Health & Food

Dec 25: A premature infant, born more than 3 weeks before the due date, has narrowed upper airways as compared to newborn peers carried to full term. Premature birth leaves these children more susceptible to disordered breathing while sleeping, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), an ailment characterized by increased upper-airway resistance that narrows airways. "In addition to finding some...

London, Dec 24: Santa Claus is adored by youngsters the world over, but he could be setting a bad example when it comes to his physical health and mental well being, according to UK doctors. Centuries of sherry-drinking, eating mince pies and working night shifts could be putting Santa Claus at serious health risk, according to the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGPs) - a professional...

Washington D.C, Dec 23: Parents' please-take-note! Just one egg a day given to babies aged between six and nine months for six months, may boost their brain development, a new research suggests. According to researchers, one egg increases a child's choline and DHA levels, both of which are significant for brain health. Eggs deliver their nutrients in a holistic package, or "food matrix," which...

Melbourne, Dec 23: Taking folic acid in late pregnancy may increase the risk of allergies in offspring affected by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), a study warns. Folic acid, a type of B vitamin, has been shown to prevent defects in the neural tube - the precursor to the central nervous system - in a developing foetus. The neural tube develops in the first month of pregnancy; medical...

Dec 21: Eating one serving of leafy greens per day may stave off memory loss in old age and keep the brain more youthful, according to new research. The difference found between elderly people who ate greens and those who did not was stunning: the equivalent of being 11 years younger in age, said the study, published in the journal Neurology. While the research was based on survey responses and...

Dec 20: Brain lesions can make people prone to committing crimes if they occur within the network responsible for morality and value-based decision-making, a study has found. The study, published in the journal PNAS, is the first systemic mapping of brain lesions associated with criminal behaviour - a medical phenomena referred to as acquired sociopathy. Famous cases of acquired sociopathy include...

Los Angeles, Dec 15: Drinking a cup of hot tea at least once a day may significantly lower risk of developing glaucoma - a serious eye condition, a study suggests. However, drinking decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated tea, iced tea and soft drinks do not seem to make any difference to glaucoma risk, said researchers from the University of California in the US. Glaucoma causes fluid...

New York Dec 15: An estimated 15.6 million abortions took place in India in 2015, with the majority of women taking pills at home without adequate counselling, according to a study which found that about half of the pregnancies in the country were unintended. Published in The Lancet Global Health, the first national study of the incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy in India found that 15...

Mumbai, Dec 13: Fifty one per cent mobile users in India glance at their phones at least every ten minutes without being prompted by a notification, a survey has revealed. The KPMG survey report titled 'Me, My Life, My Wallet: A New Customer Engagement Framework', also said that almost 57 per cent people in the country would rather lose their phone than their wallet compared to 61 per cent in UK...

Dec 12: A new study adds to growing evidence that exposure to air pollution before conception or even during the first month during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects in children. Although the increased risk is modest, the potential impact on a population basis is noteworthy because all pregnant women have some amount of exposure. "The most susceptible time of exposure appears to be the...