Search Results

Preventing Obesity in Children, Teens, and Adults Facts about obesity Obesity is a long-term (chronic) disease. It affects growing numbers of children, teens, and adults. Obesity rates among children in the U.S. have doubled since 1980. They have tripled for teens. About 19 out

Facts About Diabetes What is diabetes? When you have diabetes, your body has a problem with insulin. It doesn't make enough insulin or can't use the insulin it makes (insulin resistance). Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas. It helps sugar (glucose) enter your cells to

Common Symptoms of Liver Disease What are some common liver disease symptoms? When diagnosing liver disease, your health care provider looks at your symptoms and does a physical exam. Some common signs and symptoms of liver disease include: A yellowing of the skin and eyes

The Digestive System: An Overview What is digestion? Food and drink must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients to be absorbed into the blood and carried to cells throughout the body. Digestion is the process by which food and liquid are broken down into smaller parts

The Menstrual Cycle: An Overview What is ovulation? When a young woman reaches puberty, she starts to ovulate. This is when a mature egg or ovum is released from one of the ovaries. The ovaries are the two female reproductive organs found in the pelvis. If the egg is fertilized

Overview of Obesity Facts about obesity Overweight and obesity together make up one of the leading preventable causes of death in the U.S. Obesity is a chronic disease that can seriously affect your health. Overweight means that you have extra body weight. Obesity means having a

Circumcision for Children What is circumcision for children? Circumcision is a surgery to remove the skin covering the end of the penis. This skin is called the foreskin. This surgery is most often done 1 or 2 days after a baby’s birth. Circumcision can also be done on older

Congenital Heart Disease According to the American Heart Association, about 9 of every 1,000 babies born in the U.S. have a congenital heart defect. This is a problem that occurs as the baby's heart is developing during pregnancy, before the baby is born. Congenital heart defects

Liver Transplant for Children What is a liver transplant for children? A liver transplant is surgery to replace a diseased liver with a healthy liver from another person. The new liver may come from an organ donor who has just died. A liver transplant may also come from a healthy

Scars What is a scar? A scar is the body's natural way of healing and replacing lost or damaged skin. A scar is often made of fibrous tissue. Scars may be formed for many different reasons. They may be due to infections, surgery, injuries, or inflammation of tissue. Scars may