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Professor: Physical activity may prevent cancer risk

American researchers have given concrete estimates as to what extent physical activity is able to reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer. The goal is that doctors will one day prescribe physical activity to patients the same way as they do regular medication. However, Danish researchers are more hesitant.

Hospitals fear a new, deadly fungus – How big is the threat and what can we do?

Drug-resistant infections are increasing globally. One new member of the superbug family has already caused severe illness in hospitalized patients. Here is what you need to know.

Babies can show signs of autism early in life

Babies who were just 10 months old and who later received a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder took less initiative than other children to communicate with adults.

Dogs mirror owner’s stress level

New research suggests that long-term stress is transmitted from human to dog.

Scientists discover brain mechanism that regulates body weight

A neurotransmitter in the brain affects whether we gain or lose weight, a new study in mice suggests.

Snoring prevents the body from repairing damage to the pharynx

Snoring triggers a vicious cycle that can cause sleep apnoea and difficulty swallowing, according to Swedish research.

Written in the blood: Researchers detect signs of cancer risk years in advance of disease

Some serious cancers have been linked to an increase of certain proteins in the blood as early as 15-25 years before a person becomes ill, a series of Swedish studies shows.

Kidney failure deaths on the rise

More and more elderly people are seeing a sharp reduction in kidney function, while other people live well into their old age with healthy kidneys. Tromsø researchers are looking for the reasons behind this dichotomy — and are getting closer to figuring it out.

Children are ashamed of abuse they endured

Childhood violence has major consequences for the victims’ long-term health and living conditions. A new report shows that the shame many individuals feel causes them to withdraw and become lonely.

Anxiety and depression high among undocumented migrants in Sweden

Half say they often go hungry and few have permanent places to live, according to a survey of 88 migrants.

No link between MMR vaccine and autism

Another study confirms that the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella does not lead to autism.

Crosswords, knitting and gardening lower the risk of Alzheimer's

Physical activity can prevent dementia in the elderly. But activities that stimulate the brain, such as reading, going to concerts or weeding the garden, also lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease regardless of how much physical activity the person does, a Swedish study says.

Older Swedes drink more — and are more prone to accidents, disease

Twenty-seven per cent of 75-year-old Swedish men and 10 per cent of 75-year-old Swedish women are considered to be hazardous drinkers, a new report says. Elderly people are more sensitive to alcohol than younger people and therefore are more at risk from drinking-related problems.

Professors with advice to inactive people: Football is good for your health

But if you want to play football rather than taking medicine, the advice is that you will need to keep playing and only do it after consulting with your doctor.

Are all cancer cells the same?

Not necessarily. And being able to identify the differences at a genetic level could lead to more effective, personalised treatments.

Healthiest to limit sugar, but not cut it completely

It’s OK to eat a little sugar, but stay away from sugary soft drinks. Still, Swedish researchers are not sure how sugar affects our general health.

Grandsons' health at risk if grandpa ate well in his youth

This odd connection may be due to our genes being affected by the world around us.

Eat your spinach, it’s good for your heart

If you want to take care of your heart, you may want to eat more spinach or other greens. But eat it raw.

A single protein could be the key to treating hydrocephalus

A new study in mice identified a mechanism responsible for brain fluid production

Using personal data to understand aging

A new six-year research project shows how patient data can help progress scientific research while maintaining personal data privacy.

Danish children are reaching puberty earlier

A new study shows that Danish children start puberty earlier than their parents did.

Where should we draw the line between a healthy and an unhealthy sports body?

Norway is working on the answer with health certificates for athletes.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of haemorrhoids

Warning: Includes spanking and leeches around the anus.

Elite female athletes at greater risk of eating disorders

Especially in disciplines like running and gymnastics, where body weight is especially associated with aesthetics and fast running times.

How to build your own personal robot

Researchers in Denmark are helping people who have suffered brain damage to develop their own personal robots that fit in with their existing routines and aid recovery.

Computer game addiction is now a diagnosis

OPINION: Who’s decision to classify game addiction as a mental disorder could negatively impact the most vulnerable in society.

An enlightened approach to “illegal” drugs will revolutionise medicine and science

OPINION: Let logic prevail! It is time for all countries to review their support of the current UN approach to recreational drug control and allow medical research on illegal substances.

When feeling sick feels great: New study reveals a close link between reward and unease

A recent study shows how mice can be made to prefer sickness, nausea, and stress over feeling well, just be removing one specific receptor from the brain. This could open the door to new treatments against various types of malaise associated with disease.

Just one sleepless night can tell your body to start storing fat

Sleep is one of those physiological necessities that continues to puzzle researchers. But a new study illuminates how missing one single night of sleep can initiate a series of physiological changes, and not necessarily for the better.

Here's a mental health workout that's as simple as ABC

The Act-Belong-Commit approach promotes keeping active, building stronger relationships with friends, family and community groups, and committing to hobbies, challenges, and meaningful causes.

Double the number of children born to women over the age of 45

Scandinavian women are waiting longer to have children. Last year in Norway, 138 women over age 45 had children – twice as many as ten years earlier, according to figures from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway.

Swedish youth prescribed more anxiety medications

Use of medications for anxiety, insomnia and epilepsy has increased significantly in Sweden among children and adolescents, a new study shows.

Considering knee surgery? Read this first

About two out of ten people who undergo the procedure do not experience any pain relief at all and may actually be worse off after surgery than they were before.

Greenlandic children are getting taller and healthier

The general health of Greenlandic children now appears to be as good as that of their European peers. And perhaps even better. New studies show that compared with Danish children, they are no longer characterised as short and have similar patterns of disease.

Diabetes patients can reduce their risk of heart failure by 70 per cent

21-year-long research project shows the difference it makes when doctors initiate intensive treatment of diabetes patients.

How necessary is the world’s most common shoulder operation?

Patients who received surgical treatment for shoulder impingement fared no better than patients receiving placebo treatment.

Ouija board study highlights ineffective treatment for autism

Facilitated communication is still a widely used technique even though studies have shown that it does not work. A new study into Ouija boards indicates why.

How can you avoid regaining those lost kilos?

New scientific results from a small clinical study shows that people maintain weight loss when they adhere to their own systematic set of rules for eating, rather than following any particular diet, or eating for pleasure or hunger.

Biology makes women and girls survivors

Women outlive men even in the face of discrimination and crisis situations, such as famine.

Autoimmune diseases more often affect people with stress disorders

A major study shows an association between stress-related disorders and subsequent autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, celiac disease and type 1 diabetes.

Weight loss can protect overweight boys from developing type 2 diabetes

A new Danish study shows that boys who are overweight at seven are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes as adults, but not if they lose weight before hitting puberty.

New research may explain why some people become alcoholics

Several studies suggest that a brain function related to the handling of emotions and stress may be abnormal in people who are addicted to drink.

Human implants are invaded by microorganisms

A multitude of microorganisms depend on human implants to survive, shows new research. Scientists do not yet know whether they have a health impact.

Caesarean section versus natural birth – an obstetrician examines a new review

Caesarean section should not be “marketed” as a safe way to avoid pelvic floor problems. The reality is more complex than that.

Thin evidence behind “revolutionary” blood sugar diet: Scientists

“Irresponsible to make recommendations” when there isn’t convincing evidence that they’re right, says a critic of new diet promoted by University of Copenhagen research group.

Football is a winning treatment for elderly people with prediabetes

Playing football is great for your health and could even stave off type 2 diabetes. New study in the Faroe Islands reveals improvements in overall health among middle-aged and elderly prediabetic men and women who enjoy a regular kickabout.

Here’s why firefighters don’t get burned out

In spite of encountering stressful situations, firefighters have good coping strategies that keep them healthy and protect them from burnout, a new study shows.

Is it bad to sleep in on the weekends?

A large study suggests that a few extra hours of sleep on the weekend are probably not detrimental to your health.

Fake researcher fabricated finding that HPV vaccine causes cervical cancer

A research article alleging that HPV vaccines can cause cancer has now been withdrawn. "Extremely serious," says Karolinska Institutet.

Self-admissions can improve patients’ ability to manage their illness

Danish psychiatric patients have been able to admit themselves to the psychiatric ward since 2014. It gives them a sense of safety and a better quality of life.

Voluntary admissions do not reduce coercion among psychiatric patients

Psychiatric patients in Denmark can decide when to admit themselves to hospital. The idea was to reduce coercion, but new evidence indicates it has little to no effect.

Can birth control pills make teens depressed?

A Swedish study shows that hormone-based contraceptives are associated with an increased use of antidepressants among young girls.

Schizophrenia more prevalent away from green spaces

“We still don’t understand all of the reasons for schizophrenia, so it’s really exciting and important to have this information,” says one of Denmark’s leading experts in the condition.

Focusing on microplastic in honey or beer masks a much bigger problem

OPINION: General exposure to plastic and microplastics is a bigger concern.

Pattern hair loss could be due to gut bacteria

Experiments with antibiotics and bacteria-free mice reveal how gut bacteria could cause hair loss.

Incontinence affects more than 200 million people worldwide, so why isn't more being done to find a cure?

We need to start talking about incontinence. We cannot be shy about a condition that is likely to affect many of us at some point in our lives.

How your brain decides whether to run or walk

Two centres in the brain decide when you should walk or run.

Do scientists study the right cancer cells?

Runaway cells mean that scientists have drawn conclusions from the wrong cell line.

Scientists: Exercise can fight erectile dysfunction

Exercising several times a week can stave off erectile dysfunction among men. A new study outlines how much exercise it takes.

Gut bacteria keeps bears healthily obese

Brown bears are obese. They have to be to survive months of hibernation. And yet they do not experience the complications that we do when we pile on the pounds. So what can they teach us?

What you should do if bitten by a snake

Find a stick and bandages. But don’t try to suck out the venom.

Personalised prescriptions according to your genetics

New genetic risk factor identified for a rare but severe reaction to a poplar type of blood pressure medication.

How our gut influences our health

Why gut bacteria are essential for a healthy immune system.

New method identifies type 2 diabetics at risk of early death

Urine analysis can indicate patients at risk of early cardiovascular death.

No new drugs for Alzheimer's disease in 15 years

But hope is on the horizon that new drugs will emerge soon. Here is what the ongoing clinical trials have in store.

More than just hot flashes — menopause has its positive side

Only one in three women has problems during menopause, when women’s oestrogen levels plummet and menstruation stops. One Danish physician says many women experience this as a positive time in their lives.

Greenlandic gene could be key to beating obesity

The Inuit people carry a genetic variant, which increases their risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Test yourself: Are you addicted to exercise?

Danish researchers have developed a world first. It is a new method to spot exercise addiction among children and young adults.

Genetic predisposition for obesity increases risk of asthma

Some cases of asthma might be avoided by maintaining a healthy weight.

Genetic test identifies “high risk” lymphatic cancer patients

Patients with mantle cell lymphoma are more likely to relapse if they carry mutations in the cancer gene, TP53. The results could help provide more targeted treatments for this “high risk” group.

Can a baby’s smell help with depression?

A newborn’s head has a distinctive smell. Could it be harnessed to treat mental illness? A team of Swedish scientists thinks the idea has promise.

Ibuprofen can damage men’s endocrine system

Scientists saw a hormone imbalance in 14 young men who took ibuprofen for two weeks similar to that of a 70-year-old.

Can you trust “safe periods” as a form of birth control?

It’s a well-known phenomenon that a woman’s body temperature can help predict when she is least — or most —likely to become pregnant. Swedish researchers have studied this phenomenon and are selling a mobile phone app as a form of natural birth control. Their efforts are not without controversy.