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According to a new, massive study, the age of a sibling can affect health later in life.
Researchers from Columbia University and the University of Chicago analyzed medical data collected from 10,000,000 U.S. sibling siblings for two decades. They found that there may be a link between birth order and specific health risks.
Researchers examined 569 categories of disease across families, and found 150 that had a significant relationship with the birth order.
LONGER LIFE, BAD HEALTH? Scientists Discover a Troublesome Trend Across Generations
The first-born child showed an increased likelihood of receiving neurodevelopmental or psychiatric diagnosis, such as autism, ADHD and Tourette’s syndrome, and immune-allergic disorders like food allergies.
Statistics show that second-borns are more likely to suffer from migraines, shingles and substance abuse disorders. They also have a higher risk of gastrointestinal problems like gastritis.
While discussing the results on Fox & Friends, Dr. Marc Siegel (senior medical analyst at Fox News) noted the importance of such a large-scale research.
The doctor stated, “I like this study as it raises more questions than answers. But I do think I know some of the answers.”
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Siegel’s own theory about parenting behavior was offered in response to the increased prevalence of ADHD with first-borns.
My theory is that they are getting more stimulation. He said that the parents hover over their children, like helicopters. “They don’t even know what to do,” he added.
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Siegel, in addressing the disparity between allergic conditions and the early exposure to the environment, said, “I believe it is because the immune system of the firstborn has not seen the environmental before.” If it is not properly set, then you will get an allergic reaction.
Siegel also discussed biological and psychological aspects when evaluating the differences between sibling.
I think that the womb is different after the first pregnancy, so the second baby will have a used womb. He said that the womb is more prepared for it because it has already been used.
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Siegel, in a response to the increased rate of substance abuse disorders among children born second, suggested that emotional factors may also be at play. “It could all come down to the same thing: I want attention. I’m looking for attention. “I want to do something that will make you laugh.
The study has some limitations, even though it highlights trends across a wide population.
These findings show correlations, not direct causality, which means that the trends aren’t always due to physiological changes, early microbe exposures, or social dynamics.
The data also relies heavily on the commercial health insurance claims which may reflect different diagnoses, differences in healthcare seeking behavior, and parental attention, rather than just true biological functions.
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These associations are also complicated by factors such as age differences between parents and siblings. Researchers concluded that birth order is a risk indicator at the population level, rather than an accurate health predictor.
Nature Health published the research.

SALT LAKE CITY — West Nile Virus was detected in 35% of mosquitoes tested this week within the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District, posing a “significantly higher-than-normal risk” of the virus, county health officials say.
A second human case of the virus has also been reported in the county, Salt Lake County Health Department officials said on Wednesday. The county previously reported its first human case of West Nile Virus of the year on July 30.
West Nile Virus is the most common virus spread by mosquitoes, which can have ranging impacts on humans.
Some people may not develop symptoms, but people can also develop fever, headache and body aches within two to 14 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Severe cases can result in high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, coma, tremors and muscle convulsions, which can even result in death.
To avoid contracting the virus, the Salt Lake County Health Department recommends that people:

A bat that swooped down and became caught in a woman’s hair near Staircase Bridge in Olympic National Park has tested positive for rabies, prompting health officials to urge the woman and anyone else who may have had contact with the animal to seek medical attention.
The rabid bat was found Sunday near Staircase Bridge. At about 2 p.m., the bat swooped down onto an unidentified woman and was temporarily caught in her hair, according to a park alert issued Wednesday by Olympic National Park.
The woman is considered at risk for rabies and should seek health care immediately and contact the Mason County Health Department at 360-427-9670, ext. 405.
The bat also swooped at other visitors in the area, and it is unknown whether anyone else had contact with it, the health department said.
Anyone who may have come into contact with a bat in the area, even if they were not bitten, should promptly contact a health care provider and their local health department to determine whether treatment is necessary.
People concerned that a pet may have had direct contact with a bat should contact a veterinarian.
Rabies is a deadly virus that can affect any mammal, with bats the most common carriers. The virus is typically transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal or through contact with its saliva.
Bat bites and scratches can be small and may not be visible or painful. Anyone who believes they may have had direct contact with a bat should immediately speak with a health care provider to evaluate the risk of exposure.
Rabies can be prevented when appropriate medical care is received promptly after exposure.
Washington is home to many bats, the vast majority of which are healthy, according to park officials.
Bats play important roles in the ecosystem, including pest control, pollination, seed dispersal, and nutrient cycling, according to park officials.
Visitors to Olympic National Park should not touch or handle bats or other wild animals. Anyone who encounters a bat, dead or alive, should keep their distance and notify park staff.

The Californian teen was reportedly found on the floor of her dorm’s bathroom.
A 19-year-old college student died after taking a popular GLP-1 weight loss drug.
Josephine Nasr, a law student from Corona, California, died in her London dorm room after taking tirzepatide on Sept. 23, 2025.
The popular appetite-suppressing medication, which belongs to the GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist drug class, is sold under brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound.
According to the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, 15 percent of Americans have taken a weight loss medication, including “semaglutide (brand names Ozempic and Wegovy), liraglutide (brand name Saxenda), or tirzepatide (brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound).”
Nasr was prescribed Zepbound by a U.S. doctor, according to The Times of London, who reported that Nasr started taking the drug in the summer of 2025. Nasr was not obese, but her BMI was categorized as “overweight.”
The evening of her death, Nasr, who was in her second year of international law and legal studies at the University of East London and planned to graduate in 2027, told her family she was vomiting and feeling nauseous.
Both nausea and vomiting are possible side effects of GLP-1s, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Nasr’s sister, Anastasia Nasr, worried that her sister might experience dehydration and ordered IV fluids for Nasr. But after she was unable to reach her sister by phone, she contacted the college security team.
The team entered Nasr’s dorm room and discovered her on the floor of her bathroom. This happened around two hours after Nasr had last spoken on the phone with her family.
Next to her was an empty vial of a GLP-1 drug, The Times reported.
After an ambulance arrived, Nasr was declared dead at the scene.
An inquest on Nasr’s death was held at East London Coroner’s Court on August 3. Coroner Graeme Irvine found her cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia, an abnormal heart rhythm.
Pathologist Alan Bates found in his post-mortem that Nasr had a congenital heart condition known as myocardial bridging. Usually, the coronary artery runs over a muscle in the heart, but for people with this condition, it runs through.
Myocardial bridging typically does not affect a person’s health, although it can cause chest pain. Between 16 and 30 percent of people are estimated to be born with this condition.
Bates said that the vomiting triggered by tirzepatide could have caused low blood sugar, leading to an electrolyte imbalance that could have triggered arrhythmia. He said Nasr was “an otherwise healthy young woman,” but that her heart condition might have negatively contributed to the end outcome.
Nasr’s mother, Lorin Mansour, reportedly fainted when she heard the news.
“She was full of joy and always helped others before herself. She loved traveling and the ocean,” Nasr’s father, George Nasr, said.
Mansour added, “We are part of the Coptic church, and the way Josephine was willing to help people showed that she lived her faith.”
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) data show that the United States has seen the highest number of measles outbreaks in the past three decades, as the disease spread across multiple states.
Mid-July saw the total surpass 2025 which was the worst year of recent times with over 2,200 cases confirmed. The U.S. is at risk of losing the official status it holds since 2000, that has been attributed to them for eliminating measles.
The measles virus is highly contagious. It can sometimes cause serious infections of the brain and lungs that may lead to deafness, cognitive problems, or even death. Vaccination is a safe, highly effective and medically proven way to prevent it.
CBS News’ data team tracked measles confirmed cases across the country as state health departments released new data.
More than 750 of the 2,289 cases confirmed last year were linked to an outbreak that occurred in West Texas and led to two deaths.
Before 2025, prior to 2019, the most recent year with the largest number of confirmed cases was 2019. This was driven by outbreaks occurring in New York State, California, and Washington. The total number of cases was usually much lower.
Experts in health care point out that the increase of infectious diseases such as measles is primarily due to decreased vaccination rates. Most cases are in unvaccinated people, and the outbreaks spread to communities that have lower vaccination rates.
CDC data show that approximately 93% of U.S. kindergarteners were vaccinated for measles in 2021-2022 and only 92.7% during 2023-2024. It is down from the 95.2% in the school year 2019-2020 — an important threshold for keeping people safe. This threshold was only reached by 10 states.
The CDC says that “when more than 95 percent of the people living in a given community have been vaccinated,” they are most likely to be protected by herd immunity.
On “Face the Nation With Margaret Brennan”, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya of the National Institutes of Health said, “I believe that it is very important for parents to vaccinate children, particularly for the measles, the DTP and all the childhood standard vaccines.”