Breast feeding seems to limit diabetes later

A study in the journal Diabetes Care says that children who were breast-fed as babies are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes as children or young adults. The study looked at people ages 10 to 21 and found that those with diabetes were less likely to have been breast-fed. Researchers say the most important factor in preventing diabetes was maintaining a healthy weight through childhood, but they also say breastfeeding had a protective factor…

Some teens spend more than 40 hours a week looking at screens

A five-year survey of nearly 1,300 teen in Montreal found that 52 percent of boys and 26 percent of girls reported total screen time of more than 42 hours a week. The same number of boys and 39 percent of girls said they watched television and videos at least 23 hours a week, while 24 percent of boys and 7 percent of girls said they used the Internet or computer more than 30 hours a week. A recent study showed that cutting screen time helped kids lower their body mass index…

11 Thais die hourly from lifestyle diseases

The number of patients in Thailand with heart disease, diabetes and cancer has doubled in the last five years, and the health ministry says something needs to be done to combat these diseases, which cause 66 percent of deaths there. That’s one death every six minutes. Health ministers are pushing programs that will help Thais slim down by working out regularly and making healthier food choices. About 42 percent of Thais over the age of 15 are overweight, with 20 percent of men and 60 percent of women registering in that category…

Even a little exercise helps post-menopausal women

Just 10 to 30 minutes of exercise daily improved the quality of life for sedentary post-menopausal women, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism. Women with an average age of 57 were divided into groups that did varying amounts of exercise or no exercise. Those who got more movement in had improved physical function, general health, emotional health, social functioning, vitality and work performance. Those who did the most exercise saw the biggest improvements, but even those who worked out the least saw some benefits…

Another study shows urbanism’s effect on obesity

The University of Alberta has found that urban environments can play a role in whether people who live there are obese, either contributing to the problem or helping people make wise choices. In poor neighborhoods, for instance, it is difficult and expensive to buy healthy food, but some neighborhoods (which tend to be higher-density and higher-income) have good opportunities for walking to shops that sell healthy foods. The research found that people who live in middle- or high-income neighborhoods tend to get more physical activity than those living in lower-income areas…

Chemical in popcorn linked to disease in mice

Finally, researchers have found that a chemical in microwave popcorn used to make butter flavoring causes lung damage in mice. The chemical, diacetyl, causes a condition in mice known as lymphocytic bronchiolitis, which can eventually lead to obstructive bronchiolitis, also known as popcorn lung. The disease is rare, but has been diagnosed in some popcorn factory workers and at least one consumer. Mice that were exposed to the chemical, which is being phased out by many companies, developed the disease within three months.

(By Sarah E. White for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News)

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This entry was posted on Friday, March 14th, 2008 and is filed under Nibbles: diet news shorts. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed. Permalink.