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March 5, 2013 People don't mind new laws telling them how to eat, as long as they feel like they're not being coerced. That's the finding of a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health, which took the unusual step of asking people what they thought about government efforts to encourage healthy eating.

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January 28, 2013 Public health expert Derek Yach surprised nutrition advocates when he joined PepsiCo six years ago. He got the company to cut salt, sugar and fat from some popular products like chips and soda. But critics say he did more harm than good.

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January 17, 2013 Influenza is especially intense this year, and people are flooding into hospitals and doctors' offices. But the flu is just one of a triple whammy of respiratory viruses — plus the nasty norovirus — that are making lots of people sick.

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June 27, 2012 An environmental group has issued its annual report on the nation's filthiest beaches, where a day in the water can mean skin rashes, stomach flu and respiratory problems. Who made the list?

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April 5, 2012 An analysis from The Associated Press, based on data from the Drug Enforcement Agency, shows how sales of oxycodone and hydrocodone have ballooned over a decade.

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February 24, 2012 Bathtub refinishing has become a popular remodeling project. But a chemical used in the process produces highly toxic fumes. And it's not just sold just to the pros; it's also in dozens of products sold in home-improvement stores. Researchers say people should be very careful using solvents in the home.

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January 27, 2012 Sprouts have caused a spate of outbreaks in the past few years, and public health officials are scrambling to find a way to prevent them. But there's no foolproof solution at hand. So some restaurants are saying no to fresh sprouts.

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September 2, 2011 People exposed to the cloud of contaminants that engulfed Lower Manhattan after the Sept. 11 attacks were less likely to die than people who weren't exposed, according to a new study. But other research found a small boost in cancer rates among first responders, as well as elevated depression and PTSD.

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August 19, 2011 Brain-eating amoebas don't want to kill us; we just happen to be swimming in their rivers and ponds. An infectious disease expert says that holding your nose, and avoiding cannonballs, is one way to reduce the risk of infection while still being able to swim this summer.

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August 4, 2011 A new bacterial species of bacteria is making people sick with flu-like symptoms in the Upper Midwest. Ticks are to blame for spreading the bad bug. Scientists aren't sure if the species is brand new, or just one that hadn't been detected before.

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July 15, 2011 Between April and June, the Haitian health ministry reports more than 86,000 new cholera cases. Meanwhile, health workers say the international support that came to Haiti's aid during the peak of the epidemic last fall and winter has withered.

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July 13, 2011 Social and computer scientists are figuring out how to mine Tweets for intelligence of all sorts. Now some resourceful researchers are figuring out ways to mine Twitter data to find health trends.

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June 30, 2011 The aluminum giant Alcoa wants to fight smog with a new building product. The company says its panels clean the air as well as trees, but research suggests trees can remove some pollutants the panels can't.

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June 29, 2011 A report by the Natural Resources Defense Council reveals the cleanest—and the dirtiest—beaches in the country. It's based on state agency reports of health advisories and closed beaches from water pollution.

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