Lifestyle
Weight loss maintenance through telephone is effectiveFace-to-face and telephone follow-up sessions appear to be more effective in the maintenance of weight loss for women from rural communities compared with weight loss education alone, according to a report in the November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Hairspray use during pregnancy may cause birth defect in newbornWomen who are exposed to hairspray in the workplace during pregnancy have more than double the risk of having a son with the genital birth defect hypospadias, according to a new study published today in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Genetic screening for diabetes not helpfulScreening for a panel of gene variants associated with the risk for type 2 diabetes can identify adults at risk for the disorder but is not significantly better than assessment based on traditional risk factors such as weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Factors identified causing barriers to asthma careBarriers to managing asthma include access to appropriate care, patient adherence, distrust of the medical profession, delayed asthma diagnosis, culture, lifestyle choices and genetic discrepancies according to experts at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Seattle.
Exercise protects against breast cancerNormal-weight women who carry out lots of vigorous exercise are approximately 30% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who don't exercise vigorously.
Cost of diabetes treatment doubled in USBecause of the increased number of patients, growing reliance on multiple medications and the shift toward more expensive new medicines, the annual cost of diabetes drugs nearly doubled in only six years, rising from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $12.5 billion in 2007 according to a study in the Oct. 27, 2008, issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Reading can help obese kids lose weightIt's no secret that reading is beneficial. But can it help kids lose weight? In the first study to look at the impact of literature on obese adolescents, researchers at Duke Children's Hospital discovered that reading the right type of novel may make a difference.
Colon cancer's genetic link to obesityA new study reveals the first-ever genetic link between obesity and colon cancer risk, a finding that could lead to greater accuracy in testing for the disease, said a researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
Audio relaxation program may help lower blood pressureAn audio relaxation program lowered blood pressure more than a Mozart sonata in a group of elderly people with high blood pressure, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's 62nd Annual Fall Conference of the Council for High Blood Pressure Research.
Exercise reduces obesity risk in genetically predisposedIndividuals who have a genetic mutation associated with high body mass index (BMI) may be able to offset their increased risk for obesity through physical activity, according to a report in the September 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Lower cholesterol early in lifeWith heart disease maintaining top billing as the leading cause of death in the United States, a team of University of California, San Diego School of Medicine physician-researchers is proposing that aggressive intervention to lower cholesterol levels as early as childhood is the best approach available today to reducing the incidence of coronary heart disease.
Parents will be told if their children are overweightIn UK, from September this year, parents of children who have been weighed and measured at school could automatically receive their child's results in a bid to get parents to be more aware about healthy lifestyles, and help their children achieve a healthy weight.
Living with a partner reduces Alzheimer's disease riskLiving with a spouse or a partner decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer's and other dementia diseases. This according to a study by Krister Håkansson, researcher in psychology at Växjö University and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. The results were presented for the first time yesterday at the world's largest dementia conference.
Nut products during pregnancy increases asthma risk in childrenExpectant mothers who eat nuts or nut products like peanut butter daily during pregnancy increase their children's risk of developing asthma by more than 50 percent over women who rarely or never consume nut products during pregnancy, according to new research from the Netherlands.
Invest in a future without dementia, Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's Australia released a report 'Australian Dementia Research' that recommends annual funding for dementia research be increased three-fold to $36 million in response to the growing economic and social impact of the dementia epidemic.
Depression risk high in treated diabetes patientsPersons with treated type 2 diabetes are at increased risk for developing depression, while a more modest association was found between persons with depression and the risk of diabetes, revealed by researchers.
Mediterranean diet reduces type 2 diabetes riskPeople who follows mediterranean diet, are having less risk to suffering from type 2 disease, revealed by researchers. The Mediterreanean diet is rich in olive oil, grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and fish, but low in meat, dairy products and alcohol. The study published on bmj.com.
High blood pressure patients advised to use home monitorsPeople with hypertension should routinely monitor their blood pressure at home to help manage the disease, according to a new joint scientific statement from the American Heart Association, American Society of Hypertension and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses' Association.
Purple passion fruit peel reduces asthma symptomsPassion fruit peel can significantly improve the symptoms of asthma. Patients given an extract from the Purple passion fruit's peel had reduced wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath, due to anti-oxidant, anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties of Purple passion fruit.
Way to increase metabolism for weight lossScientists from Melbourne's Howard Florey Institute have discovered a way to aid weight loss and reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes by manipulating fat cells to increase the body's metabolism. As well as metabolising fat, fat cells help regulate blood pressure and blood volume through the renin-angiotensin system.
Cholesterol and blood pressure control may reverse atherosclerosisAggressively lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels below current targets in adults with type 2 diabetes may help to prevent – and possibly reverse – hardening of the arteries, according to new research supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. Hardening of the arteries, also known as atherosclerosis, is the number one cause of heart disease and can lead to heart attack, stroke, and death.
Gene variant CHI3L1 increases risk of asthmaA tiny variation in a gene known as CHI3L1 increases susceptibility to asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and decline in lung function, researchers report early online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Lowering cholesterol reduces heart attack and stroke riskNew research by the Nutrition and Lifestyle team at The George Institute has indicated that even small reductions in cholesterol can substantially reduce heart attacks and strokes. This occurs across a broad range of individuals, irrespective of age, sex or initial cholesterol level.
High GI diets lead to common lifestyle diseasesIn the world's first study of its kind, University of Sydney researchers have found conclusive evidence that diets with a high GI (Glycemic Index) leads to a higher risk of common lifestyle diseases.
American adults may not get enough rest or sleepAbout 10 percent of adults report not getting enough rest or sleep every day in the past month, according to a new four-state study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Vitamin supplements may increase lung cancer riskVitamin supplements do not protect against lung cancer, according to a study of more than 77,000 vitamin users. In fact, some supplements may even increase the risk of developing it. The findings were published in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Software helps diagnosing diabetic patients earlierResearchers have developed software which could potentially identify over 600,000 people who are undiagnosed or at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. The software can highlight people whose higher blood glucose levels have not been followed up.
Improved cognitive health among older AmericansHigher levels of health education improved cognitive health among older Americans. Rates of cognitive impairment among older Americans are on the decline, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) comparing the cognitive health of older people in 1993 and 2002.
Part of ACCORD study halted due to safety concernsCanadian Diabetes Association has issued its position statement regarding safety concerns of diabetes treatment in ACCORD study - "It is important that people with diabetes not make any changes to their treatments or adjust their blood glucose targets without speaking to their healthcare team".
Most with high blood pressure do not follow DASH dietA relatively small proportion of individuals with hypertension (high blood pressure) eat diets that align with government guidelines for controlling the disease, according to a report in the February 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Healthy lifestyle for long lifeA healthy lifestyle during the early elderly years-including weight management, exercising regularly and not smoking-may be associated with a greater probability of living to age 90 in men, as well as good health and physical function, according to a report in the February 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Snoring may lead to chronic bronchitisSnoring is more prevalent in patients with chronic bronchitis than in persons without it. Few studies have examined the effect of snoring on chronic bronchitis. Frequent snoring appears to be associated with the development of chronic bronchitis, according to a report in the January 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Sedentary lifestyles linked to early agingPhysical inactivity is an important risk factor for many aging-related diseases. Individuals who are physically active during their leisure time appear to be biologically younger than those with sedentary lifestyles, according to a report in the January 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Reduced Salt Butter for high blood pressure patients by AmulKeeping in mind the inherent need and convenience of the consumers and taking into account the changing lifestyles, Amul is all set to expand its product portfolio with Amul Reduced Salt Butter. Amul Reduced Salt Butter has almost 50% less salt than table butter.
Consumer group criticizes nyc menu labeling billThe Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) criticized the New York City Board of Health for mandating that chain restaurants incorporate nutrition labels on their menus. This morning the Board unanimously supported the proposal, even though similar legislation had been previously struck down in court.
Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives, says UK GovtA new £372 million cross-government strategy to help England's population lead healthier lives was published by the UK Health Secretary, Alan Johnson and the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls.
Heart and stroke death rates steadily decline in USIn an appropriate prelude to American Heart Month, which is just ahead in February, new mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that, since 1999, coronary heart disease and stroke age-adjusted death rates are down by 25.8 percent and 24.4 percent, respectively.
Stress at work is linked to heart diseaseNew research has produced strong evidence of how work stress is linked to the biological mechanisms involved in the onset of heart disease. The research published in Europe's leading cardiology journal, the European Heart Journal.
More teen women battling heart diseaseUniversity of Cincinnati UC experts urge women to watch for warning signs associated with heart disease, a condition that is becoming more common, especially among women.
Most parents underestimate children's obesityLarge numbers of parents fail to recognize that their children are overweight or obese, and therefore may be less inclined to modify their children's diet and activity levels. More than 40 percent of parents with obese children ages 6 to 11 describe their child not as obese, but as "about the right weight."
Predicting hip fracture risk in postmenopausal womenTo help doctors predict the five-year risk of hip fractures in their postmenopausal patients, a team of UC Davis researchers has developed a method that assesses nearly a dozen factors, including age, ethnicity and level of physical activity.
Right diet and lifestyle may help infertile womenWomen who followed a combination of five or more lifestyle factors, including changing specific aspects of their diets, experienced more than 80 percent less relative risk of infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to women who engaged in none of the factors, according to a paper published in the November 1, 2007, issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Study of environmental chemicals in pregnant women and their babiesThe Government of Canada announced a $3.9 million investment in Canada's largest study of environmental chemicals in pregnant women and their babies. To mark National Child Day and the one-year anniversary of the Chemicals Management Plan on December 8, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, Canada announced this important step.