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Business News/ Mint-lounge / Features/  Cutting sugar can improve health in 10 days
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Cutting sugar can improve health in 10 days

People who spend more time in front of TV are more likely to die from diabetes and liver disease and Twitter can help medical practitioners in treating their patients better studies and research tips for a healthier you

Photo: iStockphotoPremium
Photo: iStockphoto

Restricted intake of sugar is the key to good health

Controlled sugar consumption without reducing calories can make overweight children healthier in 10 days, claims research. Researchers examined 43 obese children in the age group of 9-19 with at least one chronic metabolic condition. Their sugar intake was restricted for nine days and they were given food, snacks and beverages free from added sugar. On the 10th day, the sugar level reduced from 28% to 10%, while fructose level came down from 12% to 4%. “The study shows that sugar is metabolically harmful not because of its calories or its effects on weight; rather sugar is metabolically harmful because it’s sugar," said the study’s lead author Dr. Robert Lustig. The research was published in the journal Obesity. Read more here.

People drink more when they are smoking

People who smoke while drinking are more likely to consume more alcohol, claims a new research. Researchers from University of Missouri School of Medicine carried out a research to find out why smoking is so popular with people who drink and found that nicotine when taken with alcohol acts as a stimulant and negates the sleep-inducing effects caused by drinking. “We have found that nicotine weakens the sleep-inducing effects of alcohol by stimulating a response in an area of the brain known as the basal forebrain. By identifying the reactions that take place when people smoke and drink, we may be able to use this knowledge to help curb alcohol and nicotine addiction," said lead author and associate professor Dr. Mahesh Thakkar. The research was published by the Journal of Neurochemistry. Read more here.

Twitter can offer valuable insights about patients

Twitter can be used as a valuable feedback tool for medical professionals trying to improve patient experience, claims a new study. Researchers from Australia studied 464 tweets related to MRI (Magnetic Image Resonance) over one month. They found that patients were sharing their entire MRI experience, from appointment, scan and diagnosis, with their friends and family members on Twitter. Patients also expressed anxiety about many aspects of the process including the sound made by the MRI machine, feeling of claustrophobia and the possibility of a bad result. Researchers believe stress-related anxiety is an important clinical consideration for MRI referrers. The study was published in the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences. Read more here.

Too much of TV is bad for health

A new research has found evidence that links the hours spent in front of TV with eight leading causes of death such as diabetes, influenza, parkinson’s disease and liver disease. Researchers from National Cancer Institute, US, believe watching TV is an indicator of overall physical inactivity, and too much of it increases the risk of death. Researchers examined data provided on 2,21,000 healthy men and women in the age group of 50-71 years and found that the risk of death due to the eight causes was 15% more in individuals who spent three to four hours in front of TV and 47% more in those who spent seven hours and more in front of TV, in comparison to those who watched TV for less than an hour. The research was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Read more here.

Flavoured tobacco leads to smoking

A study shows most of the smokers start with tobacco products flavoured with menthol, mint, chocolate, candy and other sweets. Researchers examined data from a 2013-14 study involving 46,000 American adults and teenagers in the age group of 12-17. The participants were asked whether the first tobacco product they had was flavoured or not. Out of the 13,651 teens, 2,900 reported using a tobacco product and 50% of them said the first tobacco product they had used was flavoured. Many of the teenage participants said that they used e-cigarettes, hookahs, cigars and smokeless tobacco, because they were flavoured. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read more here.

Compiled by Abhijit Ahaskar

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Published: 28 Oct 2015, 01:27 PM IST
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