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Four out of five U.S. adults report having voluntary smoke-free rules in their homes and three out of four report having voluntary smoke-free rules in their vehicles, according to a study published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

With summer just ahead and more and people spending more time in the sun, a group of federal agencies has designated Friday as “Don’t Fry Day,” to remind Americans to reduce their skin cancer risks. The EPA, FDA, CDC and the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention are all part of the effort.

In time for the start of grilling season, experts at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), an organization that studies the impact of lifestyle on cancer risk, issued a warning about the hidden health hazards of cookouts and campfires. "Research now shows that diets high in red and processed meat increase risk for colon cancer," said AICR registered dietitian Alice Bender.

Having a pet might lower your risk of heart disease, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement. The statement is published online in the association’s journal Circulation. “Pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, is probably associated with a decreased risk of heart disease” said Glenn N. Levine, M.D., professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and chair of the committee that wrote the statement after reviewing previous studies of the influence of pets.

The American Public Health Association (APHA) says it supports standards proposed recently by the Environmental Protection Agency that would set the first-ever federal limits on toxic pollutants in wastewater discharged from coal-fired power plants.

Although cost is often cited as a reason for not joining gyms and buying more nutritious food – two measures that can improve health – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) isn’t buying that excuse.

With May being designated Asthma Awareness Month, the EPA is using the occasion to help individuals control their symptoms and to shine the spotlight on several asthma management programs that have proven effective.