Switching from driving to work to walking, cycling, or taking public transit may help commuters lose weight according to an observational study. By analyzing responses to the British Household Panel Survey from 2004-2007, researchers have found making the switch results in an average weight loss of one kg. The longer the commute the stronger the associated […]
Tag: health
The Cost of Smoking: A Manitoba Study
Cigarette smoking costs Manitoba’s public healthcare system an extra $244 million a year, according to a new study from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. The report also shows that the percentage of Manitobans who smoke is steadily dropping. In 1989, 22% of Manitobans smoked daily and 65% were casual or former smokers. By 2011, these […]
Physicians and veterinarians should collaborate to make pet owners healthier
A group of physicians is recommending certain precautions and greater collaboration between veterinarians and physicians to reduce the risk of diseases associated with owning a pet. Pets are a potential source for more than 70 human diseases yet the researchers who reviewed existing studies found that physicians generally fail to regularly discuss the […]
Smoking, respiratory health and Canada’s aboriginal people
Aboriginal peoples living in Alberta have a greater risk of developing a major respiratory disorder than non-Aboriginals, according to a new research. The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), mainly caused by smoking, between 2002 and 2010 in Alberta in people 35 years and older were higher for First Nations (11 per cent), Inuits (nine […]
Could maple syrup help cut use of antibiotics?
An extract of maple syrup makes certain dangerous bacteria, such as E. coli, more susceptible to antibiotics, a McGill study has found. The researchers found maple syrup is a rich source of phenolic compounds which are capable of repressing a number of bacterial genes linked to antibiotic resistance. While this is just a first step, […]
Scientists genetically modify human embryos
In a world first, scientists have reported editing the genomes of human embryos. Chinese researchers using ‘non-viable’ embryos which cannot result in a live birth in order to attempt to modify the gene responsible for a potentially fatal blood disorder called β-thalassaemia. They used a gene-editing technique known as CRISPR/Cas9 (pronounced ‘crisper’) which allows you to […]
A new test to confirm heart attacks within one hour
A study has shown a new test can almost always determine if a patient suffered a heart attack within the first hour of it occurring. The study examined 1320 patients presenting to emergency departments and accurately diagnosed 75 per cent of the patients. The remaining 318 patients were placed in the “observational zone”, and 59 […]
Monitoring a new avian influenza strain in B.C.
Canadian researchers will launch a novel project to shed light on the source of a deadly H5N2 strain responsible for the death and destruction of approximately 240,000 birds in B.C between December 2014 to January 2015. The project funded by Genome BC, Genome Canada, Agriculture Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will seek to […]
HPV vaccination of boys could be cost-effective
A new study shows that vaccinating 12-year-old boys against the human papillomavirus (HPV) may be a cost-effective strategy for preventing cancers that start at the back of the throat and mouth, and involve the tonsils and base of the tongue. The disease is known as oropharyngeal cancer. Researchers used a statistical model and estimate […]
Allergies move from patient to patient through blood transfusions
Anecdotal evidence has shown that allergies can sometimes be transferred between patients through blood and plasma transfusions. Researchers believe transfusions can temporarily cause food-based allergies in recipients, however they are so rare they do not believe that individuals with existing allergies should be excluded as donors. As a recent example, an eight-year-old boy in Toronto […]
Why are the Dutch so tall?
The Dutch are currently the tallest people on earth, but 200 years ago they were among the shortest. A new study tries to explain how the Dutch population has grown 20 cm in average height in less than two centuries. Researchers observed in the Netherlands that taller men and average height women had more children […]
Human or cow? Breast milk from the Internet is not always what it appears to be
Human breast milk bought on the Internet is not always pure human breast milk according to a new American study. Parents purchase human breast milk from the Internet to help supplement their supply, and in some cases the parents are purchasing milk for infants with sensitivities to cows milk or formula. Researchers tested 102 samples […]
Damaged tau is the main cause behind Alzheimer’s disease
The main cause of Alzheimer’s disease is a dysfunctional protein according to a study of over 3,600 post-mortem brains. It was previously unknown if damaged or dysfunctional protein known as tau or amyloid build-up was the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease. A research team behind the new study believes that tau is Alzheimer’s primary cause. […]
Cough medicine could help diabetic patients
Dextromethorphan, sold in Canada as an ingredient of the over-the-counter cough medicine Robitussin and Bronchophan Forte DM, could help in regulating type 2 diabetes according to a new study. In mice, this medicine was found to improve glucose control, while in a small human clinical trial (20 men with Type 2 diabetes) the researchers found it […]
No deaths from acute kidney injury by 2025
Preventable deaths caused by acute kidney injury (also known as acute renal failure) could be eliminated in just 10 years according to an international commission of kidney experts. This condition, which sees an abrupt loss of kidney function within a week, affects 20 per cent of North Americans admitted to hospitals, around 13 million […]
Healthy life, healthy mind
Healthy eating, exercising, and brain-training may be able to slow down cognitive decline in at risk individuals according to a new study. Researchers performed a randomised control trial of 1,260 people between 60 and 77 years old who were considered at risk for dementia. Individuals in the control group were given only regular health advice, […]
