“Bookworms more likely to end up shortsighted,” reports the Daily Telegraph after a study found people who stay in education longer are more likely to develop short-sightedness. It’s long been known that there is a link between short-sightedness and the length of time spent in education. But researchers have now used a genetic technique to
“Moderate tipplers have the best health and are less likely to miss work through illness,” reports the Mail Online. A study of 47,520 people from Britain, Finland and France found those who drank alcohol in moderation were less likely than teetotallers to take sickness absence for a range of illnesses. But the results don’t mean
“How ‘eating for two’ during pregnancy is a major health risk: One-in-three women admit ‘out-of-control’ binges that make them pile on the pounds,” is the headline from the Mail Online. This follows a study of 11,132 women from the Avon region of England who were pregnant in the early 1990s. It looked at how often
“Breast cancer: Test means fewer women will need chemotherapy,” reports BBC News. The news follows the publication of the trial of a test, routinely used in the NHS, for women with a type of early stage breast cancer, which works out the chances of breast cancer returning after treatment. The genetic test, Oncotype Dx, gives
“Babies born via c-section do not benefit from vaginal seeding,” reports the Mail Online. Vaginal seeding is an increasingly popular practice in women who have given birth by caesarean section. It’s based on the theory that caesarean-born babies have a higher risk of various illnesses than those born vaginally, as they were not exposed to
“Women who are overweight or obese but otherwise healthy are still at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,” BBC News reports. Cardiovascular disease is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels. Researchers in the US tracked the health of more than 90,000 women over 30 years in a study looking at
“Your diet, not your genes, control how your body stores fat,” reports the Mail Online. This relatively simple message comes from the results of a very complex study looking at people’s genetics, gut bacteria and faeces (poo). Recent research has suggested that bacteria that naturally live in the gut may influence our weight. The bacteria
“Not only are vitamin and mineral supplements a waste of money, they can in some instances actually harm the body,” reports The Guardian. A new Canadian review pooled the findings from existing research into the role of vitamin and mineral supplements for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is a general term
“A low-fat diet full of fruits and vegetables could reduce risk of breast cancer death,” the Mail Online reports. This headline is based on a long-term follow-up of a US trial conducted in the 1990s, which included nearly 50,000 postmenopausal women. The women were assigned to continue their usual diet or to follow a diet
“Rising antidepressant prescriptions could be contributing to increasing obesity levels,” is the headline from The Independent. This is based on a study which aimed to see if there was a link between long-term antidepressant use and weight gain. The study found people taking antidepressants were 21% more likely to put on weight than the control
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