Category: Research (Page 76 of 93)

Coupling Could Lead to a Longer Life

August 19, 2011 / Staff

A new study of 500 million people finds that singles die younger than couples.

If you’ve ever needed a reason to make that commitment this may be it.

The researchers analyzed the data from some 90 previous studies, which included about 500 million people, and compared the risk of mortality for singles from those studies — defined as those who never married — to that of a married group, excluding those who are divorced or widowed.
The researchers found the risk of death was 32 percent higher across a lifetime for single men compared to married men. Single women face a 23 percent higher mortality risk, compared to married women.
In real numbers, “under the worse-case scenario,” single men could die about eight to 17 years earlier than their married male friends, says Roelfs, citing that nearly all of the data was gleaned from studies conducted in the last 60 years. Women don’t fare much better. They could die seven to 15 years earlier than their married female counterparts.

Research, Wellness

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Sniffer Dogs Trained to Find Early Stage Lung Cancer

August 18, 2011 / Staff

Dogs are able to sniff out lung cancer in human patients with a high degree of accuracy.

The dogs could identify volatile organic compounds that are linked to the presence of cancer on people’s breath, according to the German study. Because those with lung cancer often have no symptoms and current methods used to detect the disease are unreliable, the findings are significant, the study authors explained.
In conducting the study, researchers recruited people with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or no health problems at all. The specially trained dogs successfully identified 71 out of 100 samples with lung cancer, as well as 372 out of 400 cancer-free samples.
The dogs were also able to distinguish between lung cancer and COPD as well as tobacco smoke. The researchers concluded there must be a reliable marker for lung cancer that is different from COPD and can be detected in the presence of tobacco smoke, food odors and drugs.

Man’s best friend earns his title again.

Research, Wellness

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Not All Obese People Need to Lose Weight

August 17, 2011 / Staff

Some people manage to carry extra weight yet maintain active lives with no risk factors associated with obesity.

Use this guide to measure the 5 stages of obesity.

Stage 0: No apparent obesity-related risk factors (e.g., high blood pressure, cholesterol and/or glucose levels), no physical symptoms or limitations.

Stage 1: Subclinical risk factors such as borderline hypertension, mild physical symptoms such as shortness of breath with moderate exertion.

Stage 2: Presence of obesity-related chronic disease such as hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis with moderate limitations on activities of daily living.

Stage 3: Established end-stage organ damage such as heart attack or stroke with significant functional limitations.

Stage 4: Severe disabilities from obesity-related chronic diseases.

Read more to maintain your health at any weight.

Research, Wellness

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Exercise is Your Best Bet to Beat Alzheimer’s Disease

August 17, 2011 / Staff

Here are a few Alzheimer’s facts that might keep you motivated to exercise and stay fit.

An estimated 5.3 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s disease (2010).

This figure includes 5.1 million people aged 65and older and 200,000 individuals under age 65 who have younger-onset Alzheimer’s.

One out of eight people age 65 and older (13 percent) has Alzheimer’s disease.

Women, who on average live longer than men, are more likely than men to have Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is the most frequent cause of dementia, accounting for 70 percent of all cases of dementia in Americans aged 71 and older.

By 2030, all baby boomers will be at least 65 years old.

That year, the number of people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s is expected to reach 7.7 million, more than a 50 percent increase from the 5.1 million age 65 order older currently (2009) affected.

Learn more about the benefits of exercise for Alzheimer’s.

Research, Wellness

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