"Honey from across the world is contaminated with potent pesticides known to harm bees," The Guardian reports. This is based on a study that analysed nearly 200 samples of honey, collected from diverse regions worldwide, and found that 75% contained traces of a group of pesticides called neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids became commercially available in the 1980s,
"Vitamin D supplements protect against severe asthma attacks," The Daily Telegraph reports. The headline was prompted by a review that pooled data from seven trials comparing taking vitamin D supplements with a placebo in people with asthma. The researchers wanted to see whether vitamin D reduced the risk of severe asthma episodes that needed hospitalisation
"Over half of new cancer drugs ‘show no benefits’ for survival or wellbeing," The Guardian reports. That was the finding of a study looking at the evidence supporting new cancer drugs approved between 2009 and 2013 by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The study found only half of drug approvals had clear evidence showing they
"Pregnant vegetarians are three times more likely to have kids who abuse drugs and alcohol," reports the Mail Online. Researchers claim to have found a link between substance abuse at age 15, and diet of the child’s mother during pregnancy. But it is far from clear that avoiding meat in pregnancy "causes" substance abuse in
"Skipping breakfast may be linked to poor heart health," The Guardian reports. Researchers from Spain found that people who regularly skipped breakfast were more likely to have atherosclerosis – hardening and thickening of the arteries due to a build-up of fatty deposits known as plaques. Atherosclerosis doesn’t usually cause any noticeable symptoms at first but
"Diabetics should save bread for last at mealtime to keep their blood sugar under control," the Mail Online reports. A small study found that people with type 2 diabetes who saved their carbohydrates until the end of their meal were less likely to experience a sudden rise in their blood sugar (glucose) levels. The medical
"Dirty laundry a powerful magnet for bedbugs, study finds," is The Guardian’s headline, with The Times and The Daily Telegraph also covering this creepy-crawly story. Bedbugs are small blood-sucking insects that live in cracks and crevices in and around beds. They crawl out at night and bite exposed skin to feed on blood. The number
"Measles eliminated in the UK for the first time," reports The Telegraph. This and other stories in the media are based on a new World Health Organization (WHO) report confirming the UK is now one of 33 countries in Europe to have "eliminated" measles. "Elimination" is the official term used once a country has reduced
"HIV rises among over-50s as they neglect safe sex" is the headline from The Times. The news is based on a European study that found more over-50s are being diagnosed with HIV compared with 12 years ago. The study collected data on more than 360,000 people who had been newly diagnosed with HIV between 2004
"Targeted radiotherapy ‘cures’ prostate cancer that kills thousands," reports The Times. The news is based on a UK study of the use of high-precision radiotherapy to treat men with advanced localised prostate cancer. Researchers wanted to see if they could safely target cancer cells that had spread outside the prostate to nearby lymph nodes without
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