This week's compendium

Here’s this week’s compendium – comprising eight health-connected items. This week…

1. research showed regular sunscreen use significantly cuts melanoma risk [1]. It cuts the risk of squamous and basal cell cancers too.

2. research showed sunlight exposure cuts the risk of mature-onset diabetes – mediated via vitamin D [2]. But even weak sunscreen – e.g. for melanoma prevention – markedly lowers vitamin D production.

3. research showed daily low-dose aspirin reduces the all-cancers death rate by 34% (and the stomach and bowel cancer death rate by 54%) [3]. It protects against stroke and heart attack too.

4. research showed overweight and obesity are associated with an increased all-cause mortality; and to a lesser degree so is underweight [4]. All-cause mortality is lowest when the Body Mass Index [BMI] is normal or just below normal, i.e. 20.0-24.9.

5. research showed lap band surgery’s effective in people with a lower BMI than that presently deemed acceptable by the US FDA [5]. Thus the FDA’s considering lowering the minimum BMI from 40 to 35 (and from 35 to 30 for people with other health problems).

6. the 16th UN Climate Change Conference [COP16] began in Cancun, Mexico [6a, 6b]. The health connection? It’s obvious. But COP16’s a giant ho hum.

7. I saw this fascinating video about what sits on Oliver Sacks’s office desk [7]. The health connection? He’s a neurologist.

8. darling Indi began a duck egg business unit within Daylesford Organics [8]. The health connection? Indi has the flu. Get well soon, Indi. xxxxx

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

farmdoc's blog post number 643

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1. the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs issued a list showing as at 20.1.10 – eight days after the Haiti earthquake – the Saudi Arabian and Iranian governments hadn’t contributed even a brass razoo to the relief effort [1]. No comment needed.

2. I saw, and appreciated, this item which points out that the international agencies who condemn Israel for its ‘disproportionate response’ when it’s attacked are not mentioning Israel's disproportionate response to the human suffering in Haiti [2]. Ho hum.

3. A week ago, the BMJ reported that angiotensin receptor blocking drugs are associated with a significant reduction in both the incidence and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia [3]. That’s welcome news indeed.

4. Grammar Girl explained the origin of ‘brouhaha’ [4] What a super word.

5. I saw on the UK Real Bread Campaign’s website a page about ‘Community Supported Baking’ [5]. I’d love to get involved in CSB. Maybe when I stop working.

6. Australia’s main domestic airlines announced they won’t force obese people to pay for two seats despite the adoption of that policy by Air France-KLM [6]. I don’t know it that’s a good or bad thing. Maybe neither.

7. my weekly ‘ostrich award’ goes to General Motors senior executive Bob Lutz who slammed scientists and environmentalists, saying global warming has little to do with humans and more to do with solar flares and sunspots [7]. Self-interest rears its ugly head. Shame on you, sir.

8. family-wise darling Meg celebrated her birthday, and darling Indi joined the blogosphere. Also last weekend Alzheimer’s: a Love Story was reviewed in the Hobart Mercury, and today it’s reviewed in the Age.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.