Lazy people’s new workout tool: the mobile
Heart attack in women can be more fatal and playground paints pose serious health risk to children studies and research tips for a healthier you
Heart attacks can be more dangerous for women than men
A new study shows that the underlying causes and symptoms of heart attacks are different in women from men, warns a research. Failure to spot and treat them on time can lead to life-threatening situations. The study found that while men experience chest pain before or during a heart attack, women are more likely to have unusual symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, back or neck pain. Though heart attacks in both genders occur due to blockages in the main arteries, the way the clots develop may differ. Also, women tend to be about a decade older and frailer than men when they suffer a heart attack, which further complicates treatment. The study appeared in journal Circulation. Read more here.
Mobile phone prompts can motivate lazy people to move around more
Using a smartphone to send out regular reminders to people can help lessen sedentary behaviour in people, a US study shows. To find out if smartphone interventions can influence sedentary behaviour, researchers from the University of Oklahoma asked volunteers to wear accelerometers and carry smartphones for seven consecutive days. Participants who spent more than two hours sitting on a daily basis received a message which emphasised that sitting for a long time is bad. It was found that in the participants who received the daily messages sedentary time had come down and daily movement time had gone up by 25 minutes. The study points out that sedentary behaviour is responsible for weight gain, higher BMI, obesity and several cancers. The study appears in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Read more here.
Internet addiction can distance youngsters from family
College students who spend too much time browsing the Internet are more likely to feel disconnected from their family members, claims a study. Researchers from Georgia State University followed 27 university students who spent more than 25 hours in a week on Internet. The students were having more conflicts with other family members living under the same roof, family conflict and disconnectedness when family members were all together. Researchers believe it is a behavioural addiction with characteristics similar to substance abuse. It can lead to depression, hostility, attention deficit, social phobia, alcohol abuse and sleep difficulties. College students are more vulnerable to it as they have more free time and free Internet access. The study was published in the journal PLoS ONE. Read more here.
Playground paint can be harmful for children
Paints on equipment used in playgrounds contain up to 40 times more than the recommended levels of lead, warns a British study. This poses a significant health risk to children. Researchers from Plymouth University tested the metallic content of paints on equipment in more than 50 playgrounds and found dangerous levels of lead, chromium, antimony and cadmium in them. The highest concentrations of lead, chromium and antimony generally occurred in yellow or red paints. Researchers suggested that playground equipment should be monitored regularly for flaking and cracking paint, and paint in poor condition should be carefully removed and repainted with lead-free paint. The study was published in the journal Science of the Total Environment. Read more here.
Compiled by Abhijit Ahaskar
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