"’Touchscreen-toddlers’ sleep less," BBC News report. Results from a survey of UK parents suggest every hour a child spends using a touchscreen device was associated with an hour’s less sleep a night. Reports such as this are likely to cause concern to many parents, as touchscreen devices, such as smartphones and tablets, are now widespread
"People who are too fat or too thin are ‘more likely to suffer from migraines’," reports The Sun. Researchers reviewed data from 12 studies involving 288,981 people and concluded obese people have a 21% increased risk of migraines, compared to those of healthy weight. Migraines are moderate to severe headaches that are more common in women.
“Do you have a tattoo? You may be at-risk of heat stroke as inked skin produces significantly less sweat than normal,” the Mail Online reports. A small US study, involving 10 men, found tattooed skin produced less sweat, which could lead to over-heating. The drug pilocarpine was used to induce sweating on the participants’ tattooed skin
"Eating fresh fruit daily could cut risk of diabetes by 12%," the Mail Online reports. A study of half a million people in China found those who ate fruit daily were 12% less likely to get type 2 diabetes than those who never or rarely ate it. It was also found that people with diabetes at the
"New technique in which brain cells are reprogrammed could one day provide a cure for Parkinson’s disease," The Independent reports. Researchers, using mice with Parkinson’s disease, "reprogrammed" cells to replace the nerves lost in the condition. These nerves produce the messenger chemical dopamine, and help to coordinate body movements. Parkinson’s is a neurological condition, of unknown
"Having a pet dog…can help reduce the child’s chances of developing allergies and becoming obese in later years," claims the Daily Mirror, in a somewhat misleading report. Researchers did find a link between pet ownership and an increased diversity of "healthy bacteria" in infants, but didn’t look at long-term outcomes such as the development of allergies or obesity. The
"It’s tea time! How at least two cups a day can shield you from dementia," reports the Mail Online. This rather optimistic headline reports on a Singaporean study of around 900 Chinese people aged 55 and above. The study searched for a potential link between tea consumption and development of dementia. It found the risks
"Taking antibiotics for more than two weeks increases your risk of bowel cancer by 73 per cent," reports the Daily Mail. However, the study it reports on did not look at rates of bowel cancer. What it did find is an increased risk of bowel polyps for women who took antibiotics for two months or
"A daily slice of Marmite on toast may help prevent you getting dementia," the Daily Mail reports, with little justification. A small study did find that Marmite had an effect on electrical activity in the brain, but there is no evidence this would prevent dementia. The study involved 28 people in their early 20s. Researchers
"Working in hot temperatures increases the risk of suffering a heart attack," BBC News reports. It has been known for some time that the leading cause of death amongst serving firefighters is heart attacks and not fire-related injuries as some people might assume. Researchers wanted to establish why this is the case. The new study featured
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