Worker Health and Wellness

Washington — Eating a diet of mostly ultra-processed foods can lead to higher calorie consumption and weight gain, according to the results of a recent study.

Boston — A group of researchers from the Boston University schools of medicine and public health has developed what it calls a “fast, accurate and cost-effective approach” to test whether certain chemicals increase people’s cancer risk.

Washington — A bipartisan group of lawmakers is attempting once again to “eliminate discrimination and promote women’s health and economic security by ensuring reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.”

Augusta, ME — Workers in Maine will now be able to accrue paid time off, under new legislation signed into law May 28 by Gov. Janet Mills (D).

Tumwater, WA — A new online training course from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is intended to enhance safety and comfort for all drivers.

Tampa, FL — A relatively small disruption in sleep routines could leave workers distracted during the next workday, according to the results of a recent study from the University of South Florida.

Iowa City, IA — Beyond waking up the metabolism and providing nutrients and energy to start the day, eating breakfast may drastically reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and stroke, results of a recent study indicate.

San Francisco — Work-related stress has driven nearly half of full-time employees in the United States to tears, results of a recent survey show.

East Lansing, MI — Estimating that up to half of the 600,000 or so adult cases of asthma in Michigan may be caused or aggravated by on-the-job exposure, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine has launched a campaign intended to raise awareness of work-related asthma.

Washington — The rate of overdose deaths among workers rose 24% annually over a recent six-year period, with heroin and opioids the most common contributors, results of a new NIOSH study show.