Critical thinking can be taught
10-12-years-olds can be taught how to think critically at school, even with few teachers and limited resources. Parents can also be taught to assess claims about health effects. These findings come from two research articles published in The Lancet.
Infections, other factors raise risk of pregnancy-related stroke in women with preeclampsia
Urinary tract infections, chronic high blood pressure and bleeding or clotting disorders may increase the risk of pregnancy-associated stroke in women with preeclampsia, a high-blood pressure disorder unique to pregnancy, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke.
Preterm birth linked to higher risk of heart failure
Babies born preterm run a higher risk of heart failure during childhood and adolescence than those born at full term, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden report. The registry-based study is published in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).
Where body fat is carried can predict cancer risk
Scientists have found that carrying fat around your middle could be as good an indicator of cancer risk as body mass index (BMI), according to research published in the British Journal of Cancer.
Diabetes treatment: how practical is personalised drug therapy?
The way type-2 diabetes is currently treated generates differences of opinion within the medical community. Whilst some favour a drug combination approach that could improve quality of life for patients and reduce costs, others are concerned about the risks and side effects of this strategy…
Strong evidence of the benefits of exercise therapy in chronic diseases
There is strong evidence of that aerobic exercise, strength training and condition-specific therapeutic exercise affect positively on the functional capacity of patients with chronic diseases. This is revealed in an extensive systematic analysis of published research data by the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences,…
Researchers pinpoint how diesel fumes could cause ‘flare up’ of respiratory symptoms
Scientists have shown how diesel fumes trigger respiratory reflexes which could potentially worsen underlying conditions, such as asthma.The study, led by researchers at Imperial College London, is the first to demonstrate a mechanism by which diesel exhaust particles, a major component of air pollution in…
Parents responsible for obesity in children?
‘The idea that overweight and obesity are the fault of parents and/or the child, is rubbish.’ Roxanna Camfferman, who specialises in child and adolescent studies, explains her proposition. Her PhD dissertation is on the role of upbringing in child obesity.
Standardised Assessment Evaluates Medical Students’ Competence at Prescribing Medications
A new study describes a standardised assessment that ensures that students who graduate from UK medical schools have achieved a minimum standard of knowledge and skill related to prescribing medications. Following the introduction of the Prescribing Safety Assessment, as described in a new article published…
Depression not as big a killer as previously thought
Over three decades of research suggest that depression increases the odds of death. However, a new research paper throws doubt on this presumed link after finding no evidence of a direct association between depression and all-cause mortality.
Ginger May Help Fight Obesity and Related Disorders
A new review notes that recent epidemiological and clinical studies have built a consensus that ginger has beneficial effects against obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and related disorders-more commonly referred to as metabolic syndrome.