The Checkup - Jennifer Huget on health in the news and in your life.

11:00 AM	Ask Tom: Rants, raves and questions on the DC dining scene
12:00 PM	Free Range on Food
12:00 PM	The Reliable Source Live

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 05/02/2011

FTC nudges food industry on marketing to kids

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

The Federal Trade Commission last Thursday announced a proposed set of “principles" regarding the marketing of food to kids that it hopes the food industry will voluntarily adopt.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 05/02/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/29/2011

Is that right? Mini-wheats have a ‘touch of fruit’?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

Do Frosted Mini-Wheats have a ‘touch of fruit’?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/29/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/28/2011

Looking early in life for signs of autism

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder early is important, as research has shown that early intervention can benefit children whose symptoms place them on the autism spectrum.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/28/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:55 PM ET, 04/26/2011

Being social keeps brain sharp, study finds

By Rob Stein

If you’re worried about keeping your brain sharp as you age, being social may be one key factor.

By Rob Stein | 01:55 PM ET, 04/26/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/26/2011

Counting beans

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

Given beans’ versatility, the role they play in so many ethnic cuisines and their utter cheapness, I can’t imagine why people don’t eat more of them.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/26/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:25 PM ET, 04/25/2011

Does genetic screening make sense for kids?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

If you had the opportunity to submit your child to a genetic screening test, would you do it?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 12:25 PM ET, 04/25/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:17 AM ET, 04/25/2011

The flip side of dietary supplement use

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

You know those people who take a million dietary supplements a day and act kind of healthier-than-thou about it?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 11:17 AM ET, 04/25/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 05:30 PM ET, 04/21/2011

Is that right? Playing a musical instrument might help protect against dementia

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

A tantalizing study published online April 4 in the American Psychological Association’s journal Neuropsychology found that people who’ve engaged in instrumental musical activity for many years may build some protection against cognitive losses in later years than those with fewer, or no, years of musical activity.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 05:30 PM ET, 04/21/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/21/2011

FDA cracks down on false anti-MRSA claims for hand sanitizers

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

According to a consumer update issued Wednesday by the FDA, none of the sanitizing gels, wipes or creams available over the counter have FDA approval for killing that potentially deadly pathogen.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/21/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 06:30 PM ET, 04/19/2011

Calcium boosts risk of heart attack, stroke for women, study finds

By Rob Stein

A new study is raising new questions about the safety of calcium, which many women take to protect their bones.

By Rob Stein | 06:30 PM ET, 04/19/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/19/2011

School lunch debates heat up

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

Forget the national budget. If you want to debate a really hot topic, let’s talk school lunches.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/19/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/15/2011

Is that right? ‘Silver,’ ‘gold’ and ‘slim’ cigarettes are not as bad?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

Smoking any kind of cigarette can harm your health. Everyone knows that, right? Apparently not.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/15/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/14/2011

Viagra: Great for guys, but what about the gals?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

Viagra’s undoubtedly been a good thing for the millions of men whose sex lives it has, er, perked up. But what about the women in their lives?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/14/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:30 AM ET, 04/13/2011

Dietary supplement use keeps rising, federal survey shows

By Rob Stein

Vitamins and other dietary supplements continue to gain in popularity in the United States, according to a new government survey released Wednesday.

By Rob Stein | 11:30 AM ET, 04/13/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/12/2011

Eating disorders and the college food scene

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

An American University student says she felt unable to continue living on-campus because of peer pressure there to engage in unhealthy eating habits.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/12/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 10:38 AM ET, 04/11/2011

Pregnant after 40? Don’t worry

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

The older a woman gets, the greater her risk of miscarriage, premature delivery and conditions such as placenta previa. But according to the March of Dimes, that’s no reason to avoid pregnancy. With proper medical care, odds are that everything will turn out just fine.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 10:38 AM ET, 04/11/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/08/2011

Teen birth rate lower than ever, but still too high

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

The number of U.S. teens giving birth has declined substantially over the past two decades, but this country’s teen birth rate is still much higher than that of most other developed nations.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/08/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/07/2011

Tainted alcohol wipes saga continues

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

Some alcohol prep pads, typically used to sanitize skin before an injection, turn out to have been contaminated with potentially deadly bacteria.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/07/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:00 PM ET, 04/05/2011

Good news, bad news for former estrogen users

By Rob Stein

There’s good news and bad news for women who took estrogen to help them get through menopause, until the health risks of taking the hormone were discovered

By Rob Stein | 04:00 PM ET, 04/05/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/05/2011

Yale study probes food addiction

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

Researchers at Yale University’s Rudd Center for Obesity Research and Policy set out to probe the potential parallel between food addiction and substance dependence.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/05/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/04/2011

Influenza’s still deadly, despite lack of media attention

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

Did you know that as of March 26, 89 children have died from influenza this flu season?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/04/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 04/01/2011

Swearing off April Fools

By Jennifer Huget

I hate to say it, but I think my days of pulling April Fools’ Day pranks on my children may be behind me

By Jennifer Huget | 07:00 AM ET, 04/01/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

The Checkup: May, 2011