Exercise protects against breast cancer

Vigorous activity protects against breast cancer, women 30% less likely to develop breast cancer. – Normal-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 US

In US, diabetic patients have nearly doubled their spending on drugs for the diabetes disease in last 6 years. – Because 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 weight

Duke researchers show reading right type of novel can help obese kids lose weight. – It’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 obesity

JAMA study a first to connect obesity, genetics and colon cancer risk. Gene variation associated with decreased risk of colorectal cancer. – A 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 pressure

Study highlights an audio-guided relaxation CD with background sounds of ocean waves and a calming voice may lower blood pressure in elderly people. – An 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 predisposed

Increased risk of obesity owing to genetic susceptibility by FTO variants can be blunted through physical activity, exercise. These findings emphasize the important role of physical activity in public health efforts to combat obesity, particularly in genetically susceptible individuals. – Individuals 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 life

UC San Diego researchers are proposing that aggressive intervention to lower cholesterol levels as early as childhood is the best approach. – With 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 overweight

UK health authorities will inform parents of children who have been weighed and measured at school if found over weight and obese. – In 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 risk

People living with a partner in mid-life are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of age-related dementia. – Living with a spouse or a partner decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other dementia diseases. This according to a study by Krister H?kansson, researcher in psychology at V?xj? 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 children

This study provides evidence on the relationship between maternal diet during pregnancy and longitudinal development of childhood asthma. Daily consumption of nut products increased the risk of asthma outcomes during the first 8 years of life. – Expectant 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.

Health Newstrack