Researchers have found significant new evidence of a link between a decreased sense of smell and the risk of developing depression later in life. Known as hyposmia, or at its most profound, anosmia, the condition has been associated previously with Alzheimer’s disease in older adults. “We’ve seen repeatedly that a poor sense of smell can be an early warning sign of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, as well as a mortality risk. This study underscores its association with depressive symptoms,” said Vidya Kamath, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. “Additionally, this study explores factors that might influence the relationship between olfaction and depression, including poor cognition and inflammation,” she said in a university news release. In the study, researchers followed more than 2,100 community-dwelling older adults over eight years, using data from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study (Health ABC). These older adults were healthy and ages 70 to 73 when the study period began in 1997. They each had no difficulty walking a quarter of a mile, climbing 10 steps and performing normal activities. The participants were assessed in person each year and by phone every six months. Smell was first measured in 1999, when 48% of participants displayed a normal sense of smell. Another 28% showed a…  read on >  read on >

Fewer teens consider themselves overweight and more underestimate what they weigh, a perception concerning to experts worried about childhood obesity. These trends could reduce the effectiveness of public health interventions meant to help young people lose weight, researchers warn. Their findings were published July 3 in the journal Child and Adolescent Obesity. “Young people who underestimate their weight and therefore do not consider themselves to be overweight may not feel they need to lose excess weight and, as a result, they may make unhealthy lifestyle choices,” lead author Anouk Geraets said in a journal news release. She is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Luxembourg. For the study, researchers reviewed 2002-2018 data involving more than 745,000 adolescents from 41 countries in Europe and North America. Information was collected at four-year intervals from kids who were 11, 13 and 15 years old. Over the period, underestimation of weight status increased for both boys and girls, but the trend was stronger for girls. Girls’ weight perception did get more accurate over time, however, but boys’ got worse. These changes in correct weight perception varied across countries. They could not be explained by an increase in country-level overweight/obesity prevalence. The authors noted that boys’ and girls’ body ideals may differ, which would explain why their perceptions differed. Body ideals have also changed over time, they pointed out.…  read on >  read on >

As outdoor gatherings begin for the Fourth of July holiday, a leading asthma and allergy group is offering suggestions on how to avoid those seasonal symptoms. “The Fourth of July is a great time to gather with friends and family and celebrate summer,” said Dr. Kathleen May, president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “But as with any outdoor holiday, July Fourth festivities mean those with allergies and asthma need to take a few extra precautions to make sure their holiday is safe, and sneeze- and wheeze-free. “Those with asthma need to be cautious at events where smoke will be featured. Smoke in any form — from fireworks, bonfires or campfires — should be avoided as it can cause asthma to flare,” she added in an ACAAI news release. Among other tips are to avoid “wings and stings.” If you’ve had a previous allergic reaction to a sting, always carry two doses of your epinephrine auto-injector, the ACAAI advises. Stay safe by wearing shoes when walking in grass where stinging insects may be looking for food. Cover soft drink cans and food because these bugs love open cans and containers. Your asthma may flare with temperature swings, such as going from a hot picnic area to a cold pool or an air-conditioned room. Consider instead doing an indoor workout on a…  read on >  read on >

California psychiatrist Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez once had a patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who washed his hands so often that he had to wear gloves to cover his cracked and swollen skin. “People with intrusive thoughts of contamination can do this for hours on end with scalding hot water,” said Rodriguez, who is also associate dean for academic affairs at Stanford University School of Medicine. Though OCD is fairly common, with around 2 in every 100 adults in the United States affected, according to the Stanford Center for Health Education, its causes have not been well understood. Until now. Psychologists from the University of Cambridge in the U.K. report they have found widespread chemical imbalances in the regions of OCD patients’ brains responsible for decision-making, specifically involving the major neurotransmitter chemicals cortical glutamate and GABA. The findings could lead to more targeted treatments for the condition, they added. OCD is a mental health condition that “involves both obsessions and compulsions that take up a lot of time and get in the way of important activities, such as school, family life, extracurricular activities, developing friendships, and self-care,” according to the International OCD Foundation. OCD doesn’t look the same in each individual. People with the condition can have intrusive thoughts of harm toward themselves or others, intrusive thoughts of contamination, symmetry obsessions or checking compulsions. “Some people…  read on >  read on >