Monthly News Archives



		Child Abuse a Pattern of Experience What turns a mother into a child abuser? The answer in humans remains unclear, but new research with monkeys suggests it may have more to do with experience than genetics. Low Baby Birth Weight A Risk For Fathers Parents whose children are born with a low birth weight run greater risk of dying of cardiovascular diseases. Even the fathers are at greater risk. These findings are published in a new report by Karolinska Institutet. The report shows that genetic factors affect both birth weight and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Teflon Cancer Risks Downplayed A controversial chemical used by DuPont Co. to make the nonstick substance Teflon poses more of a cancer risk than indicated in a draft assessment by the Environmental Protection Agency, an independent review board has found. High Iron And Cholesterol Equals High Cancer Risk High blood levels of iron coupled with high levels of very low density (VLDL) lipoprotein cholesterol appear to interact to increase the risk of cancer. Symptomless Hypertension Too Often Ignored High blood pressure, the "silent killer," too often gets overlooked by people who have conditions that cause them pain or severe distress, a new study finds. Teens' Problem Behavior Linked To Later Trouble Teenagers who smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs, and engage in other risky behaviors are more likely to struggle with drugs and mental health problems as adults, according to new study findings. Culture Influences Cancer Care in Japan, U.S. Japanese medical resident doctors are more likely than their American counterparts to include family members in end-of-life discussions about patients, a new study finds. Middle-Age Hypertension Cuts Five Years Off Life Chronic high blood pressure beginning in middle age robs individuals of an average five years of life, new Dutch research finds. Lack Of Exercise 'Damages Heart' Failure to exercise is as bad for health as smoking a packet of cigarettes every day, experts have warned. Dark Chocolate Seen Healthy For Arteries Eating dark chocolate may have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system in healthy people, the results of a new study suggest. Exercise Reverses Arthritis-Related Wasting Progressive resistance training can help patients with rheumatoid arthritis who experience muscle wasting, researchers report. Obesity Sends Health Costs Soaring Americans' widening waistlines are the main force behind rising U.S. health care costs, a new study shows. Death Risk Higher Month After Heart Attack People are most at risk of dropping dead in the first month after a heart attack, a new study finds, but the most effective treatment to prevent this isn't done that early on because it, too, is considered riskiest then. Antibiotics Usually Not Needed For Pink Eye For most kids with pink eye, also known as acute infective conjunctivitis, the condition will usually resolve on its own, without antibiotic treatment, results of a UK study suggest. AMA To Seek Limits On Tanning, Video Games The American Medical Association voted to take on indoor tanning, violent video games, drinking and childhood obesity in an effort to promote healthier lifestyles among the young. Caffeine's Blood Pressure Effect Persists In Some Though some coffee drinkers develop a tolerance for caffeine, those who don't may be sending up their blood pressure with each cup, new research suggests. Abstinence Makes The Sperm Grow Stronger For men with low sperm counts, sexual abstinence -- but only for a day -- increases semen quality. More prolonged sexual abstinence may actually reduce sperm numbers, a new study indicates. Calcium, Vitamin D May Reduce PMS Women searching for ways to ward off the anxiety and irritability caused by premenstrual syndrome may be able to find answers as nearby as their local supermarket. High-Salt Diet Raises Asthma Risk Asthmatics prone to exercise-triggered attacks may want to cut back on salt in their diets, according to a new study. Genes May Hold Key To Late Motherhood Why can some 45-year-olds easily have a baby while much younger women have difficulty becoming pregnant? Your Job May Give You Asthma Work-related asthma is fast becoming one of the most commonly diagnosed occupational respiratory diseases, and people who work in certain industries may run a higher risk than others, new study findings show. Extra Folic Acid May Help Memory High-dose folic acid pills � providing as much of the nutrient as 2.5 pounds of strawberries � might help slow the cognitive decline of aging. So says a Dutch study that's the first to show a vitamin could really improve memory. Kids Need An Hour Of Brisk Activity Daily School-age children should engage in at least 60 minute's worth of moderate or vigorous physical activity each day, a panel of experts recommends. Exercise May Make You A Better Worker Drowning at work? Maybe you should take a break and get moving. New research finds that busy professionals who exercise during the day feel more productive. They're also less likely to spout off at colleagues and slam down the phone after they've worked up a sweat. Studies Show Ways To Predict, Prevent Alzheimer's Painless brain scans and simple blood tests may offer ways to predict who has the highest risk of Alzheimer's disease, and it may be possible to lower risks by drinking juice daily, researchers said. Teen Acne Tied To Better Heart Health In Men The activity of male hormones, androgens, can give rise to acne during adolescence, but may also protect against coronary heart disease in adulthood, UK researchers report. Walk Slowly For Weight Loss? Leisurely walking for distance combined with low-impact cardiovascular activity appears to be the best formula for obese people seeking to get into shape and stay healthy, according to a University of Colorado at Boulder study. A Good Night's Sleep May Be Good For Memory Our bodies may be at rest while we sleep, but new research finds more evidence that our brains are hard at work as we get our zzz's. Raisins Fight Oral Bacteria Compounds found in raisins fight bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities and gum disease, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Rosemary Extract Could Make Cooked Meat Safer Adding a dash of rosemary extract to ground beef appears to reduce the amount of cancer-causing compounds created during the cooking process, according to new study findings. Exercise Reduces Fatigue After Breast Cancer After being treated for breast cancer, women who engage in moderate exercise have more energy and feel better about their bodies than less active women, a study shows. Mood Affects Diet During Pregnancy Women who are stressed out and tired during their pregnancy may eat more poorly, according to a new study. Soaps, Music Videos Linked to Teens' Body Image Desperate Housewives and other TV soap operas may help make adolescent girls desperate for a thinness few can healthily achieve, new Australian research suggests. Obesity, Smoking Speed Aging Process Researchers are providing one more reason to drop excess weight and quit smoking: a new study finds that both accelerate human aging. Calcium, Vitamin D Combat Premenstrual Ills A diet high in calcium and vitamin D could reduce the risk of getting premenstrual syndrome, according to a report published. Low-Fat Diets Have Modest Success In Kids Eight- to 10-year olds with high cholesterol marginally improve their eating habits after receiving tools to make healthy eating choices and years of dietary advice, according to new study findings. Patient Education Won't Alter Diabetes Outcomes Simply educating diabetics about their condition doesn't seem to improve their blood sugar control or reduce their likelihood for risk factors such as obesity, researchers report. Obese Kids' Excess Pounds Make Exercise Tough Obese children may have a hard time exercising because of the effort needed to move their larger bodies -- not because their hearts aren't up to the challenge, according to a new study. Obesity Research Shows 3 Crucial Periods Evidence is growing that people's weight at three periods of childhood may be critical in setting them up to be fat in adulthood, scientists said. Genes May Play Role in Women's Orgasms A woman's ability to have an orgasm is at least partly determined by her genes and can't be blamed entirely on cultural influences, new research suggests. Experts say that's likely to be interpreted as both good and bad news. Drug Safety Panel Is Criticized The new drug safety board established by the Food and Drug Administration to restore confidence in the nation's drug supply will actually set back efforts to improve the safety of the medications Americans take and will not make it any easier to take dangerous drugs off the market, an FDA whistle-blower and a key senator said. Intensive Therapy Helps Stroke Patients Regain Speech Short-term, intense language retraining helps improve communication skills in stroke survivors, researchers report in a recent issue of Stroke. Exercise Boosts Breast Cancer Recovery Time Exercise, already shown to help prevent breast cancer, can also help women recover from surgery and other breast cancer treatments, U.S. researchers report. Schools Opening Up to Alternative Medicine Once largely dismissed as a leftover fad from the Age of Aquarius, acupuncture, herbal remedies and other forms of alternative medicine are finding their way into curriculums at traditional medical schools � most recently the University of Pennsylvania. Raisins May Fight Cavities And Gum Disease They may be sweet and sticky but raisins contain compounds that suppress bacteria responsible for cavities and gum disease, U.S. researchers say. 40 Could Be The New 30 As Scientists Redefine Age Scientists have defined a new age concept and believe it could explain why populations are aging, but at the same time seem to be getting younger. Lipitor Does Not Prevent Narrowing In Heart Valve The popular cholesterol-reducing drug Lipitor made by Pfizer does not prevent obstruction of the heart valve that leads to the aorta, the body's largest artery, according to recent findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Leptin Surge in Infancy May Spur Later Obesity The fat hormone leptin may explain the link between poorly nourished pregnant women and an increased risk for obesity in their children, according to Japanese researchers. Coping Skills Affect Life After Breast Cancer Young women who are less able to cope with breast cancer and feel ill-prepared for the challenge tend to have a lower quality of life after their diagnosis, according to new study findings. Milk May Make For Heavier Kids Children are urged to drink plenty of milk but a study published on Monday suggests that the more milk that kids drink, the fatter they grow -- and skim milk is a worse culprit than whole milk. Dull, Low-Level Jobs Linked To Heart Risk Dull, steady, unexciting jobs may make the heart beat in an unchanging, rapid rhythm -- which in turn could lead to heart disease, British researchers reported. Health Costs Of Obesity Exceed Smoking And Drinking Treating obesity-related disorders costs as much or more than illnesses caused by aging, smoking and problem drinking. Low Zinc Intake May Sap Exercisers' Energy Active people who get too little zinc in their diets may run out of juice sooner than they should, new research suggests. Early School Bell Costs Teens Vital Sleep The early start to classes causes teenagers to lose much needed sleep that puts them at risk of becoming moody and performing poorly in school, researchers said. Combining Diets Best Way To Lose Weight Combining the best components of low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets could be the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off, a leading obesity expert said. Parents Can Help Babies Get Rhythm Gently bounce a baby while you sing, and you'll usually get squeals of glee. But it's not just fun: Feeling the beat helps wire babies' brains to hear rhythm. So says new research that tested moms and babies doing what comes naturally � dancing around together. CDC Stresses Obesity Problem Weighing a little too much might not kill you, but there's nothing healthy about it, the head of the nation's health agency said Thursday, distancing herself from a controversial report suggesting that being overweight isn't so bad. Protein Drink May Sharpen Morning Mental Skills An evening milkshake spiked with the amino acid tryptophan may help clear the morning mental fog of the sleep-deprived, preliminary research suggests. Children Threatened By Obesity-Related Syndrome More than half a million children in Europe may be suffering from a cluster of obesity-related risk factors that will increase their odds of developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Study Examines NSAID Use And Breast Cancer Risk Ibuprofen use is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, and long-term daily use of aspirin is associated with an increased risk of estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (ER/PR)-negative breast cancer, according to a new study in the June 1 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Exercise Helps You Lose Fat, Not Bone People over 55 who start an exercise program can expect to lose a significant amount of fat in six months, but not bone mass, according to new study findings. Obesity Must Be Treated As Disease Obesity, which already affects more than 300 million people and an alarming number of children, must be recognized and treated as a disease with deadly complications. Kids Can Be Trained to Eat Better Simple kid-friendly training in good nutrition got 8- to 10-year-olds to eat healthier for three years, although snacks, desserts and pizza still make up an astonishing third of the youngsters' diets, researchers reported. One-Sided Drug Reviews Hard To Swallow Drug companies' marketing efforts may sometimes be more subtle than pens emblazoned with their product's name or full-page ads in leading medical journals.