Health

Low humidity is a key reason behind people falling sick and even dying from flu during the winter months, says a study. Decreased humidity lowers the immune system’s defences against flu infection, says a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It offers an insight into why the flu is more prevalent when the air is dry. For ...

While mental health still remains a taboo as far as mainstream discussions are concerned, researchers are constantly trying to zero down every possible root cause of it. A recent study has identified 70 previously unknown genes that contribute to people developing serious mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). As part of the study, a team of ...

Deaths from heart and circulatory diseases among people under 75 are on the rise for the first time in 50 years, UK figures show. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) says increasing rates of diabetes and obesity are partly responsible. In 2017 there were 42,384 deaths in under-75s from heart and circulatory conditions, up from 41,042 in 2014.The charity says the ...

A study found that men who delay in starting a family can affect the health of their partners as well as the children in future. The study was published in the journal, ‘Maturitas’. The study reviewed 40 years of research on the effect of parental age on fertility, pregnancy and the health of children. “While it is widely accepted that ...

Hepatology experts underscored the need for maximum caution while drinking water to avoid outbreak of jaundice caused by the contamination of Hepatitis-E virus. According to a research carried out by a team, led by Hepatology Society President Professor Mobin Khan, outbreak of jaundice is a common phenomenon from May to September each year in Bangladesh. “A good number of outbreaks ...

  Pregnancy-related deaths are rising in the United States and the main risk factor is being black, according to new reports that highlight racial disparities in care during and after childbirth. Black women, along with Native Americans and Alaska natives, are three times more likely to die before, during or after having a baby, and more than half of these ...

The effects of social media use on teenage life satisfaction are limited and probably “tiny”, a study of 12,000 UK adolescents suggests. Family, friends and school life all had a greater impact on wellbeing, says the University of Oxford research team. It claims its study is more in-depth and robust than previous ones.And it urged companies to release data on ...

People with Type 2 Diabetes (TED) should opt for eggs for breakfast, a recent study suggests. According to the findings, a high-fat, low-carb breakfast (LCBF) can help those with T2D control blood sugar levels throughout the day. “The large blood sugar spike that follows breakfast is due to the combination of pronounced insulin resistance in the morning in people with ...

A new study has suggested that common oral infection in childhood is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis in adulthood. Atherosclerosis is a disease of the arteries characterised by the deposition of fatty material on their inner walls. “The observation is novel since there are no earlier follow-up studies on childhood oral infections and the ...

    Following hospital and patient feedback indicating that some Muslims stop using their eye drops during Ramadan (5 May – 4 June) putting their vision at risk, a campaign has been launched by the International Glaucoma Association (IGA) to advise on how to put in eye drops without breaking the fast. The IGA reports that some Muslim glaucoma patients ...