timesofmalta.com

Drink link to child balance probed

Claire Hayhurst, PA — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:42:00 +0200

Drinking in moderation through pregnancy does not harm a baby’s neurodevelopment – but this could be because affluent mothers are more likely to do so, according to new research. Children whose mothers consumed the equivalent of a glass of wine a day were able to balance as well as those who had not been exposed to alcohol in the womb. Almost 7,000 10-year-olds were asked to take part in balance tests, which are an indicator of prenatal neurodevelopment. The drinking habits of their mothers had been recorded during and after pregnancy, with those who drank three to seven glasses of alcohol a week classed as moderate drinkers. Social advantage could be a large factor in the findings, as the research found mothers who were more affluent and better educated were more likely to drink in moderation. Mothers from a working-class background were more likely to abstain from alcohol through pregnancy, to drink heavily or binge drink. The study, which has been published by the journal BMJ Open, was led by John Macleod, from the University of Bristol’s School of Social and Community Medicine. “Most of the women in this study either didn’t drink at all or if they did drink, they didn’t drink...

Red meat linked to diabetes risk

PA — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:25:00 +0200

Eating larger amounts of red meat can heighten the chances of developing diabetes, researchers have found. Raising consumption by more than half a serving a day was associated with a 48 per cent increase in risk over the next four years. Lowering red meat consumption by the same amount led to a 14 per cent reduction in risk. Scientists analysed data from three studies involving around 150,000 men and women. Diets were assessed by means of food questionnaires. The researchers recorded more than 7,500 cases of type 2 diabetes. “Increasing red meat intake during a four year interval was associated with an elevated risk of T2DM (type 2 diabetes mellitus) during the subsequent four years..” the authors, led by An Pan, from the National University of Singapore, wrote in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. “Our results confirm the robustness of the association between red meat and T2DM and add further evidence that limiting red meat consumption over time confers benefits for T2DM prevention.” Commenting on the research in the journal, US expert William Evans, from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, wrote: “A recommendation to consume less red meat may help to reduce the epidemic...

Pollution ‘increases autism risk’

John von Radowitz, PA — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:02:00 +0200

Exposure to traffic fumes and industrial air pollution can dramatically increase a mother's chances of having a child with autism, research has shown. A large US study found that the risk was doubled for women living in the most polluted locations. “Our findings raise concerns since, depending on the pollutant, 20 per cent to 60 per cent of the women in our study lived in areas where risk of autism was elevated,” said lead scientist Andrea Roberts, from the Harvard School of Public Health. Autism, a developmental disorder that interferes with social and communication skills, affects around 500,000 people in the UK. It covers a “spectrum” of conditions that may be mild or very severe, requiring round-the-clock care. For the new study, researchers identified 325 women who had a child with autism and 22,000 who had children without the disorder. Data collected by the US Environmental Protection Agency was used to assess pollution exposure in the areas where the women lived. The scientists found a clear link between being pregnant somewhere with high levels of pollution and having an autistic child. Diesel and mercury pollution showed the strongest link. Women living in the top fifth...

Warning over heartburn symptom risk

John von Radowitz, PA — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:30:00 +0200

People who treat and forget persistent heartburn using over-the-counter remedies could be putting their lives at risk, according to experts. Doctors warned that anyone suffering symptoms of acid reflux, or heartburn, continuously for more than three weeks should be investigated for potential oesophageal cancer. Evidence suggests that obesity and acid reflux are key factors behind rising rates of the disease, one of the deadliest cancers. In the past 30 years the number of people diagnosed each year with oesophageal cancer in the UK has doubled to around 8,400. Men are three times more likely than women to develop the disease, which is often diagnosed late and has shocking rates of survival. Even with the best care, patients only live three months on average and just 13 per cent survive five years or more. Oesophageal cancer affects the oesophagus, or gullet, that links the throat and stomach. Experts are still trying to understand what is fuelling the rise in oesophageal cancer, and seeking new ways of tackling it. The trend is mostly due to one form of the disease called adenocarcinoma oesophageal cancer which is strongly linked to obesity and acid reflux. Both these conditions...