Teenagers who use tobacco products other than cigarettes often see their habit as harmless, a new U.S. government survey finds. The report, from researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asked teenagers whether they considered themselves tobacco users. It turned out that kids who favored products like electronic cigarettes, hookahs (water pipes) and smokeless tobacco often failed to see themselves as tobacco users. Even among teens who agreed that "all tobacco … [Read more...]
Massive study challenges ‘obesity paradox’ — weight does affect health
A new European study of nearly 300,000 adults is the second in the last month to contradict a long-held theory about obesity offering some health protections. A massive study in Europe is challenging the so-called "obesity paradox" in which overweight or obese people are not at increased risk of heart disease. This latest research of 296,535 adults of white European descent between 2006 and 2010 shows that the risk of heart attacks, strokes and high blood pressure increase as body mass … [Read more...]
Excessive alcohol use could increase risk of dementia
The study, published Tuesday in the journal Lancet Public Health, looked at over 1 million adults released from French hospitals between 2008 and 2013 who were diagnosed with dementia, a clinical syndrome characterized by a progressive deterioration in cognitive ability. Using data from the French National Hospital Discharge database, the researchers found that alcohol-use disorders were diagnosed in 16.5% of the men with dementia and 4% of the women with dementia -- over twice as much as in … [Read more...]
One cigarette per day enough to increase risk for heart disease, stroke
"No safe level of smoking exists for cardiovascular disease," researchers at University College London write in a new study. If you think having just one cigarette a day won't do any harm, you're wrong. British researchers say lighting up just once a day was linked to a much higher risk of heart disease and stroke than might be expected. The bottom line: "No safe level of smoking exists for cardiovascular disease," wrote the team led by Allan Hacksaw, of UCL Cancer Institute at … [Read more...]
Stroke takes greater toll on Asian-Americans
Asian-Americans are more likely than white people to suffer a severe ischemic stroke. They also face a tougher recovery, researchers report. An ischemic stroke -- the most common type -- is caused by blocked blood flow to the brain. The study "highlights the need for more focused research, improved stroke prevention and possibly different treatment strategies for Asian-Americans," said study author Dr. Sarah Song. She's an assistant professor of cerebrovascular disease at Rush University … [Read more...]
Dissatisfaction with breasts may mean fewer self-checks for cancer
Women who are unhappy with the size of their breasts -- whether too big or too small -- may be less likely to perform self-exams to check for signs of breast cancer, new research suggests. These women are also more likely to put off seeing a doctor if they do find a suspicious lump in their breast, the study found. "For women who are dissatisfied with their breast size, having to inspect their breasts may be experienced as a threat to their body image and so they may engage in avoidance … [Read more...]
Seniors, lose the weight but not the muscle in 2018
If you're a senior who's pledging to lose weight in 2018, be sure you're shedding excess fat without losing muscle and bone. Losing fat is good for your heart, but maintaining muscle and bone is crucial for staying mobile and living independently, said Kristen Beavers, a health and exercise science professor at Wake Forest University. "Everybody says that they want to lose weight, but what they really mean is that they want to lose fat," she said. "And, for older adults in particular, … [Read more...]
Teens and their phones: What you should know
In a world full of digitally charged teens, it would be unlikely to expect parents to cut their children off from smartphone use completely. "Social media is a regular part of teens' everyday lives and an important part of their individual and social development," said Jenna Glover, director of psychology training for Children's Hospital Colorado. It's also part of many parents' worries about the effect all this phone time might be having on their kids. A 2015 study by the Pew Research … [Read more...]
Researchers: CTE was detected in living former NFL player
For the first time, research has confirmed that scientists successfully detected chronic traumatic encephalopathy -- known commonly as CTE -- in a living former professional football player. Scientists detected signs of the dementia-like disease in former player Fred McNeill four years ago, but it's not possible to confirm CTE until after a patient's death. McNeill died in 2015, and confirmation he had the disease was made last week in the journal Neurosurgery, scientists said … [Read more...]
‘Brain training’ program may help prevent dementia
What is being billed as a first, researchers report that healthy seniors who tried a new brain-training program were less likely to develop dementia down the road. "Everyone with a brain is at risk of dementia," noted study author Jerri Edwards. But "this is the first treatment ever shown in a clinical trial to make a difference." Edwards is a professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at the University of South Florida. In essence, the program tries to speed … [Read more...]
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