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Total 273 results found since Jan 2013.

Middle age 'starts at 60' claims media
Conclusion This study is an interesting analysis of population data, which shows how looking at figures from a different perspective can change our view. We are used to hearing about "ageing Britain" and how the increasing numbers of older people could be a drain on the country's resources. This study considers whether our definitions of old age are too rigid and need to be revisited. In the paper, the researchers focus on results for Germany, but they have done calculations for 40 European countries, including the UK. This shows that the proportion of people in the UK aged 65 or over, given expected improvement...
Source: NHS News Feed - April 16, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Obesity Source Type: news

UK life expectancy expected to rise to late 80s by 2030
Conclusion This analysis of population data provides some fascinating information about how life expectancy has changed over the past 30 years, and how it may change in the future. It found life expectancy for men and women will continue to rise. However, it also found the existing trends of the difference in life expectancy between different districts will continue to rise, which is of concern. Although the data shows more deprived areas have seen less of an improvement in life expectancy, the study cannot inform us what factors are responsible for the differences in life expectancy. There is one big limitation of any s...
Source: NHS News Feed - April 30, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Medical practice Older people Source Type: news

Children of the 90s more likely to be overweight or obese
Conclusion The study shows how, while the whole population of England has become heavier over the past 70 years, different generations have been affected in different ways. People born in 1946 were, on average, normal weight until their 40s, but this group has since seen their weight rise and they are now, on average, overweight. By the time they reached 60, 75% of men and 66% of women from this group were overweight or obese. People born in 1946 from the heaviest cohorts, who were already overweight in early adulthood, are now likely to be obese or very obese. For people born since 1946, the chance of being overweight a...
Source: NHS News Feed - May 20, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Obesity Pregnancy/child Source Type: news

Five-year 'death test' for older adults launched online
Conclusion This large study has identified numerous risk factors associated with a person's risk of death within five years. Researchers used this information to develop an online tool that predicts someone's risk of death within the next five years. The study's strengths include its large sample size and the prospective nature of the study design. But there are some limitations. There may be some bias in the type of people who volunteered to take part. The death rate was lower than that of the average population in this age group, which may indicate that the participants were more interested in their health and so had he...
Source: NHS News Feed - June 4, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Cancer Lifestyle/exercise Medical practice Source Type: news

Half a handful of nuts a day 'reduces early death risk'
Conclusion This Dutch cohort of middle-aged to elderly adults generally found people were less likely to die in the following 10 years if they ate a small number of nuts a day compared with none. The study has strengths in its large sample size and that cause of death was followed up for the full cohort using valid medical codes. However, there are various points to bear in mind before we jump to the conclusion that nuts are the magic ingredient that will slash our risk of death. No clear trends It is difficult to draw any clear interpretations about how nut consumption may be associated with risk of death overall or fr...
Source: NHS News Feed - June 12, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Food/diet Cancer Heart/lungs Diabetes Source Type: news

Study finds obese people may struggle to reach a healthy weight
ConclusionThis research makes use of a general practice database providing just under 10 years of BMI observations for a large, nationally representative UK sample. It demonstrates that low proportions of people in the obese categories were able to achieve a normal BMI over a year of follow-up, and the common problem of weight cycling. However, there are points to consider when interpreting these results: The probability of obtaining a normal BMI over a year was very low: only 1 in 210 for men and 1 in 124 for women in the "simple obese" category of 30 to 35kg/m2, and much lower than that for the higher categor...
Source: NHS News Feed - July 20, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Food/diet Obesity Source Type: news

Is there really a middle-class drinking 'epidemic' in over-50s?
Conclusion This study showed that higher-risk drinking was linked to a number of factors the researchers described as "middle-class", like higher educational attainment, being socially active and good ratings of health. Professor Jose Iparraguirre, author of the research, said in the Guardian: "Because this group is typically healthier than other parts of the older population, they might not realise that what they are doing is putting their health in danger". There are a few reasons to be cautious with these findings. The study produced a lot of results, so there is a risk some were chance findings. Thi...
Source: NHS News Feed - July 24, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Older people Food/diet Source Type: news

Could eating spicy food help you live longer?
ConclusionThis large, well-designed observational study adds to the evidence that certain spices such as chilli pepper may have a beneficial effect on health. But this study does have limitations that need to be taken into account.The study found that people in China who ate a diet that included spicy food (mainly from chilli peppers) at least once a week were less likely to die during the study period than those who ate spicy food less often. These results applied to men and women, even after taking account of factors that affect the risk of death, such as age. The study is part of an ongoing investigation into the effect...
Source: NHS News Feed - August 5, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Food/diet Neurology Source Type: news

A 15-minute daily walk 'will help you live longer' says study
Conclusion This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate whether doing less exercise than the recommended activity levels was still effective in reducing the risk of dying early among adults aged 60 or over. The study found physical activity even below the recommended amount reduced mortality in this group. However, higher levels of physical activity were associated with an even lower risk of dying early. This study has strengths in its systematic review methods, the fact it searched the literature for studies published over 20 years that assessed the effects of physical activity, and that it only includ...
Source: NHS News Feed - August 4, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Lifestyle/exercise Source Type: news

New brain diet 'slows mental decline'
ConclusionThis observational study aimed to investigate the relationship between the MIND diet and its protective properties for mental decline in an older population. The study has several strengths, including the large sample size, long observational period of up to nine years, regular annual assessment of cognitive functions, and comprehensive assessment of diet. However, one of the main limitations is that this type of study cannot show cause and effect – it can only show an association between the diet and slower mental decline. There may be other unmeasured factors that account for the results, such as genetics, ...
Source: NHS News Feed - August 6, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Food/diet Neurology Source Type: news

E-cigarettes '95% less harmful than smoking' says report
"E-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than tobacco and could be prescribed on the NHS in future to help smokers quit," BBC News reports. This is the main finding of an evidence review (PDF, 485kb) carried out by Public Health England, a government agency that aims to protect and improve the nation's health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. What are e-cigarettes?Most e-cigarettes contain a battery, an atomiser and a replaceable cartridge. The cartridge contains nicotine in a solution of either propylene glycol or glycerine and water, and sometimes flavourings. When you suck on the device, a sensor d...
Source: NHS News Feed - August 19, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Lifestyle/exercise QA articles Source Type: news

Is incense smoke more dangerous than tobacco smoke?
Conclusion This laboratory study found smoke from burning incense can produce fine particles and chemical compounds of a type that may irritate the lungs and damage health. This is not surprising, as most types of smoke indoors produces fine particles that are likely to have this effect, whether from cooking, smoking tobacco, or burning incense. The suggestion that incense smoke might be more harmful than cigarette smoke needs to be treated with caution. The four incense stick samples had different effects when tested for the ability to mutate cell DNA and toxicity to cells. These were compared with just one cigarette. ...
Source: NHS News Feed - August 26, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cancer Heart/lungs Source Type: news

Standing 'no healthier than sitting'
Conclusion This cohort study aimed to assess the association between sitting time and overall risk of death in a large sample of UK civil servants with a follow-up period of 16 years. The results showed no association between sitting time and risk of death. The results of this study have relevance for policy makers and employers to promote recommended daily physical activity. While this study reports some interesting findings, the results should be interpreted with some caution because of the study's limitations. The study does have strengths in its large sample size, long duration of follow-up period, and examination ...
Source: NHS News Feed - October 13, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Source Type: news

Warning about middle-aged drinking and dementia
"Middle-aged people should curb their drinking to reduce their risk of developing dementia, new guidance suggests," reports the Daily Mirror. The new guidance highlights that people aged 40 to 64 who regularly drink alcohol have an increased risk of dementia. Who produced the guidance?The guidance was produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). NICE is a government body that provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care. What issues does the guidance look at?The guidance is based on the well-established principle that positive lifestyle changes tha...
Source: NHS News Feed - October 21, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Food/diet QA articles Older people Neurology Source Type: news

Living near an airport 'may be bad for your health'
Conclusion This study aimed to assess the link between pollution from air traffic and health outcomes. Researchers used a number of data sources, finding an association between levels of carbon monoxide and hospitalisation rates for respiratory and heart-related issues. Perhaps worryingly, these effects were observed at lower levels of carbon monoxide exposure than the allowed amounts found in Environmental Protection Agency mandates. However, this study does have a number of limitations: Air traffic data was only from passenger aircrafts. The focus was only on the population within 10km of the airport. We don't k...
Source: NHS News Feed - October 21, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Lifestyle/exercise Source Type: news