Health Scares | Updated | 19 April 2007

Health wars: the phantom menace?

Another year another series of health scares. What are they going to frighten us to death with in 2007? Following our well publicised 'audit of health scares', first published in December 2001, FOREST Online continues to record the latest threats to our well-being. Those of a nervous disposition should look away now ...

HRT: Women who take hormone replacement therapy are at a greater risk of developing ovarian cancer and dying from the disease, say scientists. However, critics accused the researchers of "replacing science with sensationalism" and urged women not to stop taking the treatment.

Source: Daily Telegraph (19 April 2007)

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BLOOD PRESSURE: International health experts have warned that the pace of daily living is raising the incidence of high blood pressure, or hypertension, and threatening a global epidemic of cardiovascular disease.

Source: Scotsman (19 April 2007)

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FISH: More evidence has emerged suggesting a link between pollutants found in oily fish and type two diabetes...However, experts have said that the study is far from conclusive.

Source: BBC News (12 April 2007)

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BEING SPIDERMAN: With the new Spiderman 3 movie out in a matter of weeks, doctors are warning parents of imaginative young boys that unrealistic expectations can lead to serious injuries.

Source: Scotland on Sunday (8 April 2007)

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RED MEAT: Women who frequently eat small amounts of red meat could be massively increasing their chances of developing breast cancer, researchers say.

Source: Daily Mail (4 March 2007)

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MOVING FURNITURE: Employees at the Health and Safety Executive have been banned from shifting furniture in case they injure themselves. Signs which read: 'Do not lift tables or chairs without giving 48 hours notice to HSE management', have been put on the walls in several meeting rooms.

Source: Evening Standard (3 April 2007)

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POLLUTION: Everyday hazards such as inhaling polluted city air or other people's cigarette smoke are potentially worse for your health than being exposed to the radioactive fallout of an atomic bomb, according to new research.

Source: The Times (3 April 2007)

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MODERATE DRINKING: Drinking alcohol at moderate levels - two or more drinks per day - appears to be a risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm in men, researchers found.

Source: Reuters (2 April 2007)

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OBESITY: The World Health Organisation has described obesity as a "worldwide epidemic". The annual cost for the two main drugs has hit almost £38 million in the UK, which means that £1 in every £264 spent on NHS drugs is now being used for obesity medication.

Source: Scotsman (28 March 2007)

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SUNDAY ROASTS: Beef packed with hormones could be to blame for fertility problems in a generation of young men, researchers say.

Source: Daily Mail (27 March 2007)

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SPORTS GEAR: Experts are warning that sports gear - and even your gym bag - can harbour a host of unpleasant bacteria.

Source: Daily Mail (27 March 2007)

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FISH: A worldwide warning about the risks of eating mercury-contaminated fish has been issued by an international group of scientists. The scientists focused on the risks of mercury, which they say now constitute a "public health problem in most regions of the world".

Source: Independent (8 March 2007)

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BEING BORN LIGHT: Girls weighing less than 2.5kg (5.5lbs) at birth are significantly more likely to be depressed as teenagers than those with a normal birth weight, according to research.

Source: Guardian (6 March 2007)

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HOT BATHS: Men seeking to become a father should avoid soaking in hot baths, according to a study on male fertility.

Source: Independent (5 March 2007)

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CAMEMBERT: Farmers say that consumers are shunning cheese that is made according to age-old processes after a series of food scares, while overzealous health authorities have buried their industry under a mountain of red tape.

Source: The Times (2 March 2007)

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DIABETES: Rates of diabetes in Canada's most populous province have already zoomed past what was predicted for 2030, which suggests the global epidemic will be far worse than feared, researchers have reported.

Source: Reuters (1 March 2007)

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SWEAT: Those playing contact sports, such as rugby and wrestling, could be at risk of contracting hepatitis B through sweat, researchers have said. A study has found that the infection, which can lead to liver damage, cancer and even death, may be passed on in sweat as well as blood.

Source: Scotsman (1 March 2007)

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SALT IN BREAD: Reducing the amount of salt in sliced bread could save at least 7,000 lives a year, health campaigners said yesterday.

Source: Daily Telegraph (1 March 2007)

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HEALTH FOODS:  Two of the most popular products in Britain's vast health food industry come under attack today, as scientists cast doubts on the benefits of vitamin supplements and low-fat dairy products.

Source: The Times (27 February 2007)

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DEMENTIA: More than 1.7 million people in the UK will have dementia by 2051, costing billions of pounds each year, experts have forecast.

Source: BBC News (27 February 2007)

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BEING BORN SMALL: Women who weighed less than 5lb 12oz at birth are more likely to have serious pregnancy complications in later life, scientists have claimed.

Source: Daily Mail (21 February 2007)

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OBESITY: The scale of the obesity crisis has been laid bare when an alarming report revealed Britons are the fattest people in Europe. The shocking figures, compiled by the EU's statistical office, will fuel fears that Britain is facing a public health timebomb. Neville Rigby, of the International Obesity Task Force, said: 'We are not just sitting on a health timebomb, we are watching it go off.'

Source: Daily Mail (21 February 2007)

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THICK WAISTS: Women with an average-sized waist of 34ins are more likely to develop womb cancer than those who are slimmer, according to a study part-funded by Cancer Research UK.

Source: The Times  (20 February 2007)

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TV: Watching too much television as a child may trigger serious health problems such as autism and obesity, and in girls the early onset of puberty, a scientist has claimed. "We may ultimately be responsible for the greatest health scandal of our time," writes Dr Aric Sigman in the journal Biologist.

Source: The Times (19 February 2007)

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CHEMICALS IN WOMB: Prenatal exposure to chemicals found in plastics and pesticides may leave some people more prone to obesity later in life, a scientist has said.

Source: The Times (17 February 2007)

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WOMEN'S DESKS: Women's workstations tend to harbour far more germs than those of their male colleagues, research suggests. A University of Arizona team found the average office desktop harbours 400 times more bacteria than the average office toilet seat.

Source: BBC News (16 February 2007)

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FISH: Women who eat fish and seafood during their pregnancies could have brighter children and should not worry about harmful consequences, researchers say. The advice contradicts previous warnings by health experts suggesting pregnant women should limit the amount of fish they consume because of potentially dangerous pollutants in seafood.

Source: Daily Telegraph (16 February 2007)

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TEA TREE OIL: Scientists have discovered that repeated exposure to low doses of tea tree oil could endanger people.

Source: Daily Mail (15 February 2007)

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BIRD FLU: Despite the hysteria, the mass turkey cull in Suffolk had nothing to do with public safety and everything to do with industry interests.

Source: Guardian (14 February 2007)

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IPODS: In New York, the pause button could soon be pressed on iPods because someone has decided they're dangerous. A member of the state Senate, Carl Kruger, has declared war on "iPod oblivion", introducing a draft law that would make it an offence for anyone to be plugged in when they are crossing the street, punishable with £51 fine.

Source: Independent (9 February 2007)

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DRIVING A CAR: Drivers who spend a lot of time behind the wheel increase their risk of skin cancer because of repeated sun exposure through the car's side windows, U.S. research suggests.

Source: BBC News (4 February 2007)

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'PHONE ADDICTION': Australians are ruining relationships, running up huge debts, even putting themselves in danger because of their addiction to their mobile phones. A survey shows one in five people reported behaviour that pointed to phone addiction.

Source: Australian Associated Press (3 February 2007)

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HIV/Aids: Dr James Chin, who was head of a World Health Organisation Global Programme on Aids unit from 1987-1992, says people in the general population outside Africa are unlikely to contract HIV/Aids, as it is restricted to certain high-risk groups. However Dr Chin says these facts have been "minimised and ignored" by UNAids and Aids activists because it is "politically and socially more acceptable" to say HIV risk behaviours are present in all populations.

Source: BBC News (3 February 2007)

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LAVENDER OIL: Boys have been warned against using oils or hair gels that contain lavender or tea tree oil after three reported cases of them growing breasts.

Source: The Times (2 February 2007)

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BEING CLEAN: A microbiologist at the University of Birmingham says we should stop being so obsessive about cleanliness.

Source: Daily Mail (29 January 2007)

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OBESITY: Australians aren't getting fatter at all, according to a group of academics who claim the obesity epidemic is a money-wasting illusion. However, the concept has been met with intense criticism from a leading diabetes expert.

Source: Australian Associated Press (24 January 2007)

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'WHEELIE SHOES': An accident and emergency consultant has warned of the dangers of the kids' footwear craze Heelys, which have wheels in the heel. However, the company said that wheeled footwear is safer than nearly all other popular sports with the exception of table tennis, billiards and bowling.

Source: BBC News (23 January 2007)

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MOBILE PHONES: A radiation expert is calling for more research into the long-term health effects of using mobile phones. Professor Lawrence Challis is seeking Department of Health funding to study 200,000 mobile phone users over a decade. He said there was a "hint of something" suggesting a link between mobiles and ill health but no hard evidence.

Source: BBC News (20 January 2007)

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FATS: Fats hidden in thousands of foods can harm a woman's chance of having a baby, scientists have said. They can increase the risk of fertility problems by 70 per cent or more. Eating as little as one doughnut or a portion of chips a day can have a damaging effect.

Source: Daily Mail (20 January 2007)

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KEEPING YOUR JOB: Workers who keep their jobs following cuts are almost as likely to need treatment for stress as colleagues made redundant, say researchers. University College London researchers said more help should be offered to "survivors".

Source: BBC News (18 January 2007)

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'TOXIC' IMPORTED FOOD: Families are being put at risk from toxic and cancer risk chemical residues in imported foods, it has been claimed by the Soil Association. There are concerns that imported chicken, beef, seafood and honey, which are known to be a contamination danger, are getting on to dinner plates.

Source: Daily Mail (17 January 2007)

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GAMBLING: Excessive gambling is such a serious problem the NHS should recognise it as an addiction similar to smoking and alcoholism, doctors' leaders have said.

Source: Daily Telegraph (16 January 2007)

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'KILLER FATS': Deadly artificial fats found in hundreds of foods are set to be made illegal under a government plan aimed at saving thousands of lives each year in the UK.

Source: Scotsman (14 January 2007)

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HAND WASHING: Scottish Health Minister Andy Kerr has launched a £2.5 million national awareness campaign on the importance of washing hands to prevent the spread of disease. And now the Scottish Executive has come up with what it believes to be an equally effective way of tackling the issue - sing Happy Birthday to yourself as you wash your hands.

Source: Scotsman (13 January 2007)

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PET OWNING: While research has suggested that pets can offer people health benefits, a new study from Finland finds that pet owners tend to be heavier, less active and in poorer health than those without a pet.

Source: Reuters (10 January 2007)

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MILK IN TEA: Adding milk to a cup of tea can destroy its ability to protect against heart disease, according to research.

Source: BBC News (9 January 2007)

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BIRD FLU: A cold snap predicted for February could bring bird flu to Britain, one of the country's leading vets has warned. If someone caught bird flu at the same time as normal winter flu, there is a chance the two bugs could swap genetic material, leading to the emergence of a new virus.

Source: Daily Mail (8 January 2007)

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BEING SCOTTISH: Halfway through this century, Scots will still be dying significantly earlier than people in the rest of the United Kingdom, government experts have forecast.

Source: Scotsman (4 January 2007)

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HAVING DAUGHTERS: Men who father daughters are much more likely to develop prostate cancer than those who sire sons, research shows.

Source: Daily Mail (3 January 2007)

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'AFFLUENT POOR': They will, in time, surely be known as the affluent poor: young, two-car owning, Tory-voting families who own property in some of the wealthiest areas of England, and whose penchant for alcohol coupled with their time-poor, work-stressed lifestyles could trigger serious illness.

Source: Guardian (3 January 2007)

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BOTTLED WATER: Britain's £2bn-a-year thirst for bottled water is not only financially and environmentally foolish, it may even harm the drinkers' health, campaigners say.

Source: Independent (3 January 2007)

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LARGE FAMILIES: Parents of large families face a modest increase in the risk of death compared to those with only a few children, a study of couples married in the 1800s suggests.

Source: New Scientist (3 January 2007)

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HRT: When a large trial of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was abandoned in 2002, it triggered one of the great health scares of recent times. HRT, though, must not be written off. The balance of risk and benefit is not as simple as it seems.

Source: The Times (23 December 2006)

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PANDEMIC FLU: Around 62 million people in the world are likely to die if there is a flu pandemic and more than 70,000 of those deaths will be in the UK, according to a statistical analysis.

Source: Guardian  (22 December 2006)

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SUBURBS: US children who live in expansive suburbs were more than twice as likely to be overweight as teens in more compact urban areas, new research suggests.

Source: Reuters (19 December 2006)

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FAT SANTAS: The festive image of a fat, jolly Santa could be sending out the wrong message in the fight against obesity, health experts have warned.

Source: Scotsman (13 December 2006)

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PEANUTS: Many experts believe the current advice to parents to keep peanuts away from their babies may be making the problem worse. Other research suggests the opposite.

Source: Daily Mail (11 December 2006)

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WI-FI: The debate about the safety of wireless networks is gathering momentum. Is this new technology a threat to human health comparable to smoking - as some campaigners claim - or an electric storm in a teacup?

Source: The Times (11 December 2006)

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KNEE PAIN: Osteoarthritis of the knee is more painful and more damaging in smokers, a study reports.

Source: BBC News (7 December 2006)

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BEING SKINNY: Skinny women who get pregnant are at a far greater risk of miscarriage than those of normal weight, a study has found. Women who were not married or living with a partner were also found to be at greater risk.

Source: Independent (7 December 2006)

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OBESITY: Britain's soaring rates of obesity are likely to trigger a new wave of cancer, with as many as 12,000 weight-related cases now expected every year by 2010, researchers have warned.

Source: Guardian (5 November 2006)

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MINCE PIES: Organisers of a village Christmas party in the Yorkshire Dales have been told they must carry out a risk assessment of their mince pies - or their festivities will be cancelled.

Source: BBC News (4 December 2006)

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POLONIUM: Scientists have said that the chances of passengers picking up any kind of health threat from residual traces of polonium-210 are infinitesimal and so it was pointless to alert 33,000 people who may have flown on three Boeing aircraft.

Source: Daily Telegraph (4 December 2006)

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MOVING TO A CITY: Moving to the city can be so stressful for young people that they have five times the risk of developing an eating disorder, compared with those who stay in the country, researchers say. Conversely, the incidence of anorexia was higher in rural areas than in cities and highest in the suburbs.

Source: Daily Telegraph (4 December 2006)

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BACON:  People who ate bacon at least five times a week were 59% more likely to develop bladder cancer than those who never did, research suggests. And people who frequently ate skinless chicken had a 52% greater risk.

Source: BBC News (29 November 2006)

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DUCK PONDS: A row has broken out in a West Sussex village because health and safety inspectors want a fence put up around the duck pond - to stop people falling in.

Source: The Times (28 November 2006)

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OBESITY:  Health campaigners tell us that British children - and their parents - must be slimmed down because we are in the grip of an obesity epidemic that threatens a health catastrophe.

Source: Sunday Telegraph (26 November 2006)

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FLAME-BROILED FOOD: A study has found that women who favour flame-broiled foods may be at much higher risk for developing breast cancer than women who do not.

Source: Reuters (15 November 2006)

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MIGRANTS: Migrants make up about 70% of TB, HIV and malaria cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a report from the Health Protection Agency has found. It also found there was little evidence to suggest the general population was being placed at increased risk.

Source: BBC News (15 November 2006)

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RED MEAT: Higher red meat intake may increase the risk of certain breast cancers in pre-menopausal women, according to research.

Source: Scotsman (14 November 2006)

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TOILET PHOBIA: The National Phobics Society estimates at least four million Britons are affected by toilet phobia, but the true number could be many more.

Source: BBC News (10 November 2006)

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SECOND-HAND SMOKE: Exposing children to second-hand smoke increases their risk of developing bladder cancer in later life, according to a study from Cancer Research UK.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News (9 November 2006)

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SUGARY DRINKS: Drinking two sugary drinks a day almost doubles the risk of pancreatic cancer, a study suggests.

Source: BBC News (9 November 2006)

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CHEMICAL POLLUTION: Chemical pollution may have harmed the brains of millions of children around the world in what scientists are calling a "silent pandemic".

Source: Independent (8 November 2006) 

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JETLAG: Jetlag - or working irregular shifts - damages health, a US study of elderly mice has suggested.

Source: BBC News (6 November 2006)

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OBESITY: Europe is facing an obesity epidemic by the end of the decade that will increase health costs and hamper economic development, according to the World Health Organisation.

Source: Reuters (2 November 2006)

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BEING A LONDONER: Living in London prematurely ages your skin by three-and-a-half years, according to research.

Source: BBC News (1 November 2006)

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BIRD FLU: A previously unknown and dangerous strain of bird flu has emerged from southern China and has spread from birds to people in South-east Asia, rekindling fears of a global pandemic.

Source: Daily Telegraph (1 November 2006)

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BUCKFAST WINE: The Scottish Executive's high-profile campaign against Buckfast is backfiring, critics have warned, as every effort to demonise it turns the tonic wine into a "cult" drink among the young.

Source: Scotsman (31 October 2006)

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TROUBLED TOTS: Babies as young as two months are seeing psychiatrists as anxious parents seek early answers to relationship "issues" with their new-born children.

Source: Sunday Times (29 October 2006)

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ALARM CLOCKS: Alarm clocks could be bad for your health. Participants who were suddenly forced awake by alarm clocks had higher blood pressure and heart rates than those allowed to wake up in their own time according to a Japanese study.

Source: Daily Mail (24 October 2006)

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MOBILES: Men who use mobile phones a lot have lower sperm counts and produce sperm of poorer quality than those who use them infrequently or not at all, according to new research.

Source: Daily Telegraph (24 October 2006)

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COMMON COLD: Viruses linked to the common cold could be causing memory loss and Alzheimer's disease in millions of people, new research suggests.

Source: Daily Mail (23 October 2006)

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BINGE DRINKING: Women in England and Ireland are officially the world's biggest binge drinkers, according to a study. Nine per cent of women are now classified as binge drinkers, consuming four units or more per session.

Source: Independent on Sunday (22 October 2006)

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BREAD: Eating lots of white bread raises the risk of developing kidney cancer, according to new research.

Source: Daily Mail (20 October 2006) 

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CLIMATE CHANGE: Britain has suffered its first deaths from infectious disease attributable to global warming, as cases of Legionnaires' disease reached record levels in August and September, official figures suggest.

Source: Independent (18 October 2006)

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BREAST CANCER: Chemical pollutants in the environment could be one driver behind the soaring rates of breast cancer, a report for the World Wildlife Fund for Nature has claimed.

Source: Independent (18 October 2006)

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CHEMICAL CAMPAIGNS: Leading toxicologists have criticised a World Wildlife Fund for Nature campaign that has highlighted the presence of certain chemicals in blood, food and in babies' umbilical cords. They said they are deliberately and unfairly scaring the public.

Source: BBC News (16 October 2006)

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ALCOHOL: The world's finest wines will be expected to carry health warnings as part of the Government's drive to tackle alcohol abuse and binge drinking.

Source: The Times (14 October 2006)

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FARMS: Teenage girls who live or work on farms may be putting themselves at risk of developing breast cancer in later life, researchers say.

Source: Independent (13 October 2006)

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FISH: Eating too much oily fish during pregnancy may increase the risk of delivering the baby too early, scientists believe.

Source: BBC News (12 October 2006)

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OBESITY: Britons are the fattest in Europe, and being overweight or obese is now the norm in the UK, according to government figures. Next spring it will launch an obesity "social marketing strategy", similar to the anti-smoking adverts.

Source: Guardian (11 October 2006)

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BEING FAT: Being fat makes you dumber, according to new research. A study by French researchers found middle-aged adults with high body mass index (BMI) scored lower on cognitive tests than their slimmer peers.

Source: National Post, Canada (10 October 2006)

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OBESITY: Scots food watchdogs are considering a "traffic light" scheme for restaurants that will help diners identify the most fat-filled, calorie-laden dishes on the menu. But the plan - part of the battle against Britain's obesity crisis - has caused alarm in some of Scotland's most revered kitchens.

Source: Scotland on Sunday (8 October 2006)

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GM RICE: The Food Standards Agency say retailers must remove genetically modified (GM) rice from their shelves. It follows concerns over GM strains in batches of long-grain rice from the US.

Source: Scotsman (7 October 2006)

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SMOKING TEENAGERS: Caroline Flint, the Public Health Minister, told a fringe meeting at the Labour conference that pregnant teenagers now smoke to try to reduce the size of their babies, in order to make delivery less painful.

Source: The Times (6 October 2006)

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FIZZY DRINKS: Women should steer clear of cola if they want to avoid suffering brittle bones, new research suggests.

Source: Daily Mail (6 October 2006)

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SWIMMING POOLS: Children who regularly use swimming pools face a 70 per cent increased risk of developing hay fever, say researchers.

Source: Daily Mail (4 October 2006)

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DEPRESSION: A mental health nurse writing in Nursing Times questions dire warnings from the World Health Organisation about the growing prevalence of depression. Pharmaceutical companies make huge profits from anti-depressants, he says, while research creates ever more complex types of depression.

Source: Times (3 October 2006)

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RESTAURANTS: Restaurants are contributing to Scotland's dreadful diet by failing to provide healthy options even when diners want them, a new report claims.

Source: Scotsman (2 October 2006)

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'SUPERFLU': The drive to fight deadly flu pandemics with special antiviral drugs risks creating an untreatable "superflu", the head of Britain's public health watchdog has warned.

Source: Daily Telegraph (2 October 2006)

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ALCOHOL: The competitive drinking culture of the City is driving more and more bankers, traders and brokers to addiction.

Source: Sunday Times (1 October 2006)

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'LINGERING PREGNANCY FAT': Mothers who put on or fail to shift excess weight after having a baby - even a few kilos in women who are not overweight - risk problems in later pregnancies, experts have warned.

Source: BBC News (29 September 2006)

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CRISPS: Half of UK children "drink" almost five litres of cooking oil every year as a result of their pack-a-day crisp habit, warns the British Heart Foundation. The campaign has been criticised as "scare tactics", by a food industry body.

Source: BBC News (21 September 2006)

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FOOD CHEMICALS: Low levels of man-made chemicals in basic foods such as brown bread, butter and milk could combine to harm humans, the conservation charity WWF-UK has warned. However, some scientists have questioned whether the small quantities involved present a danger to health.

Source: BBC News (21 September 2006)

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TEENAGE DEPRESSION: Britain's teenagers are afflicted by an epidemic of depression and self-harm, according to a survey by the Children's Society.

Source: Guardian (19 September 2006)

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VITAMIN DEFICIENCY: Young people in Britain risk suffering health problems due to a chronic lack of vitamins in their diet, according to a study commissioned by Boots Health Club. Millions of young people are thought to be "vita-rexic" - a term coined to refer to vitamin deficiency.

Source: Daily Mail (18 September 2006)

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SHIFT WORK: Japanese research has found that men who work a rotating shift pattern may be at increased risk of prostate cancer. British experts said the findings were far from conclusive.

Source: BBC News (17 September 2006)

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FOOD: Tests have revealed that chemicals in fresh produce on sale in major UK supermarkets contained pesticide traces at levels above the legal limits. None of the samples posed a danger to human health, the report said.

Source: Scotsman (15 September 2006)

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WORK: Experts have warned that 88,000 people in Scotland are suffering from a bone, joint or muscle problem caused or made worse by their work.

Source: Scotsman (14 September 2006

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DOORMATS: Bristol City Council has threatened to confiscate doormats from the homes of council tenants because they pose a "tripping hazard".

Source: Guardian (14 September 2006)


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MOBILES: One in six school children and students in the UK are addicts, claims a new study. However, the teenagers are not hooked on drink, drugs or smoking, but rather they are addicted to their mobile phones.

Source: 3G newsroom (14 September 2006)


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UNEMPLOYMENT: Being unemployed is as dangerous as smoking 400 cigarettes a day because working makes us happy, researchers claim.

Source: Daily Mail (13 September 2006)


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HAVING BABIES (OR NOT): Women who wait less than 18 months between having children are more likely to die younger than those who have a bigger gap between siblings, research has found. And women who had five or more children, teenage mothers, and women who remained childless also had worse health outcomes.

Source: Independent (12 September 2006)


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CYCLE HELMETS: Cyclists who wear protective helmets are more likely to be knocked down by passing vehicles, new research suggests. But the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents says helmets protect against injuries.

Source: BBC News (11 September 2006)

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'GENDER-BENDING' CHEMICALS: A study from Spain has found that babies are being exposed to "gender-bending" chemical pesticides before they are born.

Source: Daily Mail (10 September 2006)

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TOO MUCH EXERCISE: A fitness research expert has warned that too much exercise can kill, cause women to become infertile, and the thousands of men who play Sunday league football to suffer crippling injuries in old age.

Source: Daily Mail (6 September 2006)

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OBESITY: The Royal National Institute of the Blind has said that obese people are twice as likely to go blind. It also warned that millions of obese adults and children in the UK are also at risk from other eye conditions.

Source: BBC News (5 September 2006)

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OLDER FATHERS: Children with older fathers have a significantly increased risk of having autism, a study has concluded.

Source: The Times (5 September 2006)

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HRT: Women who take HRT risk premature deafness, researchers in New York have warned. However, British experts advised women not to worry.

Source: Daily Mail (4 September 2006)

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COSMETICS: A group, set up by the manufacturers of natural products, has warned that most beauty products contain chemicals linked to cancers, hormone problems and skin-irritations - many of which have been linked to various health problems.

Source: Daily Mail (3 August 2006)

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OBESITY: An obesity pandemic threatens to overwhelm health systems around the globe with illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease, experts at an international conference have warned.

Source: Associated Press (3 September 2006)

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HRT: Women who stopped taking Hormone Replacement Therapy because of health scares risk damaging their health using unproven remedies, experts have warned.

Source: Daily Mail (1 September 2006)

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ALLERGIES: The public have an exaggerated perception of the dangers of food allergies creating unnecessary panic, according to a leading expert. He said media headlines and the prescribing of adrenaline injections to combat bad reactions caused anxiety.

Source: BBC News (29 August 2006)

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ANGER: Getting angry makes you age more quickly and can cause permanent physical damage, scientists have found.

Source: Daily Mail (31 August 2006)

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SEMEN: The growth of cervical and womb cancers may be fuelled by a hormone-like molecule in semen, a study suggests.

Source: BBC News (31 August 2006)

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SUNSCREEN: Sunscreen can do more harm than good. When it soaks into the skin, the filters that keep out ultraviolet radiation can generate harmful compounds that attack skin cells.

Source: Daily Mail (29 August 2006)

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LONGEVITY: Increased longevity has resulted in a rise in cancer cases, according to a report. It says that cancer cases have increased by nearly a third in the past 30 years and is growing by 1.4 per cent a year.

Source: Daily Telegraph (24 August 2006)

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VITAMIN D: Older men and women with vitamin D deficiency are more likely to fall multiple times than their peers with adequate vitamin D levels, according to researchers. The findings suggest that older adults should be sure to get adequate vitamin D, though the study's author added that clinical trials are needed to prove that this actually prevents falls.

Source: Reuters (23 August 2006)

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TRAVEL: Travelling for more than four hours by air, car, bus or train can double the risk of blood clots, with air travel no worse than the others, according to a study.

Source: The Times (22 August 2006)

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RABBIT FLU: The Heath Protection Agency has urged the public not to panic after a man died of rabbit flu. Rabbit flu, a prevalent pet ailment, is the most common disease to spread from animals to humans.

Source: Guardian (21 August 2006)

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OBESITY: A Department of Health forecast says that a third of Britons will be obese by 2010. The figures predict that there will be 1.7m obese children by 2010 and almost 13m overweight adults.

Source: Daily Mail (21 August 2006) 

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FAST FOOD: Fast foods, processed snacks and sugary drinks can cause as much ill health as cigarettes, and should be taxed like tobacco and banned from schools and public institutions, obesity experts say.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald (21 August 2006)

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FOOD WARNINGS: A Californian importer, sued for not warning customers that his balsamic vinegar contained lead, has complained that California food labelling law has gone from protecting consumers to harming businesses. More than a pint of the vinegar would have to be drunk every day to reach the government limit for safe exposure to lead.

Source: Associated Press (20 August 2006)

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COFFEE: A US study has found that drinking a cup of coffee can cause a heart attack within an hour in some people. Light coffee drinkers increased their risk of heart attack by more than four times with one cup. Little effect was seen among heavy coffee drinkers.

Source: CBS News (15 August 2006)

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OBESITY: Obese people now outnumber those that are starving, according to US professor Barry Popkin. He said that all countries had failed to address the obesity boom and suggested that food prices could be used to manipulate people's diets and tilt them towards healthier options.

Source: BBC News (15 August 2006)

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AIR POLLUTION: Scottish scientists have uncovered disturbing new evidence that diesel engines are causing thousands of deaths each year. Researchers have identified tiny soot particles from diesel exhausts - 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair - as the chief culprit in 9,000 fatal heart attacks in the UK annually.

Source: Scotsman (13 August 2006)

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MIDDLE-AGED MOMS: Increasing numbers of "middle age pregnancies" are as great a public health problem as teenage mothers, a leading obstetrician has warned. Ministers have to accept that the number of women falling pregnant in their late thirties and early forties was a significant health issue.

Source: Independent (13 August 2006)

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OVERWEIGHT BABIES: Children, including babies, are more likely to be overweight than they were in the early 1980s, a US study says. Lead researcher Matthew Gillman said: "The obesity epidemic has spared no age group, even our youngest children."
 
Source: BBC News (10 August 2006)

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NEVER MARRYING: Being married, even if you go on to get divorced, helps you to live a longer life, Californian researchers have found. Those who never married had the greatest chance of suffering an early death. The researchers also found that old age and poor health were the strongest predictors of dying by 1997.

Source: Scotsman (10 August 2006)

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WORK ACCIDENTS: Nearly 4,500 young people are seriously injured or killed at work every year, 20% more than five years ago, according to a study by the TUC in conjunction with Hazards magazine. The union organisation said accidents such as falling from a roof or scaffolding, being hit by falling equipment, or being burned or scalded in catering jobs could be avoided by stricter health and safety measures.

Source: Guardian (9 August 2006)

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'THIRD HAND SMOKE': Babies absorb dangerous chemicals from parents who smoke, even if they take care to light up outside, a study has found. Up to 90 per cent of the nicotine from cigarette smoke can stick to walls, clothes, hair and skin. Early research suggests the chemicals from this 'third hand smoke' can be swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin of non-smokers.

Source: Daily Mail (8 August 2006)

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ALLERGIES: Millions of people who suffer from chronic allergies to pets, dust and spores are up to three times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease later in life, research suggests. James Bower, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic, said that the link appeared to be marked. However he added that allergy patients can do little to reduce the potential risk for Parkinson's.

Source: The Times (8 August 2006)

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PROBIOTICS: Bursting with 'friendly bacteria', they claim to boost our health by keeping rival 'bad bacteria' at bay. But many probiotic products are a waste of time and money - and some may even be harmful, experts have warned.

Source: Daily Mail (7 August 2006)

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FIREFIGHTERS' POLES: A Plymouth fire station has been built without the traditional pole because of fears that firefighters could sprain their ankles as they hit the ground. Senior managers at the three-storey station decided it was safer for them to run down two flights of stairs. Officials blamed health and safety regulations and space constraints for the move.

Source: Daily Telegraph (7 August 2006)

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FOOD WRAPPERS: Wrappers and packaging used for a wide variety of foods contain hidden quantities of latex rubber that can trigger fatal allergic reactions, a study has revealed. Tests funded by the Food Standards Agency on 21 types of packaging have shown that a third were contaminated with latex, which in some cases was transferred to the food...The agency said that it was too early to draw firm conclusions.

Source: The Times (7 August 2006)

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'HOT' MEN: Children born to fathers who were exposed to excessive heat around the time of conception are at increased risk of brain cancer, a US study shows. Men who used saunas, hot tubs and electric blankets were more likely to father children who went on to develop brain tumours, researchers found.

Source: BBC News (6 August 2006)

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DIVORCED WOMEN: Women who divorce are more likely to get heart disease in later life than those who stay married, and the negative effects persist even after remarriage, according to new research. But for men, marital loss has a negligible effect on the risk of heart disease.

Source: Independent on Sunday (6 August 2006)

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BEING BRITISH: Children in Britain are among the worst off in Europe researchers have found. Only 26.7% of British children aged 11, 13 and 15 eat fruit on a daily basis. And Britain's 14 and 15-year-olds are the fourth fattest in Europe, with 15.8% classified as overweight measured by their body mass index, according to a survey by the World Health Organisation.
 
Source: Sunday Times (6 August 2006)

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BREAST-FEEDING: Breast-feeding babies gives them the best start in life, but too much of a good thing may make them more prone to allergy, a study has found. Babies fed exclusively on mother's milk for up to six months are known to be at reduced risk of allergies such as eczema and asthma. But a study shows extending exclusive breast-feeding beyond six months may increase the risks.

Source: Independent (3 August 2006)

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FLIP FLOPS: Doctors have warned flip flops can be as bad for your health as they are for your career. Business chiefs said last month that wearing them to work was an invitation to be sacked. Now medics have joined the attack by saying they can lead to joint pain, shin splints and twisted ankles.

Source: Daily Mail (3 August 2006)  

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PREMATURE BIRTHS: A worldwide boom in premature babies is creating a public health time bomb, doctors have warned. The number of premature births is soaring, imposing a growing burden on families and increased pressure on health and education services.

Source: Independent (2 August 2006)

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ALLERGIES: Allergies are on the rise. About a third of the population - 20 million - will develop an allergy some time in our lives, according to a recent government estimate. Professor Mark Jackson suggests allergies have become fashionable; a way to indicate you are a refined individual. "Consider food allergies. These rose exponentially in the 1990s, and that must surely be linked to various cultural factors - to the obsession with body image, weight, fears of food additives, and so on. Our angst about modern living, the environment, what to eat, cars, pollution and many other things are projected onto the debate about allergies."

Source: BBC News (31 July 2006)

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EXERCISE: While osteoarthritis used to be a disease of the elderly, it is becoming increasingly common in those under 50, with high impact exercise to blame. The baby-boomers are doing too much road jogging, strenuous aerobics and skiing, which is taking a toll on their joints - leading to conditions such as osteoarthritis and the need for joint replacements.

Source: Daily Mail (1 August 2006) 

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MODERN LIFE: Modern life is playing havoc with women's stomachs, a new survey of 1400 women reveals. More than a quarter of females in the UK suffer upset tummies once a fortnight. The women questioned blamed their eating habits, too much booze and work stress as the main culprits.

Source: Daily Mirror (1 August 2006)

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BEING OVER 40: Women in their 40s are developing eating disorders because they hate the way they look, a survey suggests. More than 70% of women had made serious attempts to diet in the last year and 58% had "disordered" eating patterns.

Source: BBC News (1 August 2006)

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HIGH HEELS: A hospital doctor warned women should wear high heels 'in moderation' after a recent spate of shoe related hospital admissions. High heel-wearing women arriving by ambulance sustained injuries varying from a sprain to broken bones, dislocated ankles - and in some cases permanent damage.

Source: Daily Mail (1 August 2006)

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OLDER MEN: Women who become pregnant by older men are at far greater risk of having a miscarriage, new research suggests. The study found that the risk of miscarriage to expectant mothers was 60 per cent higher when the father was aged 40 or over compared to when he was 25 to 29 years old.

Source: Daily Mail (1 August 2006)

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SUN: As many as 60,000 people a year die from too much sun, warns the World Health Organization. The bulk of the deaths are from skin cancers caused by excess exposure to the sun's harmful rays, ultraviolet radiation, says WHO.
UVR also causes sunburn, triggers cold sores and ages the skin, according to its report, the first to outline the global health burden of sun exposure.

Source: BBC News (27 July 2006)

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SMOKING AND DRINKING: Smoking reduces the effects of alcohol but it may also encourage excessive drinking, scientists have found. A US team led by  found that nicotine reduced blood alcohol concentrations in tests on rodents. "Since the desired effect of alcohol is significantly diminished by nicotine - particularly among heavy or binge drinkers such as college students - this may encourage drinkers to drink more to achieve the pleasurable or expected effect," said Dr Wei-Jung Chen. "In other words, cigarette smoking appears to promote the consumption of alcohol." The findings appear in the latest issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Source: Daily Mail (25 July 2006)

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CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE: By 2020, the World Health Organisation says that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - COPD - will be the third biggest killer worldwide. According to health education charity Developing Patient Partnerships - DPP - the disease kills more people than either breast, prostate or bowel cancer.

Source: Sunday Sun (23 July 2006)

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SWIMMING POOLS: Researchers from Belgium have published a paper showing that rates of childhood asthmas and wheeze rose by 2 per cent to 5 per cent for every indoor swimming pool per 100,000 people. The researchers concluded that the key was exposure to the chlorine that keeps pools clean.

Source: The Times (22 July 2006)

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BEING RICH: Children who live in affluent areas are more likely to develop leukaemia and other childhood cancers, scientists have claimed. Scientists do not know conclusively why this happens. But they think one explanation might be the "dirty hypothesis" which suggests that children brought up in too clean an environment develop impaired immune systems. This has also been proposed as the trigger behind increased rates of childhood asthma.

Source: Daily Mail (19 July 2006)

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BEING POOR: People in lower social classes are biologically older than those in higher classes, according to research. The scientists, writing in the journal Aging Cell, believe the stress associated with belonging to a lower social class may be to blame.

Source: BBC News (19 July 2006)

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CEREAL: Some "healthy" breakfast cereals contain more fat per bowl than two fried eggs or a bacon sandwich, a report concludes today. Sue Davies, Which? magazine's chief policy adviser, said: "With so much public concern about obesity and diet-related disease, we're particularly concerned that most cereals marketed to children are still high in sugar, and many are high in salt, too."

Source: Daily Telegraph (19 July 2006)

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SHARING A BED: Sharing your bed can reduce your brain power - but only if you are a man, say scientists. When men spend the night in the same bed as someone else their sleep patterns are disturbed, even if they do not make love, new research shows. And this leads to poorer performance in mental agility tests the next day. However women do not suffer the same problem.

Source: Daily Mail (19 July 2006)

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IMPOTENCE: Smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction by 50 percent, and obesity nearly doubles the risk, new research suggests. The findings, published in the July issue of The Journal of Urology, were partially financed by Pfizer, and one of the six authors has a financial relationship with that company. 

Source: New York Times (19 July 2006)

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SUNSCREEN: Rubbing sunscreen into the skin reduces its effectiveness, a study says. The Restoration of Appearance and Function Trust, which includes experts in sunburn, looked at how sunscreens ward off cancer-causing radiation. They found rubbing sunscreen on does not offer even protection and letting a white film dry on was much better.

Source: BBC News (18 July 2006)

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ALCOHOL: More than 260 people are expected to die of an alcohol-related condition in Wales this year, an NHS report says. The National Public Health Service said alcohol misuse was a major cause of cirrhosis of the liver, as well as cancer, mental illness and accidents. It says higher drink prices and reduced availability can cut drink consumption. Report author Dr Edward Coles said: "We have taken smoking seriously, we are taking drugs somewhat more seriously, alcohol seems to be the forgotten drug in society."

Source: BBC News (14 July 2006)

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WASP STINGS: Outdoor lovers have been warned of a sharp rise in hospitalisations and deaths from wasp, bee and hornet stings. Latest official figures show 843 people were admitted for medical care for stings in 2004/5 compared to 369 in the previous year.

Source: BBC News (14 July 2006)

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SLEEPING: Sleeping too long could be bad for your health, new research shows. A team of scientists have found that people who sleep at least nine hours a night are almost twice as likely to develop Parkinson's disease as those who get by on six hours or less.

Source: Daily Mail (11 July 2006)

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MMR: British scare stories over the safety of the combined MMR injection could cause deadly epidemics in poorer countries, experts believe. Internet sites filled with messages from worried parents were "building up aversion" to the mumps, measles and rubella vaccine across the globe, said Mark Weston, healthcare policy consultant for the International Policy Network, an economic think tank.

Source: Daily Telegraph (10 July 2006)

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BEING MIDDLE CLASS: Teenage girls from middle-class homes are more likely to binge drink than those from poorer communities, according to new research. Steve Barrett, editor of the magazine Young People Now, who along with the Office of the Children's Commissioner ordered the research, said three quarters of under 16's living in affluent areas admitted drinking alcohol, compared to fewer than 60 per cent of those from poorer communities.

Source: Daily Mail (9 July 2006)

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SUMMER SMOG: Summer smog causes the deaths of more than 3,000 people each year, the Liberal Democrats have warned. However, the government says the number of deaths caused by smog cannot be determined and claims the problem has lessened in the past 20 years.

Source: BBC News (8 July 2006)

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GYMS: Research shows that gyms can be a breeding ground for illnesses ranging from colds and viruses to deadly superbug infections. Microbiologists have discovered that dangerous bacteria lurk not only in the unpleasant sweaty residue left on gym equipment, but in hot-tubs, changing rooms and even sports drinks bottles.

Source: Daily Mail (5 July 2006)

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CANNABIS: Taking cannabis as a teenager really does pave the way to heroin addiction in later life, say scientists. Researchers have found that cannabis acts as a 'gateway' drug, because exposure during adolescence primes the system to crave the chemical stimulation of hard drugs. The study looked at the behaviour of young rats exposed to cannabis.

Source: Daily Mail (5 July 2006)

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SYPHILIS: Sexual health experts are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of cases of syphilis - fuelled by unprotected gay sex and an outbreak among mature women who are suspected of "swinging". Among women the rise has been partly caused "by a couple of outbreaks in particular sexual circles among more mature women", said Professor Peter Boriello, director of the Health Protection Agency's centre for infections.

Source: Guardian (5 July 2006)

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'WRONG' FRUIT & VEG: We've been told for some time that eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day can help protect you against cancer, but now research suggests that if we're not eating the right sort, it could be a waste of time and money. British researchers believe that most of the produce we eat is low in important cancer-fighting compounds called salvestrols.

Source: Daily Mail (4 July 2006)

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BEEF: Fears that humans are at increased risk of cancer from eating beef from cattle fed growth hormones are being raised by a government adviser. Calls for the Government to introduce urgent testing of meat for the hormones are being led by the Soil Association.

Source: The Times (3 June 2006)

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DRINKING AND SMOKING: Scientists from the University of Western Australia are encouraging people who drink alcohol not to smoke cigarettes. A report prepared for the Australian Council of Smoking and Health shows that people who drink and smoke are up to five times more likely to develop head and neck cancers than those who only drink or only smoke.

Source: ABC Online (3 July 2006)

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BEING SCOTTISH: Scots are "hard-wired" to be fat, according to a new study into the growth rates of British babies. The research, which challenges the view that overeating and lack of exercise during childhood are the principal causes of obesity, has shown that those born north of the border grow at a faster rate than their southern counterparts.

Source: Sunday Times (2 July 2006)

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BEING BRITISH: People in Britain spend more years suffering ill health than most other Europeans, according to research by the European Union. They hope the study will encourage countries to focus healthcare on increasing the number of "healthy years" enjoyed by their citizens and not simply on extending lives.

Source: Sunday Times (2 July 2006)

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HOT WEATHER: The government has issued a heatwave warning amid forecasts suggesting temperatures will rise above 30C in various parts of England.  Department of Health experts believe the very old and young, as well as the chronically ill, are particularly at risk from the hot conditions.

Source: BBC News (2 July 2006)

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DIET: Despite 10 years of government targets and millions of pounds spent to encourage healthier eating, a major report will this month reveal that the Scots diet is no better, and, in some cases, worse. Last night nutritionists and doctors said action to change Scotland's appalling diet had to be on a par with the recent moves to reduce smoking, such as the ban, while opposition politicians slammed the lack of progress. 

Source: Sunday Herald (2 July 2006)

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'BINGE' DRINKING: Drink-related hospital admissions in England have reached record levels, new figures show. In the past decade, the number admitted to hospital with alcoholic liver disease has more than doubled to 35,400 admissions in 2004/05, compared to 14,400 in 1995/96.  

Source: Daily Mail (30 June 2006)

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OBESITY: The launch of a new weight loss pill has been hailed as a breakthrough by health campaigners wringing their hands over what can be done about Britain's "obesity crisis". But when did being fat become a medical issue - and should it be regarded as an illness?

Source: Daily Telegraph (30 June 2006)

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CHOCOLATE: The salmonella-in-chocolate scare is the most over-egged food panic since the last one promoted by the FSA. The sensible response is surely to withdraw the FSA from public circulation, and bury its banning orders and health warnings until it is proved that they are not harming the public.

Source: The Times (30 June 2006)

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MOBILES: Chatting on a mobile phone is at least as dangerous as driving while over the legal alcohol limit, research suggests. The University of Utah study, like others, found hands-free mobiles were just as distracting as handheld ones. 

Source: BBC News (29 June 2006)

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FAT MUMS: Hospitals say the rising number of overweight pregnant women is causing a string of problems, including serious illnesses such as pre-eclampsia and diabetes, and an increase in Caesarean births. Obesity has increased by 400 per cent in the North East over the past 25 years and it will soon overtake smoking as the biggest cause of premature death.

Source: Sunderland Today (27 June 2006)

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CJD: Far more people in the UK could be infected with the human form of mad cow disease than originally estimated, scientists warned today. The true prevalence of the condition might not become apparent for decades because variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) probably has a much longer incubation period than originally thought, the researchers said.

Source: Guardian (23 June 2006)

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4X4s: Doctors have joined the chorus of attacks on 4x4 vehicles with a warning that owners are recklessly putting other road users at risk by flouting laws over the use of mobile phones and seat belts.

Source: Independent (23 June 2006)

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MOBILE PHONES: UK doctors have warned of the danger of lightning strikes when using mobile phones outdoors during stormy weather. In the British Medical Journal they highlight the case of a teenager left with severe injuries after being struck by lightning when talking on her phone. Paul Taylor, a scientist at the Met Office said it could also be dangerous to carry a mobile in your pocket during a storm.

Source: BBC News (22 June 2006)

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DOGS: Man's best friend may be woman's biggest enemy after a study yesterday suggested dogs may be a cause of breast cancer. The shock report found women diagnosed with the disease were more than twice as likely to own a dog than other women of the same age.

Source: Daily Record (21 June 2006)

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MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS: The number of children with certain types of mental health disorders has more than doubled in the past 30 years, with a million experiencing problems at any one time in England, doctors' leaders warned yesterday.

Source: Guardian (21 June 2006)

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BABY BOYS: Scientists believe giving birth to a boy triggers a reaction in some women which disrupts future pregnancies and increases the risk of miscarriage. The warning follows a study of more than 300 women referred to a fertility clinic during the past 20 years.

Source: Guardian (20 June 2006)

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REDUNDANCY: Losing a job later in life more than doubles your risk of having a heart attack or stroke, researchers have found. Their study of more than 4,000 people revealed those made redundant over the age of 50 were twice as likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes as those who were in work, because of the "exceptional stress" it caused.

Source: Daily Mail (21 June 2006)

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OBESITY: A survey of children's favourite foods showed some contain double the recommended dose of salt or fat. The Trading Standards Institute warned parents to be on the look out for the huge variation in the amounts of fat and salt contained in some foods. And it called on the food industry to standardise content labels in a readily understandable format. Trading standards officers warned of an 'obesity timebomb' after analysing 279 foods popular with children.

Source: BBC News (20 June 2006)

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TRANS FATS: For years, healthy ea