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Study examines polyneuropathy and long-term opioid use

A study published in JAMA Neurology examined the association of long-term opioid therapy with functional status, adverse outcomes, and death among patients with polyneuropathy. The study found that patients with polyneuropathy were more likely to receive long-term opioid therapy and experience depression, opioid dependence, or overdose.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Neurology·DateMay 22, 2017

Chinese famine data show no long-term health effects except for schizophrenia

A systematic re-analysis of Chinese famine studies found no increases in diabetes, high blood pressure, and other chronic conditions among famine births, except for schizophrenia. The findings highlight an unrecognized flaw in common famine reports and suggest better indicators of famine exposure are needed.

SourceColumbia University's Mailman School of Public Health·JournalInternational Journal of Epidemiology·DateMar 8, 2017

Who benefits from praise?

A study published by University of Konstanz researchers found that praise from peers can motivate students to perform better, particularly those who are already high-achievers. However, this positive effect is limited for students whose grades fall just below the top threshold.

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournalJournal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics·DateFeb 17, 2017

Food is hard to forget

A recent study published in Brain and Cognition found that lexical and semantic knowledge related to food is relatively well preserved even in diseases like Alzheimer's and Aphasia Primary Progressive. Food information was processed better than non-food, with caloric foods being more resiliently remembered.

SourceInternational School of Advanced Studies (SISSA)·JournalBrain and Cognition·DateNov 7, 2016

Want to exercise more? Get yourself some competition

A new study from the University of Pennsylvania found that competition significantly motivates people to exercise more than friendly support. The study, which recruited nearly 800 Penn students, showed that attendance rates were 90% higher in competitive groups compared to a control group. Meanwhile, team support actually led to lower ...

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalPreventive Medicine Reports·DateOct 27, 2016

Intervention addresses pediatric patient families' social needs

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that an intervention pairing caregivers with navigators to address family social needs decreased reported needs and improved child health status. Caregivers assigned to the intervention group reported fewer social needs and better overall child health compared to those in a control group.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Pediatrics·DateSep 6, 2016

Online intervention helps sustain weight loss

An online behavioural counselling tool has been shown to be effective in helping people lose weight and sustain weight loss. Participants who used the Positive Online Weight Reduction (POWeR+) programme with brief support from a practice nurse lost more weight than those without, with an average weight loss of over 1kg over 12 months.

SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalThe Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology·DateJul 26, 2016

Hand hygiene program helped reduce health insurance claims for cold and flu by 24 percent

A comprehensive hand hygiene program using alcohol-based hand sanitizers and wipes resulted in a 24.3% lower incidence of hand hygiene preventable insurance claims compared to the control group. The study also found 13.4% fewer sick episodes or unscheduled PTO, with 8 in 10 employees positively impacted by the program.

SourceGOJO Industries·JournalJournal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine·DateJun 10, 2016

To increase group exercise, Penn study suggests rewarding the individual and the team

A new Penn study found that team-based incentives, combining individual and team performance rewards, nearly doubled the success rate of achieving exercise goals. Participants in this combined incentive group achieved their goal 35% of the time, compared to 17-18% for control and team incentive groups.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateMar 15, 2016

What incentives work best to get a team to exercise more?

A study by Mitesh Patel found that combining individual and team incentives led to a significant increase in physical activity. Participants who received rewards for both individual and team performance averaged more steps per day than those with individual-only rewards.

SourceSpringer·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateMar 15, 2016

Indiana University study: Commercial weight loss system expands diabetes prevention access

A new randomized controlled study found that adults with prediabetes who followed a nationally-available weight management program with a prediabetes-specific component, Weight Watchers, lost significantly more weight and experienced better blood glucose control than those following a self-initiated program. The study suggests that nat...

SourceIndiana University·JournalAmerican Journal of Public Health·DateFeb 18, 2016

Motion-controlled video games may improve real world skills

Researchers found that motion-controlled video game players outperformed those with push-button controllers and no training in real-world putting, suggesting a potential for these games to enhance fine motor coordination. Further research is needed to explore the effects of motion-controlled games on larger-motor coordination skills.

SourcePenn State·JournalInternational Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations·DateFeb 18, 2016

Clean kitchens cut calories

A recent study conducted at the Cornell Food and Brand Lab found that cluttered kitchens can lead to over-snacking. Women who waited in a messy kitchen ate 53 more calories from cookies compared to those waiting in an organized kitchen.

SourceCornell Food & Brand Lab·JournalEnvironment and Behavior·DateFeb 3, 2016