Health Tip: Easy on the Holiday Buffets

(HealthDay News) -- Too many holiday party buffet tables loaded with decadent treats can lead to overstuffed plates -- and overstuffed pants.

Health Tip: The Risks of Smoking While Pregnant

(HealthDay News) -- Smoking can cause serious complications during pregnancy, and can cause life-threatening problems for a baby.

Autistic Teens With Epilepsy Often Light-Sensitive

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Teenagers with autism who also have epilepsy often suffer from photosensitivity, or light sensitivity, researchers say.

Kids With Epilepsy Should Get Screened for Autism, Developmental Delays

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Children seen in epilepsy clinics should be screened for development delay and autism because the conditions often occur together, new research suggests.

Epileptic Seizures May Worsen During Menstrual Cycle

SATURDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Seizures among women of childbearing age with epilepsy may worsen during menstruation or ovulation, researchers have found.

Common Hospital Infection Lengthens Patient Stays

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitalized patients who are infected with Clostridium difficile -- the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals -- will lengthen their stay by about six days on average, a new study indicates.

Nervous System May Hold Key to Weight Loss

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- People with higher levels of nerve activity may have an easier time losing weight, a small study suggests.

More Children Using Preventive Asthma Drugs: Study

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- About one in three children with asthma is currently using a preventive medication, according to new research. That number is up from about 18 percent of kids during the late 1980s.

Teen 'Sexting' Might Be Less Common Than Feared

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Concerns over teenage "sexting" -- sending suggestive or explicit images by cellphone or online -- might be overblown, new research finds.

3-D TV Doesn't Raise Seizure Risk for Kids With Epilepsy: Study

SUNDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Children with epilepsy do not appear to face an increased risk for seizures while watching 3-D TV, a new German-Austrian study suggests.

More Evidence Links Specific Genes to ADHD

SUNDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Variations in genes involved in brain signaling pathways appear to be linked to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a new study.

U.S. School Kids Often Miss Out on Recess, Study Finds

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Policies that dictate minimum requirements for physical education and recess time in schools lead to increased levels of physical activity among children, a new study finds.

Good News for Those Worried About U.S. Nursing Shortage

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- There's been a large increase in the number of young registered nurses (RNs) in the United States since 2002, a trend that may help ease concerns about a predicted nursing shortage, according to a new study.

Abuse in Childhood May Alter Teen Brain

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- A new study finds abuse in childhood may be associated with changes in the teenage brain.

Girls More Prone Than Boys to Headaches After Head Injury

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Children who suffer head trauma can experience headaches months after the injury, with girls more apt to have them than boys, a new study finds.

Fetal Exposure to Epilepsy Drug Might Raise Autism Risk: Study

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Children exposed to the epilepsy drug valproate have a nearly three times higher risk of having an autism spectrum disorder, new research finds.

Fitness May Lower Death Risk Even Without Weight Loss

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- A man's fitness level may be more important for his overall health than his body weight, a novel finding that runs counter to conventional wisdom.

Health Highlights: Dec. 5, 2011

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

Best Antidepressant May Depend on Patient: Study

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Newer antidepressants seem to be about as effective as one another, a new analysis indicates.

Fish May Cut Threat of Heart Disease in Young Women

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as cod and salmon, may significantly lower a young woman's risk of developing heart disease, Danish researchers report.

Study Sees Rice as Source of Arsenic Exposure

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- New research finds that pregnant women in New Hampshire, which has high levels of arsenic in drinking water in some wells, may also be ingesting arsenic through rice.

Health Officials Urge Americans: Get Your Flu Shot Now

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials used Monday, the start of National Influenza Vaccination Week, to urge Americans to get their flu shot before the season begins in earnest.

Risk for Dementia Rises When Diabetes, Depression Meet: Study

MONDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- When people with type 2 diabetes also struggle with depression, their odds for a third worrisome condition -- dementia -- goes up markedly, a new study suggests.