The benefits of midlife weight loss — and more
For Tuesday, May 27, WGN's Dina Bair has the latest on new medical information, including:
More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch
The benefits of midlife weight loss
Shedding those pesky pounds that build up as we age is a meaningful way to prolong life without surgery or medication. It's not always easy but it works.
Weight loss in middle age is a powerful tool to ward off diabetes and other chronic illnesses.
As part of a study by the Journal of the American Medical Association, patients lost weight without surgical intervention or medication. Sustained weight loss decreased all-cause mortality.
When people went from being overweight to maintaining a healthy weight for decades of follow-up, they displayed better health in all categories.
This is among the first studies to show that weight loss not only decreases diabetes risk, but it also carries long term health benefits.
A decline in U.S. maternal mental health
Columbia University researchers report a concerning decline in mental health among mothers in the U.S.
Subsequently they discovered physical health suffering because of mental challenges.
Doctors reached their conclusion after studying nearly 200,000 mothers with children from newborns to 17-years-old.
Just 26% of mothers surveyed reported excellent mental health in 2023, down nearly 10% in just seven years. The declines were seen in every socioeconomic group.
A mother's unstable mental health can impact her child's growth and development.
HIV drug improves vision in diabetes patients
A long-approved HIV drug is seeing a new life helping treat diabetic eye disease.
Lamivudine improves vision in a common diabetes eye complication called macular edema (DME).
Currently, patients with DME require monthly injections in their eye to reduce fluid buildup in the retina that alters their vision.
University of Virginia vision scientists say the oral HIV medication is inexpensive and effective to treat the blinding diabetes eye disease which impacts millions of patients.
Sign up for our Medical Watch newsletter. This daily update includes important information from WGN's Dina Bair and the Med Watch team, including, the latest updates from health organizations, in-depth reporting on advancements in medical technology and treatments, as well as personal features related to people in the medical field. Sign up here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Oakland County issues alert for measles exposure site in Rochester Hills
FOX 2 - The Oakland County Health Division is notifying the public about a Rochester Hills measles exposure site involving a person from another county. The exposure site is a medical office building at 3950 S. Rochester Road at the corner of South Boulevard on Tuesday, June 3, according to a release from the Oakland County Health Division. Anyone there between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. may have been exposed to measles. If you think you were exposed to measles at this location on June 3, Immune Globulin (IG) treatment is effective within six days of exposure for high-risk individuals. Those considered high-risk include women who are pregnant, unvaccinated children under age 5 and those who have a weakened immune system due to illness and disease including diabetes or HIV, malnutrition and/or medications. If you are not eligible for IG, monitor symptoms through June 24. If symptoms develop, call ahead to your health care provider. Individuals born in or before 1957 are considered immune. Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact and through the air. The Health Division recommends unvaccinated individuals ages 1 year and older receive a measles vaccination to protect themselves and those around them. Anyone who doesn't have a record of two MMR vaccines, unsure if they've have been vaccinated, or unsure if you've had measles in the past, needs to contact their health care provider. Measles can live for up to two hours in the air where an infected person coughed or sneezed. Symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after exposure, and may include: High fever (may spike to over 104°F Cough Runny nose Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis) Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of mouth (Koplik Spots) 2-3 days after symptoms begin. A rash that is red, raised, blotchy; usually starts on face, spreads to trunk, arms and legs 3-5 days after symptoms begin. The MMR vaccine is available through some health care providers, Oakland County Health Division offices in Southfield and Pontiac, and many pharmacies. Health Division offices are located at the following addresses: North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 34 East, Pontiac South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield. Health Division clinics hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visit for more information on measles, or contact Nurse on Call, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, at 800-848-5533 or noc@
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
UCSD students protest Trump cuts to science research funding
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — For the second time this year, students and faculty at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) staged a protest outside Geisel Library, demanding the federal government reverse deep education funding cuts imposed by the Trump administration — cuts they say are threatening research, jobs and the future of scientific innovation. Dozens of protesters gathered on campus, holding signs and sharing personal stories about how the loss of federal research grants is impacting their work and well-being. Dozens possibly detained by federal officials amid immigration raids in Los Angeles 'This year has been filled with many moments of insecurity,' said Eleanor Ketterer-Sykes, a first-year Ph.D. student in the neuroscience program. 'UCSD is one of the best science schools in the country because of its renowned research labs, you have access to labs at the Salk Institute, Sanford and Scripps as well as the VA Hospital — but that future is in jeopardy.' The Trump administration has canceled hundreds of research grants in recent months, citing concerns over 'ideologically driven science.' The cuts have targeted studies ranging from HIV prevention to violence prevention in children. UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla warned in an April letter that the university stands to lose between $75 million and $500 million annually as a result. 'As of May 30, there have been more than 150 federal grants terminated, resulting in a loss of $30 million,' said Lisa Eyler, a UCSD psychiatry professor. 'These cuts are already leading to layoffs among instructors, staff scientists, and support personnel like librarians.' 'No Kings Day' protests planned across California on June 14 The ripple effects could be felt beyond UCSD. Stanley Maloy, emeritus professor of microbiology at San Diego State University, said the cuts threaten the pipeline of future scientists and engineers. 'Reduced positions mean talented students are left behind,' Maloy said. 'As this innovation workforce dries up, our economy is going to suffer.' Eyler echoed those concerns, warning of a generational loss in scientific progress. 'There will be a gaping hole in the pipeline of future scientists, engineers and healthcare providers, which could result in the potential loss of an entire generation of great scientific thinkers,' she said. Thousands in San Diego protest cuts to federal education funds For Ketterer-Sykes, the issue is personal. She entered the neuroscience program hoping to make life-saving breakthroughs. 'So many people rely on scientific innovation — whether it be to find cures for diseases like tuberculosis or Alzheimer's disease,' she said. 'It really is vital to humanity.' While the exact financial toll remains uncertain, university leaders say the impact is already being felt — and may only get worse. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Long-lasting HIV prevention shot heads toward approval
June 6 (UPI) -- A new vaccine to prevent HIV is expected to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration later this month. If approved, the shot -- lenacapavir -- would be given twice a year and could be a big step forward in the fight against HIV. Drugmaker Gilead Sciences tested the shot in a study of women and girls. None of the participants who received the injections got HIV. That early success helped boost Gilead's stock by 73% over the past year, The Wall Street Journal reported. "We know it's challenging to take a daily pill for prevention, and we see an incredible opportunity here," said Johanna Mercier, Gilead's chief commercial officer Right now, more than 400,000 people in the United States use pills to prevent HIV, The Wall Street Journal added. These medications are referred to as PrEP, short for pre-exposure prophylaxis. Gilead expects the number of users to top 1 million by the next decade. Many people already say they'd prefer a shot over daily pills. In one survey of more than 500 PrEP users, 95% said they would switch to a long-acting injection. Sales of other long-acting options, like the shot Apretude from GSK, have risen sharply - up 63% in the past year. Even with strong results, Gilead faces several hurdles. One is reaching the people who need PrEP the most. Black Americans represent 39% of new HIV cases but only 14% of current PrEP users. Many people still face stigma or lack insurance coverage, which can limit access. Gilead says reaching underserved groups is a top goal. Most current PrEP users have commercial insurance, but Medicaid will be key for expanding access to lower-income communities. Another concern: Some experts worry the new shot may simply replace current Gilead products, like the daily pill Descovy, which now holds about 40% to 45% of the market. But Gilead says the shot should help expand the overall number of people using PrEP in both the U.S. and abroad. "We're thinking globally about the public health impact we can have," Mercier said. The company is working with governments and health groups in the United Kingdom and low-income countries to raise awareness and make these products more available. More information The National Institutes of Health has more on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
