Vaccinations
COVID vaccination of children age 5-11 cut Omicron hospitalizations by 68%
Va*ccination also prevented critical illness with both omicron and delta in children age 12-18* Although the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine became available in October for children age 5-11, many parents have been hesitant to have them vaccinated. As of March 16, only 27 percent had received two vaccine doses, according to CDC data. A national study published March 30 by *The New England Journal of Medicine *now reports that vaccination of 5- to 11-year-olds reduced hospitalizations with COVID-19 by more than two thirds during the omicron surge and protected against severe illn... read more
Va*ccination also prevented critical illness with both omicron and delta in children age 12-18* Although the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine became available in October for children age 5-11, many parents have been hesitant to have them vaccinated. As of March 16, only 27 percent had received two vaccine doses, according to CDC data. A national study published March 30 by *The New England Journal of Medicine *now reports that vaccination of 5- to 11-year-olds reduced hospitalizations with COVID-19 by more than two thirds during the omicron surge and protected against severe illn... read more
We need to increase MMR uptake urgently
Professor Helen Bedford at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Helen Donovan at the Royal College of Nursing, say two doses of MMR vaccine are necessary for optimum protection and 95% vaccine coverage is required to prevent outbreaks. “Even a small decline in MMR vaccine uptake can herald disease outbreaks,” they warn. We must improve vaccine uptake by ensuring all parents are aware of its importance. There is no upper age limit for MMR vaccine, so this extends to unvaccinated young people and young adults. The latest data for July to September 2021 reported... read more
Exercise
Exercise may reduce depression symptoms, boost effects of therapy
Exercising for half an hour may reduce symptoms of depression for at least 75 minutes post-workout and amplify the benefits of therapy, according to two new studies led by researchers at Iowa State University. “A lot of previous research on the effects of exercise on mental health, in general, have used very broad measures of wellbeing. What we were interested in, specifically, is: how does acute exercise – that is, one session of exercise in a day – influence the primary symptoms of depression,” said Jacob Meyer, a professor of kinesiology at ISU and the lead-author of both publ... read more
Exercising for half an hour may reduce symptoms of depression for at least 75 minutes post-workout and amplify the benefits of therapy, according to two new studies led by researchers at Iowa State University. “A lot of previous research on the effects of exercise on mental health, in general, have used very broad measures of wellbeing. What we were interested in, specifically, is: how does acute exercise – that is, one session of exercise in a day – influence the primary symptoms of depression,” said Jacob Meyer, a professor of kinesiology at ISU and the lead-author of both publ... read more
Physical activity helps combat complications from COVID-19
What does science know about the relationship between physical activity and COVID-19, and what still needs to be investigated? Bruno Gualano, a professor at the University of São Paulo’s Medical School (FM-USP) in Brazil, answers these two questions in an editorial published recently in the *British Journal of Sports Medicine*. “As speculated at the start of the pandemic and now consistently proven, physically active people tend to experience a milder form of the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Taken together, all research on the subject suggests that the risk of hospitalization ... read more
Exercise holds even more heart health benefits for people with stress-related conditions
*Study underscores the brain’s role in deriving cardiovascular benefits from physical activity* Regular physical activity had nearly doubled the cardiovascular benefit in individuals with depression or anxiety, compared with individuals without these diagnoses, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 71st Annual Scientific Session. The research findings add to mounting evidence that exercise improves cardiovascular health by helping to activate parts of the brain that counteract stress. Overall, the study found that people who achieved the recommen... read more
New research highlights power of life long exercise to keep muscles healthy
Lifelong physical activity could protect against age-related loss of muscle mass and function, according to research published in *The Journal of Physiology**. *Individuals aged 68 and above who were physically active throughout their life have healthier ageing muscle that has superior function and is more resistant to fatigue compared to inactive individuals, both young and old. This is the first study to investigate muscle, stem cell and nerve activity in humans. The researchers from University of Copenhagen, Denmark, found that elderly individuals who keep physically active thr... read more
Lifelong physical activity could protect against age-related loss of muscle mass and function, according to research published in *The Journal of Physiology**. *Individuals aged 68 and above who were physically active throughout their life have healthier ageing muscle that has superior function and is more resistant to fatigue compared to inactive individuals, both young and old. This is the first study to investigate muscle, stem cell and nerve activity in humans. The researchers from University of Copenhagen, Denmark, found that elderly individuals who keep physically active thr... read more
Exercise may treat long COVID-induced diabetes, depression
While no medically recognized treatment exists for Long COVID, exercise may break the vicious cycle of inflammation that can lead to developing diabetes and depression months after a person recovers from the virus. “We know that Long COVID causes depression, and we know that it can increase blood glucose levels to the point where people develop diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially life-threatening condition common among people with type 1 diabetes,” said Candida Rebello, Ph.D., a research scientist at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. “Exercise can help. Exercise takes care ... read more
Aging
Extended napping in seniors may signal dementia
Daytime napping among older people is a normal part of aging – but it may also foreshadow Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. And once dementia or its usual precursor, mild cognitive impairment, are diagnosed, the frequency and/or duration of napping accelerates rapidly, according to a new study. The study, led by UC San Francisco and Harvard Medical School together with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, its teaching affiliate, departs from the theory that daytime napping in older people serves merely to compensate for poor nighttime sleep. Instead, it points to work by other U... read more
Low blood folate may be linked to heightened dementia and death risks in older people
More info here Low levels of folate (vitamin B9) in the blood may be linked to a heightened risk of dementia and death from any cause in older people, suggests research published online in the journal *Evidence Based Mental Health*. Levels should be routinely monitored and deficiencies corrected in older age, especially given that blood levels of folate tend to tail off with age, with up to 1 in 5 older adults estimated to be folate deficient, say the researchers. The evidence to date suggests that folate deficiency affects cognition and nerve signalling in the brain, making ... read mor
Supplements
Cocoa flavanol supplement shows promise for reducing cardiovascular risk
More info here - Large-scale randomized trial found signs of preventive cardiovascular effects for cocoa flavanols, including a 27 percent reduction in the secondary endpoint of cardiovascular death - There was a 10 percent reduction in total cardiovascular events, the trial’s primary outcome, that was not statistically significant The first large-scale trial to test the long-term effects of a cocoa flavanol supplement to prevent cardiovascular disease offers promising signals that cocoa flavanols could have protective cardiovascular effects. In papers published i... read more
General Health
Disinfectant use during pregnancy linked to childhood asthma and eczema
Use of disinfectants by pregnant women may be a risk factor for asthma and eczema in their children, finds a population study, published online in *Occupational & Environmental Medicine.* Disinfectants are used frequently in hospitals and other medical facilities, and the covid-19 pandemic has led to an increase in their use in medical settings and also more widely, including by the general population. Exposure to disinfectants in the workplace has been linked to asthma and dermatitis previously in the workers exposed, but few studies have looked at the impact of disinfectant u... read more
Living near noise pollution tied to greater risk of heart attack
*Study attributes 1 in 20 heart attacks in New Jersey to noise from highways, trains and air traffic* Living in a noisy environment can be annoying, but it might also harm your health. People experiencing high levels of noise from cars, trains or planes were more likely to suffer a heart attack than people living in quieter areas, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 71st Annual Scientific Session. “When people talk about pollution, they’re usually talking about particles in the air or water,” said Abel E. Moreyra, MD, professor of medicine in t... read more
*Study attributes 1 in 20 heart attacks in New Jersey to noise from highways, trains and air traffic* Living in a noisy environment can be annoying, but it might also harm your health. People experiencing high levels of noise from cars, trains or planes were more likely to suffer a heart attack than people living in quieter areas, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 71st Annual Scientific Session. “When people talk about pollution, they’re usually talking about particles in the air or water,” said Abel E. Moreyra, MD, professor of medicine in t... read more
Association of Body Mass Index in Midlife With Morbidity Burden in Older Adulthood and Longevity
Key Points *Question* What is the association between body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) in midlife and morbidity burden in older adulthood (≥65 years) and longevity? *Findings* In this cohort study of 29 621 adults, being overweight and having classes I and II obesity compared with having a normal BMI at a mean age of 40 years were associated with a statistically significantly higher cumulative morbidity score and health care costs across older adulthood. Age at death was similar in the overweight and statistically signi... read more
Weight loss doesn't help pregnancy chances
Women who are obese and struggling to become pregnant are often advised to lose weight, but a new study finds no fertility benefits from weight loss. A randomized study of 379 women with obesity and unexplained infertility found that intensive lifestyle changes that shed pounds led to no better chances of pregnancy and healthy births than simply increasing physical activity without weight loss. “We have known for decades that obese women often have difficulty getting pregnant,” said researcher Daniel J. Haisenleder, PhD, of the University of Virginia School of Medicine’s Center ... read more
Key Points *Question* What is the association between body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) in midlife and morbidity burden in older adulthood (≥65 years) and longevity? *Findings* In this cohort study of 29 621 adults, being overweight and having classes I and II obesity compared with having a normal BMI at a mean age of 40 years were associated with a statistically significantly higher cumulative morbidity score and health care costs across older adulthood. Age at death was similar in the overweight and statistically signi... read more
Weight loss doesn't help pregnancy chances
Women who are obese and struggling to become pregnant are often advised to lose weight, but a new study finds no fertility benefits from weight loss. A randomized study of 379 women with obesity and unexplained infertility found that intensive lifestyle changes that shed pounds led to no better chances of pregnancy and healthy births than simply increasing physical activity without weight loss. “We have known for decades that obese women often have difficulty getting pregnant,” said researcher Daniel J. Haisenleder, PhD, of the University of Virginia School of Medicine’s Center ... read more
Link between high cholesterol and heart disease questioned
New research from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has revealed that the link between ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL-C) and poor health outcomes, such as heart attack and stroke, may not be as strong as previously thought. Published in *JAMA Internal Medicine*, the research questions the efficacy of statins when prescribed with the aim of lowering LDL-C and therefore reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Previous research has suggested that using statins to lower LDL-C positively affects health outcomes, and this is reflected in the various iterations of expe... read more
Close the blinds during sleep to protect your health
Even moderate light exposure during sleep harms heart health and increases insulin resistance - Exposure to artificial light at night during sleep is common - Sleeping in a moderately light room increases risk for heart disease and diabetes - Your heart rate rises, and body can’t rest properly in light bedroom at night Close the blinds, draw the curtains and turn off all the lights before bed. Exposure to even moderate ambient lighting during nighttime sleep, compared to sleeping in a dimly lit room, harms your cardiovascular function during sleep and increases y... read more
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