Watch out, you may catch obesity
Like the common cold, obesity can be spread from person to person, new research suggests.
A person’s social network can influence their risk of obesity, according to new study findings reported in The New England Journal of Medicine. The results suggest that if you want to stay thin, you may not want to surround yourself with obese friends and relatives.
Researchers reverse cocaine effects in mice-study
Researchers working with laboratory mice have found a way to reverse the effects of cocaine on the brain, according to a study published on Thursday that could lead to better treatments for drug addicts.
The researchers focused on the part of the brain they knew was involved with pleasure and addictive drugs and found a way to repress hyperactive cells charged up by cocaine.
Lo-glycemic index diets help obese lose weight
Overweight adults who would like to shed some pounds may want to replace their white bread with a serving of beans, a research review suggests.
In an analysis of six clinical trials, Australian researchers found that diets based on the glycemic index were generally effective at helping overweight and obese adults lose weight in the short term. What’s more, these low-glycemic index diets seemed to work somewhat better than traditional calorie- and fat-conscious weight-loss plans.
Steroid Medications Ineffective in Treating Common Infant Lower Respiratory Infection
For infants with a common and potentially serious viral lower respiratory infection called bronchiolitis, a widely used steroid treatment is not effective. A new study co-authored by Dr. Joan Bregstein of the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Medical Center found that steroid treatment did not prevent hospitalization or improve respiratory symptoms for bronchiolitis, the most common cause of infant hospitalization. Bronchiolitis symptoms frequently include fever, runny nose, coughing and wheezing.
The multicenter study, conducted by the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), is published in the July 26 New England Journal of Medicine.
Hypertension in Childhood
There is no current standard UK definition of hypertension in children. However, the issue has been researched in some detail in America were a working group in 2004 defined the condition as an average systolic and/or diastolicblood pressure ≥95th percentile for gender, age, and height on 3 or more separate occasions. The working group also introduced the concept of ‘pre-hypertension’ which it defines as a blood pressure level ≥90th percentile but <95th percentile.
As with adults, blood pressure is a variable parameter in children. It varies between individuals and within individuals from day to day and at various times of the day. Attention must be paid to correct technique in measuring blood pressure and with small patients this includes the use of a small cuff.
