Health News

Having an imperfect body may come with some substantial benefits for some women, according to a new article in the December issue of Current Anthropology.

A new study shows that children whose families move frequently or live in overcrowded conditions are more likely to suffer from hunger and poor health than those in stable housing. The study was carried out by the Children's Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Program (C-SNAP) which has the largest clinical data base on poor children under age three in America. C-SNAP has been reporting on the impact of economic conditions and public policies on children's health since 1998.

Looking after a loved one with dementia is never easy, but a new UQ program could help carers better cope with the burden.

Health experts say that ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is the most common behavioral disorder that starts during childhood. However, it does not only affect children - people of all ages can suffer from ADHD. Psychiatrists say ADHD is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder.

Abnormalities in auditory and language processing may be evaluated in children with autism spectrum disorder by using magnetoencephalography (MEG), according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

Low bone mass, or osteoporosis, is a known consequence of alcoholism, especially in older alcoholics. However, a new study shows that younger male alcoholics are also at increased risk for osteoporosis. People with osteoporosis, no matter what the cause, are at an increased risk for fractures and poor fracture healing.

In comparison with pregnant women who are obese, the rates of negative outcomes for mothers or pregnant women and newborn babies may be lower after the woman has undergone bariatric surgery, according to an article released on November 19, 2008 in JAMA.

Obesity gradually numbs the taste sensation of rats to sweet foods and drives them to consume larger and ever-sweeter meals, according to neuroscientists. Findings from the Penn State study could uncover a critical link between taste and body weight, and reveal how flab hooks the brain on sugary food.

Increasing the production of naturally occurring proteins that contain selenium in human blood cells slows down multiplication of the AIDS virus, according to biochemists.

If you're a cancer cell, you want a protein called Bcl-2 on your side because it decides if you live or die. It's usually a trusted bodyguard, protecting cancer cells from programmed death and allowing them to grow and form tumors. But sometimes it turns into their assassin.

Scientists call it the "French paradox" — a society that, despite consuming food high in cholesterol and saturated fats, has long had low death rates from heart disease. Research has suggested it is the red wine consumed with all that fatty food that may be beneficial — and not only for cardiovascular health but in warding off certain tumors and even Alzheimer's disease.

Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that a drop in blood potassium levels caused by diuretics commonly prescribed for high blood pressure could be the reason why people on those drugs are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Regular exercise seems to reduce anger expression in overweight but otherwise healthy children, researchers said.

Health officials have warned the public not to inject a synthetic hormone, which is sold illegally online, to artificially top up their tans.

About 10 million people in the United States alone -- from troops returning from war to students with music blasting through headphones -- are suffering from impairing noise-induced hearing loss.

Gordon Brown said he was still prepared to push ahead with new rules presuming people are happy to donate organs after death, despite the plans being rejected yesterday by an expert task force he appointed.

Developed more than 200 years ago and found in households around the world, chlorine bleach is among the most widely used disinfectants, yet scientists never have understood exactly how the familiar product kills bacteria.

According to a study published on bmj.com, doctors should recommend fiber, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil as first-line treatments for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Recent proof of the effectiveness of these treatments should also lead to changes in the national guidelines that specify how to manage IBS.

Last week, the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and leading clinicians were delighted to meet with senior Health Minister Lord Darzi. Lord Darzi has offered to work with the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign to improve access to specialist care and implement standards of care for all neuromuscular conditions.

A landmark investigation into the causes of Gulf War syndrome has concluded that the illness was caused by troops being given nerve gas pills and exposed to pesticides.