The accumulation of age-associated changes in a biochemical process that helps control genes may be responsible for some of the increased risk of cancer seen in older people, according to a National Institutes of Health study.

Over half of consumers in Asia, Europe and the USA are worried about their indoor air quality, according to exclusive new research by CINT research commissioned by Blueair, the global indoor air purifier manufacturer. Some 57 percent of men and women aged between 25-50 years in China, Japan, Sweden, the UK and United States said they were concerned about the quality of their indoor air, although just 37 percent said they were worried enough to buy an indoor air purifier.

People with heart disease should check the daily Air Quality Index forecast and avoid exercising out of doors on bad air quality days, according to the EPA, which has issued a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) to educate the public and healthcare providers about the risks of air pollution to the heart.

Hold your hand out in front of you and look at it carefully. The human hand is made up of four fingers and one thumb. Have you ever thought about how much you use your thumb? This month’s Home Connections activity will help you understand the importance of your thumb for doing simple, everyday activities.

The cost of surgery for the amputation of a ring finger can range from $20,000 to $60,000 for a person who may not have insurance. This cost covers the surgeon's fees, facility fees, hospital stay, anesthetics, and medical supplies.

American adults are eating better, making better use of available nutrition information, and consuming fewer calories coming from fat and saturated fat, consuming less cholesterol and eating more fiber, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service; Changes in Eating Patterns and Diet Quality Among Working-Age Adults, 2005-2010.

There were 1,285,000 persons in the U.S. living with the limb loss (excluding fingers and toes) in 1996. The prevalence rate in 1996 was 4.9 per 1,000 persons. The incidence rate was 46.2 per 100,000 persons with dysvascular disease, 5.86 per 100,000 persons secondary to trauma, 0.35 per 100,000 secondary to malignancy of a bone or joint.

The final version of the farm bill awaiting action in Congress includes policy improvements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, but it also cuts $8.6 billion over 10 years from the program, according to the American Public Health Association. Under the measure, which has been debated by Congress for more than two years, SNAP and SNAP nutrition education provide millions of seniors, children and families with food assistance and nutrition education to improve access to healthy food and food security.