(HealthDay News) -- Foot ulcers (sores) are common in people with diabetes. Left uncontrolled or untreated, they can lead to amputation. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of extremity amputation in the United States in cases that don't involve a traumatic injury.

(HealthDay News) -- Although birth defects can't always be prevented, there are plenty of steps pregnant women can take to help reduce the risk.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Adults under the age of 50 who live in low-income neighborhoods experience more chronic pain than those in more affluent communities, new research finds.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Elderly people with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk for chronic kidney disease, and insulin resistance may be the central hub that links metabolic syndrome and kidney-function decline, according to a new study.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Eating too much lunch meat, bacon, hot dogs and such could worsen symptoms of airway diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis, a new study suggests.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- The belief that a seasonal flu shot is effective is far more likely to convince health care workers to get vaccinated than reminding them it will help safeguard patients, a new study suggests.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Women with heart failure are less likely to die than men with the condition, according to new research from Europe.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- The key to a rosy, healthy-looking complexion may be as simple as eating more fruits and vegetables, researchers say.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have identified five new genetic mutations associated with Crohn's disease in Jews of Eastern European descent (Ashkenazi Jews) and say their findings may help explain why Crohn's is nearly four times more prevalent in this group than in the general population.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Tests of more than 200 common household products found that the products contain chemicals that research suggests may be linked to asthma and hormone disruption, researchers report.

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- Suicides among U.S. soldiers rose 80 percent from 2004 to 2008, an Army study found.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk for a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation, a new study finds.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- If you have chronic heartburn, it's not only your esophagus that you should be worried about. New research reveals how the condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, can severely damage your teeth thanks to an influx of acid into the mouth.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Medical experts have long known that obesity can take years off your life, but a new Israeli study suggests that if you're lucky enough to reach your mid-80s, carrying some extra pounds might actually help you live longer.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption might reduce stroke risk in women, new research suggests.

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Caring for people with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia will cost the United States about $200 billion this year, a total that includes $140 billion paid by Medicare and Medicaid, new statistics released Thursday show.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Not only do you lose an hour of sleep after the clocks move ahead to daylight-saving time this weekend, but you also may be at increased risk for a heart attack, a heart expert claims.

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- More than 3.6 million children and teens in the United States smoke, according to a Surgeon General's report released Thursday that calls on the nation to curb youth smoking.