Health, features and articles | Educational Science

May 31, 2011

Arsenic in Chicken Leads to Stopped Drug Sales: FDA

The company that manufactures an animal drug that has been used since the 1940s to fatten up chickens is voluntarily halting sales of the drug, following a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report. Alpharma, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., will voluntarily suspend U.S. sales of the animal drug 3-Nitro (Roxarsone)...

May 31, 2011

Underrepresented: Older Women and Media

A new study finds that even in magazines with significant proportions of older readers, youth rules. University of Georgia gerontologist Denise Lewis and colleagues analyzed the December 2007 issues of eight popular fashion magazines, advertisements, articles, fashion spreads and all. (December was chosen because pre-holiday issues tend to be the...

May 31, 2011

Top 5 Ways to Reduce Toxins in Homes

Canadian health and environmental experts have issued a list today of the best ways to reduce five common sources of toxins associated with child health risks. Expectant and new parents, in particular, need practical advice to help them safeguard their children from health risks — such as learning and behavioral...

May 31, 2011

How Likely Is Your Partner to Cheat?

A fear of sexual failure combined with a lack of concern about sexual consequences makes both men and women more likely to cheat on their partners, a new study finds. While it may seem counterintuitive that someone with performance anxiety would seek out something extra on the side, insecure cheaters...

May 31, 2011

Over-the-Counter Drug for Insomnia & Incontinence Can Kill

Common over-the counter and prescription medications known as anticholinergics can cause cognitive impairment and can lead to death, a new study says. The group includes over-the-counter products containing diphenhydramine, prescription sleep aids and incontinence treatments, many of which are frequently taken by older adults, the researchers said. Physicians should review...

May 31, 2011

FAQ: The FDA and Avastin

There's been a lot of back-and-forth regarding the use of Avastin for breast cancer. Here are answers to some questions you may have about the cancer drug: Why is Avastin getting so much attention right now? In 2008 the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Avastin to treat...

Apr 30, 2011

How to Avoid Raising a Bully

Parents who don't want their children to become bullies should stay positive, talk to their kids and meet their children's friends. That's according to new research presented today (May 1) at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Denver. Using data from a nationally representative phone survey, researchers...

Apr 30, 2011

Brain Overgrowth in Tots Is Linked to Autism

The brains of children who have autism spectrum disorder are larger than those of other children, a difference that seems to arise before they are 2 years old, according to a new study. In 2005, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that 2-year-old children with...

Apr 30, 2011

Asthma Pill Works As Well As Common Inhalers, Study Finds

A rarely prescribed asthma drug is easier to use and just as effective as conventional treatment with inhalers, according to a new study. British researchers found that tablets called leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) manage asthma equally successfully as steroid inhalers and other preventer inhalers when used in addition to steroid...

Apr 30, 2011

Superwomen: Moms of Twins May Live Longer

Having two babies at a time is associated with a longer life, according to a new study. But that's not because doubling up on dirty diapers increases life span; instead, moms of twins are physically stronger in the first place. One catch: The research, published today (May 10) in the...

Apr 30, 2011

Preschoolers Already Think Thin is Beautiful

Kids as young as 4 think thin is beautiful, suggesting that media associations of thinness with beauty sink in early. The findings, published in March in the journal Body Image, aren't the first to show that kids develop opinions on body weight early. One study, published in 2010 in the...

Apr 30, 2011

The Dish: Helper Brain Cells Grown in Lab

The most common brain cell, called the astrocyte, is often overlooked in the face of its cousin, the neuron. Researchers are finally realizing their importance and have, for the first time, been able to grow them in the lab. Not a lot of attention has been paid to these cells...

Apr 30, 2011

Energy Drinks Not for Kids, Pediatricians Warn

Energy drinks — sweet drinks containing caffeine and often herbal supplements — have been drawing scrutiny over their nutritional value. Now the nation’s largest group of pediatricians is strongly recommending that they not be consumed by children. “Rigorous review and analysis of the literature reveal that caffeine and other stimulant...

Mar 31, 2011

Brain Scans Predict Alzheimer's Risk in Some Patients

Brain scans may help identify which individuals with a mild decline in their mental abilities will go on to develop Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. The research focused on patients with mild cognitive impairment, a condition in which people experience noticeable declines in their cognitive function, including memory...

Mar 31, 2011

Exercise During Pregnancy Benefits Baby's Heart

Exercise during pregnancy benefits not just the mother's heart, but her baby's heart as well, a new study finds. The results show regular exercise during pregnancy lowers the heart rate of the fetus, and this effect persists for a month after the baby is born. A low heart rate indicates...