July 19, 2012 Clippings

Abused children likelier to develop cancer as adults

Kids who are frequently abused by their parents can elevate a child’s cancer risk in adulthood. This trend is seen higher in daughters who are abused by their mothers. Abuse includes constant belittling, shaming and humiliating a child, exposure to violence or abuse of others (emotional); severe disciplining, such as corporal punishment (physical); and failing to provide for a child’s basic needs – adequate food, clothing, hygiene, or supervision (neglect).

Researchers have found that despite the perception that children tend to ‘bounce back’, studies have found that these events can lead to long-term consequences. “In this case, people who were frequently emotionally or physically abused by their parents were more likely to have cancer in adulthood. Overall, the more frequent and intense the abuse, the more it elevated the cancer risk,” said Ferraro. “We would like to see child abuse noted as an environmental factor that can increase cancer occurrence in adulthood. More research on this topic also could help mediate the effects or improve interventions to help abused children,” he added. The study started with examining a variety of childhood misfortunes, including abuse. They found that men with most stressors during childhood were more likely to develop cancer later in life. “Other studies have shown that if a mother smokes, the daughter is more likely to smoke, and the same relationship is found when sons mirror their father’s behaviour,” Morton said. “More research is needed, but another possibility is that men may be more likely to physically abuse their sons, and mothers are more likely to physically abuse their daughters,” added Morton. Abuse was one of many childhood misfortunes – including poverty, loss of parent and family educational status – that researchers examined to determine if there was a link to cancer in adulthood.

Source: http://health.india.com

19.07.2012

Inactivity as deadly as smoking

Lack of exercise is now causing as many deaths as smoking across the world, a new study has revealed.

The report, published in the Lancet, claims that about a third of adults are not doing enough physical activity, causing 5.3million deaths a year.

That accounts to about one in 10 deaths from diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and breast and colon cancer.

Researchers said that the problem was now so severe that it should be treated as a pandemic, the BBC reported.

And they said that tackling it required a new way of thinking, suggesting the public needed to be warned about the dangers of inactivity rather than just being reminded of the benefits of it.

The team comprising of 33 researchers, drawn from centres across the world, also said that governments needed to look at ways to make physical activity more convenient, affordable and safer.

It is recommended that adults exercise moderately for 150 minutes, by brisk walking, cycling or gardening, each week.

The Lancet study found that people in higher income countries were the least active with those in the UK among the worst as nearly two thirds of adults were judged not to be doing enough.

Although the researchers admitted comparisons between countries were difficult because the way activity was estimated may have differed from place to place.

Nonetheless, they said that they remained confident that their overall conclusion was valid.

"The global challenge is clear - make physical activity a public health priority throughout the world to improve health and reduce the burden of disease." Pedro Hallal, one of the lead researchers, said.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

19.07.2012

To repeat what others have said, requires education, to challenge it,
requires brains

Mary Pettibone Poole