New evidence is confirming that the environment kids live in has a greater impact than factors such as genetics, insufficient physical activity or other elements in efforts to control child obesity. Three new studies, published in the April 8 Pediatrics, land on the import of the ‘nurture’ side of the equation and focus on specific(…)

We all know exercise is good for us. Good for our health, good for our waistlines, good for stress and for our clarity of mind. Exercise is also very — very — good for sleep. Research has shown that exercise can improve sleep, including for people with sleep disorders and other sleep-related illness. Read more(…)

One of the secrets to not being tired is to make yourself tired. A recent poll from the nonprofit National Sleep Foundation confirms what many experts already say — people who get regular exercise get better sleep than people who don’t. Read more at The Town Talk.

Under the category “Summer Rentals That Have Gone Terribly Wrong,” there are perhaps few parallels to the experience of Charles Henry Warren, a Manhattan banker who, in 1906, took a house in Oyster Bay on Long Island’s North Shore. By the end of the season, Mr. Warren’s young daughter had developed typhoid. Read more at(…)

Increased salt consumption may be a key culprit behind rising rates of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, researchers reported on Wednesday in a trio of papers looking at the role of a specific class of cells linked with inflammation. Read more at MSNBC.

Scientists in Australia claim to have discovered the exercise technique that burns the maximum amount of fat with the least amount of work. Read more at Lifehacker.

If the shorter days and brisk temperatures make you want to huddle on your couch rather than exercise, you’re not alone. Winter can chill the motivation of some of the most dedicated fitness buffs. Read more at MyFoxPhiladelphia.