New breast cancer gene may help predict risk: Study

(REUTERS) - Screening for mutations in a gene known as CHEK2 may help determine a woman's odds of breast cancer if the disease runs in her family, according to a Polish study.

Researchers led by Cezary Cybulski of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin estimated that a woman who carries a CHEK2 mutation would have a 34 per cent risk of developing breast cancer if her mother or sister had the disease.

Nuts-and-soy diet better than low-fat diet for lower cholesterol: Study

People who ate a diet rich in foods that lower cholesterol, such as nuts, soy, avocado, olive oil and oats, saw a bigger drop in cholesterol than people on a low-fat diet. -- ST PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR

WASHINGTON (AFP) - People who ate a diet rich in foods that lower cholesterol, such as nuts, soy, avocado, olive oil and oats, saw a bigger drop in cholesterol than people on a low-fat diet, said a US study on Tuesday.

After six months of eating a diet that specifically included foods that lower LDL cholesterol, the randomised trial showed people experienced a 13 per cent drop in low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or 'bad' cholesterol).

Sleeping your way to better health

By Michael Lim


There are people who tell me that they make do with just four to five hours of sleep a day and don't feel fatigued. Then there are others who sleep more than 10 hours a day and yet continue to feel tired.

Many ask: "What duration of sleep is considered adequate sleep?" Is there an optimal number of hours that one should sleep? The answer, apparently, is yes, and sleep does appear to have a significant impact on health.

DNA blood tests can tell baby's sex at 7 weeks: Study

Tests that measure DNA in a pregnant woman's blood work well for telling the sex of a baby after seven weeks' gestation without posing danger to the foetus. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

WASHINGTON (AFP) - TESTS that measure DNA in a pregnant woman's blood work well for telling the sex of a baby after seven weeks' gestation without posing danger to the foetus, a US study said on Tuesday.

The meta-analysis of previous studies on the topic suggests that using cell-free foetal DNA from the mother's blood is more accurate than a urine test or sonogram and is safer than amniocentesis.

Childhood hardship linked to adult disease risk

NEW YORK - CHILDREN who are abused, lose a parent, or suffer other hardships may be at increased risk of chronic health conditions later in life, according to an international study.

Looking at over 18,000 adults from 10 countries, the study found that those who said they'd faced childhood adversities like abuse, the death of a parent, or a parent's alcohol or drug abuse, had higher risks of heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes and other conditions. The same pattern was seen among people who said they'd suffered from depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions before the age of 21, the study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, said.