Kroger recalls spinach in 15 states over Listeria
AP
Listeria-tainted ricotta cheese kills at least 1
Pictures: Listeria: 7 key questions answered
The Fresh Selections Tender Spinach had a "best if used by" date of Sept. 16. The grocer said in a statement on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's website Wednesday that if customers did buy the recalled product, they should return it to stores for a full refund or replacement.
Colo. man wins $7 million in "popcorn lung" suit
Wayne Watson, 59, who said he developed serious lung problems after eating two bags of popcorn daily for 10 years.
/ CBS DenverWatch: Popcorn surprisingly nutritious: study
Diacetyl chemical in artificial butter popcorn linked to Alzheimer's plaque build-up
Jurors awarded Watson $7 million in damages; the verdict came after a day and half of deliberations in Denver Federal Court, reports CBS Denver. Watson, 59, was diagnosed with respiratory problems in 2007 after years of inhaling the smell of artificial butter.
Continue »
Infant swallows expanding ball, needs surgery
This images shows a 3.5 cm-round Water Balz toy after it was removed from an 8-month old girl's small intestine by doctors at Baylor College of Medicine.
/ PediatricsBut it's no simple choking hazard that's concerning doctors - as the small ball grows in size, it could potentially block a child's intestines, requiring surgery to remove it.
More poisonings seen from miniature laundry detergent packets, doctors say
Gov't complaint halts Buckyballs sales, citing injury risks
24 most shocking medical scans
That's what happened to an 8-month old infant. In case described in the Sept. 17 issue of Pediatrics, a little girl came to the emergency room 15 hours after swallowing a part of her sister's Water Balz expanding ball (from DuneCraft, Inc.,) that reportedly "grows to the size of a racquetball."
Pacifiers may hinder males' emotional growth
istockphoto
Three separate experiments - two with college-aged students and one with 6 to 7-year-old boys - revealed that those who reported using pacifiers found it harder to mimic emotional expressions or scored lower on emotional intelligence tests. The study is the first to connect pacifiers with psychological effects.
"That work got us thinking about critical periods of emotional development, like infancy," lead author Dr. Paula Niedenthal, a psychology professor at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisc., said in the press release. "What if you always had something in your mouth that prevented you from mimicking and resonating with the facial expression of somebody?"
Continue »Study finds concerning levels of arsenic in rice
(CBS/AP) A new study from Consumer Reports claims samples of white rice, brown rice and rice breakfast cereals that many U.S. adults and children eat may contain worrisome levels of arsenic.
The magazine tested more than 200 samples of rice products - including popular brands, store brands and even organic ones - and found measurable amounts of arsenic in "virtually every product tested."
"We found significant levels of inorganic arsenic, which is a carcinogen, in almost every product category, along with organic arsenic, which is less toxic but still of concern," the authors wrote.
Consumer Reports spotlights arsenic, lead in 10 juices
FDA mulls tighter arsenic restrictions for apple juice
Reported arsenic levels in rice prompt concern
CDC: West Nile virus rates continue to climb
Dead mosquitoes are lined up waiting to be sorted at the Dallas County mosquito lab in Dallas, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012. Texas accounts for 40 percent of the country's West Nile virus cases, the CDC announced Wednesday.
/ LM OteroPictures: West Nile Virus outbreak 2012
Watch: Living with the effects of West Nile Virus
West Nile virus outbreak: How to protect yourself
Last week, the CDC announced 2,636 cases of the virus with 118 deaths - representing a 19 percent rise in reported cases over the week.
Continue »Study warns of mercury in school lunch tuna
istockphoto
(CBS News) Are kids' school lunches safe?
A new report from the advocacy group Mercury Policy Project finds tuna served as school lunches in some states may contain levels of mercury that the organization deems toxic.
High levels of BPA linked to childhood obesity in white children
Chemical found in cola causes cancer, watchdog warns: What does FDA say?
Pictures: Study finds toxins in school supplies
Mercury is a naturally occurring neurotoxin in the environment that can be released into the air through industrial pollution. It builds up in water and streams and turns into methylmercury, a compound which is then absorbed by fish as they feed.
The report, called "Tuna Surprise" is the first to test canned tuna sold to schools, according to its authors.
NYC Health Commish defends obesity regulations
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, right, speaks while New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley looks on at a news conference in New York, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012.
/ AP(CBS News) New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley remembers when he was growing up in the 1960's a 6.5-ounce bottle of soda was the norm. Today, the standard is a 20-ounce bottle.
Pictures: New York City's ban on big sodas
High levels of BPA linked to childhood obesity in white children
While people haven't fundamentally changed, Farley said, their environment has. Calling U.S. obesity a "crisis," Farley made the case for government intervention in a new editorial published online Tuesday Sept. 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Friend of Ore. man with plague infected as well
An image of the plague under a microscope.
/ Getty ImagesAntibiotic for plague approved by the FDA
Colorado girl, 7, leaves hospital after recovering from "black death" bubonic plague
Ore. man survives "black death" plague (GRAPHIC IMAGES)
The woman tried to help her friend save the life of a choking cat, health officials said Friday. Her friend Paul Gaylord, also made headlines in June for contracting the rare, dangerous disease.
Continue »High levels of BPA linked to childhood obesity
istockphoto
(CBS News) New research reports a link between the bisphenol A (BPA) chemical used in many types of food packaging and childhood obesity. The study found the link existed regardless of how many calories kids were taking in through their diets.
Watch: FDA rejects proposed ban on BPA
BPA: 7 secret sources
BPA in tooth fillings may boost kids' behavioral problems
The study, published online Sept. 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, provides the first look at a nationally representative sample of U.S. children and teens, according to its authors. Lead researcher Dr. Leonardo Trasande, an associate professor in pediatrics and environmental medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, told CBSNews.com that his study's findings lend support to efforts to get the chemical banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Continue »
Which U.S. states will be fattest by 2030?
CBS/istockphoto
Mississippi is expected to retain its crown as the fattest state in the nation for at least two more decades. The report predicts 67 percent of that state's adults will be obese by 2030; that would be an astounding increase from Mississippi's current 35 percent obesity rate.
The new projections were released Tuesday by Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The two organizations regularly report on obesity to raise awareness, and they rely on government figures.
But in this case, their dismal forecast goes beyond the 42 percent national obesity level that federal health officials project by 2030.
Continue »
Cancer becomes No.1 killer in Hispanic community
istockphoto
(AP) NEW YORK - Cancer has overtaken heart disease as the No. 1 killer among Hispanics in the U.S., and the rest of the country may be only a few years behind.
Pancreatic cancer expected to become bigger killer
U.S. advisors: Ovarian cancer screening for healthy women not beneficial
Obesity linked to recurrence of breast cancer
The change is not exactly cause for alarm. Death rates for both cancer and heart disease have been dropping for Hispanics and everyone else. It's just that heart disease deaths have fallen faster, largely because of improved treatment and prevention, including the development of cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Overall, cancer will probably replace heart disease as the nation's top cause of death in the next 10 years, said Rebecca Siegel of the American Cancer Society, lead author of a study reporting the new findings. Government health statisticians think the crossover point could be reached as early as this year, or at least in the next two or three years.
Continue »Docs perform mom-to-daughter uterus transplants
From left specialist surgeons Andreas G Tzakis, Pernilla Dahm-Kahler and Mats Brannstrom of the University of Gothenburg attend a news conference Tuesday Sept. 18, 2012 at Sahlgrenska hospital in Goteborg,Sweden. Two Swedish women are carrying the wombs of their mothers after what doctors called the world's first mother-to-daughter uterus transplants.
/ APDoctors from the University of Gothenburg on Tuesday said two women in their 30s received wombs from their mothers in surgical procedures on Sept. 15 and 16.
Woman hopes to have child using womb donated by own mother
The university said one recipient had her uterus removed many years ago due to cervical cancer and the other was born without a uterus.
Continue »
Finnish PSA shows alcoholism through child's eyes
(CBS News) A new public service announcement out of Finland lets parents know what their drinking problem may look like through the eyes of a child. And it turns out it might be something like a scary movie.
This PSA comes from Fragile Childhood, a not-for profit organization from Finland that started in 1986 to help children who suffer from parental alcohol abuse.
A 2009 study found alcohol to be the number one killer of Finnish adults, responsible for 17 percent of all deaths among 15- to 64-year-old men - surpassing heart disease for the first time - and causing more than 10.5 percent of all deaths in adult women, similar to breast cancer rates.
In the United States, excessive alcohol use is also a major problem. The National Institutes of Health estimates nearly 17.6 million U.S. adults are alcoholics or have a drinking problem.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive drinking increases aggression and, as a result, may increase a person's risk of physically assaulting a person.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has more on "Rethinking Drinking."
Study: Sexting teens may face real-world risks
istockphoto
Rather than serving as a substitute for risky behaviors, the study of nearly 2,000 teens found kids who sent such messages were more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as being sexually active and having unprotected sex, raising their risk for sexually transmitted diseases.
One in four teens admit to sexting, study finds
Watch: "Sexting" not as common as some feared: Study
"No one's actually going to get a sexually transmitted disease because they're sexting," Dr. Eric Rice, a researcher from the School of Social Network at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, told Reuters. "What we really wanted to know is, is there a link between sexting and taking risks with your body? And the answer is a pretty resounding 'yes.'"
Continue »