New York, August 30 (IANS) A new study has found that married people are less likely to experience dementia as they age. On the other hand, divorcees are about twice as likely as married people to develop dementia, the study indicated, with divorced men showing a greater disadvantage than divorced women. "This research is important because the number of unmarried older adults in the US continues to grow. As people live longer and their marital histories become more complex, marit

New Delhi, August 29 (IANS) Tobacco use, particularly smoking, exacts a heavy toll in India every week but the government move to ban e-cigarettes while allowing sale of normal cigarettes does not seem justified, cancer experts said. Addressing a press meet organised by bcbpf-The Cancer Foundation, Riccardo Polosa of the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine at Italy's University of Catania, Ron Borland, Professor of Psychology at the University of Melbourne, and Sameer K

London, August 29 (IANS) Researchers have found that people who drink red wine have an increased gut microbiota diversity as well as lower levels of obesity and bad cholesterol. "Moderate red wine consumption is associated with greater diversity and healthier gut microbiota that partly explain its long-debated beneficial effects on health," said Caroline Le Roy from King's College London. An imbalance of 'good' microbes compared to 'bad' ones in the gut can lead to adverse h

Mumbai, August 29 (IANS) A new study on Wednesday revealed that 70-90 per cent of Indians are Vitamin D deficient and this condition was significantly associated with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension. This finding by P.G. Talwalkar, Diabetologist at Shushrusha Hospital in Mumbai, further confirms that Vitamin D deficiency leads to chronic diseases. "Pregnant women in India have up to 84 per cent prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency, which also correlates with the level of Vita

Sydney, August 28 (IANS) Researchers have discovered how fatty liver disease develops in lean people, aiding the development of potential treatments for these patients. "Lean fatty liver patients have a very distinct metabolism compared to non-lean ones, which can explain some of the differences we see in disease progression," said Jacob George, Professor at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research in Australia. Fatty liver disease - a condition characterised by a build-up of

Sydney, August 28 (IANS) Researchers have isolated one compound in the gland secretions from the Australian white rock sea snail (Dicathasis orbita) which has not only anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities, but important anti-cancer properties. "After a decade of work, we have found an active compound derived from the substance produced by the mollusc's gland which could be used as a preventative in bowel cancer," said senior lead researcher Catherine Abbott from Flinders U

New York, August 28 (IANS) Exercise seems to endow a wealth of benefits, from the release of happiness-inducing hormones to higher physical fitness and now it may provide a boost to the mind too, a new study suggests. The researchers have found that a single bout of exercise improves cognitive functions and working memory in some older people. In experiments that included physical activity, brain scans, and working memory tests, they also found that participants experienced the s

New York, August 28 (IANS) Researchers have found that individuals with greater optimism are more likely to live longer and achieve "exceptional longevity". "While research has identified many risk factors for diseases and premature death, we know relatively less about positive psychosocial factors that can promote healthy aging," said Lewina Lee, Assistant Professor at the Boston University. "This study has strong public health relevance because it suggests that optimism is one

New York, August 26 (IANS) Researchers have found that DNA sustains more damage and gets fixed less often when blood sugar levels are high compared to when blood sugar is at a normal, healthy level, thereby increasing one's cancer risk. "It's been known for a long time that people with diabetes have as much as a 2.5-fold increased risk for certain cancers," said John Termini from City of Hope, a research and treatment center for cancer and diabetes in the US. These cancers includ

New Delhi, August 24 (IANS) In contrast to generally held views about the negative impact of using smartphones, researchers have found that teenagers spending time on their phones and online is not that bad for mental heath. "Contrary to the common belief that smartphones and social media are damaging adolescents' mental health, we don't see much support for the idea that time spent on phones and online is associated with increased risk for mental health problems," said Michaeline J

New Delhi, August 24 (IANS) Pet ownership, especially that of a dog, is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), says a new study. According to Hemant Madan, Director Cardiology, Narayana Superspeciality Hospital in Gurugram, it is a well-observed fact that pet owners tend to have a lower incidence of heart disease. "This is due to several reasons such as lower blood pressure, a better exercise schedule and a lower cholesterol level. Moreover, even after

London, August 24 (IANS) Facial pain may be a symptom of headaches as researchers have found that up to 10 per cent of people with headaches also suffer from facial pain. "Facial pain has not been well recognised as a symptom of headache and some people end up waiting a long time for a proper diagnosis and treatment," said study author Arne May from the University of Hamburg in Germany. "This study shows that facial pain is not uncommon, and for many people their pain occurs main

New York, August 24 (IANS) Drinking pomegranate juice during pregnancy may improve brain development and connectivity in unborn babies. Pomegranate juice is a particularly rich source of polyphenols which are known to cross the blood-brain barrier. Polyphenols, which include tannic acid and ellagitannins, are part of a class of antioxidants found in many foods and beverages, including nuts, berries, red wine and teas. "Our study provides preliminary evidence suggesting potenti

London, August 23 (IANS) If you are popping fish oil supplements to protect yourself against diabetes, you may be mistaken. According to the researchers, Omega-3 fats have little or no effect on risk of Type 2 diabetes. Increased consumption of omega 3 fats is widely promoted because of a common belief that it will protect against, or even reverse, conditions such as diabetes. According to the team from University of East Anglia (UEA), omega 3 supplements offer no benefit. "Ou

 The GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) logo is seen on top of GSK Asia House in Singapore on March 21, 2018. (REUTERS File Photo)     Reuters GlaxoSmithKline's experimental HIV injection is as effective when given every other month as monthly, according to a study, a convenience that could help the British drugmaker in its battle against a rival drug from Gilead Sciences.GSK's two-drug injection was as effective as a monthly dose of the same regimen in maintaining v

Sydney, August 22 (IANS) Exposure to toxic air pollutants is linked to increased deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, warn researchers. Conducted over a 30-year period, the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, analysed data on air pollution and mortality in 652 cities across 24 countries and regions. The researchers found that increases in total deaths are linked to exposure to inhalable particles (PM10) and fine particles (PM2.5) emitted fro

New York, August 22 (IANS) Heavy cigarette smokers can reduce their risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) by 39 per cent within five years if they quit, researchers said. It takes at least five to 10 years and perhaps up to 25 years after quitting, for CVD risk to become as low as that of a person who has never smoked, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). "The cardiovascular system begins to heal relatively quickly after quit

London, August 19 (IANS) People suffering from insomnia might have an increased risk of coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke, says a study. According to researchers, previous observational studies have found an association between insomnia, which affects up to 30 per cent of the general population and an increased risk of developing heart disease and stroke. "These observational studies were unable to determine whether insomnia is a cause, or if it is just associated

New York, August 18 (IANS) A tiny genetic mutation can put people at a higher risk for alcohol or drug addiction, say researchers. COMT is the name of a gene that helps the body manage dopamine, a chemical that is released when a person drinks alcohol or takes a drug like amphetamine. The research by William R. Lovallo from the University of Oklahoma's College of Medicine focused on a small mutation of COMT. People with this mutation of the COMT gene are more vulnerable to the

London, August 17 (IANS) People living with HIV have a significantly elevated risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and coughs, heart disease, pregnancy mortality and sepsis, anemia and bone fractures, according to a study. For the study, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, researchers combined data from 20 separate observational studies and examined 55 different illnesses. They found that people living with HIV are at an increased risk of contra