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Seven U.S. states now have adult obesity rates of 35 percent or higher, up from zero states just five years ago, according to federal data released Wednesday. The 2017 data, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, highlight continuing discrepancies in adult obesity rates across geographic areas, race, and education levels. (Joseph, 9/12)

Minnesota again has the lowest rate of obesity in the Upper Midwest, according to 2017 figures released Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the first time, it also has the lowest rate among 12 Midwestern states.The CDC survey found 28.4 percent of Minnesota adults self-reported they were obese, which makes Minnesota the only Midwestern state below 30 percent. (Tarala, 9/12)

When the next dead­ly pan­dem­ic flu hits, the first chal­lenge will be to de­vel­op a vac­cine. But loom­ing behind that ob­sta­cle is another: How to get an in­oc­u­la­tion to millions of people with­out in­ad­vert­ent­ly ex­ac­er­bat­ing the cri­sis. Af­ter all, droves of people — some who might already be sick­ened — who flock to health centers for a shot could be a po­tent way for the in­fec­tion to spread. (Johnson, 9/12)

U.S. and Cuban officials will meet later today in an effort to determine the method and motive behind mystery incidents in Havana that have injured American diplomats. The meeting comes amid widespread frustration among national security agencies and in Congress at the lack of answers about what the U.S. describes as “health attacks” that began nearly two years ago and affected some two dozen people, including some diagnosed with brain damage. It also comes amid a flurry of reports suggesting investigators have narrowed their suspicions as to the cause and culprit. (Lee, 9/13)

Kianni Arroyo clasps 8-year-old Sophia’s hands tightly as they spin around, giggling like mad. It’s late afternoon, and there are hot dogs on the grill, bubble wands on the lawn, balls flying through the air. The midsummer reunion in a suburb west of the city looks like any other, but these family ties can’t be described with standard labels. Instead, Arroyo, a 21-year-old waitress from Orlando, is here to meet “DNA-in-laws,” various “sister-moms” and especially people like Sophia, a cherished “donor-sibling.” (Cha, 9/12)

Scientists say they've found a new way to help determine whether specific genetic abnormalities are likely to make people sick, a step toward avoiding a vexing uncertainty that can surround DNA test results. Researchers used genetic engineering to create thousands of tiny variations in a gene linked to breast cancer, and tested each one in a lab to predict whether it would promote the disease if it appeared in a person. (9/12)

A kissing cousin to pot is showing up in your coffee, candy and chocolate bars. Companies are selling a growing number of products that contain cannabidiol, or CBD, a chemical found in hemp. It’s being added to everything from gumdrops to beverages, as marketers claim benefits such as pain relief and stress reduction. (Chaker, 9/12)

After viewing “Blackfish,” a documentary about the mistreatment of animals at SeaWorld, Jeffrey Miller’s daughter, Hannah, became concerned that eating meat was murder. Last year, she decided to become a vegetarian. “Our 14-year-old has completely bailed on meat of her own accord, so we’ve had to do some maneuvering,” Mr. Miller said of his daughter, who is the lone vegetarian in a household where both parents and her 16-year-old sister, Emma, happily consume chicken, pork and turkey. He noted that in their town of Sioux Falls, S.D., the middle of the pork and beef belt, many of her friends view her vegetarian status as “weird.” (Halpert, 9/13)

Overseas doctors are cheaper. Artificial intelligence could eventually be smarter. Patient safety concerns have multiplied. Are American radiologists' days numbered? These radiologists say no — and take listeners inside their work. (9/12)