Health

Israeli researchers have discovered that stress experienced by mothers during pregnancy affects the foetus`s brain. The discovery led by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) could pave the way for new treatments or interventions to support a baby`s healthy development after birth, Xinhua news agency reported. Published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, the study revealed that maternal stress during pregnancy could "reprogramme" key molecular pathways in the foetus, particularly the cholinergic system -- a network of nerve cells responsible for regulating stress responses and inflammation. The researchers analysed blood samples from 120 newborns and their mothers collected at birth, focusing on small RNA molecules known as tRNA fragments (tRFs), many of which origi...

Do you regularly eat ready-to-eat-or-heat foods? Beware, a global study on Monday showed that the consumption of such ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can significantly increase the risk of preventable premature deaths. Previous studies have linked UPFs -- rich in sodium, trans fats, and sugar -- with 32 different diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, some types of cancer, and depression. The new study analysed data from nationally representative dietary surveys and mortality data from eight countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, United Kingdom, and the US). The findings published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, show that premature deaths attributable to consumption of UPFs increase significantly according to their share in ind...

Reducing salt intake is one of the most cost-effective strategies to boost health, said experts as salt consumption in India is exceeding safe limits, contributing significantly to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. Doctors and public health leaders called for stronger physician-led campaigns, reformulation of packaged foods, and consumer education to curb India`s rising salt crisis, at The Salt Fight 2025: Say NO to Na workshop organised by the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) and other organisations. Addressing modifiable risk factors like excess salt intake is critical to reversing the country`s non-communicable disease burden, which accounts for nearly 65 per cent of all deaths, said Dr Vinod Kumar Paul, Member, of NITI Aayog, during the event, held in the national capit...

A team of US researchers has uncovered the cellular culprit behind age-related abdominal fat, providing new insights into why our midsections widen with middle age.  Published in the journal Science, the findings suggest a novel target for future therapies to prevent belly flab and extend our healthy lifespans. Preclinical research by City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organisations in the US, has done this research. “People often lose muscle and gain body fat as they age — even when their body weight remains the same,” said Qiong (Annabel) Wang, an associate professor of molecular and cellular endocrinology at City of Hope’s Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute.  “We discovered aging triggers the arrival of a new type of...

Screening for both active and dormant tuberculosis (TB) infection simultaneously can help improve detection, which is key for better outcomes, according to a study.  The new strategy, proposed by a team of researchers led by Queen Mary University of London, can curtail infection rates, potentially save lives. It provides a solution to problems with current TB screening, which does not always accurately detect disease. "Global TB control requires early identification and treatment of TB in risk groups. Our novel screening algorithms show that screening for active and dormant TB can be done simultaneously with high accuracy for migrants from countries where TB is common to improve individual and population benefits,” said Dr Dominik Zenner, Clinical Reader in Infectious Disease Epidemiolog...

Administering antibiotics within the first two years of life can raise children`s risk of developing higher body mass index (BMI), according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland found that children exposed to antibiotics in the first two years of life had a 9 per cent greater risk of being overweight; and a 20 per cent greater risk of becoming obese than children who were not exposed to the drugs. However, the study found no correlation between BMI and antibiotic use before pregnancy, during pregnancy, or at birth. "Antibiotic exposure in the first two years of life has a stronger association with childhood weight gain than exposure during pregnancy stages or other early ages," said Sofia Ainonen, a medical doctor at the University of Oulu. "Providers need...

Just three minutes a day of moderate activity may be enough to boost better heart health in older adults, according to a study. Previous studies have shown that as people age, many do not engage in physical activity, increasing their chances of experiencing a cardiovascular event. In the new study, researchers from the UK and Australia noted that doing household chores or shopping for groceries -- referred to as incidental activities -- may also be enough to boost health. Incidental physical activity (IPA) encompasses activities of daily living outside the leisure-time domain and includes preparing meals, keeping the house clean, mowing the lawn, or gardening. “Any daily IPA amount of vigorous or moderate-intensity was associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk in a dose-response...

While eating chicken, known as lean meat, has long been considered healthier than red meat, a new study shows that regularly eating poultry may lead to early death due to gastrointestinal or digestive system cancers. The study, led by researchers at the National Institute of Gastroenterology, in Italy, is based on an analysis of health-related data for 4,869 adults living in Italy over 20-years. The findings showed that the risk of digestive system cancers including oesophageal, stomach, colon, pancreatic, and liver, is higher for men than for women. Poultry meat (mainly chicken) is currently among the most widely consumed meats worldwide. It is reasonably affordable and accessible, explaining the high global consumption rates. Prior research has suggested chicken as a protein source a...

A study has suggested that age 36 is when the ill-effects of having unhealthy habits as a young adult -- smoking, drinking and physical inactivity -- start becoming apparent. Researchers from the University of Jyvaskyla tracked about 370 residents of the Finnish city for over 30 years. Data was collected via surveys and medical tests at ages 27, 36, 42, 50 and 61. Three bad habits -- smoking, heavy drinking and a lack of exercise -- can lead to declines in health in people as young as 36, according to findings published in the journal Annals of Medicine. The team said that unhealthy behaviours in mid-life -- 40s and 50s -- are known to increase chances of developing health disorders in old age. However, their analysis showed that the ill-effects of unhealthy behaviours remained similar...

Imbalance in the digestive system may disrupt brain signals and influence behavioural symptoms in children with autism, according to a study on Monday.  Researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) demonstrated that gut metabolites impact the brain, and the brain, in turn, affects behaviour. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, adds to a growing body of science implicating the “gut-brain” axis in autism. “The brain acts as the intermediary between gut health and autism-related behaviours,” said first author Lisa Aziz-Zadeh, professor at the Brain and Creativity Institute at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. “Previous studies highlighted differences in gut microbiomes and brain structures in autism, but our research connects t...