Category: Health alert
Family, peers influence teens’ e-cigarette use
Teens are more likely to use electronic cigarettes if their friends and family view them as cool or acceptable, a new study suggests. E-cigarettes, first introduced in China in 2004, are battery-powered devices that let users inhale nicotine-infused vapors. “There […]
Two drinks per day may be harmful to elderly hearts
Elderly people who drank two or more alcoholic drinks per day had hearts with thicker walls and larger pumping chambers, and possibly reduced heart function, researchers say. Alcohol may protect against problems like heart attacks, said senior author Dr. Scott […]
New study backs risk estimate for contraceptive pills
The broadest study of its kind on Wednesday backed estimates that newer kinds of contraceptive pills carry a higher risk of dangerous blood clots. But it also confirmed past advice that the risk is very low in real terms and […]
Toxic co-workers linked to worse mental health for college students
Working college students were more likely to have mental health problems if they had toxic relationships with co-workers than if they were on friendly terms with colleagues in a small new U.S. study. “If you think about a typical 24-hour […]
Soybean oil leads to weight gain
Sugar has been blasted in recent years for its link to obesity and a slew of health problems, but now experts say the food world has a new problem child: Soybean oil. Soybean oil, considered a “healthier” alternative to some […]
Health specialists call for US$2 billion global fund for vaccines
Global health experts called on Wednesday for the creation of a US$2 billion vaccine development fund to feed a pipeline of potential new shots against priority killer diseases like Ebola, MERS and the West Nile virus. The fund would help […]
E-cigarettes just as addictive as traditional ones: researchers
Their findings revealed that the nicotine was mainly found in its most addictive form, known as “free-base” — the only one of three kinds that is actually absorbed by the body. While electronic cigarettes are seen by many as a […]
Sudden cardiac arrest more likely in African-Americans
Black Americans are more likely to suffer sudden cardiac arrest than their white counterparts, a new study suggests. Black participants in the new study were also more likely to suffer cardiac arrest at a younger age than whites and to […]
More evidence smoking raises risk of death from breast cancer
Long-time smokers may face an increased risk of death if they develop breast cancer, according to a Japanese study that adds to a growing body of evidence highlighting the lethal effects of cigarettes. Among more than 800 women with breast […]
Fear of side effects, and whether it’s ‘halal’ dissuade some parents from vaccinating their children
By Mohani Niza There have been debates worldwide about whether vaccinations are safe, with some claiming that it causes autism. The debate happens here as well, but with a twist: some parents have adamantly been against vaccinating their children out […]
