have a mental health issue,” said Ms. Murphy, 56, who now livesContinue Reading
With cold weather, icy streets and shorter days, it’s easy to find an excuse to stay inside during the winter months. That’s presumably why Americans on average get about half an hour less daily physical activity at this time of year. But not everyone has a choice. Elite winter athletesContinue Reading
Q: I have a few black plastic kitchen utensils in my drawer, but I’ve read that they’re dangerous. Is that true? Recent headlines have urged people to immediately throw out any black plastic items lying around their homes, warning that they could contain toxic chemicals. A study published in OctoberContinue Reading
