The Philadelphia City Council last week approved a tax on sweetened beverages – a move that many expect to be copied by other U.S. cities. The 1.5 cent per ounce tax applies to both regular and diet soda, as well as juice containing less than 50 percent fruit juice, sports drinks and energy drinks.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has approved the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, which contains provisions to improve the nation’s approach to mental health care treatment. The bill, H.R. 2646, which was introduced by Reps. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., and Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, was reported out of committee on a unanimous vote.

There were more than 15.5 million Americans with a history of cancer as of January 1, 2016, a number that is projected to reach more than 20 million by 2026. That’s according to Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Statistics, 2016, published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society (ACS), and its companion publication for consumers, Cancer Treatment & Survivorship Facts & Figures, 2016-2017.

Cigarette smoking among high school students dropped to the lowest levels since the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) began in 1991, but the use of electronic vapor products, including e-cigarettes, among students poses new challenges according to the 2015 survey results released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The American Psychological Association (APA) hailed the enactment of a law making Iowa the fourth state in the country to authorize licensed clinical psychologists with advanced specialized training to prescribe certain medications for the treatment of mental health disorders.

We all need it, even crave it, but many of us find it difficult to get the recommended amount for our health: it is sleep. Healthy People 2020, which outlines the national health goals for the next decade, recommends that adults get 7 or more hours of sleep each day.

Tyson, Butterball, Perdue and Pilgrim’s Pride are among the 41 companies participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s controversial New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) program, which allows companies to inspect their own slaughter lines. The task was formerly performed by trained USDA inspectors.

The FDA this week released a draft of voluntary sodium targets in an effort to get the food industry to decrease sodium in their products. The goal: to help the public achieve a daily goal of no more 3000 milligrams in two years, and 2300 milligrams in a decade.

Despite the prevalence of workplace wellness efforts, only one-third of American workers say they regularly participate in the health promotion programs provided by their employer, according to a new survey by the American Psychological Association.

Recent data highlights a surge in suicide rates in the United States to its highest levels in decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the overall suicide rate rose by 24 percent between 1999 and 2014.