Allison Aubrey

Researchers studied several years of transactions from Taco Bells, including from drive-thrus in Chicago, Oakland, California, Philadelphia, and Seattle.

These are all places that had adopted soda taxes aimed at reducing sugar consumption and encouraging healthier habits.

But the study finds that the small tax on soda did not appear to influence decision-making.

Other studies show that a soda tax can lead to decreased sales in grocery stores, but this doesn't seem to be the case in fast food.

Researchers say it's possible the tax is too low for consumers to notice.

Allison Aubrey, NPR News.

Health Secretary Kennedy touts steak over cake, and the new dietary guidelines recommend a higher level of protein intake.

But protein needs vary from person to person.

Since the human body is continuously breaking down old proteins and making new ones, it relies on the amino acids from the food we eat.

And the amount we need depends on body weight, age, since protein needs increase with age, and activity level.

Exercise creates a stress on the body, explained Stuart Phillips, a researcher at McMaster University.

That's why if you exercise regularly, you may need to eat more protein.

Allison Aubrey, NPR News.

When you get your cholesterol checked, results include LDL cholesterol, typically known as bad cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol, the good kind.

The new guidelines recommend that adults also test lipoprotein A, explains Leslie Cho, a preventive cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic.

Lipoprotein A is a causal risk factor.

which means it can greatly increase the risk of heart disease.

It's genetic and doesn't change much, so Cho says adults should have it tested once, and if it's elevated, doctors may recommend more aggressive steps to prevent heart disease, such as starting medications early.

Overall, the guidelines call for a more aggressive approach to prevention that will lead to more people being treated earlier.

Allison Aubrey, NPR News.