In Archives - Page 75 of 116

New Dengue Vaccine May Up Infection In Low Affected Areas: Study

September 3, 2016 SrijitaAffected, Areas, dengue, In, infection, Low, May, New, Study, Up, vaccine

The newly licensed dengue vaccine may actually increase the incidence of infections if used in low transmission areas, a team of international researchers has warned. Dengue — a viral infection that records nearly 400 million cases per year — is spread by mosquitoes, and causes fever, headache, muscle and joint pain. The virus typically causes a mild first infection but a far worse one if someone is infected with the disease a second time, researchers said. The study found that the dengue vaccine with the trade name Dengvaxia can reduce…

In the drink

September 1, 2016 SrijitaDrink, In, The

In an independent survey conducted by Canstar Blue, 38 per cent of the 1437 surveyed New Zealanders said they regularly have five or more standard alcoholic drinks at one sitting on the weekend. Geographically, the biggest drinkers in this survey were in Dunedin (42 per cent), then Christchurch (40 per cent). Of the four main centres, the Aucklanders surveyed (37 per cent) were the least likely to indulge in more than five drinks at one time. The Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) recommends adult men consume no more…

Is the obesity solution in the garden?

September 1, 2016 Srijitagarden, In, Is, Obesity, solution, The

Last week I spoke at the launch of the Empower Project, a joint initiative between Garden to Table and Life Education Trust, supported with funding from The Warehouse. Here’s a version of what I said at that event. I have always thought it a bit strange that we refer to obesity as an epidemic. Using this word implies being fat is somehow catching, like a virus. However, looking at our childhood obesity statistics, you can see that there are some factors which, just as with viruses, make it more likely…

Food Allergies Linked to Higher Asthma Risk in Kids

August 30, 2016 SrijitaAllergies, asthma, Food., higher, In, Kids, Linked, Risk, to

The higher the number of food allergies a child might have, the greater is his or her risk of developing asthma and allergic rhinitis during childhood, new research has found. “Of the major food allergens, allergy to peanut, milk and egg significantly predisposed children to asthma and allergic rhinitis,” said lead researcher David Hill from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the US. The study is a retrospective analysis of the electronic health records of more than one million urban and suburban children in the CHOP Care Network from…

Common Diabetes Drug May Cut Weight in Autistic Kids

August 30, 2016 SrijitaAutistic, common, Cut, Diabetes, Drug, In, Kids, May, Weight

A drug commonly used as the front-line treatment for Type-2 diabetes may also be effective in reducing weight in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), finds a study. ASD is a serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact. Individuals suffering from autism spectrum disorder take atypical antipsychotics drugs to treat symptoms of irritability and agitation. These drugs often increases their appetite as well as weight, thus raising a long-term risk of diabetes. The study explored the effectiveness of metformin drug in counteracting weight gain…

Heavy Lifting by Young Workers Linked to Low Back Pain in Midlife

August 27, 2016 SrijitaBack, by, Heavy, In, Lifting, Linked, Low, Midlife, Pain, to, workers, Young

Young adults with jobs that involve heavy lifting and forceful movements might be at higher risk for back pain later in life, a study from Finland suggests. “When you’re young, you do things your own way, you muscle your way through it, but sooner or later, that behavior can cause problems,” said Michael Timko, a physical therapist and instructor at the University of Pittsburgh who was not involved with the study. “If we’re going to put a dent on the back pain issue, we should consider training younger people about…