Here 's a roundup of five medical studies published this week that might give you new insights into your health , mind and body . Remember , correlation is not causation -- so if a study finds a connection between two things , it does n't mean that one causes the other . More babies are being breast-fedCenters for Disease Control and Prevention . Breast-feeding rates in the United States are on the rise , according to the latest Breastfeeding Report Card from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The CDC reported that 79 % of babies born in 2011 were breast-fed . Southeastern states lagged behind the national average , with Kentucky , Louisiana , Mississippi and West Virginia exhibiting breast-feeding rates below 65 % . California , Montana , Oregon and Washington led the nation with breast-feeding rates above 90 % . The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that breast-feeding continue for at least 12 months , but only about 50 % of infants were still breast-feeding at 6 months . That number dwindled to just above 25 % for infants at 12 months . Extreme weather kills thousands in U.S. each yearCenters for Disease Control and Prevention . About 2,000 people in the United States die from extreme weather conditions each year , according to a report released Wednesday by the CDC . The report analyzed death certificates from 2006 to 2010 for deaths attributed to weather-related causes , such as heatstrokes , hypothermia , floods , storms and lightning . Roughly one-third of the weather-related deaths were attributed to excessive natural heat , and nearly two-thirds were attributed to excessive natural cold . The CDC also found that males , African-Americans and the elderly had the highest weather-related mortality rates of any other demographics . Women in the military are less likely to drinkArmed Forces & Society . Although male military enlistees and veterans have a history of increased alcohol consumption , it turns out the opposite may be true for women . A study published Thursday in Armed Forces & Society found that women in the military are less likely to drink alcohol than women who have n't served . Researchers used data taken from a 1997 survey of almost 9,000 people and followed up with the young men and women each year until 2010 . The study 's authors suggest the threat of sexual harassment and assault may be a possible explanation for enlisted women not imbibing . They also speculate that women in the military abstain from alcohol to avoid being looked down upon by fellow soldiers . Blood sugar linked to how brains respond to foodSociety for the Study of Ingestive Behavior . Does your mouth water at the sight of foods such as pizza and French fries ? Genetics are n't all to blame . Your brain 's response to the sight of food actually has more to do with your blood sugar levels , according to research presented Tuesday at the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior 's annual conference . Researchers at the University of Washington examined 21 pairs of identical twins to see whether the brain 's response to the sight of food was linked to genetics . The scientists found twins with lower blood glucose levels saw greater activation in the brain in response to pictures of food . But when it came to rating their appetites and choosing portions for meals , the twins reacted similarly . Autistic brains seen as less flexible at switching tasksCerebral Cortex . When switching from one task to another , the brains of autistic children show little change in connectivity , according to a study published Tuesday . Researchers at Stanford University compared functional MRI images of the brains of 34 autistic children to those of 34 typically developing children during different types of activities . In the experiment , the study authors examined the children 's brains at rest , while they looked at pictures and while they were solving math problems . The authors found that it was much easier to distinguish how brain connectivity changed between tasks in children who were not autistic . In the brains of children who were autistic , researchers saw little change .
Study says that 79 % of U.S. babies born in 2011 were breast - fed . Extreme weather kills 2,000 Americans each year , CDC report says . When switching tasks , brains of children with autism have less connectivity , study says .