Long COVID puzzle pieces are falling into place – the picture is unsettling

Ziyad Al-Aly, Washington University in St. Louis (from The Conversation) Since 2020, the condition known as long COVID-19 has become a widespread disability affecting the health and quality of life of millions of people across the globe and costing economies billions of dollars in reduced productivity of employees and an overall drop in the work force. The intense scientific effort that long COVID sparked has…

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Binge drinking is a growing public health crisis − a neurobiologist explains how research on alcohol use disorder has shifted

Nikki Crowley, Penn State (from The Conversation) With the Amy Winehouse biopic “Back to Black” in U.S. theaters as of May 2024, the late singer’s relationship with alcohol and drugs is under scrutiny again. In July 2011, Winehouse was found dead in her flat in north London from “death by misadventure” at the age of 27. That’s the official British term used for accidental death…

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Loneliness can kill, and new research shows middle-aged Americans are particularly vulnerable

Frank J. Infurna, Arizona State University from The Conversation. Middle-aged Americans are lonelier than their European counterparts. That’s the key finding of my team’s recent study, published in American Psychologist. Our study identified a trend that has been evolving for multiple generations, and affects both baby boomers and Gen Xers. Middle-aged adults in England and Mediterranean Europe are not that far behind the U.S. In…

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“Ultra-processed foods damage health and shorten life”

“Ultra-processed foods … encompass a broad range of ready to eat products, including packaged snacks, carbonated soft drinks, instant noodles, and ready-made meals. These products are characterized as industrial formulations primarily composed of chemically modified substances extracted from foods, along with additives to enhance taste, texture, appearance, and durability, with minimal to no inclusion of whole foods.” “Analyses of worldwide ultra-processed food sales data and consumption…

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Effect of exercise on depression

“Major depressive disorder is a leading cause of disability worldwide and has been found to lower life satisfaction more than debt, divorce, and diabetes and to exacerbate comorbidities, including heart disease, anxiety, and cancer. Although people with major depressive disorder often respond well to drug treatments and psychotherapy, many are resistant to treatment. In addition, access to treatment for many people with depression is limited, with only 51% treatment coverage for high…

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Students could get more sleep and learn better if school started a little later

Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, University of Pittsburgh (from The Conversation) Nearly three-quarters of high school students do not get enough sleep on school nights, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that teens sleep for eight to 10 hours per night. But various factors hinder this, including early school start times and shifts in adolescents’ circadian rhythms – the biological…

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