UK workers record lowest rate of sick days since records began

Britons were absent for an average of 4.3 days last year, with coughs and colds the most common cause followed by back pain, ONS figures show

Nestlé to remove 10% of sugar from all snacks in UK and Ireland by 2018

Corporation vows to cut equivalent of 7,500 tonnes of sugar from confectionery without resorting to artificial sweeteners

How blue is my valley? Why south Wales has the largest ‘happiness gap’

A new metric measures the difference in happiness levels within UK towns – and places such as Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil have the biggest divide

Friends’ pictures on social media have biggest impact on body image

Women are more likely to compare themselves with their peers than with celebrities

Hairdressers of the world unite against hidden dangers of the salon

Asthma, arthritis and even cancer are occupational hazards – but Britain has helped block EU safety rules

Test all pregnant women for smoking, say NHS chiefs

The plan, which is supported by the Royal College of Midwives, is part of a wider drive to discourage cigarettes at hospitals

Meet the people who eat 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day

After scientists recommended eating 800g a day to prevent early death, readers tell us how they get so much greens in their diet

Children’s sugar intake equals five doughnuts a day, campaigners say

Obesity Health Alliance calls for food and drink makers to cut ‘hidden’ sugar to curb dangerous obesity among young people

Forget five a day, eat 10 portions of fruit and veg to cut risk of early death

Scientists say even just 2.5 portions daily can lower chance of heart disease, stroke, cancer and premature death

Inadequate sex education creating ‘health time bomb’

‘Shockingly high’ numbers of STI diagnoses prompt councils to call for compulsory sex education in UK secondary schools