HealthBeat
Bigger horses needed to carry bigger Americans
Wranglers in the West are adding bigger horses to their stables in order to carry heavier tourists. Ranches are now using draft horses for overweight riders, according to an Associated Press story. “Even though a person might be overweight, or, you know, heavier than the average American, it’s kind of nice we can provide a […]
April 24, 2014 3:05 pm
Sneezes travel farther than you think
Dude, cover that multiphase turbulent buoyant cloud. A new study by MIT researchers shows that sneezes and coughs have associated gas clouds that keep their droplets floating over greater distances than anyone previously realized. “When you cough or sneeze, you see the droplets, or feel them if someone sneezes on you,” said John Bush, a […]
April 22, 2014 12:06 pm
Google’s “smart” contact lenses
Google is getting into the contact lens business. But, because it’s Google, they aren’t creating just any contact lenses. Google announced this week on its blog that it’s testing a “smart” contact lens that’s built to measure glucose levels in tears. The lenses will help people with diabetes to better manage their disease. “At Google, […]
April 17, 2014 10:52 am
Running with dogs
Runner’s World magazine is combining two of my favorite things this week: running and dogs. Today, Runner’s World kicked off dog week and promised a week full of stories about running with dogs – from how to train your dog for running and what gear you should get for your pup. I’m a regular runner, […]
April 14, 2014 5:36 pm
Washington at both ends of obesity scale
Washington has one of the most obese and one of the least obese communities in the U.S. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index surveyed more than 500,000 adults living in 189 different metro areas in 2012 and 2013. They used those surveys to determine the most and least obese communities in the U.S. Washington has one city […]
April 9, 2014 5:45 pm
Cost of childhood obesity
Childhood obesity is a costly issue in the U.S. New research estimates the price tag is about $19,000 per child. Researchers from Duke Global Health Institute and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School determined the cost of childhood obesity by analyzing medical data and costs related to obesity and compared it with the costs for normal-weight children […]
April 7, 2014 5:14 pm
Cereal box psychology
Have you ever noticed the downward gaze of the Trix cereal rabbit? Turns out, the positioning of that silly rabbit’s eyes is intentional. Cornell Food and Brand Lab Researchers looked at cereals marketed to kids and adults and compared their positioning on shelves and the gaze of the cereal spokes-characters. Researchers found cereals marketed to […]
April 3, 2014 6:43 pm
Obese professions
About 28 percent of U.S. workers are obese. But some professions are more obese than others. At the top of the list of most obese is public administration with about 36 percent obese workers, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Jobs in utilities, health care and construction had […]
April 3, 2014 2:36 pm
Report: Autism starts in the womb
Researchers this week published a new report that indicates autism starts in the womb. Researchers examined brain tissue from children who died and had autism. The tissue revealed patches of disorganization in the cortex, the thin sheet of cells that’s important for learning and memory, according to an NPR article. Tissue samples from children without […]
March 27, 2014 5:12 pm
Poison centers warn of e-cigarette accidents
Poison centers are warning parents to keep the liquid nicotine they use in e-cigarettes away from children. The American Association of Poison Control Centers issued the warning Tuesday after reporting a surge in calls about exposure to e-cigarettes and their nicotine. The group reported 269 calls in 2011; 459 calls in 2012; 1,414 calls in […]
March 26, 2014 4:22 pm