Latest Research Issue 1

Mental Attitude 7% of Children Worldwide Have ADHD.

Data from 175 published studies conducted over four decades indicates that about 7% of kids worldwide have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with ADHD tend to be inattentive, impulsive, and hyperactive and this disorder can cause them to struggle both academically and socially. These findings may help health officials determine if ADHD is over or under diagnosed in their country, state, or community.

Pediatrics, April 2015

Health Alert : Acetaminophen Risks May Be Underestimated.

A new study suggests that the risks of using acetaminophen may be underestimated by doctors. A systematic review of eight studies investigated the association between acetaminophen use and adverse health effects. One study found an increased rate of mortality among individuals who had been prescribed acetaminophen compared with those who had not. Four of the studies found an elevated risk of adverse cardiovascular and renal events linked to acetaminophen use, and one study found a link to gastrointestinal events.

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, March 2015

Diet: Eat Peanuts Early in Childhood to Avoid Allergy?

For years, parents have been advised to avoid giving foods that contain peanuts to their babies as it may trigger an allergy. Now, a new groundbreaking study suggests that the opposite is true. Researchers claim that feeding babies food containing peanuts before their first birthday may actually prevent the onset of peanut allergies. They found that around 3% of children who ate peanut butter or peanut snacks before their first birthday developed an allergy, compared with 17% of children who didn't eat such foods during infancy.

New England Journal of Medicine, February 2015

Exercise: Kids More Likely to Exercise When Friends Do.

Friends appear to play a significant role in youngsters’ levels of physical activity. In a new study, over one-hundred children and teens were asked to rank benefits and barriers to physical activity.

The findings revealed that those who did physical activities with
a friend were less likely to cite barriers to not exercising, while family participation or encouragement failed to have the same effect. Study author Dr. Jessica Graus Woo notes, "We speculate that the social network of friendships is increasingly important in influencing behaviors as children get older... Having physically active friends may make it easier for obese children to get involved with activities and lower the perceived barriers for doing so, while having a physically active family may not be as inspiring."

American Heart Association, March 2015

Chiropractic: Women Benefit from Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy.

Chiropractors often provide treatment for women during pregnancy to ease pregnancy-related musculoskeletal pain. A recent study published in the journal Chiropractic & Manual Therapies followed 115 pregnant women who sough out chiropractic care and found that 52% reported significant improvements in their pain after just one week of treatment. After one month, the researchers note that more than 70% of the expectant mothers in the study achieved clinically significant improvements in pain based on outcome assessments.

Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, February 2015

Wellness/Prevention: Over a Billion Young Adults at Risk of Hearing Loss.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over one-billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe levels of sound. The risk is primarily due to exposure to high levels of recreational noise from personal audio devices and loud entertainment venues. The WHO recommends restricting the use of personal audio devices to less than 60 minutes per day. Dr. Etienne Krug, WHO director for the Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence, and Injury Prevention writes, "[Adolescents and young adults] should be aware that once you lose your hearing, it won't come back. Taking simple preventive actions will allow people to continue to enjoy themselves without putting their hearing at risk."

World Health Organization, March 2015