Health news archive - 2004
Here you will find an index of health news stories published by Bupa's health information team in 2004. All the stories are clearly dated with most recent news at the top of the list.
December 2004
23 December 2004
Is folic acid linked to breast cancer?
Mothers who take folic acid supplements during pregnancy may be more likely to die from breast cancer in later life, according to a new research.
15 December 2004
Leafy green veg may prevent cataracts
Eating leafy green vegetables may help prevent cataracts, according to a new study.
07 December 2004
Milk linked to ovarian cancer risk
A new study suggests that drinking lots of milk may increase a woman's risk of developing ovarian cancer.
November 2004
30 November 2004
Coughing? Take some chocolate
A new study suggests that an ingredient found in chocolate may be a more effective remedy than current medicines for persistent coughs.
23 November 2004
Vitamin E linked to shorter life span
New research suggests has shown that elderly people who take more than half the recommended daily dose of vitamin E may shorten their lifespan.
12 November 2004
Cigarettes and coffee may not be the perfect blend
New evidence suggests that smoking a cigarette while drinking a cup of coffee may damage your heart more than either vice alone.
04 November 2004
To sleep, perchance to learn
New evidence suggests that tasks we learn during the day may be processed by our brains during deep sleep.
October 2004
19 October 2004
Expanding waistline linked to asthma
New evidence suggests that carrying fat around the middle of your body may increase your chances of developing asthma.
11 October 2004
Vitamin supplements
Although we normally get most of the vitamins we need from our diet, many of us are choosing to take vitamin supplements.
01 October 2004
Red wine may protect the prostate
There is evidence to suggest that drinking red wine may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
September 2004
24 September 2004
Walking linked with better mental ability
New evidence suggests that walking regularly may be linked with better mental ability and a lower risk of developing dementia in older men and women.
13 September 2004
Being unfit is more risky than being fat
There is evidence to suggest that getting fit is more likely to reduce your risk of heart disease than losing weight.
06 September 2004
Fast eating can cause indigestion
There is now evidence that eating quickly can increase a type of indigestion called gastrooesophageal reflux.
August 2004
31 August 2004
Sugary drinks increase weight gain and diabetes in women
Sugary drinks increase weight gain and type 2 diabetes in women, a study in the 25 August 2004 edition of the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) has shown.
13 August 2004
New five-in-one vaccine
The UK Department of Health has announced that a new five-in-one vaccine is to be introduced. Here we explain the changes to the childhood vaccination programme.
3 August 2004
Reliable online health information
Recent news stories have highlighted the risks of following the wrong online health information. Here's Bupa's guide to finding relevant and trustworthy information among the bewildering choice of health websites.
July 2004
29 July 2004
West Nile virus explained
In recent years, West Nile virus has spread to North Africa, and there are concerns that it could reach the UK. How concerned should you be?
22 July 2004
Red meat linked to endometriosis
Women who eat a diet high in red meat may be at increased risk of endometriosis, a new study has found. The study, published in Human Reproduction also showed that eating a diet high in fruit and vegetables may reduce the risk of the condition.
7 July 2004
Healthy diets and lifestyles may reduce cancer risk
Post-menopausal women may reduce their risk of developing cancer by up to 35 percent if they follow eat a healthy diet and lead a healthy lifestyle.
June 2004
30 June 2004
How much fish can we eat safely?
Eating fish has many health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease. But there are also some potential health risks. Because of this, the UK Food Standards Agency has recommended that men eat no more than four portions of oily fish per week and women and children no more than two.
24 June 2004
Smoking cuts life by 10 years
Smoking cuts life expectancy by 10 years, reveal the results of a 50-year study. But the good news is that giving up at any age will add years to a person's life.
17 June 2004
Fruit may save your sight
Eating fruit has been found to reduce the risk of losing your eyesight in later life. In a study published in Archives of Ophthalmology, people who ate at least three servings of fruit per day were found to have more than one-third lower risk of developing an eye condition called age-related macular degeneration.
14 June 2004
Gene linked to prostate cancer
Researchers have discovered a gene that appears to be associated with prostate cancer and how fast it grows. It is hoped that a test for this gene's activity could be developed that could be used to identify prostate cancer and distinguish between slow-growing and fast-growing tumours.
May 2004
27 May 2004
Aspirin associated with lower breast cancer risk
Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been found to be associated with a reduced risk of developing breast cancer. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) women who regularly took aspirin for pain relief were found to have a 20 percent lower risk than women who did not take the painkiller.
14 May 2004
Passive smoking increases miscarriage risk
Smoking is known to be unhelpful during pregnancy, but the effect of passive smoking was unknown. A joint American and Chinese study has found that if a pregnant woman's partner smokes, the risk of miscarriage is raised. And if the partner smokes more than 20 cigarettes a day, the risk is significantly increased.
6 May 2004
Children's blood pressure is rising
A US study has found that the rise in childhood obesity may also be partly responsible for a rise in children's blood pressures. This may have a bearing on the children's future health as high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke in later life.
April 2004
21 April 2004
Strict diet lowers heart risk
A small-scale study has found that a calorie-restriction diet (eating 10-25 percent less calories than average) produced large reductions in heart disease and diabetes risk.
16 April 2004
Alcohol linked to gout
Gout is a painful condition that affects the joints of men and women. It has always been thought that drinking alcohol raises your risk of developing gout, but the theory has never been proved. An american study has now shown this link to be true and appears show that the type of drink also makes a difference. Drinking beer appears to be more "risky" than drinking wine.
March 2004
26 March 2004
Falling heart disease deaths
The UK newspapers have been full of reports that heart disease deaths in people under the age of 65 years will be eradicated in the UK. This was based on projections of how quickly heart disease death rates in men and women under 65 years have been falling - and if they continue to fall at the same rate, they should reach zero by 2013.
15 March 2004
Acupuncture cuts migraines
A British study has looked at the effect of acupuncture treatment for migraines and headaches and has shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment that should be used more widely.
3 March 2004
Oestrogen-only HRT and stroke risk
An american study looking at the effect of oestrogen-only HRT on 11,000 women aged 50-79 years has been stopped a year early. The researchers discovered that the use of oestrogen-only HRT did not reduce the risk of developing heart disease, but it did increase the risk of developing a stroke.
February 2004
11 February 2004
Avoiding childhood obesity
Three UK royal medical colleges have warned that, if current childhood obesity trends continue, by 2020 one-third of all adults, one-fifth of boys and one-third of girls will be obese. This will raise their risks of developing heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. In this factsheet, Bupa explores the problem and what we can do about it.
January 2004
30 January 2004
X-rays and cancer risk from radiation
Bupa examines the risk of developing cancer from medical X-rays, CT scans and fluoroscopy procedures involving barium meals and enemas.
27 January 2004
Avian flu (bird flu)
Bupa's hot topic investigates avian flu (bird flu): what causes it, how it is caught (transmitted) and the latest travel advice.
21 January 2004
Do vitamins C and E reduce Alzheimer's risk?
Research suggests that vitamin C and vitamin E supplements, when taken in combination, may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. This article has more on the evidence and how to reduce the risk of dementia.
13 January 2004
Deodorants, antiperspirants and breast cancer risk
The UK press has been filled with reports of a study that has been claimed to link underarm deodorants and antiperspirants with breast cancer. The validity of these claims and current state of knowledge about the effects of deodorants is investigated in this article.
9 January 2004
Salt and stomach cancer risk
A new study suggests that a diet high in salt increases the risk of developing stomach cancer. These reasons why high salt intake might increase this risk, and how to reduce salt in our diets, are explored.
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