Ultraprocessed foods linked to body fat gain in children
Children who ate more ultraprocessed foods showed stronger activity in a part of the brain involved in reward, and that brain response was linked to greater gains in body fat over the following year, a new study found. The study — published October 2026 in JAMA Network Open — followed 46 children ...
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No increased stroke risk found after COVID-19 and flu vaccinations
A large multisite study found that bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, flu vaccination, and same-day administration of both vaccines were not associated with an increased risk of first-ever ischemic ...
RSV vaccine protects older adults for at least 3 seasons
An RSV vaccine continued to protect adults aged 60 and older against RSV-related hospitalization and emergency department visits for at least 3 seasons after vaccination, according to a new study by ...
Five questions for Dr. Casey Luc
Casey Luc, PhD, MPH, an epidemiologist with expertise in HIV epidemiology in underserved communities, is the fifth Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epidemic Intelligence Service officer to ...
Five questions for … Dr. Michael Aragones
April 24, 2023Kaiser Permanente Southern California has 2 Regional Reference Laboratories, which make up a sophisticated clinical laboratory management system that interfaces with medical centers and medical offices throughout the region. Michael Aragones, MD, is a Research & Evaluation research lab project manager at the Sherman Way and Chino Hills regional laboratories, which share responsibility for testing ...Read more...Increasing vaccine equity in Southern California
March 29, 2023In addition to bringing isolation and illness to the world, the COVID-19 pandemic spotlighted the health disparities between Southern California communities. Getting COVID-19 vaccines to the neighborhoods where they were most needed was one of the greatest challenges health care providers experienced during the pandemic. At Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, people rallied to address the ...Read more...Atrial fibrillation may increase risk for dementia
March 27, 2023People who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation are known to have an increased risk of developing other heart problems. A new Kaiser Permanente study suggests they may also be at increased risk for dementia. The researchers found that people with atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat, had a 13% greater risk of ...Read more...Five questions for … Dr. Bechien Wu
March 27, 2023Dr. Bechien Wu is a gastroenterologist at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center and chair of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group Regional Research Committee. He was recently appointed to be the physician director of Clinician Research. In his new role, Dr. Wu will provide scientific leadership to the new Division of Clinician Research within ...Read more...Paxlovid associated with lower risk of hospital admission
March 16, 2023A Kaiser Permanente study confirms the benefit of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, also known as Paxlovid, as an early-stage treatment to prevent hospitalization for people with mild to moderate COVID-19, regardless of prior immunity or age. The study was published March 15, 2023, in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. “Among Kaiser Permanente members in Southern California who tested positive for ...Read more...Extra pounds put kids at higher risk for hypertension
March 14, 2023A study of more than 800,000 young people between the ages of 3 and 17 showed that youth at the upper range of average weight had a 26% higher risk of developing hypertension than those closer to what is considered average weight. The study was published March 14, 2023, in JAMA Network Open. “Hypertension during youth ...Read more...Kaiser Permanente Southern California selected for initiative aimed at improving patient outcomes
March 8, 2023The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has selected Kaiser Permanente Southern California as one of 42 health systems nationwide to carry out a pioneering initiative aimed at improving patient outcomes. As a participant in PCORI’s Health Systems Implementation Initiative (HSII), Kaiser Permanente Southern California will bring its on-the-ground experience and expertise in health care innovation to ...Read more...Dr. William Towner named 2022 SCPMG Physician Researcher of the Year
February 1, 2023William J. Towner, MD, FACP, FIDSA, physician director of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Clinical Trials Program, has been named the 2022 Southern California Permanente Medical Group Physician Researcher of the Year. The award has been given each year since 2007 to recognize a physician or surgeon for his or her outstanding contributions to the research ...Read more...Original COVID-19 vaccine booster effect wanes against BA.4 and BA.5
January 24, 2023A Kaiser Permanente study published January 12, 2023, in Nature Communications shows that third and fourth doses of the monovalent Moderna mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine lose protection against infection with omicron subvariants after 3 months, but protection against hospitalization remains high in adults 18 years of age or older. “This study provides important data on the effectiveness ...Read more...5 questions for … Dr. Hung Fu Tseng
January 24, 2023Hung Fu Tseng, PhD, MPH, is a senior scientist in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation and a professor at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. His research focuses on generating real-world evidence to determine the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. His research has had a significant impact ...Read more...