China ranked first; UK last: but wide variations, depending on product, finds 5-country study The salt (sodium) content of processed meat and fish products is so high in the US that it ranks second in the world, finds a 5-country study published in the online journal BMJ Open. China comes first, while the UK comes last […]
Category: Press release
UK ‘austerity’ since 2010 linked to tens of thousands more deaths than expected
Findings echo other research on stalled life expectancy improvement Extra social care spend more than twice as ‘productive’ as extra healthcare spend Central government austerity measures since 2010 are linked to tens of thousands more deaths than expected, finds research published in the online journal BMJ Open on the joint impact of social care, public health, and […]
Experts call for changes to regulation of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products
Rules over sale, ban on indoor use, advertising restrictions and label warnings should apply, say experts Current regulation of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products should change with different arrangements put in place for the two groups of products, suggests research published in BMJ Open. E-cigarettes, known as electronic nicotine delivery systems and heated tobacco products […]
Likely extra 267,000 infant deaths in 2020 prompted by COVID-19 economic downturn
Figures correspond to nearly 7% more than expected, show World Bank economist estimates An extra 267,000 infants will likely have died in 2020 in low- and middle-income countries as a result of the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, finds a modelling study, published in the online journal BMJ Open. This toll is 7% higher than expected […]
Middle-age height loss linked to heightened death risk in northern European women
But exercise may help to stave off shrinkage, findings suggest Height loss in middle age is linked to a heightened risk of early death, primarily from heart disease or stroke–at least in Northern European women–suggests research published in the online journal BMJ Open. But regular physical activity may help to stave off mid-life shrinkage, as well […]
Men appear to bully more commonly than women in academic medicine
More than two thirds of perpetrators are men, more than half the victims are women and less than a third of victims report the bullying they have experienced, say researchers A greater proportion of men than women exhibit bullying behaviours during medical training and academic practice, and only a minority of victims report their experiences, […]
Border controls, restricted entry, traveller quarantine essential for curbing COVID-19 and future pandemics
Comprehensive case finding, repeat testing, and apps for contact tracing and self-isolation also key Border controls, restricted entry, and quarantine for inbound travellers are essential for stopping not just COVID-19, but any future pandemic, in its tracks, finds a review of the available published evidence on early infection control in the online journal BMJ Open. Comprehensive […]
Number and relative age of siblings is linked to risk of cardiovascular events
First-born children have a lower risk of cardiovascular events, but having lots of siblings is associated with an increased risk First-born children have a lower risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes than brothers and sisters born later, but people who are part of a large family with many siblings have an […]
Autistic people across Europe have struggled to access COVID-19 services during pandemic
Likely result: rises in associated deaths, ill health, and poor quality of life, warn authors Autistic people across Europe have not only struggled to access standard health and care services during the pandemic, but, crucially, also those for COVID-19, finds research published in the online journal BMJ Open. The likely consequences of this widening of existing […]
Long term use of prescription meds for insomnia not linked to better quality sleep
No difference between those who did and didn’t take these drugs for 1–2 years Long term use of prescription meds for insomnia doesn’t seem to improve disturbed sleep in middle-aged women, suggests research published in the online journal BMJ Open. There was no difference in sleep quality or duration between those who did and didn’t take […]