The social networking site Mumsnet is running a lively debate about how breast feeding rates could be increased. It was triggered by two recent BMJ research articles. You can follow the debate at this link.

Meanwhile, 23 signatories have writen a letter to The Times critising the UK Government’s failure to provide women with enough information in the NHS leaflets. This follows a BMJ analysis article which says that breast screening leaflets do not adequately highlight the risks that screening can pose. The harm of screening is overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment of healthy women.

BMJ in the news

• Breast screening info ‘misleads’ – BBC Online, UK
• Breast screening tests ‘can lead to unnecessary treatment’ – Daily Telegraph, UK
• Breast cancer screening peril – Times Online, UK
• Few women follow pre-pregnancy recommendations – Reuters
• Non-smokers live longer – The Press Association
• Smoking kills regardless of class – BBC Online, UK
• Passive smoking linked to dementia – Business Weekly, UK
• People risking health with internet ‘tan jabs’, warns expert – Daily Telegraph, UK
• British Medical Journal award for K’taka doctor – Mangalorean.com, India

BMJ in blogs

• Non-smokers live longer – Grantham Journal
• Smoking kills – irrespective of class
• Social Class, Gender Won’t Shield Smokers from Harm
• Breast-screening tests could ‘lead to unnecessary treatment,’ - By Rahul
• Breast cancer screening – By NHS Choices
• Few women follow pre-pregnancy recommendations -Pregnancy news
• Public Health Concerns As More Turn To ‘Tan Jabs’ – By enartion
• Cosmetic Surgery For Women: Melanotan – By Kitty
• Commercial Fitness Today: Lifestyle doubles stroke risk – By Marc Onigman

Most read on bmj.com

• HDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk
• Combined effect of health behaviours and risk of first ever stroke in men and women over 11 years’ follow-up in EPIC Norfolk
• Effect of tobacco smoking on survival of men and women by social position
• Dementia
• Woman with hypotensive shock at the onset of menstruation

Most commented on bmj.com

• Promoting breast feeding in the community
• Breast screening: the facts—or maybe not
• Students warned not to subscribe to journal “scam”
• Woman with hypotensive shock at onset of menstruation
• Prescribing prednisolone for Bell’s palsy

Juliet Walker is the Editorial Intern, BMJ