Health research studies come a dime a dozen, but here are some interesting, and sometimes quirky, recent entries into the U.S. National Library of Medicine:
▪ Farmers, fishers and foresters have some of the highest suicide rates in the U.S. – five times greater than the average adult, according to a study published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
▪ Women who attend religious services once a week may have a fivefold lower risk of suicide, according to a study in JAMA Psychiatry. But the study could only show association, not causation, and the study had some demographic limitations.
▪ Butter might not be so bad, new research published in the journal PLoS One says. A team review of data found no significant rise in death risk or heart disease for people who use butter, but the researchers added that doesn’t mean butter adds any real health benefit. Rather, that it might not be as bad as some have thought.
▪ Teens are trying risky, unregulated products to boost their looks. The American Academy of Pediatrics says the products, such as protein powders, steroids and diet pills, are often useless at best and toxic at worst. Over-the-counter supplements were deregulated in 1994 and often contain toxic heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, or steroids and stimulants like amphetamines.
▪ Pushy parents could raise children’s risks for anxiety and depression. A five-year study in Singapore, published in the Journal of Personality, found that children were more anxious and depressive symptoms when their parents had high educational expectations, or overreacted when children made a mistake.
▪ A new computer-model study suggests that drones could be a cheaper and quicker way to deliver vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. Especially because cars and trucks are limited by road conditions and have high fuel and maintenance costs, the researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said.
▪ Declining smoking rates could be tied to rising rates of Parkinson’s disease among menacross the country, a new study published in JAMA Neurology found. Parkinson’s rates for men nearly doubled between 1996 and 2005 and prior studies had found smoking might reduce Parkinson’s risk. So the otherwise very positive health trend could be contributing to the recent rise. But women did not see similar increases.
▪ West-coast athletes have a leg up for their time zone. A new study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found professional sports teams that travel west to east have a higher winning percentage than those that travel east to west. Researchers looked at five years of regular season games for the NBA, NFL and NHL. The study found west-to-east travel advantages for all three leagues, but the winning effect was largest in the NBA.
