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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday took the first step toward redefining its decades-old definition of “healthy,” following pressure from food companies that say the current regulations are outdated. Regulators are now seeking opinions from consumers, companies and other members of the public on how the term “healthy” should be used on food packaging. It’s a process that will likely take years to complete. (Gasparro, 9/27)

Eating well has many known benefits. But a good diet may not be able to counteract all the ill effects of stress on our bodies. A new study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, suggests stress can override the benefits of making better food choices. To evaluate the interactions between diet and stress, researchers recruited 58 women who completed surveys to assess the kinds of stress they were experiencing. The women also participated in what researchers call a "meal challenge," where they were each given two different types of meals to eat, on different days. (Aubrey, 9/27)

It could get a bit harder for people in Prince George’s County to buy chips, cookies or soda in county facilities, if a bill to limit those choices and stock vending machines with healthier options is embraced by the County Council. Vice Chair Dannielle M. Glaros (D-Riverdale Park) introduced the bill Tuesday, saying she wanted to address the negative health impacts of sugary and fatty foods in a county with high rates of diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases. (Hernandez, 9/27)

Stepping away from a breakout session at the First Annual Conference on Native American Nutrition, Ryan Bad Heart Bull — a tall, fit man in a dark-blue suit — said the event had been a monumental experience."It's been fascinating to learn the ways and the methods that other tribes have been using to provide better options for themselves as well as bring the community together," he said. He's part Oglala and Hunkpapa Lakota, an enrolled member of the Pine Ridge Reservation. He's also a new registered dietician, and said he's the first Native American to graduate from the University of Minnesota's Dietetic Internship program. Heart Bull said the gathering was historic because it's part of a food movement to reclaim Native American health. (Xaykaothao, 9/28)

Before you skip another workout, you might think about your brain. A provocative new study finds that some of the benefits of exercise for brain health may evaporate if we take to the couch and stop being active, even just for a week or so. (Reynolds, 9/28)