HEALTH

SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass. — Humidifiers help provide temporary relief from cough and congestion, counteract the effects of harsh, dry air, and can bring temporary relief to dry skin, stuffy noses and chapped lips — the three most irritating wintertime ailments, according to a new survey of U.S. moms, conducted by the makers of Vicks humidifiers. 

EMERYVILLE, Calif. — Clif Kid, maker of organic snacks for active kids, on Thursday introduced Zbar Monster Chocolate Mint — a seasonal offering for Halloween. 

A nutritious alternative to candy, Zbar Monster Chocolate Mint combines the flavor of chocolate with a hint of mint in a snack bar made with USDA-certified organic ingredients.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — A new mobile game app designed by CyberDoctor showed improvements in medication adherence, diet and exercise in diabetes patients, according to a study.

The company said that breakthrough clinical trial results for the game, called PatientPartner," documented for the first time the effectiveness of a story-driven game in changing health behavior and biomarkers. The study was conducted among 100 nonadherence patients at Hershey, Pa.-based Pinnacle Health Systems and presented at the Health2.0 Conference Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif.

NEW YORK — Thirty-seven percent of shoppers in the United States are shopping omnichannel, compared with 29% around the globe, according to a new study.

The study, conducted by GfK, found that consumers are "freely mingling" in-store visits, online product research and other information sources when making purchases. The extent of omnichannel shopping varies by category and country and appears tied to mobile device penetration. The study was based on 8,400 interviews in 14 countries.

PLANO, Texas — Research Now announced the launch of its Diabetes Panel, a collection of 336,000 deeply-profiled panelists in the United States and Canada who have been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or obesity. Research Now's Healthcare Panels also include physicians, nurses, pharmacists, hospital executives and administrators.

DALLAS — Most contact lens wearers in the United States put their eyes at risk by cutting corners and adopting bad habits when it comes to contact lens care and hygiene practices, according to a recent global survey conducted by Wakefield Research for Alcon.

DETROIT — A patient may be able to eat all of the ice cream he wants after having his tonsils removed, but researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit say he doesn't necessarily need a prescription to reduce post-operative pain — an over-the-counter pain reliever is just as effective.

The study released Monday found over-the-counter ibuprofen manages pain after a tonsillectomy for children and adults, as well as the prescription pain medications acetaminophen with hydrocodone and acetaminophen with codeine, which is no longer recommended for use in children.

PITTSBURGH — GNC Holdings on Wednesday announced it has acquired A1 Sports Limited (d.b.a. Discount Supplements), a multi-brand sports nutrition e-commerce retailer in the United Kingdom. 

The acquisition was funded with cash on hand. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Following the acquisition, GNC.com, LuckyVitamin.com and discount-supplements.co.uk will continue to operate as separate businesses, each with its own product offerings and target customers.