Unhealthy men ‘may lose 10 years’

Middle-aged men who smoke, have high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels face dying about 10 years before healthier counterparts, a study warns.

The UK study looked at more than 19,000 civil servants aged 40-69 and traced what happened to them 38 years later.

It concluded that men with these three risk factors could expect a 10-year shorter life from 50 years of age.

The British Heart Foundation said it was an important reminder for everyone over 40 to have a heart health check.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, was set up at in 1967-70 at the peak of the vascular disease epidemic in the UK.

Participants had their height, weight, blood pressure, lung function, cholesterol and blood glucose levels measured and completed a questionnaire about their previous medical history, smoking habits, employment grade and marital status.
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Gertrude Baines, world’s oldest person, dies at 115

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) — Gertrude Baines, the world’s oldest person, has died in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 115, according to the home where she lived and Guinness World Records said Saturday.

Gertrude Baines passed away at the Western Convalescent Hospital at 7:25 a.m. (10:25 a.m. ET) Friday, Guinness World Records said.

Born in 1894, Baines became the world’s oldest person in January after the death of another 115-year-old, Maria de Jesus, from Portugal, Guinness World Records said.

At her 115th birthday party in April, Baines shook her head in disbelief when presented with the certificate saying she was now in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest person.
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Virus linked to prostate tumours

A virus known to cause cancer in animals has been found for the first time in human prostate cancer cells.

The researchers from the University of Utah and Columbia University medical schools found the virus in 27% of the 200 cancerous prostates they looked at.

They say it was associated with more aggressive tumours and found in only 6% of non-cancerous prostates.

This is the first report to link XMRV (Xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus) to human cancers.
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Contraception myths ‘widespread’

A UK survey has revealed that myths about contraception may be widespread.

One in five women said they had heard of kitchen items, including bread, cling film and even chicken skin, being used as alternative barrier methods.

Others had heard food items such as kebabs, Coca-cola or crisps could be used as oral contraceptives.

The survey questioned 1,000 women aged 18 to 50 and was carried out by market research company Opinion Health, sponsored by Bayer Schering Pharma.
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Elderly skin ‘raises cancer risk’

Older people are more at risk of skin cancer and infection because their skin is unable to mobilise the immune system to defend itself, UK research suggests.

It contradicts previous thinking that defects in a type of immune cell called a T cell were responsible for waning immunity with age.

In fact, it is the inability of the skin to attract T cells to where they are needed that seems to be at fault.

The findings are published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
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Behind the Unproven H1N1 Flu Vaccine

Public health officials have been warning for some time that nothing about the flu is predictable. But here’s something that is: When it comes to a new strain of the flu like H1N1, which has already stoked global fears of a massive pandemic, there’s almost certain to be some overreaction. That’s what happened this week when the public was hit with a double-play of scary news: A new estimate showed that that up to 90,000 Americans could die of H1N1 in the upcoming season; and a simultaneous report that the government was taking some unprecedented steps to get a vaccine ready in time. But the fatality numbers are more complicated — and less alarming — than they seem; and the vaccine report is less a reason for alarm than a sign of smart epidemiological planning.

What sparked the reports about insufficient testing of the new vaccine was a statement by Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control, confirming that the government has given flu vaccine manufacturers a green light to begin bottling up still-experimental shots and readying them for shipment, even before the final results from the ongoing tests on the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness are completed.
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Candle use linked to cancer risk

Candle-lit dinners may be romantic, but researchers are warning they could be harmful to health.

South Carolina State University experts analysed the fumes released by burning candles in lab tests.

They found paraffin wax candles gave off harmful fumes linked to lung cancer and asthma – but admitted it would take many years’ use to risk health.

UK experts said smoking, obesity and alcohol were much more important in terms of cancer development.

And even the researchers admitted occasional candle use was not something people should worry about too much.
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WHO warns against homeopathy use

People with conditions such as HIV, TB and malaria should not rely on homeopathic treatments, the World Health Organization has warned.

It was responding to calls from young researchers who fear the promotion of homeopathy in the developing world could put people’s lives at risk.

The group Voice of Young Science Network has written to health ministers to set out the WHO view.

WHO TB experts said homeopathy had “no place” in treatment of the disease.
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Drinkers ‘ignorant of sleep woes’

Many people do not realise drinking alcohol can disturb a good night’s sleep by interfering with the brain, a government-funded poll suggests.

Almost half of 2,000 drinkers surveyed reported fatigue the day after drinking more than the recommended daily limit.

But some 58% of those questioned were unaware that sleep problems could be caused by exceeding the limit.

The survey by YouGov was carried out for the Know Your Limits campaign, started three years ago.

Men are advised to drink no more than four units a day – the equivalent of two pints of regular-strength beer, and women no more than three units – the equivalent of a large, 250ml glass of wine.
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Nigeria agency pushes marriage to control HIV spread

(CNN) — The young man’s call echoed throughout the remote village in northern Nigeria — the marriage ceremony was about to begin.

Under the dusty sun, the fathers of the bride and groom agreed to the marriage and this ancient Muslim tradition proceeded as it has for hundreds of years.

But unknown to the gathered villagers, the couple is hiding a modern secret.

Both bride and groom are HIV-positive and marrying with the support of a local government program that encourages such “HIV-marriages” in the hope of preventing the virus from spreading.
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