HEALTH CAPSULES

New vaccine can keep cholesterol at bay

A new research has come up with a vaccine that can lower the bad cholesterol in mice and macaques. Experts say the vaccine has the potential to be a more powerful treatment than statins alone. The body produces cholesterol to make vitamin D, some hormones and some of the molecules that help us digest food. Cholesterol is also found in foods. LDL cholesterol is a fat-like substance that circulates in the blood; if there is too much cholesterol, the arteries can become blocked, leading to heart disease and stroke. Diet and exercise are key to keeping cholesterol down, but millions of people worldwide take statins to lower their cholesterol. Statins have some potentially serious side effects, such as muscle pain, an increased risk of diabetes and cognitive loss. The new vaccine could provide an alternative to statins, by targeting a protein that controls cholesterol levels in the blood. A single vaccine has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels dramatically in mice and macaques, suggesting it could be an effective treatment in humans. Although statins are effective in many people, they do have side effects and don't work for everyone. The study is published in Vaccine.

Belly fat deadlier than obesity

People who carry fat around their belly, even if they are thin, have a greater mortality risk than those who are overweight or obese but have normal fat distribution, according to a study. Researchers examined data from a large group of Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) participants to compare the total and cardio-vascular mortality risks with different combinations of body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratios (WHR). They found that normal-weight adults with central obesity have the worst long-term survival rate compared with any group, regardless of BMI. The data showed that a normal-weight person with central obesity had twice the mortality risk of participants who were overweight or obese according to BMI only. The article was published in Annals of Internal Medicine –I.

Short bursts of exercise make diabetics fitter quicker

Diabetics should start alternating short bursts of intense activity with brief rest periods as a recent study has revealed that it delivers more benefits than lower-intensity exercise. Researchers found that short bursts of high-intensity exercise improved cholesterol, blood sugar and weight among Type 2 diabetes patients more than 30 minutes of sustained, lower-intensity exercise They showed that after three months of high-intensity exercise in 10-minute bursts done three times per day, five days a week, led to an average 0.82 per cent decrease in three-month blood sugar patterns compared with just 0.25 per cent among those who performed more sustained, lower-intensity exercise also five times per week. Exercise is known to help reduce cholesterol and weight as well as manage Type 2 diabetes. Experts said more may be accomplished with short bursts of vigorous exercise, in which patients achieve a higher maximum target heart rate and it may be easier to fit into busy schedules. The research was presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.

Life's Simple 7 is `hearty` indeed

According to a new study, achieving the seven heart-healthy metrics of the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 also helps reduce many other chronic diseases. Researchers analysed the health information of 6,814 adults, who were followed for an average 10.2 years. Each component of the Life's Simple 7 metrics (smoking, body mass index, physical activity, diet, total cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose) was categorised into three levels: ideal, intermediate and poor. Rates of non-cardiovascular diseases overall were lower with improving Life's Simple 7 health status. They also found compared to those in the poor category, people in the ideal category of the Life's Simple 7 score had a: 20 per cent lower risk for cancer;62 per cent lower risk for chronic kidney disease; 43 per cent lower risk for pneumonia; and49 percent lower risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study has been presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.

Behavioural changes can save your health

Improving your heart health may be as simple as making small behavioural changes. A new study suggests that these are effective at helping people alter their lifestyles and lead to physical changes that could improve overall health. The findings also indicate a shift is needed in the way such interventions are evaluated by researchers and used by health care providers. Behavioural treatments such as individual counselling or group training to improve nutrition or physical activity, reduce or stop smoking, or adhere to a drug treatment plan, often are overlooked because medical care providers tend to believe it is too difficult for people the make changes to their established lifestyles, say experts. Modification of health behaviour is underutilized in clinical medical practice as well as in public health policy because many providers remain unconvinced that people can change their behaviour to improve their health. The study is published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.