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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tennessee school won't accept doctor's notes for absences
(NewsNation) — One Tennessee school district will no longer accept doctors' notes to excuse an absence despite objections from parents. Lawrence County School System officials said the school is instituting the policy to teach students work ethic and reliability, saying that students will be expected to go to work sick or injured as adults. It is also intended to address chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10 percent or more of instructional time. In the 2023-2024 school year, Lawrence County had a 14 percent rate of chronic absenteeism. With no federally mandated sick leave, many Americans do go to work when sick, but public health officials advise against it. Staying home when sick can reduce the spread of viruses like the flu and COVID-19 and protect vulnerable people in the community. The new attendance policy says students will simply be marked absent or present, with no options for doctors to verify a child is absent because they are sick or injured, need to stay home to recover or to prevent spreading contagious illnesses to their classmates. The policy is meant to help improve attendance rates, but parents have objected, noting that an absence for an illness like the flu could now mean a referral to the Lawrence County Juvenile Court for truancy. Children who get sick at school or are sent to school sick and sent home by a nurse will be counted as tardy. Three tardies will equal an absence. The new policy also says schools will start intervention after just three days, and eight or more days marked absent will result in a court referral. Other penalties could include failing a class or grade, not being allowed to participate in graduation or get a driver's license or permit. There will be exemptions for students with documented chronic illnesses and emergencies out of the student's control, as well as allowances for deaths in the family and some religious observances. The school district sent a letter to medical providers asking them to emphasize regular school attendance and warning that medical notes could imply students should stay home even after their health improves. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Fox News
11 hours ago
- Fox News
Forget 10,000 steps — research reveals the real number you need for better health
You may not need as many steps as you thought. Ten thousand steps per day has been widely recommended as the standard benchmark for physical activity — but a new study suggests that just 7,000 could be enough to boost essential health markers. Researchers from the University of Sydney conducted a review of 57 studies spanning more than 10 countries, which tracked participants' steps and health outcomes. SIMPLE JAPANESE FITNESS TREND COULD ADD 7 YEARS TO LIFE EXPECTANCY, EXPERTS SAY Led by Professor Melody Ding from the School of Public Health, the team looked at how different daily step counts impacted the risk of dying from heart disease and cancer, as well as the risk of developing cancer, type 2 diabetes, dementia and depression, according to a university press release. They found that walking at least 7,000 steps a day was linked to improvement in eight major health outcomes, including heart disease, dementia and depressive symptoms. "Any increase in daily steps, even modest ones like 4,000 steps, delivers health benefits compared to very low activity levels," Ding told Fox News Digital. "When possible, targeting around 7,000 steps per day can substantially reduce risks for many chronic diseases and adverse health outcomes." "Even small increases in step counts, such as increasing from 2,000 to 4,000 steps a day, are associated with significant health gain." Higher step counts beyond 7,000 may add extra benefits, but the improvement rate slows, she noted. The results were published in The Lancet Public Health journal. In particular, the researchers found that walking 7,000 steps a day reduced the risk of death by 47%, almost exactly the same as 10,000 steps. That same step benchmark was also linked to a 38% reduced risk of dementia and a 22% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, both only slightly lower than the benefit of 10,000 steps, the release stated. "Significant health improvements" were reported when people increased from 2,000 steps per day to anywhere between 5,000 and 7,000. "Aiming for 7,000 steps is a realistic goal based on our findings, which assessed health outcomes in a range of areas that hadn't been looked at before," said Professor Ding in the release. "However, for those who cannot yet achieve 7,000 steps a day, even small increases in step counts, such as increasing from 2,000 to 4,000 steps a day, are associated with significant health gain." For those who are already very active and consistently hitting 10,000+ steps, Ding said, "keep it up — there's no need to cut back." The researchers also noted that stepping doesn't need to happen all at once or require intentional exercise. "Everyday movements count — like getting off the bus a stop earlier or choosing stairs over elevators," Ding advised. "Small, incidental bouts throughout the day add up and contribute to health. Embrace opportunities to move more in practical, enjoyable ways." There were some limitations in the study, the researchers noted. "For some outcomes, we have a small number of studies," Ding told Fox News Digital. There are also some study-level biases, she said. "For example, people who are already unwell will take fewer steps because of their health conditions," Ding said. "And while there is an indication that the dose-response may be different for older adults, we didn't have enough data for all outcomes to explore it." It's also important to note that while walking offers great health benefits, it is not a complete "package" in itself, she noted. "Everyday movements count — like getting off the bus a stop earlier or choosing stairs over elevators." "Try to also incorporate strength training and mobility exercise into a weekly routine for more complete health benefits." In next steps, the researchers plan to use these findings to shape future physical activity guidelines. For more Health articles, visit Experts recommend that future studies of step count impacts should focus on variations for age, health status and region, the release stated. "Our research helps to shift the focus from perfection to progress," Ding said. "Even small increases in daily movement can lead to meaningful health improvements."
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
France registers a record 480 excess deaths during early summer heatwave
The early summer heatwave that affected 60 French departments between 19 June and 6 July led to a record 480 excess deaths, a rise of 5.5 percent compared to normal mortality levels, the country's public health agency has announced. People aged 75 and over accounted for almost all the excess deaths during the heatwave – 410 of those recorded in the affected areas, Public Health France said. It added that the "notably long and unusually early heatwave" had impacted nearly three-quarters of the population. This initial count will later be supplemented by an estimate of deaths specifically attributable to heat, to be included in a broader report due after 15 September, the agency noted. The calculation of excess mortality is based on all-cause death data collected from civil registry offices and transmitted by France's national statistics bureau Insee, compared with the expected number of deaths based on figures from the previous six years. What does 50C feel like? Touring 'heat chamber' allows French people to find out The region with the highest number of excess deaths was Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA), which covers the south east of the country. It saw at least 140 additional fatalities (representing a rise of 9.2 percent). Public Health France published a map of excess deaths by department but cautioned during a press briefing that a significant percentage increase in areas with small populations – and thus small absolute numbers – may not always be statistically meaningful. Three regions – Corsica, Hauts-de-France in the north of the country and Île-de-France, the region surrounding Paris – recorded no excess deaths during the heatwave period. The agency said that the figures underscore "the importance of implementing preventative measures to reduce the impact of heat, not only during heatwaves but throughout the summer". It stressed 'the need for a reinforced climate adaptation strategy at both national and local levels'. The agency also added that, according to its 2014-2023 data, 70 percent of heat-related deaths during the summer occurred outside officially declared heatwave days. Climate change pushed temperatures in latest European heatwave up by 4C (with AFP)
