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: public 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 […]
Car seats are dangerous for sleeping infants
Researchers examining instances where infants and young children died in sitting or carrying devices recommend that parents do not leave their child sleeping in these devices unattended. The team analyzed the records of 47 deaths in the US associated with sitting and carrying devices such as car seats, slings, and bouncers. The analysis showed that […]
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 […]
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 […]
What wind turbine noise does and doesn’t do
While wind turbine noise is annoying and can disturb some people’s sleep, a new Council of Canadian Academies’ report requested by Health Canada concludes that there is no evidence yet for further health effects. The report found no evidence linking wind turbines to hearing loss and inadequate evidence for other health effects such as fatigue, […]
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 […]
Universal pharmacare could save Canada billions each year
Using data quantifying Canadian prescription drug use and spending, researchers believe that Canada could save up to $9.4 billion a year by switching to a universal pharmacare program. The researchers analysed prescription drug data from the 2012-2013 fiscal year and determined that if Canada were to switch to a universal program, the economic savings would […]
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, […]
Hormone therapy and heart diseases
Hormone replacement therapy does not protect post-menopausal women against cardiovascular diseases, an updated meta-analysis shows. Furthermore, hormone therapy does cause a slight increased risk of stroke. The authors of the study took into account new results from clinical trials that lasted between six months and 10 years, in which 40,000 women (mainly over 60 years […]
Incidental findings: What would you want to know?
With next-generation individual genome sequencing for medical reasons comes the ethical issue of uncovering incidental findings about one’s health. Would you like your physician to tell you that you are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease? Responding to an online questionnaire, 1200 Canadians answered that they generally would agree to receive information about high-risk disease disorders […]
