Men more prone to cancer: Vic study

VICTORIAN men are more likely to suffer cancers linked to smoking and drinking such as lung and liver cancer than women, according a new study. 

 

Not only were more men diagnosed with any cancer in 2011, but they were also more likely to lose their battle with cancer than women, the Cancer Council Victoria study shows.

The study, released on Friday, is a reminder for men to cut their cancer risk, with the difference put down to the historical prevalence of cancer risk factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption among men, said Cancer Council chief Todd Harper.

"Some research also suggests that men tend to present when their cancer is at a later stage, which may be a factor in differing survival rates," Mr Harper said in a statement.

The study revealed just over half of the 28,405 Victorians diagnosed with cancer last year were men.

Men were also over-represented in the number of cancer deaths, with 5921 Victorian men losing their battle with cancer compared with 4,710 women.

The study found more men were likely to be diagnosed with cancers associated with smoking and alcohol such as lung, bladder and stomach cancer, oral cavity cancers, and cancers of the oesophagus, larynx and liver.

Mr Harper urged Victorian men to be aware of any bodily changes and get regular checks and screenings.

Source  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/men-more-prone-to-cancer-vic-study/story-fn3dxiwe-1226531908950

The Science of Immunisation

Twelve of Australia's top immunisation specialists have released a booklet to help parents navigate the issue of vaccination.

It is designed to help parents understand the deadly consequences that can arise if they choose not to vaccinate their children.

A copy of the booklet can be found at http://www.science.org.au/.

It was put together by the Australian Academy of Science. Its President, Professor Suzanne Cory explains to Linda why it's important.

Source  http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2012/11/the-science-of-immunisation-.html

Nothing to hide about my health: Bal Thackeray tells partymen

Stating that he had not "completely collapsed", ailing Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday admitted his health was "not that good" but denied that he was on a ventilator. "My health is not that good, but I have not completely collapsed. I am not on a ventilator," Thackeray declared in a personalised edit in the party mouthpiece Saamna on Monday after reports in a section of the media that his health had deteriorated sharply and he had been put on a ventilator. 

The 86-year-old has been suffering from breathing problems and other age-related complaints.

"I have nothing to hide on this issue. During the Dussehra rally last month, I took my party activists into confidence and made it clear publicly that my health was not too good," Thackeray said about his persisting health concerns.

He also admitted that a team of doctors was making efforts to improve his condition. However, he said he had not yet reached a stage requiring "artificial respiration" as the love and affection of his supporters was acting like "a breath of fresh air".

Thackeray said his son Uddhav (who is recuperating from an angioplasty performed a few days ago) was looking after him round-the-clock as other family members.

"Even (nephew) Raj Thackeray keeps coming regularly. Yesterday (Sunday), former president Pratibha Patil had come. I also read the newspapers as usual, but I don't speak on the phone, that's all," Thackeray said, assuring his health was stable.

Thackeray conveyed his Diwali greetings to the people of Maharashtra and his party activists, Raj had told mediapersons after visiting his uncle Sunday evening.

Source  http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/Nothing-to-hide-about-my-health-Bal-Thackeray-tells-partymen/Article1-958292.aspx

Aussies back junk food crackdown

MOST Australians support "traffic light" labelling on foods and banning junk food ads during children's TV. 

 

The study found 87 per cent of 1500 Australians surveyed would support colour-coding on packaged food to indicate healthier options.

Of those surveyed, 83 per cent agreed with a ban on advertising junk foods on TV during popular children viewing times, but only 56 per cent supported a total ban on advertising unhealthy foods.

The study by the Cancer Council Victoria and Obesity Policy Coalition, published in the Health Promotion Journal of Australia, questioned the main grocery shopper in 1511 households nationwide.

People aged 18 to 64 took part but those who nominated themselves as the household's grocery shopper were usually women aged between 35 to 54 years.

Most participants (84 per cent) were also in favour of kilojoule information displays at fast-food outlets and 87 per cent supported regulations for food companies to reduce the fat, sugar and salt content of processed foods.

Almost all of those surveyed - 97 per cent - supported restricting junk food marketing to children via email and mobile phone text messages, while 93 per cent thought it should be restricted in magazines and 89 per cent supported restrictions on websites. 

Taxing unhealthy food was not as popular, unless the money was used to make healthy food more affordable, with 71 per cent supporting this option.

The study's authors said the research showed there was strong public support for tougher food labelling and advertising regulations.

"There's high support for government to intervene, but particularly high support among those new (technology) platforms," said co-author Jane Martin from the Obesity Policy Coalition.

"Children are not being adequately protected, and parents are limited in their ability to intervene, particularly with new technologies such as mobile phones and computers," she said.

Front-of-pack colour-coded food labelling systems have been recommended by a recent Australian government review, with a decision expected by the end of 2012.

New rules about marketing fast food to children on television were introduced in August 2009, but a review last year found the voluntary code had failed to reduce the number of junk food ads.

Meanwhile, the federal government's Food and Health Dialogue group encourages companies to reduce the amount of salt in foods such as bread, soups, sauces and pies.

Kellogg's recently announced it would reduce the amount of salt in its cornflakes and rice bubbles by 20 per cent.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/news/aussies-throw-weight-behind-junk-food-crackdown/story-fnejlrpu-1226441912184#ixzz22TiMgdbw

Health tips for the heatwave

Sweating cleans the pores

To keep safe the Health Department recommends that people:

• Slow down and reduce outdoor activities, especially during the hottest part of the day, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Dress for summer. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothes.

• Drink plenty of water or other non-alcoholic, caffeine-free fluids. Check with your doctor if you are on diuretic medications or have a problem with fluid retention.

• Spend more time in air-conditioned places. In order for air conditioners and central air units to be effective, it’s best to have them serviced annually.

• Never leave a child, disabled adult, elderly person or a pet in a car for even a few minutes. Temperatures can rise to life-threatening levels within minutes.

Stay cool

• Avoid using your stove or oven.

• Use your dishwasher and dryer at night.

• Keep window shades or drapes closed.

• Set ceiling fans in a counterclockwise position to pull cool air up.

More tips

• Spend some time in an air conditioned facility during the worst of the heat. This can be a public building such as a library, senior center, shopping mall or grocery store.

• Sit in a bathtub containing cool water.

• Don’t get too much sun. Use at least a SPF 30 sunscreen. Note that sunburn makes it more difficult to cool off.

• Bringing air in from the outside with fans is not effective when the heat index is above 90; use them to blow hot air outside instead.

• Keep in mind that infants, the elderly, people with heart or lung problems, overweight people and those who work outside are at a higher risk for heat-related illnesses.

• Certain medications disrupt a body’s thermostat and make it more difficult to cool down, especially those taken for mental or movement disorders, allergies, depression and heart or circulatory problems.

• Frequently contact neighbors and others you know who are at a greater risk and help them obtain relief from the heat and humidity.

Source  http://www.off-grid.net/2012/07/03/health-tips-for-the-heatwave/

Diesel fumes cause cancer - WHO

Diesel exhaust causes cancer, the World Health Organization's cancer agency has declared, a ruling it says could make exhaust as important a public health threat as second-hand smoke. The risk of getting cancer from diesel fumes is small, but since so many people breathe in the fumes in some way, the science panel says raising the status of diesel exhaust to carcinogen from 'probable carcinogen' is an important shift. 'It's on the same order of magnitude as passive smoking,' said Kurt Straif, director of the IARC department that evaluates cancer risks. 

'This could be another big push for countries to clean up exhaust from diesel engines.' Since so many people are exposed to exhaust, Straif said there could be many cases of lung cancer connected to the contaminant. He said the fumes affected groups including pedestrians on the street, ship passengers and crew, railroad workers, truck drivers, mechanics, miners and people operating heavy machinery. 

The new classification followed a weeklong discussion in Lyon, France by an expert panel organised by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The panel's decision stands as the ruling for the IARC, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization. The last time the agency considered the status of diesel exhaust was in 1989, when it was labelled a 'probable' carcinogen. 

Reclassifying diesel exhaust as carcinogenic puts it into the same category as other known hazards such as asbestos, alcohol and ultraviolet radiation. Experts said new diesel engines spew out fewer fumes but further studies are needed to assess any potential dangers. Experts in Lyon had analysed published studies, evidence from animals and limited research in humans. One of the biggest studies was published in March by the US National Cancer Institute. 

That paper analysed 12,300 miners for several decades starting in 1947. Researchers found that miners heavily exposed to diesel exhaust had a higher risk of dying from lung cancer. Lobbyists for the diesel industry argued the study wasn't credible because researchers didn't have exact data on how much exposure miners got in the early years of the study; they simply asked them to remember what their exposure was like. A person's risk for cancer depends on many variables, from genetic makeup to the amount and length of time of exposure to dangerous substances.

Source  http://www.skynews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=760863&vId=