Health

Caregivers play an essential role in helping children maintain adequate nutrition during their cancer treatment. But treatment-related side effects, such as nausea and poor appetite, can make feeding a child particularly challenging. Nutrition priorities also shift throughout treatment and beyond.

The cells of our body are frequently exposed to hazards that can damage them, cause them to malfunction or kill them. Yet they have defense systems that can sometimes be strengthened by small doses of stress, a phenomenon known as hormesis. Scientists are investigating whether food compounds and medicines can harness these protective processes to benefit health.

You finish a workout feeling pleased with yourself. But an hour later, your legs feel heavy, climbing the stairs seems impossible and all you want to do is sit down.

Deep inside the brain, a master clock synchronizes thousands of molecular clocks scattered throughout the body, and together, they anticipate signals such as the rising sun, the coming night and the daily rhythms of life. But Texas A&M University researchers have discovered that the liver is also listening for another signal, one tuned to something much closer to home: the dinner bell.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children—better known as WIC—reaches an extraordinary share of American families. An estimated 41% of all U.S. infants participated in the federal nutrition program in fiscal year 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In the thick of his competitive reelection race in Michigan, Republican Rep. Tom Barrett joined Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a sprawling 400-acre (162-hectare) apple orchard, farm and winery. They touted Trump administration efforts to improve the American diet, including the removal of some artificial dyes from processed foods.

When we think about metabolism, we usually ask, “What did I eat? How much sugar, fat or protein was in the meal?” But through our research, we have become interested in another question: “When did I eat it?” This matters because metabolism does not work at the same pace throughout the day.

High-fructose corn syrup is just one of many food additives linked to obesity. It is typically found in sweetened beverages and processed foods and is added to enhance flavor and sweetness. However, exactly how it contributes to weight gain and obesity is not completely understood.

Ectopic lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle is a major health concern driven by factors like high-fat diets, lack of exercise and aging. Unlike subcutaneous fat, these intracellular lipid droplets interfere with normal muscle function and reduce the body’s ability to efficiently use glucose and fatty acids. This condition impairs metabolic flexibility and leads to insulin resistance. Therefore, finding ways to control excessive lipid buildup in skeletal muscle is crucial for extending a healthy lifespan and preventing lifestyle-related disorders.

Men diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer can generally expect to live for many years after their diagnosis. However, cardiovascular disease and other cancers remain important threats to their long-term health. For many survivors, this raises an important question: What can I do to live a longer, healthier life?