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Tarantino's female lead hints at Django 2 and talks about the controversies surrounding the filmContinue reading...
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Kerry Washington Interview – Django Unchained
Tarantino's female lead hints at Django 2 and talks about the controversies surrounding the filmContinue reading...
Sweetened Drinks Linked to Depression Risk
Jan. 8, 2013 -- Drinking sweetened beverages -- either sugar-sweetened or diet -- may be linked with a slightly higher depression risk, while drinking coffee may slightly lower the risk.
That is the finding from a new study to be presented in March at the 65th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in San Diego.In the study, people who drank sweetened beverages -- including regular and diet sodas, fruit punch, and sweetened iced tea -- had a higher risk for depression.
Researchers say the findings suggest that cutting down on sweetened drinks or replacing them entirely with non-sweetened beverages may help lower depression risk.
But an expert who reviewed the findings says it failed to convince him that drinking sweetened beverages raises depression risk.
“There is much more evidence that people who are depressed crave sweet things than there is to suggest that sweetened beverages cause depression,” says neurologist Kenneth M. Heilman, MD.
Heilman is a professor of neurology at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville.
The study included close to 264,000 people over the age of 50 enrolled in an AARP diet and health study.
When they entered the study, the participants were asked about their beverage-drinking habits as part of a detailed dietary survey. About 10 years later they were asked if they had been diagnosed with depression over the previous decade.
The analysis revealed that people who drank more than four cans or cups of diet soda a day had about a 30% higher risk of developing depression over the follow-up period than those who drank none. Those who drank regular soda had a 22% higher risk.
Coffee drinking, however, was associated with a 10% reduction in depression risk.
Drinking diet sweetened-beverages appeared to be associated with a slightly higher depression risk overall than drinking sugar-sweetened beverages.
The researchers noted that more research is needed to confirm the findings. They warn that people with depression should continue to take all medications prescribed by their doctors.
“While our findings are preliminary, and the underlying biological mechanisms are not known, they are intriguing and consistent with a small but growing body of evidence suggesting that artificially sweetened beverages may be associated with poor health outcomes,” says researcher Honglei Chen, MD, PhD, of the National Institutes of Health in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Heilman, who is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, says the fact that carbonated and non-carbonated sweetened beverages appeared to increase depression risk, as did drinks sweetened with sugar and non-calorie sweeteners, leads him to question the findings.
He notes that there is evidence to suggest that people who are depressed or have a higher risk for depression seek out sweet foods and drinks as a way of self-soothing.
“The main point is that you can never show cause and effect in a study like this one,” he says. “By telling people to cut down on sugar-sweetened drinks you may be reducing depression risk or having no impact or having the opposite effect and making depression worse.”
The study was supported by the Intramural Research Programs of the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the National Cancer Institute.
These findings will be presented at a medical conference. They should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.
Tom Odell at the BRIT Awards launch in London
BRITs Critics’ Choice Award winner Tom Odell might look like your average Joe, but rest assured, we’ll be seeing plenty of him in the months to comeContinue reading...
Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx at the UK premiere of Django Unchained
Cinematic spouses Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx were reunited on the red carpet once more at the UK premiere of Django Unchained last nightContinue reading...
Americans Sicker Compared to Other Wealthy Nations
Jan. 9, 2013 -- Americans die younger and have higher rates of many types of diseases and injuries than people in other high-income countries, a new report shows.
“The health of Americans is far worse than the health of people in other countries despite the fact that we spend more money on health care,” says report author Steven H. Woolf, MD, MPH, during a news conference. He is a professor of family medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. “This has been going on since 1980 and getting progressively worse. I am struck by the gravity of our findings.”
This health disadvantage exists at all ages from birth to age 75 and in all socioeconomic groups. “Even those who are insured and college educated and have high incomes seem to be in worse health than people in other nations,” he says.
The report, put out by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, looked at multiple diseases, injuries, and behaviors across the entire life-span among 17 nations, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, and Western European countries.
Overall, American men live four years less than men in certain other high-income countries, and women live five years less than women in certain other countries, the report shows.
According to the report, the U.S. is at or near the bottom in nine key health areas, including:
Infant death and low birth weightInjuries and murdersTeenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infectionsPrevalence of HIV and AIDSDrug-related deathsObesity and diabetesHeart disease; chronic lung disease; and disabilitySpecifically, children born in the U.S. are less likely to reach their fifth birthday than kids from certain other countries. The U.S. also has the highest infant death rate of any high-income country.
What’s more, U.S. teens have higher rates of death from traffic accidents and murders, the highest rates of teenage pregnancy, and are more likely to catch sexually transmitted infections. “I was stunned by how pervasive the disadvantage was across so many different topic areas,” Woolf says.
The playing field changes after age 75, the report shows. If an American lives to 75, they have a higher life expectancy than people in the other high-income countries.
So why are we faring so poorly up until 75? There are many possibilities, Woolf says.
Americans are more likely to take part in certain unhealthy behaviors, such as eating high-fat, high-caloric diets and not wearing seatbelts.
When looking for causes and solutions, we have to think outside of the box, says panel member Ana V. Diez-Roux, MD, PhD, MPH. She is a professor and chair of epidemiology, and director of the Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Eddie Redmayne at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards in LA
Burberry poster boy Eddie Redmayne struck yet another model-esque pose, this time on the red carpet at the Critics’ Choice Movie AwardsContinue reading...
Anne Hathaway’s cute crop at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards
Anne Hathaway’s cute crop at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards 2013 in Los Angeles – Hair Do's & Don'ts brought to you by Glamour.com. Visit Glamour.com for the latest dos and don'ts for hairstyles, with celebrity photos.Continue reading...
Amy Adams at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards
Amy Adams wears a white and navy gown by Vionnet at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards- vote on celebrity fashion, style and red carpet looks in GLAMOUR.COM’s Dos and Don’tsContinue reading...
Fisher-Price Recalls Sleepers Due to Mold Risk
Jan. 8, 2013 -- The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Fisher-Price are voluntary recalling about 800,000 Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleepers because of concerns about mold.
Mold may develop between the removable seat cushion and the sleeper’s hard plastic frame if it remains wet or isn’t kept clean. The mold may cause respiratory illnesses and other infections.So far, Fisher-Price has received 600 reports of mold on the product. Sixteen people have reported that their infant was treated for respiratory issues, coughs, and hives after sleeping in it.
This action affects all Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play infant recliner seats. The sleeper is for babies weighing up to 25 pounds and is made of a soft plastic seat held by a metal rocking frame. It has a removable, fabric cover and is sold in 14 patterns and color palettes. The sleepers were sold at all mass merchandise stores nationwide and online since September 2009 for between $50 and $85.
Mold is not on the sleeper at the time of purchase but can develop after use.
Parents and caregivers should look for mold under the removable seat cushion by looking for dark brown, gray, or black spots. If mold is found, stop using the product immediately and contact Fisher-Price for cleaning instructions or further assistance at (800) 432-5437, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday
Cleaning and care instructions can also be found at the Mattel and Fisher-Price Customer Service web page.
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