Children's health
01 Feb 2008
Pedometers help people lose weight even without changes in diet
People who participate in a pedometer-based walking program can be expected to lose a modest amount of weight even without changing their diet, with more weight loss the longer they stick with the program, according to a University of Michigan Health System analysis of nine studies. “The amount of weight…
Children's health
30 Jan 2008
Pet turtles: cute but contaminated with salmonella
The little glassy-eyed creatures may look cute and harmless, but small turtles can make people very ill. Turtles commonly carry bacteria called Salmonella on their outer skin and shell surfaces. People can get Salmonella by coming in contact with turtles or their habitats. Salmonella can cause a serious or even…
Blood
30 Jan 2008
Culprit cell for childhood leukaemia discovered
A study by British researchers of twin girls has identified a rogue cell that is the fundamental cause of childhood leukaemia. The twins have been crucial to the new research, as they are genetically identical but one has developed cancer while the other has not. The research has identified precisely…
Cancer
30 Jan 2008
Exposure to smoking in movies influences kids lighting up
New research from Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) strengthens the case that children’s exposure to smoking in movies influences their decision to start smoking. It further suggests that smoking in movies seen in early childhood has an equally significant impact on that decision as movie smoking exposure closer to adolescence. The…
Children's health
29 Jan 2008
FDA warnings affected prescriptions of antidepressants to youth
U.S. Food and Drug Administration warnings regarding the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours in children and adolescents taking antidepressants appear to have had modest and targeted effects on the intended populations, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Children's health
25 Jan 2008
Divorce may widen distance between teens, fathers
The typical distancing from parents by adolescents is exacerbated by divorce for fathers, but not for mothers, according to a study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family. "Historically, teens distance themselves from parents and increase involvement with peers," said co-author Alan Booth, distinguished professor of sociology, human development…
Children's health
25 Jan 2008
Miscarriage myths persist
More than a third of women surveyed about their beliefs surrounding miscarriage and birth defects said they thought that a pregnant woman’s foul mood could negatively affect her baby. One in four of these women thought a pregnant woman’s exposure to upsetting situations could hurt her unborn child, and one…
Children's health
24 Jan 2008
Parents can reduce adolescent alcohol problems and improve school success
Parents who are inclined to allow their children a sip of celebratory champagne should think again. New research has shown that parents who set rules that forbid their children using any alcohol at home reduce the risk that their children will become alcohol users in their early teens. Deakin University…
Children's health
21 Jan 2008
Tobacco marketers targeting teens near schools
Joe Camel may be long gone, but that doesn’t mean tobacco companies have abandoned their efforts to get young people hooked on smoking. A new Canadian study reports that tobacco marketers have found a way around tobacco advertising restrictions, reaching teens by marketing in retail shops located near high schools.
