Public Health

Cats living in homes where people smoke cigarettes are more than twice as likely as other cats to acquire a deadly form of cancer known as feline lymphoma, according to a first-of-its kind study in cats conducted by scientists at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Massachusetts. The study, entitled "Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Risk of Malignant Lymphoma in Pet Cats," was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. The authors conclude that these findings offer a compelling reason for further study of the relationship between passive smoke and non-…

Fats hidden in thousands of foods can harm a woman’s chance of having a baby, scientists said yesterday.   They can increase the risk of fertility problems by 70 per cent or more. Eating as little as one doughnut or a portion of chips a day can have a damaging effect.   Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston did a study of 18,500 women trying to conceive and found 438 cases of ovulatory problems.  Based on those results they have advised women who want to have a baby to avoid the fats, known as trans fats.   They are used in thousands…

Fats hidden in thousands of foods can harm a woman’s chance of having a baby, scientists said yesterday.   They can increase the risk of fertility problems by 70 per cent or more. Eating as little as one doughnut or a portion of chips a day can have a damaging effect. The scientists behind the study advised women who want to have a baby to avoid the fats, known as trans fats.   They are used in thousands of processed foods, from chocolate to pies, as well as take-away meals. They have no nutritional value but are included simply to extend the shelf life of food.…

Feeling kind of full of yourself over the holidays? You're not alone but there may be help on the horizon! An article on MSNBC.com reveals new findings about the roles that microbes play in your digestive tract. Two different types were isolated and they were found to be partially to blame for how many calories your body could separate from different types of food.  "In one study, Gordon and colleagues looked at what happened in mice with changes in bacteria level. When lean mice with no germs in their guts had larger ratios of Firmicutes transplanted, they got “twice as fat” and took in…