Study: breast-feeding may prevent weight problems
The longer white infants from low-income families are breast-fed, the less likely they will be overweight as young children, researchers said on Monday. Reuters
Maternal diet linked to offspring's longevity
Minor manipulations of a mother's diet can hugely affect the lifespan of her children, suggests a new study of mice. "At the two extremes we looked at, the dietary changes increased the difference in lifespan by more than 50 per cent," says Susan Ozanne, who performed the research with Nicholas Hales at Cambridge University, UK. "In humans, this could equate to the difference between reaching 50 and living to be 75 years old," she says. The research joins existing evidence that maternal diets in humans can have a life-long impact. NewScientist
Frying pan fumes 'kill canaries'
Fumes given off by cancer-causing chemicals used to make non-stick frying pans are killing hundreds of pet birds every year, environmentalists say. The Worldwide Fund for Nature says it is hearing reports that many US caged birds are being killed by the fumes. It says the chemicals, perfluorinated compounds, are also contaminating both people and wildlife with grave effects. The chemicals industry says it doubts that birds exposed to ordinary levels of the compounds could die from them. BBC
Galloping gout is blamed on fad diets
In the nineteenth century it allowed cartoonists to poke fun at portly old gents with throbbing big toes. Now, however, gout is no laughing matter for a growing band of much younger men and women. Rates of the incurable disease, once synonymous with outrageous, upper-class over-indulgence have more than doubled since the 1950s and experts are predicting a further surge as more people enjoy excessive lifestyles at an early age. While carrying too much weight greatly increases the risk of gout, shedding weight quickly can also spark the condition. Rapid action weight loss plans such as the Atkins diet, which cut out entire food groups, are already precipitating attacks. The Guardian
Farmed salmon loaded with chemicals, study finds
Farmed salmon contains far more toxic chemicals than wild salmon -- high enough to suggest that fish-eaters limit how much they eat, U.S. researchers said on Thursday. Reuters
Sperm counts have dropped by a almost third in 10 years
Male sperm counts have fallen by almost a third since 1989, with factors such as drinking and obesity possibly to blame, according to a British study. AFP
Young males exposed to pesticide endosulfan see delay in sexual maturation
Male school children exposed to the pesticide endosulfan showed delayed sexual maturity compared with similar children who were not exposed, according to a study published today in the December issue of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). Endosulfan also appears to interfere with sex hormone synthesis, according to results of the study of males aged 10-19 years in a community of cashew plantations in northern Kerala, India. Although endosulfan is no longer made in the United States, an estimated 1.4-2.2 million pounds are used in the United States on crops including squash, pecans, and strawberries. EHP Press Release
Cinnamon spice produces healthier blood
Just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics, a new study has found. The effect, which can be produced even by soaking a cinnamon stick your tea, could also benefit millions of non-diabetics who have blood sugar problem but are unaware of it. NewScientist.com
