Fitness & Nutrition

As soda consumption has dropped in the West, companies are making an effort to woo new customers in other places. This Coke bottle ad is in Mozambique.

Junk food companies say they're trying to do good. A new book raises doubts

11:08am February 01, 2023

by Pien Huang

As the marketing of soda and fast food ramps up around the world, the companies involved forge partnerships to help the poor. The new book 'Junk Food Politics' casts a critical eye at their efforts.

Obesity is linked to numerous serious health conditions in the U.S. but doctors receive little training in the causes of and treatments for the condition.

Health & Safety

Scant obesity training in medical school leaves docs ill-prepared to help patients

6:22am January 31, 2023

by Yuki Noguchi

Most doctors get little training in the science of obesity or how to counsel people with the disease. As a result, many patients experience stigma in the exam room.

Queue Listen Now

Wegovy has been called "a major breakthrough" given how well it works to reduce body weight. But the injection drug is extremely expensive and when people can't afford to stay on it, they experience rebound weight gain that's hard to stop.

Wegovy works. But here's what happens if you can't afford to keep taking the drug

7:46pm January 30, 2023

by Allison Aubrey

The new weight-loss drugs can be life-changing for people facing health conditions worsened by obesity, but price and spotty insurance coverage may keep them out of reach.

Queue Listen Now

Life Kit: How to 'futureproof' your body and relieve pain

5:10am January 27, 2023

by Frank Festa

Bad posture can be at the root of some of our aches and pains. The Life Kit team has tips on improving our posture, with stretches from a physical therapist. (Story aired on ATC on Sept. 3, 2022.)

New guidance calls for lower lead levels in food for babies and children under 2. Lead exposure can be harmful to developing brains.

The FDA proposes new targets to limit lead in baby food

4:01am January 25, 2023

Toxic metal can be harmful to developing brains. New lead targets are part of a broad FDA imitative to reduce children's exposure to the lowest levels possible.

Walking five minutes every half-hour can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.

Sitting all day can be deadly. 5-minute walks can offset harms

6:43pm January 12, 2023

by Allison Aubrey

A new study finds that taking regular, short bouts of movement during the day can reduce the risk of developing conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Lauren Fleshman's memoir, Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man's World, is a memoir and a critique of how the sports world treats female athletes.

The sports world is still built for men. This elite runner wants to change that

1:28pm January 10, 2023

by Terry Gross

Champion distance runner Lauren Fleshman says too many coaches assume — falsely — that what works for male athletes also benefits female athletes. Her memoir is Good for a Girl.

Queue Listen Now

Back and neck pain from screen use are common. Researchers say breaking up the work day with little bursts of exercise can help.

Health & Safety

Got neck and back pain? Break up your work day with these 5 exercises for relief

1:36pm January 05, 2023

by Bara Vaida

Hunching over screens takes a toll. Movement researchers say you can prevent pain from accumulating by taking quick breaks for movement. Here are 5 exercises to try that take a minute or less.

Cover of Running While Black byAlison Mariella Desir.

'Running While Black' tells a new story about who belongs in the sport

4:33pm November 16, 2022

by Beandrea July

In a new book, writer Alison Mariella Désir shares her journey into long distance running, reveals the hidden contributions of Black runners and calls for the sport to become more inclusive.

Chicken made from animal cells is made into a dish at Upside Foods.

From science fiction to reality, 'no kill' meat may be coming soon

6:23pm November 14, 2022

by Allison Aubrey

The meat of the future may be cultured directly from animal cells without slaughtering livestock. It's not yet sold in the U.S., but NPR got a tour of a leading start-up and a taste of their chicken.

Queue Listen Now