The WHO said diesel fumes are a "known carcinogen" on Tuesday, placing them in the same class as smoking, asbestos and ultraviolet radiation. (Credit: Basheer Tome/Flickr Creative Commons)
Here are the latest health headlines folks in South Los Angeles ought to know about:
W.H.O. Declares Diesel Fumes Cause Lung Cancer: The clouds of smoke that come from trucks, generators, and farm and factory machinery are more carcinogenic than secondhand cigarette smoke, said the World Health Organization on Tuesday, elevating the fumes to the "known carcinogen" category. That puts them in the same class as smoking, asbestos and ultraviolet radiation. | New York Times
Smoking and drinking has 'little effect' on sperm counts: Tobacco, alcohol, recreational drug use and obesity are all bad for your health – but not necessarily for your sperm. Wearing boxer shorts, however, is associated with higher sperm levels than is wearing tighter underwear. | BBC
Health spending likely to keep rising with or without Obama's plan: Whether or not President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act gets through the Supreme Court, experts say health care spending will continue to surge over the next 10 years, and will hit approximately $4.21 trillion by 2021. Right now spending is at about $2.8 trillion. | Los Angeles Times
Latinos face lower cancer survival rates than rest of population: Latinos are more likely to neglect or ignore many of the risk factors for cancer, according to new research, which results in higher cancer rates than other populations. | KPCC
Raucous Music May Tap Into Your Inner Animal: Discordant, cacophonous, harsh, jarring music may stimulate listeners' minds by simulating animal sounds in distress, according to new research. The study's author says the findings "[give us] the biological basis behind why certain forms of music create emotions." | MSN/HealthDay
USPSTF Says No To Vitamin D, Calcium for Older Women: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says that doses of vitamin D and calcium that are higher than the recommended daily allowance don't help prevent bone fractures in older women, and can in fact be harmful. There wasn't sufficient evidence, however, for the group to comprehensively assess the benefits and potential harms of the supplements. | ABC News
Sleep apnea persisting into teens can impact life skills, study finds: Teens with sleep apnea face higher rates of attention disorders, hyperactivity, aggressiveness, difficulties controlling emotion and managing social situations, according to new research, in addition to a diminished ability to care for themselves. Researchers said this points to the importance of treatment before kids hit adolescence. | Press release
Photo by Basheer Tome via Flickr Creative Commons.
