Archive for May 24th, 2012
Study: Fatigued surgical residents have 22% higher risk of errors
May 24th, 2012 | 
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Harvard University researchers said a study of surgical residents at two Boston-area hospitals found they got an average of about 5.5 hours of sleep per night and were so tired that their impairment level while awake was the same as being legally drunk 25% of the time. They estimated that level of fatigue raised the risk of medical errors 22%, compared with residents who were well rested.
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Survey: Taste is No. 1 factor in food, beverage purchases
A survey of adults found that 87% said taste is the main factor in their food- and beverage-purchase decisions, while price came in second at 73% and healthfulness was third at 61%.
Prenatal vitamin D status is tied to excess body fat in children
Women who had low vitamin D levels during pregnancy were more likely to have children with excess body fat at age 6 than were women with higher vitamin D status, a U.K. study of 977 women and their children found. The findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Americans turn to online info for health inquiries, survey finds
A survey of 1,000 consumers age 18 and older, conducted by Wolters Kluwer Health, revealed that Americans trust online health data, with nearly a third "always" or "frequently" using the Internet as a medical information source. The survey also found that 63% of respondents seeking Web-based health information believe they have never misdiagnosed themselves with their use of such data.
Global Warming: More Killer Heat Waves
If climate change continues on its current course, the number of heat-related deaths will rise as temperatures climb during the summer, according to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council.
High Altitude May Give Rise to IBD Flares
Traveling at high altitudes — be it a mountain vacation or an hour-long flight — may put irritable bowel disease patients at risk for flares, researchers reported here.
Fiber Cuts Crohn’s Risk in Women
High fiber intake was associated with a 38% reduction in risk of Crohn’s disease in women, a researcher reported here