Supreme Court Prepares to Tackle Affordable Care Act

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- The most ambitious government health-care initiative since the Medicare and Medicaid programs of the 1960s, and the legislative landmark of President Barack Obama's presidency, is about to face its biggest challenge.

Health Tip: Spot the Symptoms of GERD

(HealthDay News) -- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition that occurs when the muscle at the base of the esophagus allows fluids from the stomach to rise into the esophagus.

Health Tip: Choose Diabetes-Friendly Meals

(HealthDay News) -- It may be a challenge to select diabetes-friendly meals from a huge menu of options.

Legal Experts See a Close Win for Health-Reform Law

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Supreme Court seems likely to uphold the sweeping health-reform legislation known as the Affordable Care Act when it takes up the case next week, according to a small survey of legal experts.

Medicaid Expansion Is a Key Part of Affordable Care Act

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- The Medicaid program is bracing for an expansion that will bring an estimated 16 million more Americans into the health-care safety net, as required by the Affordable Care Act.

Could Two Words Help You Resist Temptation?

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to weight loss, the words you choose when refusing something tasty can make the difference in whether you are able to resist temptation, new research suggests.

Parents Should Lead By Example in Weight Loss, Study Finds

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Losing weight themselves is the best way for parents to help their children shed excess pounds, new research suggests.

Analysts Debate Importance of the 'Individual Mandate' to Health-Reform Law

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- When the U.S. Supreme Court hears challenges to the national health-reform law starting Monday, it will then have to decide if the federal government has the authority to insist that people buy health insurance.

Common Respiratory Virus Affecting Many Young Children

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Many pediatric hospital admissions involve a common virus that infects the lungs and airways and can lead to serious illness in young children and people with weakened immune systems, an expert says.

Age of Live Kidney Donor Makes Little Difference in Organ's Health

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- The age of a live kidney donor has little effect on the long-term health of a transplanted kidney in recipients older than age 39, a new study says.

Hair Care Can Pose Health Risks for Black Women

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Certain hairstyling practices can result in serious hair and scalp diseases for some black women, an expert warns.

Allergies Ahead of Schedule in Eastern United States

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- The unusually warm spring weather in New York and other parts of the eastern United States has trees and other plants blooming much earlier than normal, which could mean a long and intense allergy season.

Adults Seem to Have Most Impact on Teens' School Success

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Teachers and parents play a greater role than peers in keeping teens engaged in school, researchers have found.

Obesity Linked to Poorer Mental Skills in Seniors

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity is associated with reduced memory and thinking skills in adults aged 60 to 70, especially those with greater amounts of abdominal fat, according to a new study.

Breathing Smog in Pregnancy Linked to Child's Behavior Problems

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Women exposed to higher levels of certain air pollutants while pregnant are more likely to have children with anxiety, depression and attention problems by ages 6 and 7, new research suggests.

Antidepressants May Raise Risk for Pregnancy Complication

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women taking the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) face a slightly increased risk of developing dangerously high blood pressure, Canadian researchers report.

Fewer Americans Tying the Knot, Survey Shows

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- That shiny band of gold may be losing its luster: A new government report shows more Americans are either avoiding marriage or marrying much later in life than their parents' generation did.

Health Highlights: March 22, 2012

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

Dense Breasts May Be Linked to Cancer Recurrence

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Breast cancer is more likely to recur in women over 50 who have denser breast tissue, researchers report, noting that doctors should take breast density into account when making initial treatment decisions.

U.S. Tuberculosis Cases Hit Record Low, CDC Says

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Tuberculosis rates fell to an all-time low in the United States in 2011, but the disease continues to disproportionately infect racial and ethnic minorities, those who are foreign-born and people infected with HIV, federal officials reported Thursday.

FDA Mulls Expanding Patients' Access to Certain Drugs

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Americans troubled by a range of ailments might someday more easily obtain medications that are now only available by prescription.