After launching the Ionic and Versa smartwatches, and the Ace for kids in the past year, Fitbit has returned to its fitness band roots by announcing the next version of its Charge tracker. The Fitbit Charge 3 offers an updated design and several new features compared to the exceedingly popular Charge 2, with the star […]
Cases of measles in Europe have hit a record high, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 41,000 people have been infected in the first six months of 2018, leading to 37 deaths. Last year there were 23,927 cases and the year before 5,273. Experts blame this surge in infections on a drop […]
NHS reorganisations are not very popular – but Tom Locke probably owes his life to one. The 41-year-old was inspecting pigeon nests on his roof at home in Hythe on the Kent coast last October when disaster struck. He fell from his ladder on his balcony plummeting three storeys on to his patio below, breaking […]
Non-smoking adults have a higher risk of dying from serious lung disease if they grew up with parents who smoked, according to US research. The researchers said childhood passive smoking was “likely to add seven deaths to every 100,000 non-smoking adults dying annually”. The study of 70,900 non-smoking men and women was led by the […]
The number of children and young people being treated for type 2 diabetes in England and Wales has gone up from 507 to 715 in four years, new figures show. More than three-quarters were also obese, according to the NHS data. Child health experts said the rise was “alarming” and the childhood obesity epidemic was […]
Media playback is unsupported on your device A low-carb diet could shorten life expectancy by up to four years, a study suggests. Low-carb diets, such as Atkins, have become increasingly popular for weight loss and have shown promise for lowering the risk of some illnesses. But a US study over 25 years indicates that moderate […]
Rules around e-cigarettes should be relaxed so they can be more widely used and accepted in society, says a report by MPs. Vaping is much less harmful than normal cigarettes and e-cigarettes should be made available on prescription to help more people quit smoking, it said. The report also asks the government to consider their […]
An opt-out organ donation register in England may not increase the number of organs because grieving relatives could be less sure what their loved ones had wanted, a study suggests. Under the opt-out system, planned to come in from 2020, consent is presumed unless family members decide otherwise. But research by Queen Mary University London […]
Scientists say they have discovered why some vegetables – including cabbage, broccoli and kale – can reduce the risk of bowel cancers. That cruciferous veg is good for the gut has never been in doubt but a detailed explanation has been elusive. The team at the Francis Crick Institute found anti-cancer chemicals were produced as […]
Babies and young children in prams can be exposed to up to 60% more pollution than adults, a study suggests. Experts said infants were exposed to dirtier air in prams because they were lower to the ground and closer to exhaust pipes. They are also more at risk from the health dangers of dirty air […]
When Marieta was just a year old she developed a high fever and became really unwell. Her family thought she had fallen under a curse that in parts of rural Burkina Faso is believed to happen when a bird flies over a child asleep outdoors. Her father, Tibandiba Lankoande, spent most of his money on […]
Media playback is unsupported on your device A doctor who was struck off over the death of a six-year-old boy has won her appeal to practise medicine again. Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence in 2015 over the death of Jack Adcock, who died of sepsis at Leicester Royal Infirmary in […]
Women in Australia will pursue a class action lawsuit over a sterilisation device that has allegedly caused medical problems for women worldwide. The lawsuit against German pharmaceutical giant Bayer, maker of the Essure implant, will follow similar actions in the UK, US and Canada. Women with the implant have reported problems such as chronic pain […]
Pharmaceutical group Bayer has dismissed claims that an ingredient used in weed killers is carcinogenic. The German company, which owns agriculture giant Monsanto, says herbicides containing glyphosate are safe. On Friday, Monsanto was ordered to pay $ 289m (£226m) damages to a man who claimed the products caused his cancer. A Californian jury said Monsanto […]
The physical benefits of exercise are indisputable, with a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and strokes all linked to regular workouts, and there is growing body of research that suggests the effect it can have on your mental health is considerable as well. A new study published in The Lancet Psychiatry analysed data on […]