Health Highlights: March 6, 2009

Mar. 7 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

CNN's Gupta Won't Be U.S. Surgeon General

Citing family and work considerations, CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has withdrawn his name as a candidate for U.S. Surgeon General, White House officials said Thursday.

Gupta had been under "serious consideration" for the post but decided he wants to focus on his medical career and spend more time with his family, an administration official told the Associated Press.

There were no problems that would have disqualified Gupta from becoming surgeon general, the official added.

In an interview with CNN's Larry King, Gupta noted he had two young daughters and a third child on the way.

"My wife is imminent with our third child. You know, this job ... takes us away from our children for so many years at once, and I sort of came to grips with the fact that I'd probably be away at least the first several years. ... And I just didn't feel like I should do that now," Gupta said in the interview.

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Optimism Boosts Health, Life Span: Study

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Optimists live longer and healthier lives than pessimists, according to a U.S. study of 100,000 women who were surveyed about their personality traits and then followed for eight years.

Those who said they were optimists were less likely to die from any cause and 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease. Women who were more pessimistic had a higher overall death rate and were 23 percent more likely to die from a cancer-related condition, ABC News reported.

The findings were presented Thursday in Chicago at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society.

Optimistic people may have less physical reaction to stress, or may be more likely to follow a doctor's advice and, therefore, maintain their health, suggested lead author Hilary Tindle, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, the AP reported.

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Companies Halt U.S. Sales of Baby Bottles With BPA