Routine Eye Exams See Vision Problems You Miss

WEDNESDAY, July 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Routine eye checkups often pick up unnoticed problems, particularly in older adults, a new study says.

“In asymptomatic patients, comprehensive routine optometric eye examinations detect a significant number of new eye conditions and/or results in management changes,” said the study’s author, Elizabeth Irving, and her colleagues from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

More than half of people with no new symptoms or vision problems receive new prescriptions or treatment changes as a result of routine eye exams, the researchers found. The need for vision prescription changes was found for two out of five people, the study noted.

Meanwhile, 16 percent were diagnosed with a new eye condition and 31 percent had a change in their ongoing care, researchers found.

The study included data on nearly 6,400 patients who visited a university eye clinic over the course of a year.

Roughly 40 percent said they had no problems with blurry vision, headaches, or other eye-related issues.

The most significant changes involved older people. Among young children, just 8 percent had changes resulting from their routine eye exams, but in adults 65 and older, 78 percent had changes, the study showed.

Besides seniors, those who let more time pass between eye exams are more likely to have their treatment plan change, the researchers noted. They said their findings highlight the need for regular eye exams.

The results were published in the July issue of the journal Optometry and Vision Science.

“Often people fail to see the need for symptomless eye examinations, but our authors make the case that there are numerous sound reasons for routine and regular eye exams,” Dr. Anthony Adams, the journal’s associate editor, said in a journal news release.

“These include important systemic diseases such as diabetes and eye diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration,” he added.

Young and middle-aged adults waited the longest between eye exams — about three years on average. These longer delays between visits were independently associated with a higher rate of significant changes, the researchers found.

“Given an overall greater than 50 percent detection of significant change, routine eye examinations do appear to be productive in asymptomatic patients, and this appears to increase with age,” the study’s authors wrote.

Routine eye screenings are believed to play a key role in preventing vision loss, but how often adults should have vision exams depends largely on age and medical history, says the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). If you have a family history of eye diseases, check with your eye doctor to see how often you need routine eye exams.

For most adults, the AAO recommends a comprehensive eye exam beginning at age 40. From 40 to 54, most symptom-free people can go 2 to 4 years between visits. From 55 to 64, the AAO recommends intervals of 1 to 3 years, and for those 65 and older, examinations every 1 to 2 years are advised. People with diabetes should have a dilated eye exam every year, according to the AAO.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on routine eye care.

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‘Liquid Biopsy’ May Show Whether Cancer Drugs Are Working

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Researchers have developed a blood test that might allow doctors to know quickly whether a cancer drug is working.

The technique is in the early stages of testing, and not ready for “prime time,” scientists said. But they were also hopeful that the research will help advance the use of so-called liquid biopsies in treating cancer.

Doctors have long used invasive biopsy procedures to get tumor samples, study them, then use the information to make treatment decisions or monitor a patient’s response to treatment.

But those procedures can be uncomfortable and carry some risks, like bleeding and infection, said Dr. Erica Mayer, a breast cancer expert with the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Plus, she noted, some tumors are difficult to reach, and some patients are not healthy enough to have an invasive biopsy.

So there’s been “great interest,” Mayer said, in liquid biopsy technology — which allows doctors to detect and analyze tumor DNA in a blood sample.

“It’s much more favorable for patients because it doesn’t have the potential risks of traditional biopsies,” Mayer said. It’s also easier for doctors to take repeat blood samples over time.

There are already some liquid biopsy tests on the market. Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first such test that can detect particular gene mutations that affect some lung cancer patients. If they carry the mutations — in a gene called EGFR — then they may benefit from the cancer drug Tarceva.

Also last month, a large study presented at ASCO’s annual meeting reported that liquid biopsies can be a reliable alternative to traditional biopsies when it comes to detecting mutations in patients’ cancer.

That study focused on finding tumor mutations that can be targeted with available drugs, said senior researcher Chwee Teck Lim.

“For our [test], we go one step further, to see how a patient’s cancer cells will actually respond to a given drug treatment,” explained Lim, a professor of biomedical engineering at National University of Singapore.

The technique involves using “microwells” to grow clusters of tumor cells from a patient’s blood sample. Lim’s team tested the approach using blood samples from 55 women in various breast cancer treatment trials.

They exposed the women’s tumor cells to a standard cancer drug called doxorubicin and found that the better the cell clusters established themselves in the microwells, the worse a patient’s prognosis.

The technique could give feedback as quickly as two weeks after treatment has begun, the researchers report online July 13 in the journal Science Advances.

That, Lim said, means that doctors could get “crucial information” on whether a patient’s cancer is responsive or resistant to a drug — and then make a switch if needed.

But, he stressed, this was only a “proof-of-concept” study. He said his team is planning to see how the test performs when other cancer drugs, and other types of tumors, are used.

Liquid biopsies are part of the wider drive toward more “individualized therapy” for cancer, said Mayer, a medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, in Boston.

More and more “targeted” drugs are being developed, with the aim of zeroing in on specific abnormal proteins on cancer cells. Liquid biopsies are seen as a simpler, less invasive way to find out whether patients have mutations that are vulnerable to those drugs.

But the biopsies can also be used in other ways, Lim said. That includes monitoring a patient’s response to treatment.

“The rapid feedback provided by this [test] potentially allows detection of an onset of drug tolerance or resistance during the course of treatment,” Lim said. “This will enable us to immediately intervene and change treatment.”

It’s “premature,” Mayer said, to speculate on whether or how this test could eventually fit into cancer care.

For one, she noted, “what researchers see in a lab dish may not reflect what’s going on in a living being.”

But in general, Mayer said, the work being done on liquid biopsy technology is “exciting and promising.”

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has a fact sheet on common lab tests.

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Ronda Rousey on Why She’s Not Interested in Perfection: ‘Perfect Never Gets to Silence Its Critics’

With the help of UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, Reebok has kicked off a new arm to its long-running “Be more human” campaign: #NeverPerfect challenges women to embrace their imperfections and find strength in those less-than-stellar moments in life. The ad follows Rousey from a glammed-up version—sequin dress, full face of makeup and long-flowing mane—to the sports-bra wearing, bun-wielding, kick-butt fighter we all know, and most of us love. Both parts are equally Rousey, but the latter, some might say, is her less-than-perfect version. After all, it was that Rousey who lost to Holly Holm last November.

The thing is, Rousey doesn’t want to be perfect: “Perfect never gets truly tested. Perfect never gets to silence its critics. Perfect never gets a shot at redemption,” the fighter says in the voice-over. “So yeah, I’m fine not being perfect.”

But we can all agree, the 29-year-old is still a badass.

At an intimate lunch in New York City for the launch of #NeverPerfect, Rousey voiced her views on criticism, success, and how social media has colored our opinions of ourselves.

On happiness…

I’ve learned over the years that a surefire way to be unhappy is to try to make everyone happy with you.

On being true to yourself…

I’ve noticed in the social media age, that it’s almost like a projection of ourselves out into the world. OK, this is my profile, this is my representation of myself. It’s like everyone is on a first date with the world all the time. No one ever wants to show the flaws in themselves. They want to be like, “Here I am in Hawaii, and here I am in this great dress, and here I am with my friend Daniella.” It’s parts of your life, but that becomes a representation of this perfect version. I don’t want to be like, “Oh I need everyone to like me, so I have to act a certain way and I say something wrong and everyone will hate me.” No, this is going to come out the way it’s going to come out, like it or not. And that’s okay. It’s okay to have an Instagram post without a filter on it. It’s okay to post a picture where you don’t like how you look because you’re with someone you love. That’s what I think “Be more human” is; not constantly trying to groom and breed ourselves for everyone else, but trying to enjoy every single moment for yourself.

RELATED: Why Ronda Rousey Is the Body Image Role Model We Need

On always doing your best…

To be the best in the world, you have to be able to win every match twice on your worst day. [My mom] really didn’t push me to be perfect all the time, she pushed me to be so good that on my worst days I’m still good.

On criticism…

I’ve learned that taking criticism personally is a self-obsession, because there are millions of people out there that hate my guts. How selfish am I that I didn’t care about what those people thought about me until the day they decided they didn’t like me. I really don’t care about anything you think in your life except for your opinion of me. I really need to work on letting that go. It’s not a reflection of myself. It’s a reflection of them and what they think of me.

On training tough…

Tough fitness is about more than just training your body. You can go put on some fancy sweats meant to make your butt look good and climb on an elliptical for 90 minutes and be like “Yes, I did some fitness today.” Yes, your body is a little more moved than if you laid in bed a little longer, but you yourself haven’t changed because of it. Tough fitness is about training yourself mentally as well as physically, and trying to better yourself in every way. It’s about doing things that challenge you rather than, “I’m just going to run a mile and listen to this playlist like I do every morning so I can still stay a size 4.” Like no, like, set actual goals and do things to challenge yourself that you might not be able to do or you’re not sure about. Risk those failures and put yourself out there.

RELATED: 10 Inspiring Quotes from the Female Olympians Who Posed Nude for ESPN’s ‘Body Issue’

On beauty…

I feel the most beautiful when I wake up in the morning, like right away. It’s when you’re the least bloated and like fresh. Right when I get up in the morning, I’m just like “Oh I look good! And it’s downhill from here.”

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Apartment Dwellers More Likely to Smoke: CDC

WEDNESDAY, July 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Apartment residents are more likely to smoke and less likely to have smoke-free rules than people living in single-family homes, U.S. health officials report.

Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 20 percent of adults living in apartments or condos smoked, potentially exposing nearby residents to secondhand smoke.

Among residents of single-family homes, however, only about 14 percent smoked.

Also, smoke-free rules prevailed in 81 percent of multi-unit housing units versus 87 percent of single-family homes, the study found.

“These findings show the importance of protecting all people who live in multi-unit housing through smoke-free building policies and access to tobacco cessation resources,” said Dr. Corinne Graffunder, director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health.

“Smoke-free rules help reduce secondhand smoke exposure among nonsmokers, prevent smoking initiation among youth and adults, support tobacco cessation among current smokers, and reduce the social acceptability of smoking,” she said in an agency news release.

The CDC reports that exposure to secondhand smoke results in 41,000 deaths among nonsmoking adults each year.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from the 2013-1014 National Adult Tobacco Survey.

Use of any tobacco products was reported by one-quarter of apartment dwellers and less than 20 percent of people from single-family residences.

And close to 10 percent of multi-unit housing residents reported secondhand smoke entered their homes regularly, the study showed.

Exposure to secondhand smoke from nearby apartments or common living spaces remained an issue for one-third of multi-unit housing residents who have smoke-free rules at home, the CDC found.

Tobacco use in multi-unit housing was highest among black men between 45 and 64 years old. It was also higher among single, gay or bisexual people, residents of the Midwest, those with a high school diploma but no college degree and people making less than $20,000 annually, the researchers said.

“The Surgeon General has concluded there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke,” said study co-author Brian King, deputy director of research translation in the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health. “Opening windows or using ventilation systems does not effectively eliminate secondhand smoke exposure in multi-unit housing.”

The study was published July 13 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

More information

The American Lung Association provides more on the health effects of secondhand smoke .

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4 in 10 Americans Think Work Affects Their Health: Poll

WEDNESDAY, July 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Many Americans think their job takes a toll on everything from their health and stress levels to their eating and sleeping habits, a new poll found.

“The takeaway here is that job number one for U.S. employers is to reduce stress in the workplace,” said poll director Robert Blendon. He is the Richard L. Menschel Professor of Health Policy and Political Analysis at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

The poll, which included phone interviews with more than 1,600 workers in the United States, found that 44 percent think their job affects their overall health. And only 28 percent of those people believe the influence is positive.

Among the 16 percent who think their job is taking a toll on their health are those with disabilities, those with dangerous jobs, those working more than 50 hours a week, those working in retail and those earning low wages.

Stress is a significant problem among American workers, the poll found. Forty-three say their job is contributing to their stress. Nearly 30 percent also say their job influences their eating and sleeping habits, while 22 percent say the work they do affects their weight.

Many construction workers, those who work outside and health care professionals worry that their jobs could expose them to chemicals and contaminants. Others worry about stress, breathing polluted air, having accidents or sustaining work-related injuries.

Only about half of the workers say they have access to wellness or health improvement programs through their employer. Thirty-four percent rate these programs as excellent, while 24 percent say they are only fair or poor.

Healthy food options are also scarce for many working Americans, the poll found. More than half of those with factory or manufacturing jobs, as well as those working in medical, construction, outdoor or retail jobs, rate their workplace as only fair or poor in making healthy foods available.

Additionally, nearly 20 percent report working 50 or more hours a week, but most of these people feel working overtime is important for their career and about half say they enjoy their long hours.

Most workers show up for work, even when they are sick, the poll showed. This includes 60 percent of those with medical jobs and 50 percent of people working in restaurants.

The poll was conducted by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

“Every year, U.S. businesses lose more than $225 billion because of sick and absent workers,” Robert Wood Johnson President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey said in a Harvard news release. “In many companies, as much as 50 percent of profits are eaten up by health care costs.”

More information

The U.S. Department of Labor provides more information on workplace health and safety.

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Epilepsy May Triple ADHD Risk, Danish Study Finds

By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Children who suffer from epilepsy or fever-related seizures may face a higher risk of also having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), new Danish research suggests.

The findings echo those of some previous research. But, U.S. experts said the new study is notable because of the large number of study participants — nearly 1 million — and the length of follow-up, which was up to 22 years.

The study looked at children born in Denmark from 1990 through 2007, tracking them until 2012. The investigators found those with epilepsy seemed to have nearly three times the risk of developing ADHD compared to children without epilepsy. And children who had fever-related seizures appeared to have an almost 30 percent increased risk of ADHD.

Children with both epilepsy and fever-related seizures had a risk of ADHD more than three times higher than those without a history of either condition, the findings suggested.

The researchers only found an association, and couldn’t prove cause and effect. Even so, the links held up even after the researchers took into account other factors that might have affected risk, such as birth weight and family history of neurodevelopmental disorders or epilepsy.

“The link between these conditions is not surprising,” said Dr. Josiane LaJoie, a pediatric neurologist at NYU Langone Comprehensive Medical Center in New York City. “All have their root within the central nervous system.”

Another pediatric expert agreed.

“Overall, it strengthens the finding which people have found before,” said Dr. Sayed Naqvi, a pediatric neurologist and epileptologist at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.

Naqvi said he has seen the link between epilepsy and ADHD in his own patients, but not one between fever-related seizures and ADHD.

ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental condition, marked by inattention, inability to focus and impulsivity. Fever-related seizures usually involve a fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes seizures.

It isn’t known why the conditions seem to be linked. However, the researchers speculated that common genetic risk factors might help explain the connection, among other possibilities. The three conditions share some other risk factors, including low birth weight and family history.

The study has limitations, Naqvi said, and the researchers addressed them in the report. For instance, no information was available on the medications given to treat epilepsy, so the drugs could have affected the risk of developing ADHD, the researchers noted.

The take-home message for doctors, the Danish researchers said, is to identify ADHD early so treatment can be initiated before symptoms become problematic.

Parents of children with either epilepsy or a history of fever-related seizures should be on the lookout for possible ADHD symptoms, said Naqvi. One of the first warnings, if the child has started school, is a decline in school performance, he said. “That could be a red flag,” he said.

And, LaJoie added, “It is vital that when caring for a child with epilepsy, some of the medical visit involves attention to academic achievement and psychosocial functioning.”

The study was published online July 13 in the journal Pediatrics.

More information

To learn more about epilepsy, visit the Epilepsy Foundation.

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How to lose the last two kilos

 

 

They say the last two kilograms are the hardest to lose, but we’ve found a loophole.

STEP 1.

 

Calculate your baseline

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories you’d burn per day if you were to lie in bed 24/7. It’s based on various factors including your height, age and body composition (a higher muscle to fat ratio will burn more calories even at rest). To calculate your BMR, plug your deets into this equation (known as the Harris-Benedict equation): 

BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)

e.g. a 30-year-old female measuring 167 cm tall and weighing 54.5 kg would compute 655 + 523 + 302 – 141 to get a maintenance level daily calorie need of 1,339, or 5,624 kJ, per day (multiply calories by 4.2 to convert to kJ lingo).

STEP 2. 

Body audit

If your numbers come in low, don’t panic. In addition to what you burn to maintain basic bodily functions, you need to add your other energy usage. What you want to work out how many kJs you’re burning on average per day, and how many kJs you need to cut to lose your target kilos, is your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), which comprises BMR (65 per cent), physical activity and thermic effect of food. 

To calculate your TDEE, multiply your BMR by your activity level according to these numbers.

Sedentary = BMR x 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)

Lightly active = BMR x 1.375 (light exercise / sports 1–3 days/week)

Moderately active = BMR x 1.55 (moderate exercise / sports 6–7 days/week)

Very active = BMR x 1.725 (hard exercise every day, or exercising 2 times/day)

Extra active = BMR x 1.9 (hard exercise 2 or more times per day, or training for marathon, or triathlon, etc.)

e.g. If your BMR is 1,339 calories, or 5,624 kJ, and you’re lightly active, your activity factor is 1.375, making your TDEE 1.375 x 1,339 or 5,624, or 1,841 calories/7,733 kJ. In theory consuming 7,733 kJ each day (or 54,129 kJ a week – there’s no penalty for zig-zagging to accommodate a dinner party) will maintain your current weight.

STEP 3. 

Budget crunch

Based on the 0.5 kg a week deemed optimal, you’ll need a cumulative deficit of 14,700 kJ a week (there are 14,700 kJ in half a kilo of body fat). A weekly deficit of 7,350 kJ will translate to loss of 0.25 kg per week. Aim to eat approximately the same amount of kJs each day, but don’t get obsessive. If you want to go out for parma (around twice the kJs in a Lean Cuisine dinner), shoot for 1,000 kJ less than your loss needs the following day and you’ll come out square. 

STEP 4. 

Loophole phase 

You can’t out-train a bad diet because it’s so much easier to consume calories than burn them. (A flavoured milk packs in more than an hour’s workout burn in a few gulps.) Yet exercise can give you an extra food allowance. By burning 400 calories in spin class, you can still eat 7,080 kJ and lose your half a kilo a week.

Looking for more weightloss tips? Check out Alexa Towersey's top fat loss tips. 

 

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3 Power Moves We Can All Steal From Beyoncé

Photo: Getty Images

Last week, Vulture posted an interview with the Shonda Rhimes, AKA creator of the hit TV shows Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder, and The Catch. In it, she discusses how she starts each morning. One thing she does daily: “I have a tiny little dance party,” Rhimes admits, and of course the music she currently gets down to is from, wait for it, Beyoncé. “So Beyoncé and I are having a little dance party every morning. I’m getting in formation,” she says. “And that usually puts me in a good mood. And then I leave the house.”

This little nugget of information not only made us smile, but it also got us thinking: If dancing to a little Beyoncé could set a positive tone for the day for one of the most powerful women in television (Hello, TGIT!), what else could us mere mortals learn from the singer? The answer: confidence, how to win big, and who makes the best role model. Read on to see how you can incorporate Beyoncé’s strategies into your own life.

Stand like Wonder Woman

Ever notice how often Bey stands with her hands on her hips? We don’t think it is by accident. Here’s why: Research shows that standing tall with your chest out and hands on your hips can make you feel bolder. In fact, in a Ted Talk social psychologist Amy Cuddy noted that holding this pose for just two minutes can boost your levels of testosterone and lower your levels cortisol, and that these hormonal change can configure your brain to be assertive, confident, and comfortable. Enough said.

RELATED: Beyoncé’s Lead Dancer on What It Takes to Keep Up With Bey

Fill your wardrobe with red

Whether it’s on her current tour (The Formation World Tour), in the video for “Formation,” or at awards shows, this Houston native has rocked red over the years like nobody’s business. Clearly Queen Bey knows the secrets behind this scarlet color, which include more energy, the possibility of earning more money (because “the best revenge is your paper”) or giving you the edge you need to beat your opponents (ahem, Beyoncé was the highest paid woman in music in 2015). Rhimes also recognizes the power of a red outfit, tweeting back in May: “Bey gets to wear this to work. And she slays. I am seriously considering this for my next big meeting. #LEMONADE” And may we add #powercolor.

Bey gets to wear this to work. And she slays. I am seriously considering this for my next big meeting. #LEMONADE http://pic.twitter.com/FD3nmVc8Uh

— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) May 15, 2016

RELATED: Here’s How to Do 5 Beyoncé-Inspired Dance Moves

Be your own hero

According to research from the journal Social Psychological & Personal Science, powerful people look to themselves as a source for inspiration, not others. And if you just give a little listen to some of Beyoncé’s lyrics, she definitely puts herself on a pedestal (no shade). Take “Flawless” for instance, when she sings, “I know when you were little girls/ You dreamt of being in my world/ Don’t forget it, don’t forget it/ Respect that, bow down b***.” It doesn’t take an interpreter to see that Beyoncé is telling us that we should aspire to be like her. And let’s be real, who doesn’t want to be on her level?

For a more poignant example, consider these “Formation” lyrics: “I see it, I want it, I stunt, yellow-bone it/ I dream it, I work hard, I grind ‘til I own it/ I twirl on them haters, albino alligators/ El Camino with the seat low, sippin’ Cuervo with no chaser/ Sometimes I go off (I go off), I go hard (I go hard)/Get what’s mine (take what’s mine), I’m a star (I’m a star)/ Cause I slay (slay), I slay (hey), I slay (Okay), I slay (okay).”

Here, in our honest opinion, the multi Grammy Award winner has practically laid out an outline—albeit a very loose one— for why she is so successful. And we are taking notes.

Okay ladies, now let’s get in formation and go out there and be great. But first, a dance break: “Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh no no.”

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Genes Tied to Red Hair, Pale Skin Greatly Raise Melanoma Risk?

TUESDAY, July 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — DNA that’s tied to red hair, fair skin and freckles may also be highly linked to a person’s genetic odds of skin cancer, new research suggests.

The study’s British authors estimate that having the gene is roughly equivalent to the person spending an extra 21 years in the sun.

“It has been known for a while that a person with red hair has an increased likelihood of developing skin cancer, but this is the first time that the gene [tied to red hair] has been proven to be associated with skin cancers with more mutations,” study co-lead author Dr. David Adams, of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said in an institute news release.

A skin cancer expert in the United States stressed that redheads can still prevent getting skin cancer. However, they may need a little extra help in determining their genetic risk.

“Identifying this subset of patients could [someday] help decrease the risk of melanoma and ultimately save lives,” said Dr. Michele Green, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

The genetics outlined in the study “make proper sun protection more important than ever, especially in this red-haired group,” Green said.

The gene mutation in question is called MC1R. As the researchers explained, this DNA affects the type of melanin pigment people produce in their skin.

People with red hair have two copies of a variant of this gene, which also results in pale skin that’s more prone to sunburns and freckles, Adams’ group said.

Carrying even one copy of this red hair-linked gene appears tied to a jump in the number of mutations linked to melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, the investigators found.

People with other hair hues aren’t off the hook, either. That’s because people who don’t have red hair can still carry these common variants, the researchers said. So they, too, should be careful about exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays.

For the study, the researchers examined tumor DNA sequences collected from more than 400 people. There were 42 percent more mutations linked to sun damage in the tumors of those carrying the red hair gene variant than in those without that DNA, the findings showed.

All of this means that, for freckle-faced, red-haired people, skin cancer isn’t just about being more vulnerable to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Carrying the MC1R gene variant raises the number of mutations triggered by sun exposure, the researchers explained, but it also raises the level of non-sun-linked mutations within tumors.

“This important research explains why red-haired people have to be so careful about covering up in strong sun,” Dr. Julie Sharp, head of health and patient information at Cancer Research UK, said in the news release.

“It also underlines that it isn’t just people with red hair who need to protect themselves from too much sun,” she added. “People who tend to burn rather than tan, or who have fair skin, hair or eyes, or who have freckles or moles are also at higher risk,” Sharp explained.

“For all of us, the best way to protect skin when the sun is strong is to spend time in the shade between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and to cover up with a t-shirt, hat and sunglasses,” Sharp said. “And sunscreen helps protect the parts you can’t cover; use one with at least SPF15 and four or more stars, put on plenty and reapply regularly.”

Another melanoma expert agreed.

“The use of sunscreen is a modifying factor [in preventing skin cancer], and should be stressed,” said Dr. Ross Levy, chief of dermatology at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y.

The findings were published July 12 in Nature Communications.

More information

The American Cancer Society has more about skin cancer.

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Watch Where Pokemon Go Leads You

TUESDAY, July 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The Pokemon Go craze sweeping the globe can pose some serious health risks — and not just to the digital creatures that are the game’s intended targets.

The free “augmented reality” game, designed for Apple and Android smartphones, lets players use their phone’s camera to capture, train and trade virtual Pokemon characters that can appear without warning in a real-world setting.

But the immensely popular game — the top grossing app on iTunes, less than a week after its release — is so enthralling that players are unintentionally placing themselves in harm’s way. Unanticipated consequences include sprained ankles, bruises from walking into traffic, trees and lamp posts, risky driving and even some robberies, according to reports from across the United States.

In O’Fallon, Mo., for instance, four teens intent on robbery staked out locations they knew would attract Pokemon Go players, police said.

“People really need to watch what they’re doing and make sure their kids understand where this game could lead them,” O’Fallon Police Sgt. Phil Hardin told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Our concern is that some of the way points in this game are in geographically more dangerous areas than others. Other people are using the machinations of all this to put people in danger.”

Injuries have been reported in the obsessive pursuit of the digital creatures. Mike Schultz, 21, of Long Island, N.Y., told the Associated Press he lost control of his skateboard and cut his hand while looking for Pokemons on his phone.

“I just wanted to be able to stop quickly if there were any Pokemons nearby to catch,” he admitted.

Any problems are the fault of the users, not the game, suggested John Hanke, chief executive officer for Niantic, the game’s maker.

“That was a very deliberate choice,” Hanke said of the Long Island man’s mishap. Hanke told Business Insider that players need to pay attention to their surroundings. When a Pokemon appears on a screen in a dangerous location, users don’t have to rush to capture it, he said.

The Park Ridge, N.J., Police Department posted this warning on its Facebook page: “There have been several reports throughout the country concerning accidents and injuries from children and adolescents walking around, solely focused on their wireless devices and not realizing what is taking place around them. There have been pedestrians struck, vehicle accidents, and personal injuries due to falls.

“Around Park Ridge, we have also seen large groups congregating near busy roadways, while on their devices playing the game. Although this is a game that encourages people to get outside and walk around, we would be remiss if we did not mention the associated risks and concerns,” the department added.

In other cities and towns, police have offered safety tips for folks playing the game, especially children. The Philadelphia Police Department told a local news station that parents should remind kids of the dangers of meeting strangers. They should also restrict where kids can capture Pokemon so they can keep track of their children, said Philadelphia Police spokesman Eric Gripp, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

He, too, urged users to watch where they’re going.

“I’ve already seen a number of people — both kids and adults — so engrossed while staring at their phones and following a map that they’ve walked right into the street and into objects,” Gripp said. “Pay attention!”

Despite the potential hazards, there may be a bright side to this phenomenon. Instead of the stereotype of “gamers” who are holed up indoors, some Pokemon Go users are outdoors — on streets, in parks and on beaches for hours on end.

Kay Collins, 22, a health care worker in San Francisco, told The New York Times she played Pokemon Go for half a day on Sunday. “My pedometer says I’ve taken way, way more steps throughout the day than I used to before I started playing this game,” she said.

More information

To learn more about augmented reality, visit howstuffworks.

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from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/29P12tY