Soft Drinks May Raise Odds for Respiratory Ills: Study

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking a lot of soft drinks may increase the risk for asthma and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study suggests.

 Facebook Might Be Tough on Users With Low Self-Esteem

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Using Facebook can be bad for people with low self-esteem, a new study suggests.

 Quitting Smoking May Halve Risk of Oral Health Problems

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Adult smokers are twice as likely to develop oral health problems as those who have kicked the habit, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found.

 Everyday Foods Add Up to Major Salt Problems: CDC

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Americans still eat way too much salt, and much of it comes from dietary staples such as bread, poultry, cheese and pasta, U.S. health officials reported Tuesday.

 Breast Cancer Drug May Weaken Bones, Study Finds

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- A drug used to prevent breast cancer in women at high risk for the disease appears to cause bone loss in some postmenopausal women, a new study finds.

 Gene Research Offers Clues to Parkinson's Disease

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- In certain people with Parkinson's disease, mutations in the parkin gene disrupt the proper function of dopamine, the brain chemical that controls body movement.

 Moving Homes Often in Childhood Might Affect Long-Term Health

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Children who move frequently may be at greater risk for worse health and psychological distress later on in life, according to a new study.

 Health Highlights: Feb. 7, 2012

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

 Even for the Overweight, Exercise Helps the Heart

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Getting and staying physically fit might help fend off heart disease even if you've put on a few pounds, new research suggests.

 Letting Baby Eat Finger Foods May Spur Healthier Weight

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Allowing babies who are being weaned to feed themselves with finger foods rather than spoon-feeding the baby with pureed foods may reduce their risk for obesity later on, according to new research.

 Surgery Effective for Tough-to-Treat Epilepsy

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Surgery can significantly improve seizure control and quality of life among people with epilepsy, according to a study stretching over 26 years.

 Avoid Window Seats to Cut Risk for In-Flight Blood Clots: Study

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Potentially dangerous blood clots in the legs known as deep venous thromboses (DVTs) got the nickname "economy class syndrome" from widely publicized incidents involving passengers on long-haul flights.

 Health Tip: Help Prevent Ice Skating Accidents

(HealthDay News) -- Ice skating is a winter ritual for many children in colder climates, but unless precautions are taken it can be fraught with the possibility of injury.

 Health Tip: When You Can't Hear

(HealthDay News) -- One third of people aged 60 or older have at least some hearing loss, making it one of the most common medical problems in older adults, the Cleveland Clinic says.

Yesterday

 Metformin Preferred Drug for Type 2 Diabetes, Experts Say

MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to the treatment of type 2 diabetes, the first line of defense is lifestyle changes such as losing weight and exercising more often.

 Does Abortion in First Trimester Raise Risk of Mental Ills' Return?

MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Women with a history of mental illness do not seem to be at increased risk of readmission to a psychiatric hospital after having an abortion in their first trimester, a new study suggests.

 Pancreas May 'Taste' Fructose, Hinting at Links to Diabetes

MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- New research shows that the pancreas has sweet-taste receptors -- like those found on the tongue -- that can "taste" fructose.

 Vulnerability to Anthrax Varies Widely: Study

MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- People's susceptibility to anthrax toxin is determined by their genes and can vary greatly among individuals, a new study says.

 New Scoring Method May Help Predict Stroke Outcome

MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- A new scoring system can help quickly identify stroke patients who will respond well to the clot-busting drug alteplase (Activase), Finnish researchers say.

 Certain Cancer Drugs May Have Fatal Side Effects: Analysis

MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with three relatively new cancer drugs may be linked to a slightly increased risk of death, a new analysis suggests.

 New Criteria Could Change Who Is Diagnosed With Alzheimer's

MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- New guidelines for diagnosing the mental decline that can come with several diseases of aging may create confusion among doctors and patients about who has early Alzheimer's disease and who simply has mild cognitive impairment, a new report warns.

 Smoking May Be Especially Tough on Men's Brains

MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking appears to speed declines in memory, thinking, learning and processing information in men, but not in women, new research suggests.

 Many U.S. Kids Still Buy Unhealthy Snacks at School

MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Despite efforts to serve healthier meals to school children, roughly half of U.S. elementary school kids can buy junk food at school, a new study finds.

 Antidepressants May Not Raise Suicide Risk in Youth: Study

MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Antidepressant drugs such as Prozac do not raise suicide risk in young people, a new study says.