Child abuse worsens along with the economy, says a new, alarming study. (Darrell J. Rohl/Flickr Creative Commons)
Here are the latest health headlines folks in South Los Angeles ought to know about:
Child Abuse Rises When Economy Sags: Study: Over a nine-year period, for every one-percent increase in the 90-day mortgage-deliquency rate, the rate of child abuse that required hospitalization increased by three percent. For every one percent-increase in the mortgage-delinquency rate, the rate of traumatic brain injury suspected to be caused by child abuse increased by five percent. | HealthDay
Playing Several Sports Keeps Kids Slimmer: Study: Being a part of three or more sports teams makes teens much less likely to be overweight than their peers who aren't part of any sports team, says a new study. Taking into account that students who walk or ride a bike to school are less likely to be obese but not less likely to be overweight, and that school P.E. programs don't alter a kid's risk of unhealthy weight at all, researchers say joining one or more sports teams may be one of the most effective ways to do that. | U.S. News & World Report
TV habits predict kids' waist size and sporting ability: Every hour of TV a 2- to 4-year-old watches contributes to the size of his or her waist, says a new study. This was the first study to pin down some of the precise associations between TV watching and body fat for children. For example: For every weekly hour of TV a 29-month-old watches, their jumping distance decreases by about one-third of a centimeter. | Press release, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
TV not always a healthy channel for advice: Surprise: Actors on TV who play doctors aren't the best sources for health information. Instead, doctors – you know, the ones who went to med school – are the ones with the actual reliable knowledge. | Los Angeles Times
Exercise Can Shield the Aging Brain, Studies Show: Researchers have gathered more evidence that exercise provides some protection from Alzheimer's disease and memory loss, suggesting that physical activity is essential for a healthy aging process for the brain. | HealthDay
Large Breasts Can Take Mental, Physical Toll on Teens: A survey of 96 girls between the ages of 12 and 21 revealed that many report serious physical and emotional discomfort because of their large breasts, which one researcher referred to as an understudied topic. Some girls' discomfort gets so bad that they seek breast-reduction surgery. | HealthDay
Photo by Darrell J. Rohl via Flickr Creative Commons.
