Weight-Loss Surgery May 'Remodel' Heart

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Besides enabling severely obese people to lose weight, gastric bypass surgery seems to help their overly stressed hearts return to more normal function and appearance, a new study suggests.

Health Tip: Make Sure Your Helmet Fits

(HealthDay News) -- Whether you're rollerblading, biking or skiing, a helmet can protect you from a deadly head injury.

Health Tip: Do You Have Risk Factors for Constipation?

(HealthDay News) -- Constipation is characterized by producing fewer bowel movements than you typically do, or by producing bowel movements that are difficult or painful to pass.

Narrowed Leg Arteries Disable Women Faster Than Men: Study

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Women coping with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the legs appear to lose mobility faster than men, new research reveals.

How to Survive Super Bowl Excesses

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- If you tend to overindulge in food and drink while watching the Super Bowl, there are some simple things you can do to ease the ill effects you may feel the next day, says an expert.

Daily Record-Keeping May Boost Fibromyalgia Care

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Daily electronic records of symptoms can help fibromyalgia patients and their doctors better understand the condition, a new study shows.

Rare Form of Stroke Strikes More Often Than Thought: Report

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A rare form of stroke that involves veins instead of arteries occurs more often than thought, according to a new American Heart Association/American Stroke Association scientific statement.

Healthier Lifestyles May Prevent 340,000 U.S. Cancers a Year: Study

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- About 340,000 cancer cases in the United States could be prevented each year if more Americans ate a healthy diet, got regular exercise and limited their alcohol intake, according to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).

Kids' Rising Obesity Rates Due to Bad Habits, Not Genes: Study

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Poor eating and activity habits, not genetics, are the underlying causes for most cases of adolescent obesity, new research suggests.

Helping Fellow Addicts Can Help Maintain Sobriety

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- By helping other alcoholics and addicts stay clean, addicts can actually help themselves stay on the wagon, a Case Western expert suggests.

Minorities With Severe Leg Blockages at Higher Risk of Amputation

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Minority patients suffering from severe arterial blockages in their lower limbs face a greater chance of amputation than white patients, new research suggests.

With Health Care Reform, Income Swings May Mean Loss of Coverage

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Under the new Affordable Care Act, the health reform package signed into law by President Barack Obama last March, millions of Americans whose income fluctuates during the year may lose health insurance for periods of time as their eligibility for different programs changes.

Health Highlights: Feb. 3, 2011

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Burden of HIV Highest for Blacks, CDC Reports

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Although blacks make up only 13.6 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 50.3 percent of all diagnosed cases of HIV, federal health officials reported Thursday.

Gender Gap in Starting Doctor Pay Grows

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- The average starting salary for a female physician in 2008 was $16,819 less than a male physician, a huge increase from the $3,600 gap in 1999, finds a new U.S. study.

Cold Viruses Appear Linked to Type 1 Diabetes

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- While the causes of type 1 diabetes aren't known for certain, a new analysis backs the possibility that cold-like viruses might trigger the disease.

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Very Effective: Study

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A single dose of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine was 93 percent effective during the 2009 pandemic, a new study found.

Clinical Trials Update: Feb. 3, 2011

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Restrictive Diet May Reduce ADHD Symptoms

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A special restrictive diet may significantly reduce symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young children, a new study suggests.