Health Tip: Watch Your Weight This Holiday Season

(HealthDay News) -- The holidays may represent excess, but you don't have to let that translate to excess weight.

Police at No Greater PTSD Risk Than General Public: Study

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Police officers who have to draw or fire their gun or use other weapons often report feeling powerless, guilty, angry and fearful afterward, Canadian researchers report.

Genes May Make Quitting Tougher for Smokers

THURSDAY, Dec. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Despite decades of public health efforts aimed at snuffing out cigarette smoking, 20 percent of Americans still light up. New research suggests it might be because of their genes.

Socioeconomic Status Main Predictor of Health Habits: Study

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Racial and ethnic differences in diet, exercise and weight may be due to differences in socioeconomic status, a new U.S. study suggests.

Lung Cancer's Hidden Victims: Those Who Never Smoked

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Opera legend Beverly Sills never smoked. Neither did actress and health advocate Dana Reeve, wife of the late actor Christopher Reeve.

Abusive Boss May Harm Workers' Home Life, Too

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Having an abusive boss can do more than ruin your workday, it can also harm your family life, new research suggests.

Sickle Cell Disease Tied to 'Silent Strokes' in Children

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Children with sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder, who also have high blood pressure and/or anemia are at increased risk for so-called "silent strokes," according to a new study.

New Guidelines for Treating Psoriasis When Pregnant or Nursing

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Topical treatment with moisturizers and emollients such as petroleum jelly should be the first line of therapy for treating psoriasis in pregnant and breast-feeding women, according to new recommendations from the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board based in Portland, Ore.

Opioids May Be Overused for Chronic Stomach Pain

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Prescriptions for opioid painkillers to treat chronic abdominal pain more than doubled in the United States between 1997 and 2008, according to a new study.

Pressure to Be Perfect Parent Can Discourage New Moms, Dads

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- First-time mothers and fathers have a tougher time adapting to their new roles if they believe society expects them to be perfect parents, a new study finds.

Depression, Partner Conflict Raise Suicide Risk for Pregnant Women, New Moms

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Major depression and conflicts with intimate partners increase the risk of suicide among pregnant women and new mothers, a new study indicates.

Kids of All Weights Benefit From Car Seats

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Child safety and booster seats protect children of all weights, including those on the heavy side.

Scientists ID Gene That Predicts Chances of Cold Sores

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have identified the first gene associated with frequent herpes-related cold sores.

Colon Cancer Prognosis Worse for the Obese, Type 2 Diabetics

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- People who have been diagnosed with colon cancer have a poorer prognosis if they're obese or have type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.

Prozac Might Ease Repetitive Behaviors in Some Adults With Autism

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- The antidepressant Prozac may help ease repetitive behaviors in some adults with autism, a new study indicates.

Health Highlights: Dec. 2, 2011

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