For decades, health care practitioners have used body mass index (BMI) as an indicator of a person’s health. But this equation only considers height and weight, and may not capture an accurate picture of a person’s risk for obesity-related diseases, like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Fat-burning molecule may be promising target for most common childhood brain cancer
Research from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center experts revealed a type of RNA, previously considered to be “junk,” that may help doctors distinguish and treat a subgroup of patients with medulloblastoma.
Co-occurring parental depression symptoms in infancy linked with child emotional difficulties in early adolescence
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has found when one parent experiences guilt as a symptom of depression during their child’s infancy, it triggers depression symptoms in the other parent and goes on to impact the child’s emotional well-being.
Being fit can partially offset negative impact of high blood pressure
High fitness levels may reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease in men with high blood pressure, according to a 29-year study published today (March 23) in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Too much pruning: A new study sheds light on how neurodegeneration occurs in the brain
Just like pruning a tree helps promote proper growth, the brain uses synaptic pruning to get rid of unnecessary connections between its cells. However, when this normal process, which occurs between early childhood and adulthood, doesn’t stop properly, the brain loses too many connections, including important ones. Because of this excessive pruning, some brain cells die and others cause inflammation, leading to problems with movement, thinking and learning.
Study: Older adults were better equipped to deal with pandemic-related distress
One of the more intriguing paradoxes emerging from the rubble of the COVID-19 pandemic is new evidence suggesting that older adults—those at the greatest risk of severe illness and death from the virus—fared much better than their younger counterparts when it comes to coping with pandemic-related distress, anxiety, depression and social isolation.
Tool developed to identify girls at risk of nutritional deficiency
A University of Stirling scientist has led a project which developed a new tool to identify girls in developing countries who are at risk of nutritional deficiency.
Survey highlights growing need for psychosocial support in IBD care amid high rates of anxiety and depression
The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) released new data highlighting how emotional and social challenges of living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are top of mind for patients but not necessarily their health care providers. To help address these challenges, AGA launched the My IBD Life campaign to support people living with IBD and equip their health care providers to be active partners in their care.
Researchers pave the way for solutions to problems affecting preterm infants
The time of birth brings many challenges to the newborn. Switching from a fetal life support system inside the uterus to postnatal life outside the uterus entails major changes in the function of multiple organs. For instance, in an instant the lungs must function to supply oxygen to the baby, inflating and deflating to exchange most needed air.
Analysis narrows down the risks associated with seasonal time change
An analysis conducted by the academics José María Martín Olalla (University of Seville) and Jorge Mira Pérez (University of Santiago de Compostela) narrows down the impact on health of the time change in the week following the date of the change. To do so, they have analyzed eight papers that measure the influence on myocardial infarction and ischemia and five papers that do so on the basis of data on traffic accidents and admissions to accident and emergency for traumas. The study is published in the journal Chronobiology International.