(Agence France-Presse) — Being overweight or obese does pose a risk of heart disease, despite claims to the contrary, a study of nearly 300,000 British adults suggested Friday.

While it is generally accepted that being overweight increases a person’s disease risk, some researchers have recently suggested that carrying extra  …

(Alice Park/ Time) — Researchers know that a condition as complicated as Alzheimer’s can’t be traced to a single or simple cause. Genetic factors contribute to the degenerative brain disorder that robs people of their memory, and biological process related to aging play a role as well.

But in recent years, scientists have uncovered   …

(Graham Readfearn/ The Guardian) —The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced a review into the potential risks of plastic in drinking water after a new analysis of some of the world’s most popular bottled water brands found that more than 90% contained tiny pieces of plastic. A previous study also found high levels of microplastics  …

(Ana Sandoiu/ Medical News Today) — When you’re going through a tough time, some people seem to know almost instinctively what you need, while others, although well-intended, may not be able to offer the emotional support you’re hoping for. Is this because the ability to empathize is innate, or down to our   …

(Scott Douglas/ Slate) — Here’s the most important thing I learned while writing a book on running and mental health: In clinical studies, regular aerobic exercise is as effective as antidepressants in reducing symptoms of mild to moderate depression.

And that’s not just because moving might help you get into shape and feel better  …

(Doug Criss and Carma Hassan/ CNN) — What would you do if you and your coworkers were getting raises totaling $700 million? If you’re like a group of doctors in Canada, you’d fight it.

Some general practitioners and medical specialists in Quebec have signed a petition saying they don’t want the hundreds of millions  …

(Genesa Greening/ HuffPost Canada) — Today is International Women’s Day, and as I consider the seismic shifts that have occurred of late in the realms of business, arts and politics, I’m buoyed by the belief that women’s voices are finally being heard, inequity is being called out and change is coming. Once  …

(Thomson Reuters) — Selfies — or self-photographs — can distort the face and make the nose look larger than it is, according to plastic surgeons who say they’ve seen an uptick in requests for cosmetic procedures from people who want to look better in selfies.

“Patients under age 40 take out their phones and tell me they  …

(Mo Costandi/ Scientific American) — People who are thinking about getting inked are often told, “a tattoo is for life.” Etched into the layer of skin just below the epidermis, they are notoriously difficult to remove. And the laser surgery method for doing so is costly, time-consuming and—often—has far from perfect results.  …

(Ana Sandoiu/ Medical News Today) — New research published in the journal Neuropsychologia reveals that bilingualism makes changes in brain structure that are linked with resilience against Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment.

More and more research has been pointing to bilingualism as a viable means  …