This year’s Christmas BMJ generated lots of UK and international media coverage, particularly the paper that debunked seasonal myths. In Festive medical myths, Rachel Vreeman and Aaron Carroll look at the science behind commonly believed theories and discover that many of them are in fact not true. The good news for the holidays is that sugar does not make children more hyperactive, suicide rates do not increase in the holidays, poinsettias are not toxic and eating late at night does not make you fat. Unfortunately the bad news is that wearing a hat does not decrease the amount of heat our bodies lose and there is no cure for a hangover.
There is more bad news for those of us who like head banging to rock music. Unsurprisingly Declan Patton and Andrew MacIntosh found that head banging is likely to cause head and neck injury. Our deputy editor, Tony Delamothe investigated this further and you can listen to what he discovered on the Today programme.
And finally, for those of us who take the Christmas partying to an excess, a good sign of recovery is the ability to write a text message.
Merry Christmas!
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BMJ in the news:
Researchers Debunk Widely Believed Holiday Myths ABC News
Does sugar make children hyperactive? Festive myths explored Canada
Scientists ‘debunk’ common myths The Press Association
Hangover cures, sugar causes hyperactivity and poinsettias are poisonous: medical myths debunked Daily Telegraph
Scientists debunk the myth that you lose most heat through your head The Guardian
Christmas hangover? There’s no cure The Times
Medical myths that come with a health warning The Independent
Losing heat through your head? Discover the barefaced truth about hats and other myths
Daily Mail
Late-night festive meals won’t make you fat Reuters UK
Holiday health concerns may just be myths CNN
Late-night festive meals won’t make you fat Reuters India
Ho-ho-hold on there! Poinsettias aren’t poisonous? Sugar doesn’t … The Canadian Press
When mother didn’t know best Scotsman
Experts may not like old wives’ remedies, but they work for me Times Online
Official: There is no cure for a hangover Metro, UK
‘Please, sir, I’m stuffed’: What Oliver Twist should really have said AFP
Head-banging hammers the brain ABC Science Online – Australia
The headbangers on a highway to casualty: Experts warn rock dance can cause brain injury Daily Mail
Texting ‘is a sign of recovery’ BBC Online
Milestone dates ‘boost screening’ BBC News
Children’s kidneys not harmed by low doses of melamine: study CBC Canada
BMJ in blogs:
The British Medical Journal reports on cost-effective treatment …
Billions Wasted On Hyped Food Products
Cool Heads, Hot Heads ScienceBlogs
Late-night meals won’t make you fat TVNZ
6 Medical Myths Debunked For Christmas
BMJ on the Today programme
Juliet Walker is the editorial intern, BMJ