Health Library

Gene Variations May Explain Weight Gain Among Men, Women WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Weight gain in men and women is predicted by two different genetic variations -- so-called polymorphisms, according to a new study from the Netherlands. Men with a certain mutation of the FTO gene had an 87 percent greater risk for gaining weight over 10 years. Meanwhile, women with a different variation on the MMP2 gene had a two and a half times increased risk for weight gain over the course of a decade, the...

Gay Actors Convincing in Heterosexual Roles FRIDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- Although being openly gay appears to affect a male actor's masculinity ratings, it does not affect views on his performance, according to a new study. Researchers from Clemson University in South Carolina found that an actor who is "out" can be convincing when playing a heterosexual role, despite stereotypes about homosexuals. "Early research showed that people tend to perceive a direct connection between sexual orientation a...

Genes May Boost Woman's Risk of Postpartum Depression TUESDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women with specific alterations in two genes may be at increased risk of suffering depression after giving birth, a small new study suggests. The researchers hope they can use the findings to develop a blood test that could help spot pregnant women who are vulnerable to postpartum depression, which affects around 15 percent of new mothers. Their study, reported in the May 21 issue of the journal Molecular ...

Get Fit in Middle Age to Cut Heart Failure Risk, Study Says WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- People who are obese or out of shape in their 40s or 50s might think it's too late to start getting fit, but new research finds that shaping up in middle age lowers the odds for heart failure later in life. What's more, the reduction in risk is independent of other modifiable risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the researchers said. "It's never too late to get fit," said...

Grilling Tips to Cut Colon Cancer Risk SATURDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Simple changes to your backyard grilling routine could help reduce your colon cancer risk, an expert says. "Research now shows that diets high in red and processed meat increase risk for colon cancer," Alice Bender, a registered dietitian at the American Institute for Cancer Research, said in an institute news release. "And grilling meat -- red or white -- forms potent cancer-causing substances. But by keeping five simple steps ...

Good Diet Helps People Manage Celiac Disease FRIDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- For people with celiac disease, an accurate diagnosis and proper diet are essential for good health, experts say. Celiac disease is an intolerance to the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. When people with celiac disease eat gluten-containing foods, the lining of their small intestine is damaged and can eventually be destroyed, which prevents adequate absorption of nutrients and leads to other health pr...

Gene Discovery May Offer Breakthrough for Rare Leukemia THURSDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- In the war against cancer, it looks like matchmaking -- between genes and drugs -- could be an important tool, according to new research into the genetic underpinnings of two rare forms of leukemia. By matching a patient's genetic mutation responsible for a rare, rapidly progressing form of leukemia with a drug that specifically targets the problem the mutation creates, researchers report that one patient is expe...

Gene Discoveries Give Hope Against 'Brittle Bone' Disease WEDNESDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Mutations in a gene involved in bone development appear to cause certain severe forms of bone loss, a finding that could lead to new therapies for the common bone-thinning disorder osteoporosis, researchers report. The mutations were found in a Swedish family with 10 members affected by a severe, early onset form of osteoporosis, as well as a Hmong family from Laos in which two sisters suffered from osteogenes...

Gasoline Poisonings in Kids Spike During Summer: Study TUESDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- Only a handful of children have ingested gasoline or other toxic household chemicals that contain hydrocarbons on his watch. But Dr. Vincenzo Maniaci, now a pediatric emergency room physician at Miami Children's Hospital, remembers them all -- including a toddler who drank an insecticide and died three days later. "Parents may have a small amount of cleaning fluid or other household item that is in an empty water b...

Gene Test May Help Predict Success of Weight-Loss Surgery THURSDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Weight loss after gastric bypass surgery varies widely, and scientists say they have identified a genetic variation that may help explain the discrepancy. The discovery, detailed in a study published May 2 in the American Journal of Human Genetics , is already driving creation of a gene test that may one day help patients predict how many pounds they might shed after weight-loss surgery. Some patients lose 60 p...