"Grandparents who babysit their grandchildren tend to live longer than seniors who do not care for other people, a study has found," the Mail Online reports. Researchers found grandparent babysitters had a 37% lower mortality risk than adults of the same age with no caring responsibilities. The study included around 500 adults from the Berlin
Climate change continues to impact on public health Despite what many commenters have said in 2016, climate change is real and is ongoing. That’s the thing about science. Just because you don’t believe in it, it doesn’t go away. In 2016 we have seen evidence of the impact of climate change in a number of
10: Ibuprofen-like painkillers linked to an increased risk of heart failure "Ibuprofen could raise the risk of heart failure by up to 83%," the Daily Mirror warned in September. But this was a misleading headline as the "83%" figure was related to an obscure type of painkiller called ketorolac and not ibuprofen, which should be a safe option for
In 2016, Behind the Headlines covered more than 300 health stories that made it into the mainstream media. If you’ve been paying attention you should find this quiz easy and fun. Answers are at the foot of the page (no peeking!). In January 2016’s health news… In a controversial study, monkeys were genetically engineered
"Facebook lurking makes you miserable, says study," BBC News reports after a Danish study found regular users who took a week-long break from the social media site reported increased wellbeing. The one-week trial assigned Facebook users to either give up using the site for a week, or go on using it usual. They were then
"A drug that alters the immune system has been described as ‘big news’ and a ‘landmark’ in treating multiple sclerosis," BBC News reports. The drug, ocrelizumab, proved effective in two related studies, for treating both the primary progressive and the relapsing remitting types of multiple sclerosis (MS). We have focused our analysis on the second study,
"A study … challenged recommendations by public health officials for people to cut sugar consumption," the Mail Online reports. The study has been criticised as it is funded by companies who sell sugary products, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and McDonald’s. This systematic review assessed guidelines from all over the world, including those produced by Public Health
"Regularly indulging in a bacon sandwich doubles the risk of an asthma attack," is the needlessly alarming headline in The Sun. A French study suggests eating four or more portions of processed (cured) meats a week may worsen symptoms like wheezing – but this does not amount to an asthma attack. An asthma attack is
"A drug activated by laser light successfully destroys early prostate cancer while avoiding side effects … results have shown," The Guardian reports. This new technique may offer an alternative treatment to the current "wait and see" approach, also known as active surveillance. The main challenge of treating prostate cancer judged to be low risk is that it’s difficult to
"Want to avoid arthritis? Then brush your teeth … bugs that cause gum infections also trigger the crippling joint pain," the Mail Online reports. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the cells that line joints by mistake. Exactly what causes this response is still unclear. This latest study aimed to examine
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