Researchers have identified 44 genomic variants, or loci, with a statistically significant association with depression. The meta-analysis involves research with more than 135,000 people with major depression and more than 344,000 controls.

Our life expectancy has increased dramatically over the past several decades, with advances in medical research, nutrition and health care seeing us live well into our 80s.

Demand for drugs and devices that can enhance brain functions such as memory, creativity, attention and intelligence, is on the rise.

Arthritis is the leading cause of pain and disability in the UK. The disorder typically causes pain and inflammation in the joints, and can affect people of all ages.

The gut microbiome could be the culprit behind arthritis and joint pain that plagues people who are obese, according to a new study.

A surge in childhood food allergies across the United States has turned classrooms into homemade-treat-free zones and parents into experts at scanning labels. But what’s fact and what’s fiction?

It might be a spot, lump, bump or polyp you’ve found suspicious or bothersome enough to ask a doctor to have a look at. The doctor sends what she has excised for testing and tells you it’s “pre-cancerous”. But what exactly does that mean, and is it cause for alarm?

In the past, food scientists like me often praised mushrooms as healthy because of what they don’t contribute to the diet; they contain no cholesterol and gluten and are low in fat, sugars, sodium and calories. But that was selling mushrooms short. They are very healthy foods and could have medicinal properties...

Socioeconomics play a significant role in attitudes about food – especially concerns about safety and purchasing behavior. And higher income doesn’t always correlate with informed choices. On the contrary, our research shows that affluent Americans tend to overestimate their knowledge about health and nutrition.

A new scientific study shows that bright electric light exposure of preschool children in the evening suppresses melatonin production almost completely, an important addition to the growing body of research in this area.

Chamomile – that yellow flower so often made into a tea, enjoyed before bed – is a very interesting plant. It was recently discovered that the humble flower may control or even prevent diabetes...

Recent scientific studies have claimed, almost vampire-like, that transfusions of blood from teenagers can help delay or reverse the ageing process. Where do these claims come from? Do they stack up? And how long will it be before we have the power to stave off what now is inevitable?

The natural world is our natural home. This may sound obvious, but to many it’s a forgotten truth. There is so much drawing us away from the grounding and nourishing world around us. But no matter how cut off we may feel, or how far into our own darkness we fall, the sun always rises with the possibilities of the day ahead.

Menstruation is often called the “last great taboo” in women’s sport. But periods are the media’s taboo, not sportswomen’s. Our new research showed that elite athletes are not afraid to talk about their menstrual cycle and how it affects them.

And although drug use has declined over the past decade, new and potentially life-threatening trends continue to appear. Most recently, doctors have warned of an “emerging crisis” relating to Xanax use among young people.

Most women expect to experience the effects of hormonal changes when they come to menopause and many anticipate increased irritability and mood swings. But mood swings that can be just an annoyance for some women can develop into something more serious for others.

Protein supplements for athletes are literally sold by the bucketful. Protein supplements are expensive, and might not be doing much for you. The marketing that accompanies them persistently promotes the attainment of buff biceps and six-pack abs.

With springtime comes the desire to shed those few extra pounds, in preparation to don swimsuits and head to the pool. This year, new obesity research is making it easier to find a pathway that is right for us.

Hundreds of thousands of people fall short of their dieting and weight loss goals every year, and the incidence of obesity continues to rise. The fitness industry’s answer to this has been to continue on as planned and blame the soaring failure rates on the people themselves, creating a culture of overt and subtle fat-shaming.

Participating in yoga and mindfulness activities at school may help anxious third-graders improve their well-being and emotional health, according to a small study.

Drawing on their decades of practice along with the latest medical data, Gill and three geriatric experts agreed to help identify examples of what are often — but not always – considered to be signposts of normal aging for folks who practice good health habits and get recommended preventive care.

An ageing population is leading to a growing number of people living with dementia. Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of symptoms including memory impairment, confusion, and loss of ability to carry out everyday activities.

Around a third of the population have trouble sleeping, including difficulties maintaining sleep throughout the night. While night time awakenings are distressing for most sufferers, there is some evidence from our recent past that suggests this period of wakefulness occurring between two separate sleep periods was the norm.