Health Bites
There's safety in slumbers
Adolescents who sleep poorly may be at risk of cardiovascular disease in later life, according to a study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Researchers from The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto analysed data from more than 4,000 children in Ontario. Subjects slept an average of 7.9 hours on week nights and 9.4 hours on weekends. Almost one in five reported poor quality sleep during the week, and one in 10 on weekends. Those who consumed more junk food, exercised less and had more screen time had more sleep disturbance. This in turn was linked with a higher cholesterol level and blood pressure, higher body mass index, larger waist size and higher risk of hypertension.
Allergies bite the dust quickly
A new study suggests relief for children with dust mite induced allergies and asthma may come sooner rather than later. While three to five years of allergy shots are recommended for long-term effectiveness, three years is enough and the additional two years has no clinical benefit, says lead study author Dr Iwona Stelmach, from the Medical University of Lodz, Poland. The study found that after three years of immunotherapy, 50 per cent of children with asthma due to dust mites experienced remission with greatly reduced or no medications need at that point. This reduces total health care costs by 33 per cent to 41 per cent, says allergist Dr James Sublett. Children allergic to dust mites react to proteins within the bodies and faeces of the mites. These particles are found mostly in pillows, mattresses, carpeting, stuffed animals and upholstered furniture. There may be as many as 19,000 dust mites in one gram of dust. The study is published in this month's Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Cafeteria diet a recipe for disaster
Just two months on a "cafeteria diet" can lead to a lifetime of health problems, dramatically increasing the risk of stroke or death at a younger age, according to a study presented yesterday at the Canadian Stroke Congress. This type of diet is high in calories, sugar and sodium. In the study, sedentary rats were given unlimited access to both nutritional food pellets and junk food - such as sausages, cupcakes and sugary drinks. The rats preferred the treats, and after only two months had most symptoms of metabolic syndrome: high levels of cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and obesity. The animals were roughly equivalent to 16 to 22 years in humans at the time of disease onset, says lead researcher Dr Dale Corbett, scientific director of the Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery. He predicts people in their 30s or 40s will soon start having strokes and dementia because of this diet.
How cherries can rout the gout
Having up to three servings of cherries or cherry extract over two days can lower the risk of gout attacks on those susceptible by 35 per cent, compared to those who don't eat the fruit, finds a study in Arthritis & Rheumatism. When combined with a uric-acid reducing drug, the risk of gout flares is 75 per cent lower than in periods without exposure to cherries or treatment. Gout is an inflammatory arthritis triggered by a crystallisation of uric acid within the joints that causes excruciating pain and swelling. Patients have recurrent gout attacks in spite of many treatment options available. The study, led by Dr Zhang Yuqing, professor of Medicine at Boston University, recruited 633 gout patients with a mean age of 54 years who were followed online for one year. A serving was qualified as 10 to 12 cherries. The researchers say further clinical trials are needed to confirm the findings.