Bariatric surgery is probably the most effective means of dealing with obesity, and with obesity-linked Type 2 diabetes as well. Some questions remain like, how long do benefits last and who should be eligible for this treatment? A couple of new reports shed some light.

For those unfortunate folks living in China's smog-ridden Beijing, there lies a breath of fresh air -- and it comes in a canister. Vitality Air is selling air from Alberta, Canada to Chinese consumers, and even at a startling $46 per unit, the Canadian company is making a killing.

New parents know the importance of using a car seat when driving baby home from the hospital, and many spend big bucks to get just the right one. Yet, a new study finds that parents frequently aren't using the seats properly -- a problem that can put the infant at risk of serious injury.

A New York state court judge's ruling, revoking New York City's mandatory flu vaccination for pre-school and young school children, is a counterproductive public health move. Hopefully the state legislature can revise the law to allow the city to require such vaccinations, to protect its youngest kids.

A recent Australian study aimed to determine if parents perception of their child s body mass index is associated with any intention to change their child s weight. Surprisingly, it found that a majority of parents of overweight and obese kids seemed to ignore the issue -- and any need to intervene.

Federal and Minnesota law enforcement authorities swept numerous chiropractic offices in a widespread investigation of fraudulent practices, which include over-billing and the staging of auto accidents. We take the opportunity to counsel against using chiropractic services for any reason.

Some in the media are referring to prophylactic mastectomies, a preventive measure against breast cancer, as the "Angelina Jolie Syndrome." This is incorrect, since hers is a legitimate case for this surgery. Conversely, and unfortunately, we have poor decision making and fear mongering by celebrities like Sandra Lee.

A new study in Nature used mathematical/analytical tools to show that three quarters of cancers are likely caused by environmental exposures, rather than chance or bad luck. Avoiding known causes of cancer, especially smoking, can reduce your risk significantly.

All too often, uninsured patients end up with hospital long stays just to receive weeks of antibiotic treatment. But a new study indicates that self-administering of intravenous antibiotics outside the hospital appears to be an acceptable alternative, a shift that could save lots of money while freeing up hospital beds faster.

If you ever had a headache or muscle pull, chances are you've reached for the Motrin or Advil. For most, that's a very common pain-relief solution. But since ibuprofen is consumed orally, that can cause some to suffer upset stomachs. As an alternative, researchers are developing an ibuprofen patch.