Skin cancer knowledge lacking in people

Sun Awareness Week survey reveals lack of knowledge of skin cancer risk – Pale skinned people who are most at risk of skin cancer are ignoring sun safety advice, according to research released to launch Sun Awareness Week 2009.

Sick patients tend to have low Vitamin D

Low vitamin D or Vitamin D deficiency may cause problems for acutely ill patients in ICU. – A group of endocrinologists in Sydney have observed that very sick patients tend to have very low levels of Vitamin D. The sicker they are, the lower the levels.

Vitamin D levels linked to asthma severity

Vitamin D levels linked to asthma severity. New research provides evidence for a link between vitamin D insufficiency and asthma severity. – Serum levels of vitamin D in more than 600 Costa Rican children were inversely linked to several indicators of allergy and asthma severity, including hospitalizations for asthma, use of inhaled steroids and total IgE levels.

Annual vitamin D deficiency screening for dark-skinned or veiled groups

Researchers recommends annual screening for vitamin D deficiency and routine vitamin D supplementation in at-risk populations, such as dark-skinned or veiled groups. – Annual screening for vitamin D deficiency and routine vitamin D supplementation in at-risk populations, such as dark-skinned or veiled groups, is recommended by Australian researchers.

Vitamin D protects from colds and flu

Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of colds, flu. Large-scale study supports potential role in boosting immune system. – Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, report investigators from the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Children’s Hospital Boston.

Teens don’t care about skin cancer messages

Australian teens continue to put themselves at unnecessary risk of skin cancer by spending excessive time in the sun and forgetting to protect themselves. – Teens continue to put themselves at unnecessary risk of skin cancer by spending excessive time in the sun and forgetting to protect themselves, according to new Cancer Council research.

Calcium, vitamin D may not reduce breast cancer risk

Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements does not lower a woman?s risk of breast cancer, according to a randomized controlled trial. – Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements does not reduce breast cancer incidence in postmenopausal women, according to data from a randomized, doubled-blind, placebo-controlled trial published online November 11 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Rainfall linked to autism

County-level autism prevalence rates and counts among school-aged children were positively associated with a county’s mean annual precipitation. – Children living in counties with higher levels of annual precipitation appear more likely to have higher prevalence rates of autism, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The results raise the possibility that an environmental trigger for autism may be associated with precipitation and may affect genetically vulnerable children.

Low vitamin D level during pregnancy affects baby’s dental health

Mother’s vitamin D status during pregnancy will affect her baby’s dental health, leading to enamel defects, which are a risk factor for early-childhood tooth decay. – Low maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy may affect primary tooth calcification, leading to enamel defects, which are a risk factor for early-childhood tooth decay.

Health Newstrack