By Katie Hunt, CNN

(CNN) -- An inability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in later life is linked to nearly double the risk of death from any cause within the next decade, according to a new study.

The simple balance test may be useful to include in routine physical exams for people in middle and old age, the research, which was published Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, suggested.

While aging leads to a decline in physical fitness, muscle strength and flexibility, balance tends to be reasonably well-preserved until a person's 50s, when it starts to wane relatively rapidly, the research noted. Previous research has linked the inability to stand on one leg to a greater risk of falls and to cognitive decline.

The study involved 1,702 people ages 51 to 75 living in Brazil, who were asked to balance unsupported on one leg during an initial check. Researchers told the participants to place the front of the free foot behind the standing leg, keep their arms by their sides and eyes fixed straight ahead. Up to three attempts on either foot were permitted.

Being able to balance on one leg is important for older people for a number of reasons, and it is also reflective of wider fitness and health levels, said study author Dr. Claudio Gil Araújo at Exercise Medicine Clinic - CLINIMEX - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

"We regularly need ... a one-legged posture, to move out of a car, to climb or to descend a step or stair and so on. To not have this ability or being afraid in doing so, it is likely related to loss of autonomy and, in consequence, less exercise and the snowball starts," he explained.

Poor balance and longevity

The study participants had an average age of 61 and two-thirds of them were men. Around 1 in 5 failed to balance on one leg for 10 seconds at the initial checkup.

Researchers monitored the participants after the initial checkup for a period of seven years, during which 123 -- 7% -- of the people being studied died. The proportion of deaths among those who failed the test (17.5 %) was significantly higher than deaths among those who were able to balance for 10 seconds (4.5%).

The study found that for those unable to complete the balance test there was an 84% higher risk of death from any cause, and this link remained even when other factors -- including age, sex, BMI, and preexisting conditions or health risks such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes -- were taken into account.

However, the researchers were not able to include in their analysis other variables such as recent history of falls, pattern of physical activity, exercise or sports practice, diet, smoking, and the use of medications that may interfere with balance.

The research was observational and doesn't reveal cause and effect. The study didn't look at any possible biological mechanisms that might explain the link between poor balance and longevity.

Dr. Naveed Sattar, a professor of metabolic medicine in the Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences at the University of Glasgow, said the research was interesting but not definitive.

"As one leg standing requires good balance, linked to brain function, good muscle strength and good blood flow, it likely integrates muscular, vascular and brain systems so it is a global test of future mortality risk -- albeit crude," said Sattar, who wasn't involved in the study.

"If someone cannot do the 10 seconds and is worried, they should reflect on their own health risks," he said.

"They could try to make positive lifestyle changes such as walking more, eating less if they realize they could do better -- most underestimate importance of lifestyle to health," he said. "But also they could consult with their doctor if, for example, they have not had risk factors for cardiovascular disease measured or other chronic conditions such as diabetes tested for."

Improving balance

In general, those who failed the test had poorer health and included a higher proportion of people who were obese and/or had heart disease, high blood pressure, and unhealthy blood fat profiles, according to the study. Type 2 diabetes was also more common among those who failed to complete the test.

The study took place between 2009 and 2020 and was part of wider research project that started in 1994.

The inability to complete the balance test rose with age, more or less doubling at subsequent 5-year intervals from the age range of 51 to 55 and onward. More than half (around 54%) of study participants ages 71 to 75 were unable to complete the test, compared with 5% in the lowest age bracket who couldn't do it.

There were no clear trends in the deaths, or differences in the causes of death, between those able to complete the test and those who weren't able to do so.

Araújo said that balance could be substantially improved by specific training, and this was something he worked on with patients involved in a medically supervised exercise program. However, he said that he didn't yet have the data to assess whether improving balance influenced longevity.

If you want to test your own ability to balance on one leg for 10 seconds, Araújo advised that it is best to stand close to a wall or table or another person for support.

en retriever that was on site as a comfort dog provided by the hospital.

"I'm feeling really thrilled that we have this opportunity," DeRoo, a pediatrician at Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC, told CNN's Suzanne Malveaux on Tuesday about her son's vaccination.

DeRoo added that her family now will feel more comfortable participating in certain activities, knowing that their youngest son has started his Covid-19 vaccine series.

"It will certainly allow us to have more freedom with our personal lives and what we do," DeRoo said. "And for the baby, we'll feel like we have cloaked him in as much protection as we can."

Covid-19 vaccinations for children younger than 5 are beginning Tuesday across the United States, marking a milestone in the nation's fight against the disease.

Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorizations for Moderna's vaccine to include children 6 months through 17 years and Pfizer/BioNTech's for children 6 months through 4 years.

Then on Saturday, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on Covid-19 vaccinations for children under 5, clearing the way for vaccinations to be administered in that age group.

About 17 million kids under the age of 5 are now eligible for Covid-19 vaccines.

"This is a big day. We've been waiting a long time for children to have access to the vaccine. We now have every age group, 6 months and above, in the country which is now eligible to get protection from the Covid-19 vaccine. And I'll tell you as a dad of a 4-year-old, this is a big deal for my family as well," US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNN's Brianna Keilar on Tuesday morning.

Vaccines given in child-sized doses

Under the FDA's authorization, the Moderna vaccine can be given as a two-dose primary series, with doses given four weeks apart, at 25 micrograms each dose, to infants and children 6 months through 5 years of age.

While the FDA has authorized Moderna's vaccine for children ages 6 to 17, the CDC has not yet recommended it for that age group, so those shots can't be administered yet. The FDA authorization would allow children ages 6 to 11 to receive doses are 50 micrograms each. For those ages 12 and older, it would be administered as 100-microgram doses.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine now can be given as a three-dose primary series, at 3 micrograms each dose, for use in infants and children 6 months through 4 years. The vaccine is administered as a two-dose primary series at 10 micrograms per dose for children 5 to 11 and at 30 micrograms per dose for adolescents and adults ages 12 and older.

Completing the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine series is a longer process, as the first two doses are administered three weeks apart, and then the third dose is given eight weeks later.

Dr. Jeannette Lee of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who serves on the FDA's vaccine advisory committee, expressed concern about children not completing all three doses.

"Three doses will certainly benefit. I have a lot of concern that many of these kids will not get a third dose," Lee said. "My concern is that you have to get the three doses to really get what you need."

As for children who might turn from age 4 to 5 at any point while completing their Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine series, the CDC recommends two options. The child could complete the two-dose primary series authorized for children ages 5 to 11, or they could complete the three-dose series for younger kids, but each of doses 2 and 3 may be either the dosage for younger children or ages 5 to 11.

The FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee determined that the benefits of both vaccines outweigh the risks and noted that the vaccines have been "well-tolerated" among the children who got them in clinical trials.

According to clinical trial data, common side effects for both vaccines include pain at the injection site, headache, fever, chills and fatigue. The vaccines appeared to elicit similar immune responses in children as has been seen in adults.

Where young children can get vaccinated

Pediatricians' offices and pharmacies are the main sites where young children could get vaccinated.

"We know that parents are going to want to get their children vaccinated in pediatricians' offices. Some people will go to a pharmacy, some people will go to a children's hospital or some sort of a community health center," Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House's Covid-19 response coordinator, said Monday on CBS.

"But the bottom line is, I think a majority of parents are going to want to get their child vaccinated in their pediatrician's office," Jha said. "So, many pediatricians are going to be offering the vaccine."

As for the pharmacy locations offering these child-sized vaccines, CVS and Walgreens have announced plans to provide vaccinations.

CVS will begin administering Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccines to children under five on Tuesday, a communications representative told CNN.

"We will begin administering the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for eligible children 18 months through four years of age at our 1,100 MinuteClinic locations starting on Tuesday," Matt Blanchette, senior manager of retail communications with CVS Pharmacy, told CNN in an email.

"MinuteClinic is located inside select CVS Pharmacy stores in 35 states and Washington, DC," Blanchette said. Appointments will be available on a rolling basis according to vaccine supply.

Blanchette said children over 5 will still be able to access Covid-19 vaccines in CVS pharmacies.

On Saturday, Walgreens announced in a news release that appointments for vaccinations in young children will be available starting June 25. Walgreens will be vaccinating children 3 and older at "select" locations, and appointments can be scheduled online.

Hy-Vee pharmacies will have Covid-19 vaccinations available for children under 5 once doses are available, a communications representative told CNN on Monday.

"Hy-Vee anticipates receiving its allocations for the newly approved age groups in the coming days," Tina Potthoff, senior vice president of communications, wrote in an email.

"As soon as we receive vaccine and our appointment scheduler is open for these age groups, we will post an update on our COVID-19 vaccine landing page, post on our Hy-Vee store Facebook pages, and contact media outlets in our eight-state region to make them aware of our pediatric hubs that are accepting appointments."

Due to federal regulations, she wrote, Hy-Vee will only be providing vaccinations to children 3 and older.

"Under the PREP Act, retail pharmacies, including Hy-Vee pharmacies, are only authorized to administer vaccines to patients ages 3+," Potthoff wrote in the email. "Patients younger than age 3 should visit their pediatrician or health care provider to receive the COVID-19 vaccine."

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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA 2022: TIME TO FEEL HUMAN AGAIN

21 JUN 22 08:49 ET|CNN|Version 6

The International Day of Yoga -- which is on Tuesday, June 21 -- could be the day that jump-starts a healthy new habit. The 2022 theme is "Yoga for humanity."

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International Day of Yoga 2022: Time to feel human again

Originally Published: 21 JUN 22 04:51 ET

Updated: 21 JUN 22 08:49 ET

By Forrest Brown, CNN

(CNN) -- Do the challenges of the modern world and the effects of the pandemic have you tied up in knots? Maybe an ancient practice can give you some relief.

For thousands of years, people have turned to yoga to feel more limber, release stress and rejuvenate their overall physical and mental health.

The International Day of Yoga -- which is on Tuesday, June 21 -- could be the day that jump-starts a healthy new habit.

The day has been designated by the United Nations, and this year's theme is "Yoga for humanity," with an emphasis on "promoting sustainable lifestyle in harmony with planet Earth."

The UN says on its website that the "essence of yoga is balance -- not just balance within the body or that between the mind and the body, but also balance in the human relationship with the world. Yoga emphasizes the values of mindfulness, moderation, discipline and perseverance."

Originating in ancient India, yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice, the UN says.

If you happen to be in New York City for the next week and a half, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations is having "The World of Yoga" exhibition at the UN Delegates' entrance from June 21 to July 1.

In Times Square, you can take advantage of all the daylight with free solstice yoga classes starting at 7:30 a.m. ET and ending at 8:30 p.m. ET. Register in advance, or if you can't make it, join via streaming on the website of the Times Square Alliance, which is presenting the event.

Meanwhile, CNN invites you to look back at some of our yoga coverage:

5-minute morning yoga routine

CNN fitness contributor Stephanie Mansour created this five-minute yoga routine to loosen up your body and start your day off feeling calm, balanced and positive.

"As a certified yoga instructor for over a decade, I encourage my clients to engage in a daily yoga practice (preferably in the morning) to get the blood flowing, boost energy and invigorate the senses," she wrote.

"These poses are strategically included because they open up the body physically, improve blood flow to the vital organs and stretch the front, back and sides of the body in a short amount of time.

"Practice all of these poses with the pranayama breath: Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose. Breathe slowly and mindfully, and sync your breath with your movements."

READ MORE: Get the details on Mansour's morning yoga routine here

4 yoga moves before bed

You started the day off right with yoga. Another short session with four yoga moves can get you ready for a good night's sleep.

"Too often, sleep eludes us because of the common aches and pains that make it difficult to fall asleep or wake us up in the night," said CNN contributor Dana Santas, a breathing, mobility and mind-body coach in professional sports.

"These exercises address those areas where we tend to feel that type of pain and tension."

Watch the video at the top of this story to release tension in your lower back, hips and glutes.

Yoga tips from an NFL star

Finally, you might not think of rough 'n' rugged NFL stars when you think of yoga. But Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Mike Daniels has found that yoga works for him. Santas talked with Daniels about how he developed the habit.

"I started doing yoga after my fourth season in the NFL, going into my fourth year. I was feeling really stiff, and one of my teammates said I needed to start practicing yoga. He passed along the instructor's number and, after the first session, I immediately saw results.

"When I finished, it was like a body-awakening experience," he said.

READ MORE: Find out more about Mike Daniels' moves on the yoga mat

Inspiration

Perhaps the words of one of yoga's top practitioners, the late B.K.S. Iyengar will inspire you:

"Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one's actions."

Correction: A previous version of this story listed the wrong date for the International Day of Yoga.

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NEW SAFE SLEEP GUIDELINES FOR BABIES STRESS NO CO-SLEEPING, CRIB DECORATIONS OR INCLINED PRODUCTS

21 JUN 22 00:04 ET|CNN|Version 2

The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated safe sleep guidelines for babies for the first time since 2016: No co-sleeping and baby should sleep alone, flat on back in empty crib.

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New safe sleep guidelines for babies stress no co-sleeping, crib decorations or inclined products

Originally Published: 21 JUN 22 00:04 ET

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN

(CNN) -- Co-sleeping under any circumstances is not safe for infant sleep, the American Academy of Pediatrics stressed Tuesday in the first update to its safe sleep guidelines for babies since 2016.

"We know that many parents choose to share a bed with a child, for instance, perhaps to help with breastfeeding or because of a cultural preference or a belief that it is safe," said Dr. Rebecca Carlin, who coauthored the guidelines and technical report from the AAP Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and the AAP Committee on Fetus and Newborn, in a statement.

"The evidence is clear that (co-sleeping) significantly raises the risk of a baby's injury or death," said Carlin, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. "For that reason AAP cannot support bed-sharing under any circumstances."

It is one of a number of recommendations the AAP provided to pediatricians to help stem the tide of infant sleep deaths.

Some 3,500 infants, many of whom are in socially disadvantaged communities, die from sleep-related infant deaths in the United States each year, the AAP said.

"The rate of sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUIDs) among Black and American Indian/Alaska Native infants was more than double and almost triple, respectively, that of white infants (85 per 100 000 live births) in 2010-2013," the AAP noted in a statement.

"We've made great strides in learning what keeps infants safe during sleep but much work still needs to be done," Dr. Rachel Moon, lead author of the guidelines and professor of pediatrics at the University of Virginia, said in a statement.

Sleep in same room, separate bed

While the AAP strongly advises against co-sleeping, its updated guidelines say babies should sleep in the same room with their parents for at least six months on a separate sleep surface with a firm, flat surface.

Based on new Consumer Product Safety Commission regulations that will go into effect this week, the only products which can be marketed for infant sleep include cribs, bassinets, play yards and bedside sleepers. Bedside sleepers are separate small cribs or bassinets that attach to the parent's bed but allow babies to sleep alone without any bedding.

Parents should not use products for sleep that aren't specifically marketed for sleep, the AAP said.

Other sleep environments can also put infants at risk. Resting with a baby on a couch, armchair or cushion and falling asleep raises the risk of infant death by 67%, the AAP noted. If the baby is pre-term, born with a low birth weight or is under 4 months old, the risk of death while co-sleeping on a bed, couch or other spot increases five to 10 times, the academy said.

"A great way to test if a surface is too soft is to press your hand down and then lift it up. If your hand leaves an indentation, it's too soft," said Alison Jacobson, CEO of First Candle, a national nonprofit committed to the elimination of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths through education and advocacy.

Bare is best

Parents should always put babies to sleep alone on their backs on a flat, firm mattress covered in a snug, fitted sheet, according to the AAP. Avoid all extras in the crib, including soft toys, blankets, pillows, soft bedding, sleep positioners or crib bumpers, as babies can become trapped by such items and suffocate.

"Crib bumpers have been linked to more than 100 infant deaths during the past 30 years," the AAP states on their consumer website, healthychildren.org.

These products are generally used by well-meaning parents, who only want the best for their child and believe they are doing the right thing, said psychologist Carol Pollack-Nelson, a former CPSC staffer who now studies how people use consumer products.

"When they see their little peanut crying and having trouble settling into the big crib, they think, 'Well, I need to cozy up the crib. My baby just came through the womb, you know.' So intuitively, that's what makes sense," Pollack-Nelson said.

But babies do not need any of those cushioned products to be warm and comfortable, Jacobson said. "Instead of a sheet or blanket, place baby in a swaddle sack or wearable blanket."

In fact, putting excessive clothing or blankets on an infant, especially in a warm room, can be associated with an increased risk for SIDS, Jacobson said.

"Hats and any other head covering should be removed before placing your baby down to sleep," she said, adding that babies only need one more layer than an adult would typically wear.

Since cribs slats are now regulated to be close together, bumpers are no longer needed, the AAP said. "Stores now sell mesh bumpers and vertical crib liners. But even these can get loose and become a strangulation risk. Babies can also get trapped between them and the crib mattress," the academy warned.

Less than a 10% incline allowed

The new CPSC regulations will ban all products marketed for infant sleep that have more than a 10% incline. Those include inclined sleepers and sleep positioners -- which are also called baby nests, docks, pods, loungers, rockers, and nappers, the AAP said. A number of the products may not be sold as sleep aids, but babies often fall asleep while using them.

Many such products on the market have up to a 30% incline, which can be dangerous because babies' heads fall forward during sleep, the APP said. This chin-to-chest position can restrict their airway, causing suffocation. Infants can also roll out of the devices and become trapped under them, the AAP warned.

The Safe Sleep for Babies Act, signed into law last year, outlaws the manufacture and sale of inclined sleepers and crib bumpers.

Car seats, strollers, swings, infant carriers and infant slings can also obstruct a baby's airways, the AAP said. So when baby falls asleep in them -- which is inevitable -- parents should move the child to lie on their back on a flat, firm surface.

Avoid commercial devices sold for SIDS

In its new guidance, the AAP also warns against the use of commercial devices that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS or other sleep-related issues, including wearable monitors.

In addition, do not use home cardiorespiratory monitors -- devices that monitor baby's heart rate and oxygen levels -- as a way to reduce the risk of SIDS, because there is no evidence that they work, Jacobson said.

"Using products claiming to increase sleep safety may create a false sense of security" for parents that "could result in reducing infant safe sleep practices," she said.