ScienceDaily: Living Well News

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• Continuous handling of receipts linked to higher urine BPA levels
• Obesity prevalence remains high in US; no significant change in recent years
• Ordinary conditioner removes head lice eggs as effectively as special products
• Psychological side-effects of anti-depressants worse than thought
• Breast-feeding benefits appear to be overstated, according to study of siblings
• Use of acetaminophen during pregnancy linked to ADHD in children, researchers say
• Anti-vaccine conspiracy theories may have 'detrimental consequences' for children's health
• Strawberries lower cholesterol, study suggests
• Body shape index as new predictor of mortality
• Preventive ovarian surgery should be performed early for greatest benefit; substantial mortality risk reduction found
• Caring for patients with multiple chronic conditions: New research, future challenges
• Parents' attitudes about helping their grown children affect their mental health
• Uninsured adolescents, young adults more likely to be diagnosed with advanced cancer
• Family meals do more than put food on the table: Benefits of cooking, eating as a family
• Get the most nutrition from your calories and 'enjoy the taste of eating right' during National Nutrition Month and Beyond

Continuous handling of receipts linked to higher urine BPA levels Posted: 25 Feb 2014 01:27 PM PST Study participants who handled receipts printed on thermal paper continuously for two hours without gloves had an increase in urine bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations compared to when they wore gloves, according to a study. Human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) has been associated with adverse health outcomes, including reproductive function in adults and neurodevelopment in children exposed shortly before or after birth.

Obesity prevalence remains high in US; no significant change in recent years Posted: 25 Feb 2014 01:26 PM PST The prevalence of obesity remains high in the US, with about one-third of adults and 17 percent of children and teens obese in 2011-2012, according to a national survey study. Overall, there was no change from 2003-2004 through 2011-2012 in high weight among infants and toddlers or in obesity in 2- to 19-year-olds or adults. The prevalence of obesity among children 2 to 5 years of age decreased from 14 percent in 2003-2004 to just over 8 percent in 2011-2012, and increased in women age 60 years and older, from 31.5 percent to more than 38 percent.

Ordinary conditioner removes head lice eggs as effectively as special products Posted: 25 Feb 2014 11:39 AM PST Some shampoos and conditioners that contain chemicals or special oils are marketed as nit-removal products for head lice eggs. However, new research shows that ordinary hair conditioner is just as effective. Eggs from head lice, also called nits, are incredibly difficult to remove. Female lice lay eggs directly onto strands of hair, and they cement them in place with a glue-like substance, making them hard to get rid of. In fact, the eggs are glued down so strongly that they will stay in place even after hair has been treated with pediculicides -- substances used to kill lice.

Psychological side-effects of anti-depressants worse than thought Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:24 AM PST Thoughts of suicide, sexual difficulties and emotional numbness as a result of anti-depressants may be more widespread than previously thought, a researcher has found. In a survey of 1,829 people who had been prescribed anti-depressants, the researchers found large numbers of people -- over half in some cases -- reporting on psychological problems due to their medication, which has led to growing concerns about the scale of the problem of over-prescription of these drugs.

Breast-feeding benefits appear to be overstated, according to study of siblings Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:22 AM PST A new study comparing siblings who were fed differently during infancy suggests that breast-feeding might be no more beneficial than bottle-feeding for 10 of 11 long-term health and well-being outcomes in children age 4 to 14. The outlier was asthma, which was associated more with breast-feeding than with bottle-feeding. Previous research has identified clear patterns of racial and socioeconomic disparities between women who breast-feed and those who don't, complicating an already demanding choice for women who work outside the home at jobs with little flexibility and limited maternity leave.

Use of acetaminophen during pregnancy linked to ADHD in children, researchers say Posted: 25 Feb 2014 07:16 AM PST Taking acetaminophen during pregnancy has been shown to be associated with a higher risk in children of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Hyperkinetic Disorders, new research indicates. Acetaminophen, found in over-the-counter products such as Excedrin and Tylenol, provides many people with relief from headaches and sore muscles. Over recent decades, the drug has become the medication most commonly used by pregnant women for fevers and pain, as it was believed to be harmless to the fetus. Now, a long-term study has raised concerns about the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy.

Anti-vaccine conspiracy theories may have 'detrimental consequences' for children's health Posted: 25 Feb 2014 07:15 AM PST A belief in anti-vaccine conspiracy theories may have significant and detrimental consequences for children's health, new research has shown. In the study, 89 parents were interviewed about their views on anti-vaccine conspiracy theories and then asked them to indicate their intention to have a fictional child vaccinated. It was found that stronger belief in anti-vaccine conspiracy theories was associated with lower intention to vaccinate. In a second study, 188 participants were exposed to information concerning anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. It was found that reading this material reduced their intention to have a fictional child vaccinated, relative to participants who were given refuting information or those in a control condition.

Strawberries lower cholesterol, study suggests Posted: 25 Feb 2014 07:12 AM PST A team of volunteers ate half a kilo of strawberries a day for a month to see whether it altered their blood parameters in any way. At the end of this unusual treatment, their levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly reduced, according to the analyses conducted by Italian and Spanish scientists. Several studies had already demonstrated the antioxidant capacity of strawberries, but now researchers conducted an analysis that revealed that these fruits also help to reduce cholesterol.

Body shape index as new predictor of mortality Posted: 24 Feb 2014 02:16 PM PST Scientists have developed a new method to quantify the risk specifically associated with abdominal obesity. A follow-up study, published Feb. 20 by the online journal PLOS ONE, supports their contention that the technique, known as 'A Body Shape Index,' is a more effective predictor of mortality than body mass index, the most common measure used to define obesity.

Preventive ovarian surgery should be performed early for greatest benefit; substantial mortality risk reduction found Posted: 24 Feb 2014 02:11 PM PST Women with BRCA1 mutations should have preventive ovarian surgery (prophylactic oophorectomy) by age 35, as waiting until a later age appears to increase the risk of ovarian cancer before or at the time of the preventive surgery. These are the findings of a large international prospective study. Women with a BRCA2 mutation, however, do not appear to be at an increased risk by age 35, suggesting they may delay this procedure until later. Moreover, women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations who had this surgery experienced a 77 percent reduction in their overall risk of death by age 70.

Caring for patients with multiple chronic conditions: New research, future challenges Posted: 24 Feb 2014 09:36 AM PST The millions of Americans living with more than one chronic disease are at high risk of poor health outcomes, and account for a disproportionate share of health care costs. A group of experts formed to address knowledge gaps and research challenges in meeting the complex health care needs of this growing population. Their report has been recently released.

Parents' attitudes about helping their grown children affect their mental health Posted: 24 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST Older parents frequently give help to their middle-aged offspring, and their perceptions about giving this help may affect their mental health, according to a team of researchers. The team's results suggest that parents who view giving as highly rewarding report higher levels of depressive symptoms when they give low amounts of tangible support, and lower levels of depressive symptoms when they give high amounts of tangible support. In contrast, parents who do not view giving as highly rewarding report higher levels of depressive symptoms when they give high amounts of tangible support, and lower levels of depressive symptoms when they give lower amounts of tangible support.

Uninsured adolescents, young adults more likely to be diagnosed with advanced cancer Posted: 24 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST Uninsured adolescents and young adults were far more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage cancer, a study shows, which is more difficult and expensive to treat and more deadly, compared to young patients with health insurance. The study's authors say their data suggest a way forward for cancer control efforts in the adolescent and young adult population, a group that has benefited the least from recent progress in cancer. "The findings suggest that policies such as the Affordable Care Act that increase the number of people in America with health coverage will result in fewer late-stage cancer diagnoses and save lives," the authors note.

Family meals do more than put food on the table: Benefits of cooking, eating as a family Posted: 24 Feb 2014 06:20 AM PST Make mealtime a family time has tangible benefits. If you can get together for meals even a few times a week, family meals mean healthier eating – and more. For National Nutrition Month®, all families are encouraged to make a commitment to eating more meals together and "Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right."

Get the most nutrition from your calories and 'enjoy the taste of eating right' during National Nutrition Month and Beyond Posted: 24 Feb 2014 06:20 AM PST While taste drives most food choices, eating nutrient-rich foods that provide the most nutrition per calorie is one of the best ways to "Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right.". As part of the 2014 National Nutrition Month® theme, everyone is encouraged to choose the most nutritionally-packed foods you can from each of the five MyPlate food groups every day. This article gives some other pointers to help you eat well.

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