Study links pesticides with Parkinson's

WASHINGTON Reuters) -- People with long-term, low-level exposure to pesticides have a 70 percent higher incidence of Parkinson's disease than people who have not been exposed much to bug sprays, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

Study: Cell phone signals excite brain

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Cell phone emissions excite the part of the brain cortex nearest to the phone, but it is not clear if these effects are harmful, Italian researchers reported on Monday.

Nurse practitioners filling void in primary care

KENNETT SQUARE, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Marguerite Harris and her staff of eight provide prenatal care and child immunizations, write prescriptions, and diagnose and treat ailments from diabetes to the sniffles.

Test could give clues about Alzheimer's

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A new test may help scientists answer a perplexing "which came first" question about the development of Alzheimer's disease, possibly pointing the way to earlier diagnosis or even treatment.

Help arrives on wheels for teen moms

GARLAND, Texas (AP) -- When Maria Trevino learned she was pregnant in ninth grade, one of her worries was how she would finish school while raising a child.

Americans' circle of close friends shrinking

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Americans are more socially isolated than they were 20 years ago, separated by work, commuting and the single life, researchers reported on Friday.

New imaging technology improves cancer detection

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (Reuters) -- New imaging technology that combines the power of CAT scans with the finesse of a PET scan can catch cancer and other diseases earlier, potentially boosting survival rates and cutting costs, researchers said on Wednesday.

Study: U.S. doctor visits up 31 percent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Americans are seeking medical care in greater numbers than ever before with the number of visits growing at three times the rate of population growth, according to government statistics published on Friday.

Flu vaccine makers expect record production

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- After years of flu shot shortages and production delays, vaccine makers on Thursday projected that supplies will reach a record 100 million doses for the coming season and create a possible surplus.

McPhee one of millions with bulimia

(CNN) -- Katharine McPhee's revelation that she has battled bulimia puts the American Idol runner-up in the company of millions of Americans.

At home and school, kids are sedentary

At home, the phrase "Go watch TV" to kids has replaced "Go outside and play" in many families. At school, the daily hour of recess is dwindling. The combination is contributing to many kids not getting enough exercise, according to some experts.

Drug-proof bug found in illegal tattoo customers

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- A worrisome superbug seen in prisoners and athletes is also showing up in people who get illegal tattoos, federal health officials said Thursday.

Study: Condoms protect well against cancer-causing virus

TRENTON, New Jersey (AP) -- For the first time, scientists have proof that condoms offer women impressive protection against the virus that causes cervical cancer.

For 'ancient grains,' a future in the American diet

ALBANY, New York (AP) -- Amid the aisles of spaghetti and canned peas, cereals and breads made with mysterious-sounding grains such as amaranth and quinoa are sprouting up at major supermarkets.

More evidence breast implants pose no cancer risk

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- A large study has found that women with breast implants show a lower-than-average risk of breast cancer, adding to evidence that silicone implants do not contribute to the disease.

More than 14 percent lack health insurance in U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- More than 14 percent of Americans lacked health insurance last year, a slightly lower share than 2004, according to federal statistics published on Wednesday.

Report: Schools fail on nutrition outside lunchroom

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP) -- Nearly half of all states received a failing grade in a school foods report card issued Tuesday by a nonprofit group that evaluated school nutrition policies.

'Complicated grief' suggested as new diagnosis

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- It's normal to feel sadness and grief with the passing of a loved one, but an intense and persistent yearning for the person who died, difficulties "moving on" with life after a period of time, and a sense that life and the future are meaningless and purposelessness, are signs of "complicated grief," warns a group of Dutch doctors.

Being fired from work could be fatal, study says

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Being fired is not just bad news, it could be fatal -- especially if the individual is middle aged, according to a study published on Wednesday.

Diabetes rate doubled in last 30 years

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- The occurrence of new cases of type 2 diabetes has doubled over the past three decades, according to a report in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.