Gear « Weekly Gravy

The “choking game” — and other clearly ill-advised and dangerous internet challenges — leave many parents wondering what drives teens to take the bait and participate. Now, a new study suggests that an underlying psychological disorder may be one reason why some kids jump at online dares such as the “Bird Box” challenge, where people walk around blindfolded, and the Tide Pod challenge, daring people to eat laundry detergent. The French researchers, who decided to focus on the choking game, found that nearly 10 percent of the almost 1,800 middle schoolers surveyed had tried it. Those who had participated were about twice as likely to be depressed or to have a conduct disorder. “Parents of adolescents with behavioral problems, as well as parents of depressed teens, need to be aware of this serious problem in order to educate and monitor their vulnerable youth,” said Dr. Victor Fornari. He directs child and adolescent psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y., and Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. Fornari said this study highlights that “prevention strategies need to be developed to intervene in this dangerous behavior.” The choking game is a thrill-seeking activity where people self-strangulate or have someone else strangle them to the point of passing out. Supposedly, the lack of blood and oxygen to the brain causes a temporary euphoric… read on >

An artificial intelligence (AI) system can analyze chest X-rays and spot patients who should receive immediate care, researchers report. The system could also reduce backlogs in hospitals someday. Chest X-rays account for 40 percent of all diagnostic imaging worldwide, and there can be large backlogs, according to the researchers. “Currently, there are no systematic and automated ways to triage chest X-rays and bring those with critical and urgent findings to the top of the reporting pile,” explained study co-author Giovanni Montana. He is formerly of King’s College London and is now at the University of Warwick in Coventry, England. Montana and his colleagues used more than 470,300 adult chest X-rays to develop an AI system that could identify unusual results. The system’s performance in prioritizing X-rays was assessed in a simulation using a separate set of 15,887 chest X-rays. All identifying information was removed from the X-rays to protect patient privacy. The system was highly accurate in distinguished abnormal from normal chest X-rays, researchers said. Simulations showed that with the AI system, critical findings received an expert radiologist opinion within an average of 2.7 days, compared with an average of 11.2 days in actual practice. The study results were published Jan. 22 in the journal Radiology. “The initial results reported here are exciting as they demonstrate that an AI system can be successfully trained using… read on >

When it comes to monitoring physical activity, we’ve come a long way from pedometers that only counted steps. Today’s health trackers use sensors to monitor movement and store and analyze the data. You can track calories burned, calories consumed, your heart rate during and after exercise, and even how long you sleep. Like a personal coach, a tracker can motivate you to reach goals and strive for new ones. It’s important to note that not all wearables perform equally well. A number of studies have compared the accuracy of many brands in lab tests to real-world activity. Their ability to estimate steps, distance, physical activity, energy expenditure and sleep can vary, but so do results from the various studies. For instance, one study found that step count and sleep time were recorded most accurately, but total daily energy expended less so. Such discrepancies aside, tracking your progress, even simply the number of steps you take toward the suggested goal of 10,000 a day, can be helpful. Before you invest in a device, you might want to first test an app to see if you’ll actually use it. Next decide on your budget — a good wearable can run well over $100, depending on its functions. Determine the type of wearable you want, such as a bracelet or watch for your wrist or a clip-on device… read on >

(HealthDay News) — TVs and computers are part of everyday life, but the American Academy of Pediatrics urges caution about overuse of digital devices. They should never take the place of face-to-face time with family and friends, the academy says. The AAP suggests how to manage screen use at home: Set limits on media use and be aware of which software and apps your children are using, which sites they are visiting and what they are doing online. Encourage unplugged playtime. Screen time shouldn’t always bealone time. By watching with your children, you can encourage social interactions, bonding and learning. Be a good role model.Teach good manners online, and limit your screen time. Appreciate the value of face-to-face communication. Create tech-free zones during mealtimes, family and social gatherings. Don’t allow devices at night, to help kidsavoid the temptation to use them when they should be sleeping. Do research on any apps that your kids use to monitor quality and appropriateness. Warn children about privacy and the dangers of predators and sexting.

Medical marijuana may help the thousands of Americans who use it, but far too many of these folks are getting behind the wheel while high, new research shows. In a poll of medical marijuana patients in Michigan, more than half acknowledged having driven within two hours of consuming a cannabis treatment at least once during the prior six months. About 20 percent they had done so while “very high,” while about half described being “a little high” while driving. “Perhaps more surprising is that many said that they drove under the influence pretty frequently, at least 10 times in the past six months,” noted study author Erin Bonar. She said that 7 percent of these frequent users said they had driven while very high and 19 percent had done so while a little high. “We didn’t know of other any studies that had asked medical marijuana patients about driving while high, so we were not sure what to expect,” added Bonar. She is an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry’s addiction center at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. “[But] we know that both alcohol and marijuana have risks and can be dangerous, and we would advise not driving after using either one,” Bonar stressed. So how exactly does marijuana undermine driving safety? “Research studies show that things like your coordination and reaction… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Drivers should avoid talking on their cellphones while on the road, the U.S. National Safety Council warns. It’s a myth that the human brain can simultaneously handle both the many aspects of driving while chatting with a cellphone in one hand, the council says. The agency dispels these additional myths: Talking on a cell phone is just like speaking to a passenger. Passengers can help the driver stay alert and navigate, while people on the other end of a phone call have no direct awareness of what is going on in the car. Speaking hands-free is safe while driving. The council warns that drivers on cellphones can be distracted enough to miss seeing pedestrians, red lights and stop signs. I only use my phone at stop lights, so it’s OK. Drivers should stay focused even at stop lights. A recent AAA study revealed that people are distracted up to 27 seconds after sending a text message.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram — the list of popular social media outlets is long and always expanding. But could staying connected through them lead to depression? That’s the question posed by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Nearly 1,800 Americans, aged 19 to 32, answered questionnaires about their activity on 11 popular social media sites. On average, the participants spent just over an hour a day in total on social media, and went to their accounts 30 times a week. Whether engagement was measured in time or number of visits, the people in the top 25 percent of social media users had significantly higher odds of depression than the bottom 25 percent, between 1.7 and 2.7 times the risk. What the research didn’t unravel is what comes first — time spent with social media, or depression. People experiencing depression could be using social media to fill a void in their lives. Or social media may lead to depression and, in turn, more social media. Social media-depression connections: Seeing other people’s postings could make you believe your life is inferior. Excessive use could be a sign of internet addiction, which has been linked with depression. You may be at greater risk of cyber-bullying, which can lead to feelings of depression. Could you be going though depression? It can be hard sometimes to recognize it… read on >

A new trend promoted on the social media platform TikTok has people taping their lips shut at bedtime — a practice that could be dangerous, an expert warns. The purpose of mouth taping is to keep from breathing through your mouth at night. “If you have obstructive sleep apnea, yes, this can be very dangerous,” sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta told CNN. “There is limited evidence on the benefits of mouth taping and I would be very careful — and even talk to your health care provider before attempting it,” added Dasgupta, an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. Not everyone who has obstructive sleep apnea knows it. People with the sleep disorder stop breathing repeatedly during the night. More than 1 billion adults worldwide between the ages of 30 and 69 alone likely have the condition, according to a 2019 study. Millions are undiagnosed. The reasons given for the mouth taping trend include trying to achieve beauty sleep. “I tape my mouth shut every single day,” one woman said on TikTok. “Sleeping properly is really important to anti-aging and looking and feeling your best.” One woman said she doesn’t remember why she started taping her mouth shut at night. “Truth be told, I don’t know. I saw on TikTok and I can’t remember what the… read on > read on >

Tinder, Grindr and other dating apps have a reputation for encouraging casual hookups, but a new study suggests app users may be looking for — and finding — love in all the right places after all. read on >

Driving under the influence and distracted driving are well-known hazards, but few people think twice about getting behind the wheel when feeling drowsy, a sleep expert warns. “Drivers can reduce the danger by being aware of risk factors and taking precautions,” said Dr. Praveen Rudraraju, who directs the Center for Sleep Medicine at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y. Each year, nearly 100,000 traffic crashes can be attributed to drowsy driving, including more than 1,500 deaths and over 70,000 injuries, according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Most drowsy driving accidents occur between midnight and 6 a.m. among drivers who are alone in their vehicle. Risk factors for drowsy driving include: sleep loss — even just one hour less than you need; use of sleep aids, anti-anxiety medications or alcohol; driving long hours with few or no breaks, driving alone or with sleeping passengers; and having undiagnosed or untreated sleep disorders. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk of drowsy driving, Rudaraju said. Don’t consume alcohol and don’t take sedatives. If you feel drowsy when driving, find a safe place to pull over and nap. But even though a short nap can help, it’s best to get proper sleep. Talk to your doctor about problems falling or staying asleep, especially if you are tired after a… read on >