SIRC Media Watch Archive
Panics and Scares – January 2000
Fingernail Glue a Fungus Risk. Some salons have turned to a cheap adhesive for acrylic fingernails despite a 26-year-old federal government warning that says the glue can cause fungal infection and nail deformities. Onhealth
We are all child pornographers now. American photo labs are arresting parents as child pornographers for taking pictures of their kids in the bath. Salon Magazine.
Hidden health risk on the golf course. Anyone who has been hit on the head by a golf ball knows how painful it is, but research shows that it can trigger epilepsy…the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry highlights the cases of four young people who were hit by golf balls travelling at up to 130 mph and who went on to have fits. Express
Health scare over milk. A bug found in pasteurised milk causes Crohn's disease, a leading medical researcher said today. Professor John Hermon-Taylor of St George's Medical School in London says the bug, an organism known as MAP (Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis) is present in everyday milk. Independent
The West is in the grip of an obesity epidemic. The West is in the grip of an obesity epidemic, finds a study from the Netherlands in Archives of Disease in Childhood. Similar to the picture seen in the UK over recent years, the numbers of obese children in the Netherlands have almost doubled. BMJ
Obesity 'is a major public health problem'. Dubai – Socio-economic transition has resulted in changes in the lifestyle and food consumption of the UAE population, contributing to a major change in disease patterns. In a recent discussion held by the Ministry of Health, it was disclosed that a study of national nutrition revealed that 33 per cent of married women were overweight and 38 per cent were obese. Gulf News
Advice on How to Shovel Safely. "While snow shoveling can be an aerobic activity, it can also put people at risk for a heart attack or back injury," says Dr. Simmer. "Individuals with a history of heart problems, who don't exercise regularly, or who have other risk factors for heart disease should consult with their physician before beginning this strenuous activity." Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Researchers Advise Gentle Nose-Blowing – overdoing it can cause sinus infections. Blowing your nose seems like such a simple thing. But, according to two researchers who conducted a study recently, there are some undesirable side effects when it's not done properly. Lexington Herald
Are candles soothing our senses – and harming our health? A flurry of recent articles says candles are a health hazard. Among the concerns expressed in news reports: that metal wicks can release lead into the home; the flames can send out dangerous amounts of soot; and that melting wax can release toxins. Seattle Times
The Web Can Be a Hypochondriac's Worst Enemy. For Melissa Woyechowsky, the fear she had a terrible disease started with tingling and numbness in her legs. She searched the Web, ended up in a neurological chat room, and came to a devastating conclusion – she must have multiple sclerosis. DrKoop
Snoring during pregnancy linked to reduced fetal growth. Pregnant women who snore are more likely than non-snorers to have an infant who is considered small for gestational age, researchers report. Reuters.
Obesity can make you poor. If you have a fondness for chips and chocolate, you should keep an eye on your finances as well as your waistline. According to research by Exeter university, there is a strong correlation between obesity and debt. The more you eat, the more you spend. Sunday Times
Poisons that threaten even unborn babies. The safest place in the world for a baby should be its mother's womb. But research suggests that even there it is not safe from pollution and its intelligence may be stunted by what its mother ate years ago. Scientists in Holland and the United States have shown a link between a child's intellectual development and its mother's long-term exposure to man-made chemicals such as PCBs and dioxins. Express
Rollercoasters cause brain bleeding. A doctor has warned about the hidden dangers of rollercoaster riding after a woman suffered blood clots on the brain. The unnamed 24-year-old woman rode several of the fastest rides at a Japanese amusement park, including the Fujiyama, reputed to be one of the fastest and highest roller coasters in the world. BBC
Bonfires 'are toxic hazard'. A family of four burning rubbish in their garden can release as much toxic pollution as a municipal waste incinerator serving thousands of households, researchers have found. Telegraph
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Is Keyboarding Bad for Your Health? If Charles Dickens were alive today he might compare the modern computer workstation to the 19th century loom. Today, office workers are slumped over their keyboards and peer at computer monitors. This illness, claimed by hundreds of thousands of keyboarders, is carpal tunnel syndrome, or CTS. American Council on Science and Health
Nike shirts withdrawn over poison fears. Three department stores in Germany have withdrawn thousands of Nike football shirts from sale after a TV report alleged that they contained traces of a toxic chemical. The report, on the German consumer programme Plusminus, said that Nike-made football shirts for the German club Borussia Dortmund were laced with a chemical called TBT, or tributyltin. BBC
The Great Egg Panic. New proposals rekindle the debate over eggs' safety. But some scientists say the fears are overblown. New government proposals designed to check salmonella poisoning could force routine pasteurization or irradiation of the American egg supply. However, the plans are derided as political window dressing by some of the nation's leading specialists in salmonella and eggs. LA Times
Cocktail of toxins in us all. The Express today calls on the Government to review the use of hundreds of toxic chemicals widely employed in Britain. As cancer rates rise, experts fear that people are accumulating deadly cocktails of these hazardous substances from the food they eat and the air they breathe. Express
Rigorous Exercise Bad for Testicles? Americans are constantly encouraged to exercise more, but new research shows teenage boys and young men who exercise rigorously may increase their risk for testicular cancer. OnHealth
The end is nigh, again. Three wise men have been gathered to decide how best to avert an asteroid tragedy which threatens to wipe out all civilisation – never has the Blair government devised a policy move with such an epic tone. BBC
Photocopying Linked to Health Problems. Exposure to self-copying paper may trigger headache, eye problems, or respiratory symptoms such wheezing and acute bronchitis in workers, researchers report. ReutersHealth
Doctors warn parents over tiny trainers. Sales of trendy running shoes for toddlers are booming as parents rush to buy this year's must-have fashion accessory for Britain's "designer babies". Doctors, however, have given warning that the expensive footwear, modelled on the adult trainer, could damage children's balance and ability to walk at an early age. Times
