An estimated 1.6 million smokers attempted to quit smoking because of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Tips From Former Smokers" national ad campaign, according to a study released by the CDC.

Original title: “Tips From Former Smokers - campaign results”

This report is an important step to better understand childhood mental disorders and help children reach their full potential in life.

Original title: “CDC Issues First Comprehensive Report on Children's Mental Health in the United States - Digital Press Kit”

Poor antibiotic-prescribing practices in hospitals can needlessly put patients at risk for Clostridium difficile infection (deadly diarrhea) and future drug-resistant infections. This month, the CDC Vital Signs report looks at prescribing practices and variations, and calls on all U.S. hospitals to improve antibiotic-prescribing practices.

Original title: “CDC Telebriefing: New Vital Signs Report - Are Prescribing Practices Putting Hospital Patients at Risk? - Media Advisory”

The latest CDC obesity data, published in the February 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, show a significant decline in obesity among children aged 2 to 5 years. Obesity prevalence for this age group went from nearly 14 percent in 2003-2004 to just over 8 percent in 2011-2012 - a decline of 43 percent - based on CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data.

Original title: “New CDC data show encouraging development in obesity rates among 2 to 5 year olds - Press Release”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to warn people who may have been exposed to hepatitis A at a Hilton Head restaurant after a restaurant worker tested positive for hepatitis A.

Original title: “CDC and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Warn of Possible Hepatitis A Exposure at Hilton Head Restaurant - Media Advisory”

This influenza season was particularly hard on younger- and middle-age adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in today's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. People age 18-64 represented 61 percent of all hospitalizations from influenza-up from the previous three seasons when this age group represented only about 35 percent of all such hospitalizations. Influenza deaths followed the same pattern; more deaths than usual occurred in this younger age group.

Original title: “CDC Reports Flu Hit Younger People Particularly Hard This Season - Press Release”

CDC will host a telebriefing to discuss two articles which appear in today's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). The articles are: "Interim Estimates of 2013-14 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness - United States, February 2014" and "Update: Influenza Activity - United States, September 29, 2013-February 8, 2014

Original title: “CDC Telebriefing: Update on Flu Activity and Vaccine Effectiveness Estimates”

Female high school students in states with indoor tanning laws, particularly those with parental permission laws and age restrictions, were less likely to engage in indoor tanning compared to students in states without any laws, according to a CDC study published online by the American Journal of Public Health.

Original title: “Rates of indoor tanning among female high school students lowest in states with multiple restrictions on youth access - Press Release”

Telebriefing on the launch of a new global health security initiative to help make the world a safer place.

Original title: “Telebriefing on launch of global health security agenda - Transcript”

Today, HHS' Million Hearts initiative recognizes nine public and private practices and health systems across the country for success in achieving excellent rates of high blood pressure control.

Original title: “CDC and Million Hearts Recognize 2013 Hypertension Control Champions - Press Release”

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for U.S. children, although deaths have gone down in the past decade. So why are our youngest children still dying in crashes? One of three children who die in a crash is not buckled up.

Original title: “Vital Signs Telebriefing on Restraint Use and Motor Vehicle Occupant Death Rates Among Children Aged 0-12 Years - United States, 2002-2011 - Transcript”

One in three children who died in crashes in 2011 was not buckled up, according to a new CDC Vital Signs report. CDC analyzed 2002-2011 data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to determine the number and rate of motor-vehicle occupant deaths, and the percentage of child deaths among children age 12 and younger who were not buckled up. Motor vehicle crash deaths among children age 12 and younger decreased by 43 percent in

Original title: “Child Passenger Safety”

Motor vehicle crash deaths among children age 12 and younger decreased by 43 percent from 2002-2011; however, still more than 9,000 children died in crashes during that period, according to a new Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Original title: “CDC study shows that child passenger deaths have decreased 43 percent from 2002 - 2011 - Press Release”

Every day, 1 in 20 hospitalized patients has an infection caused by medical care. Health care-associated infections are costly to businesses and are potentially lethal to employees. In fact, health care-associated infections create an economic burden of as much as $45 billion for citizens and businesses each year, even though 70 percent of some infections are preventable.

Original title: “Business Pulse connects CDC and business to address public health issues - Media Statement”

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for U.S. children, although deaths have gone down in the past decade. So why are our youngest children still dying in crashes? One of three children who die in a crash is not buckled up. CDC will discuss the latest data on motor vehicle deaths among children aged 12 and under, the impact of improving state child passenger restraint laws, and what everyone can do to protect children on the road.

Original title: “CDC Telebriefing: New Vital Signs Report Have we made any progress keeping children buckled up and safe on the road? - Media Advisory”

CDC's laboratory has confirmed that the gastrointestinal illness that sickened more than 600 passengers and crew aboard Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas this week during a cruise to the Caribbean was caused by norovirus.

Original title: “CDC confirms that illnesses reported on Royal Caribbean ship were caused by norovirus - Media Advisory”

According to an article in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pilot projects between CDC and Uganda and CDC and Vietnam have resulted in improvements in disease detection and response that may serve as a model for increasing global health security in the rest of the world.

Original title: “U.S. safer when CDC works with other countries to fight infectious diseases - Press Release”

CDC will host a telebriefing to discuss improvements in disease detection and response that may serve as a model for fighting infectious disease throughout the world.

Original title: “U.S. safer when CDC works with other countries to fight infectious diseases - Media Advisory”

Between 2012-2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supported multiple state and local public health responses, helping to strengthen the front lines of public health defense and bolster the nation's health security.

Original title: “CDC support to states, locals bolsters national health security - Press Release”

Information regarding 4-methylcyclohexanemethanol (MCHM) and the calculation to establish a screening level in West Virginia drinking water is available at: http://emergency.cdc.gov/chemical/MCHM/westvirgina2014/index.asp

Original title: “West Virginia water screening calculation posted on web - Media Advisory”