Insidermedicine in 60 - December 12, 2007

From Maryland - Eating a lot of red and processed meats raises the risk of developing several types of cancer. Researchers examining 500,000 retirement-age men and women found that those who ate the most red meat were 25 percent more likely to be diagnosed with bowel, liver, lung and esophageal cancer, while those who ate processed meats had a 20 percent higher risk of colorectal cancers. The findings suggest that 1 in 10 colorectal cancers could be avoided if people reduced their intake of red and processed meats.

From Ottawa - The sound of loud toys this holiday season may not be just annoying -- it might also be dangerous. The Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists is urging the Canadian government to lower the 100 decibel maximum noise level allowed in toys, citing concerns over potential hearing loss in children. The group also noted that the current legislation, which is less stringent than international guidelines, does not take into account how closely children may hold a toy to their ears and how sensitive children's hearing is to noise.

And finally, from Michigan - Scientists are reporting that 2007 saw a continuation in the gradual decline of illicit drug use by teens. The proportion of 8th graders who reported taking illicit drugs dropped to 13 percent in 2007, nearly half the 1996 level. Declines were also noted in 10th and 12th graders, to 28 and 36 percent respectively. The only drug that was found to increase in use was ecstasy.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

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News & Politics

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