Lack of Sleep may Cause Obesity...

Lack of Sleep may Cause Obesity by Affecting Brain's Ability to Choose Healthy Food

People more attracted to eating unhealthy food after not getting enough sleep, new research has suggested.

Two new studies that scanned the brains of people who have been sleep deprived have revealed their brains react differently when presented with choices of healthy and unhealthy food compared to those who have had adequate sleep.

The research showed that key areas of the brain related to reward were activated while activity in regions that control behaviour were inhibited.

Social Phobia? Drugs, Therapy Work Equally Well

Cancer: Questions Over Proton Beam Therapy

The Government is to spend £250 million on a cutting edge cancer treatment called proton beam therapy despite there being "no reliable, objective evidence" that it improves patients' lives.

It has not been assessed for clinical or cost effectiveness by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), according to an article in the British Medical Journal.

Last week Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, revealed that University College Hospitals in London and The Christie in Manchester would each house a facility, to be fully open by 2017. They would treat about 1,500 people a year, mainly children. Up to £250 million will be spent on the facilities.

Proton beam therapy is a form of radiotherapy that is particularly suited to tumours buried deep in the brain and spine, and eye tumours, because it causes less damage to less healthy tissue.

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Flu Risk Higher for Workers in Certain Industries

Bowel Condition may Increase the Risk...

Bowel Condition may Increase the Risk of Miscarriage

Pregnant women with a common bowel condition may be 20 per cent more likely to miscarry, according to new research.

The study is the first to look at the links between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and miscarriage and suggests that pregnant women with the condition should receive additional antenatal care.

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Cheap Blood Test That Could Spot a Heart Attack...

Cheap Blood Test That Could Spot a Heart Attack May be Available Within a Year

simple and inexpensive test that can spot a heart attack waiting to happen could be available next year.

Scientists say they are very close to the ‘holy grail of heart medicine’ – a rapid blood test that will pick up if someone is on the cusp of a heart attack.

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Poor Literacy 'Increases Early Death Risk for Elderly'

One in three adults aged over 65 in England have difficulty understanding basic health-related information, suggests a study in the BMJ.

They are more than twice as likely to die within five years as adults with no literacy problems, it was found.

The University College London study tested nearly 8,000 adults on their understanding of aspirin instructions.

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London 2012: Mass Gathering Risks Disease Spreading

Mass gatherings, such as the London 2012 Olympics, can be a hotbed of diseases from across the world, public health experts have warned.

They say it can have consequences for the host nation and for people when they return to their own countries.

There are also important issues to consider in handling large numbers of people, they say.

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Studies: Vision Problems in Preschoolers...

Studies: Vision Problems in Preschoolers Are Common