Children's Health:Bullying exposure associated with adult psychiatric disorders ♦ Poorer children nearly three times as likely to be obese ♦ Behavioral problems in youths are associated with differences in the brain

Bullying exposure associated with adult psychiatric disorders requiring treatment Exposure to bullying as a child was associated with psychiatric disorders in adulthood that required treatment in a study of Finnish children, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry

Behavioral problems in youths are associated with differences in the brain Young people with behavioral problems, such as antisocial and aggressive behavior, show reduced grey matter volume in a number of areas of the brain, according to a new study.

Poorer children nearly three times as likely to be obese A new study has questioned why poorer children are at higher risk of obesity compared to their better-off peers. The link between relative poverty and childhood obesity turned out to be quite stark. At age 5, poor children were almost twice as likely to be obese compared with their better off peers. 6.6% of children from families in the poorest fifth of the sample were obese while the figure for the richest fifth is just 3.5%. By the age of 11 the gap has widened, nearly tripling.

Early childhood exposure to farm animals, pets modifies immunological responses Exposure to farm animals in early childhood modifies the key allergy-related immunological mechanisms, shows a recent study, which provides new insight into the role of dendritic cells and cytokine production in particular.

2/28/15 Health News: Secret Treaty Leads to Food Safety Labeling Concerns ♦ NC Salmonella Outbreak ♦ Oat breakfast cereals may contain mold-related toxin ♦ Plus More

Trans-Pacific Partnership could prevent clearer food – health advocates Australia’s Pacific free-trade deal could stand in the way of clear country-of-origin labelling being considered by the Abbott government in the wake of the hepatitis A outbreak linked to imported frozen berries Continue Reading

NC SALMONELLA OUTBREAK LINKED TO RE-COOKED PULLED PORK  A Salmonella outbreak in North Carolina this past fall that sickened dozens of people has been linked to re-cooked pulled pork served at a church conference. According to news reports published Friday, the problem was probably smoked Boston butt prepared overnight by a member of the Living Word Tabernacle Church in Bessemer City, NC, and then re-cooked the... Continue Reading

Oat breakfast cereals may contain a common mold-related toxin  Oats are often touted for boosting heart health, but scientists warn that the grain and its products might need closer monitoring for potential mold contamination. They report that some oat-based breakfast cereals in the US contain a mold-related toxin called ochratoxin A that's been linked to kidney cancer in animal studies Continue Reading

Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D may control brain serotonin, affecting behavior and psychiatric disorders  Although essential marine omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D have been shown to improve cognitive function and behavior in the context of certain brain disorders, the underlying mechanism has been unclear. In a new paper, serotonin is explained as the possible missing link tying together why vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acids might ameliorate the symptoms associated with a broad array of brain disorders.Continue Reading

Adults with disabilities screened for cancer less often  Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are much less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer, research shows. "As individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live longer, their risk of developing chronic conditions like cancer increases. Suboptimal screening may contribute to a greater cancer burden," Continue Reading