Revolutionary health care innovations, such as the first blood test for preeclampsia and the FDA approval of a drug that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, made headlines this week. But a series of interesting studies have also shed new light on a variety of important topics, from the dangers of loneliness to the risks parents took during baby formula shortages. Here are some of the top health stories you might have missed this week from Yahoo News partners.
‘We should not underestimate the importance of loneliness on physical and emotional health’
In a study of more than 18,000 diabetic adults in the United Kingdom, researchers found that loneliness “may be a greater risk factor for heart disease in patients with diabetes than poor diet, smoking, lack of exercise or depression,” reported the Insider.
O study, published last Thursday, followed diabetic patients without a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and used questionnaires to assess loneliness. Over 10 years, researchers found that the odds of developing cardiovascular disease were 11% to 26% higher in patients with higher loneliness scores, with a response of “never or almost never being able to trust anyone” qualifying. as a high-risk characteristic.
The researchers also looked at social isolation as a possible risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but found that these scores were “not significantly related to any of the cardiovascular outcomes.”
“We should not underestimate the importance of loneliness on physical and emotional health,” said Dr. Lu Qi, one of the study’s authors and professor at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, he said. “I would encourage diabetes patients who feel lonely to join a group or class and try to make friends with people who have common interests.”
Nearly Half of US Parents Turned to Unsafe Feeding Methods During Baby Formula Shortage, Study Finds
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that nearly half of parents who relied on formula to feed their babies turned to unsafe feeding methods during the spring 2022 formula shortage, Salon reported this week.
The search, published last month, looked at infant feeding practices during the infant formula shortage, which was caused by a combination of pandemic-era supply chain issues and a recall of Abbott Nutrition infant formula. Abbott supplies more than 40% of baby formula in the US, and at the time the survey was conducted in May 2022, some states had out-of-stock rates of 90%. Researchers found that unsafe feeding practices – which included “diluted formula, using expired formula, using homemade formula, or using human milk from informally shared resources” – increased from 8% before the shortage to nearly 50% during the peak shortage. .
“Using expired formula is not safe because the nutrients in the formula can degrade over time and this in itself can interfere with infant growth and development,” the study said. lead author Jennifer Smilowitz told Salon. “Informal purchasing of human milk – that is, sharing milk, whether online or with friends and family, versus purchasing pasteurized milk from donors – is not safe because it can introduce health and safety risks.”
“These practices may seem harmless when we think about an adult’s diet, but we need to remember that babies need a very specific balance of nutrients to grow and develop,” he added.
Men with more cardiovascular fitness have a lower risk of deadly cancer, according to new study
Men with greater cardiorespiratory fitness have a lower risk of dying from lung, colon, or prostate cancer, as well as a lower chance of developing lung or colon cancer, Insider reported.
Research published last Thursday by the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences measured VO2 max – or the ability to use oxygen during exercise — of 177,709 Swedish men, and followed them for almost 10 years. Even after adjusting for lifestyle factors such as diet and smoking habits, those with at least moderate VO2 max scores were less likely to develop or die from certain cancers common in men, compared to those with higher scores. lower, even though data showed they were less likely to develop or die from certain types of cancer common in men. slightly higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
Types of exercise that can improve cardiovascular health over time include walking, running, swimming and cycling, Insider said.
Drinking water from nearly half of U.S. taps may contain cancer-causing chemicals
A study released Wednesday by the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that at least one type of “forever chemicals” – synthetic compounds known collectively as PFAS – can be found in about 45% of tap water samples in the U.S. Previous studies of these chemicals have found links to certain types of cancer, including kidney, liver and pancreatic cancer, as well as other health problems such as reproductive problems, weight gain and weakened childhood immunity.
The report was based on samples collected between 2016 and 2021 from taps in 716 locations, “including 447 that depend on public supply and 269 that use private wells”. The types of locations used for sampling included homes in urban and rural areas, schools, offices, and national parks. “The heaviest exposures occurred in cities close to potential sources of the compounds,” the Associated Press reported.
The report doesn’t make any policy recommendations, but the information “can be used to assess exposure risk and inform decisions about whether or not you want to treat your drinking water, test it, or get more information from your state” about the situation locally. , said lead author Kelly Smalling.
