In the world of health, information is changing all the time. Scientists are constantly researching cures for diseases, conducting studies that help us better understand the human body and sifting through current health advice to see what strategies are actually going to help us live longer, healthier lives. It can be hard to keep up on it all. That’s why I’ve decided to check in on the latest in health news once a week to round up the most relevant studies that you need to know to keep yourself well. Here are three of this week’s most important stories. 1. Kids aren’t as fit as their parents. Researchers reviewed 50 studies involving 25 million kids from around the world to determine that, overall, parents outperform their kids when it comes to fitness. While we used to think of kids as the ones bursting with youthful energy, today many kids’ lives are built around sedentary activities. And it’s beginning to show: Children take 90 seconds longer to run a mile than they did 30 years ago and they are now 15 percent less fit than their parents. The message to parents? Get moving with your kids! Exercising together helps set an example and encourages them to see fitness as an integral part of their lifestyle. Experts recommend kids get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day. 2. Eating healthy is expensive. Researchers have long said that obesity and an array of other health problems can be tied to income or socio-economic status, and now we have proof as to why that’s true: The healthiest foods cost $1.50 more per person per day than unhealthy ones. That may not sound like much, but for a family of four, that’s $200 extra a month. And with today’s uncertain economy, healthy foods might be one of the first things to go from the budget. But researchers say, despite the cost, the benefits of eating healthily hugely outweigh the long-term costs of things like heart disease and cancer, which can be caused by diet. Get tips on how to make healthy eating less expensive here. 3. Meditation changes you—really changes you. New research has shown that your body actually changes at a genetic and molecular level when you meditate. A group of people who underwent an eight-hour mindfulness meditation session was compared with a group who did other quiet activities. The results showed that, in the genes of those who had participated in meditation, there was actually a decrease in certain genetic material that’s associated with inflammation. The changes seen also allowed meditators to experience faster physical recovery from stressful situations. Never tried meditating? Let us teach you the basics so you can reap the benefits. (Photography: Thinkstock)