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Five-minute scan 'can predict cognitive decline'
A five-minute scan could be used to spot people at risk of dementia before symptoms appear, researchers claim.
Scientists used ultrasound scanners to look at blood vessels in the necks of more than 3,000 people and monitored them over the next 15 years.
They found those with the most intense pulses went on to experience greater cognitive decline over the next decade than the other study part... |
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Are supplements safe and do they work?
The story of a man who ended up needing a liver transplant after taking green tea capsules has brought the topic of dietary supplements back into the news. What are some of the dangers of supplements and what are the health benefits?
When Jim McCants started taking green tea pills he had hoped he was giving his health a shot in the arm.
Instead, it appears the pills caused such serious damag... |
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Children 'should be weighed up to age 18', report says
Children and young people up to 18 should have their weight and body mass index (BMI) recorded every year, says a report by child health experts.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says England is falling behind other countries on obesity, mental health and infant deaths.
It predicts rising health problems by 2030 without changes in policy.
An NHS England spokeswoman said t... |
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HIV/Aids: China reports 14% surge in new cases
China has announced a 14% jump in the number of its citizens who are living with HIV and Aids.
More than 820,000 people are affected in the country, health officials say. About 40,000 new cases were reported in the second quarter of 2018 alone.
The vast majority of new cases were transmitted through sex, marking a change from the past.
Traditionally, HIV spread rapidly through some parts ... |
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'Don't go cold turkey' to quit smoking
Smokers looking to quit as part of the annual Stoptober campaign are being warned not to go "cold turkey".
Government health officials have said smokers stand a much greater chance of succeeding giving up by using official NHS support or turning to e-cigarettes.
Research has shown only 4% of those who go "cold turkey" remain smoke-free after a year.
But turning to nicotine replacement the... |
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How your heart age is key to heart attack or stroke risk
Public Health England is urging people over 30 to take an online test to find out their heart age, which indicates if they are at increased risk of suffering a heart attack or a stroke.
They predict about 80% of heart attacks and strokes in people under 75 could be prevented if heart health was improved.
Unhealthy lifestyles put four in five adults at risk of early death, they estimate.
P... |
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No alcohol safe to drink, global study confirms
Bad news for those who enjoy what they think is a healthy glass of wine a day.
A large new global study published in the Lancet has confirmed previous research which has shown that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
The researchers admit moderate drinking may protect against heart disease but found that the risk of cancer and other diseases outweighs these protections.
A study... |
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Why stealthy viruses are making you ill
A trick used by viruses to make us sick - "stealth spheres" - has been discovered by scientists.
It had been thought viruses were all lone wolves, each on a solo campaign of infection.
Instead they can form "packs" of up to 40 viruses and surround themselves with a fatty sphere that makes them invisible to our body's defences.
The team at the US National Institutes of Health say their fin... |
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Optician's eye test 'could spot early dementia signs'
A simple eye test carried out by opticians could help predict who is at risk of developing dementia, a study suggests.
The test is usually done to spot early signs of eye disease, by looking at tissue at the back of the eye - the retina.
Now scientists have found people with thinner retinas are more likely to have problems with memory and reasoning.
Researchers believe the test could be u... |
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'Dangerous complacency' to global HIV epidemic risks resurgence
A "dangerous complacency" in the response to the global HIV pandemic is risking a resurgence of the disease, according to a report.
Experts said a stalling of HIV funding in recent years was endangering efforts to control the illness.
As things stand, the world is no longer on course to end the pandemic by 2030 - a target agreed by UN member states, say experts in The Lancet.
They call fo... |
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