Weekly health news roundup: 7 Dec 2015

tv7

TV binge watching may lower the cognitive brain function

International health news

  • Dating apps contribute to HIV/AIDS rise among adolescents – it seems that HIV rates among adolescents have been on the rise recently. Several surveys suggest that dating apps are one of the factors contributing to this rise.
  • Too much TV causes cognitive decline over time, researchers say – “mens sana in corpore sano,”  (A healthy mind [can only be found] in a healthy body,”) the Romans said. A recent study found that TV binge-watching and sedentary behaviour lowers the cognitive brain function.
  • Parental anxiety can heavily affect children – in an age where security policies are increasingly shaping our lives, parents are more anxious about the safety of their children. Children take on their parents’ anxious behaviour. These “copying mechanisms” are increasingly affecting their personalities, so experts give their opinion on how to get parental anxiety under control.

Health advice

  • What you need to know about the new anti-flu shot – this December, cases of the flu around the world are likely to skyrocket.  Here’s everything you need to know about the 2015 vaccination to avoid spending a week bedridden.
  • Anti-aging food – you probably already know about the healthy benefits of beets, tomatoes and carrots. But there is much more to know about the sorts of food that can keep your brain and body healthy. 

Country health updates