Eating five-a-day shows only modest protection against cancer

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The five-a-day mantra that has ruled many a households' kitchen since the World Health Organization in 1990 recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, is, for the first time, on shaky ground. Following one of the largest and longest studies into the link between diet and the causes of cancer, which involved around 400,000 men and women from 10 European countries across nine years, they found that eating an extra 200g of fruit and vegetables each day (equivalent to two servings), reduced incidents of cancer by only four per cent. These results, revealed by researchers from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, who led the study, flies in the face of previous findings which, 20 years ago, led scientists to suggest that the rate of reduction was as high as 50 per cent. Nevertheless, there is still, they say, good evidence to suggest that eating fruit and vegetables helps protect against heart disease and strokes.

Aerobic exercise during pregnancy produces lighter babies

It may be the last thing that expecting mothers feel like doing, but new research has revealed that aerobic exercise during pregnancy can reduce the chance of giving birth to an obesity-prone baby. Scientists at the University of Auckland found that pregnant women who cycled on exercise bikes had lighter babies that those who didn't. The babies' length remained the same, though, and there was no evidence of lack of nutrition. 'Our findings show that regular exercise alters the maternal environment in some way that has an impact on nutrient stimulation of foetal growth, resulting in a reduction in offspring birth weight' said Paul Hofman, who led the study. 'Given that large birth size is associated with an increased risk of obesity, a modest reduction in birth weight may have long-term benefits.'

September 11 emergency crews suffer lasting damage

Research into the health of the emergency rescue crews who worked at ground zero following the collapse of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, has revealed that a 'significant proportion' have still not recovered normal lung function. The seven-year study by researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Centre looked at the health of 13,000 firefighters and emergency medical service workers from the New York City Fire Department. 'This exposure at ground zero was so unique that no one could have predicted the impact on lung function,' said David Pezant, the professor of medicine and senior author of the study. In 2006 the same research project published results which showed that a year after the incident, emergency crews had lung problems similar to 12 years of age-related respiratory damage.


Chemicals found in nail varnish could be linked to early puberty

They are the products that every young girl wants to get her hands on, but chemicals found in nail varnish and shampoos, as well as food cans, could be triggering early puberty, which in turn can lead to cancer and diabetes, according to a study carried out at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Under investigation were phenols, phthalates and phytoestrogens, which are used in packaging as well as lotions, shampoos and perfumes. The effect of the three compounds on 1,151 prepubescent girls in the US was studied and a connection was found between daily exposure to them and delayed or early development. 'While more research is needed,' said Dr Mary Wolff, an oncologist at Mount Sinai, 'these data are an important first step in continuing to evaluate the impact of these common environmental agents in putting girls at risk.' The chemicals are used to increase durability in nail polishes and add fragrance to perfumes, lotions and shampoos. Phthalates are banned in Europe.

Transcendental Meditation may help relieve depression

Transcendental Meditation, the Indian technique made famous by The Beatles in the late 1960s, is, according to new research, an effective means to battling depression. Two studies by scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Hawaii, looked at patients suffering from clinical depression or who were at high risk of suffering from depression, and compared them with healthy people. After a year of practising the technique, which requires individuals to sit quietly and silently repeat a mantra or single word to themselves, all groups reported that they had experienced benefits. Those with depression said that their symptoms had almost halved within three months of starting treatment, while non-sufferers also saw benefits.

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