“Schools are not the answer to childhood obesity epidemic, study shows,” reports The Guardian. Researchers in the West Midlands designed a year-long school-based programme to improve children’s diets and increase their activity. But those who took part were no less likely to be overweight or obese afterwards, and their diet and exercise levels did not
“Just one hour a week of social interaction helps dementia patients,” reports The Guardian. Researchers working with care homes found that training staff to deliver personalised care reduced people’s distress and improved their quality of life. Care home staff spent 60 minutes a week with each patient, talking to them about their lives and interests,
“Hot tea linked to deadly cancer in smokers and drinkers,” The Daily Telegraph reports. Researchers found daily tea drinkers in China who also drank 15g of alcohol (almost 2 units) a day and were smokers were more likely to get cancer of the oesophagus (the long tube that carries food from the throat to the
The Mail Online reports “chemicals linked to breast and prostate cancer” are found in 86% of teenagers’ bodies. The research concerns the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), found in many plastic products. BPA is detectable in the urine of most people, and several laboratory studies have raised concerns that it may disrupt hormone balance. Some commentators
“Adopting an unflappable self-confident swagger could be the best way to avoid a nasty nip,” states The Daily Telegraph. Researchers from the University of Liverpool undertook a survey to find out why some people may be more likely to be bitten by dogs than others. They say being bitten by a dog is almost 2.5
“Drinking milk or eating beef could cause rheumatoid arthritis, scientists warn,” reports the Mail Online. However, the story is more complicated than the headline suggests. Researchers investigated genetic mutations in the blood cells of people with rheumatoid arthritis. They believe that mutations to a gene that regulates the immune system may “take off the brakes”,
BBC News today reports: “‘overwhelming’ evidence for adding folic acid to flour”. Folic acid is a type of vitamin B that is essential to good health. It helps the body produce red blood cells, and is crucial during the first weeks of pregnancy to help the baby’s brain and spinal cord develop. This is why
“Vaping causes cancer, new study warns,” is the alarming – yet incorrect – headline from the Mail Online. Researchers in the US found that cells of mice exposed to e-cigarette vapour for 3 hours a day showed signs of DNA damage, and impaired ability to repair that damage, in comparison with mice that weren’t exposed
“Plastic used in some secondhand toys could pose a health risk for children as they don’t meet the most up-to-date safety guidelines, a study has found,” BBC News reports. A British scientist analysed 197 secondhand toys collected from homes, nurseries and charity shops in Plymouth. He found 31 toys contained potentially harmful chemicals at higher
“Daily dose of vitamin D eases agonising IBS and even benefits sufferers’ mental health,” is the optimistic headline from the Mail Online. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common but poorly understood condition that causes symptoms such as constipation, diarrhoea and stomach cramps. Both IBS and vitamin D deficiency are common in the western world.
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