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MONDAY, March 7, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- There is no amount of alcohol that is good for your brain.So claims a new study that found even light to moderate drinking can age the brain faster than normal.Previous research has shown that heavy drinkers have changes in brain structure and size that are associated with thinking and memory problems. In this new study, researchers analyzed data from the U.K. Biobank on more than 36,000 British adults and found that just a few glasses of beer or wine a week was associated with reductions in overall brain volume. The more people drank, the stronger the association.For example, the researchers said that as average drinking among 50-year-olds increased from one alcohol unit (about half a beer) a day to two units (a pint of beer or a glass of...

MONDAY, March 7, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- People who vape may be setting themselves up for developing diabetes, even if they don't smoke traditional cigarettes, a new study suggests.Among more than 600,000 U.S. adults, researchers found that those who used electronic cigarettes were more likely to have prediabetes than people who'd never vaped or smoked. The link was seen even among e-cigarette users who said they had never smoked traditional cigarettes.Prediabetes refers to blood sugar levels that are higher than they should be, but not yet at the threshold for diagnosing type 2 diabetes.The findings do not prove that vaping directly raises the odds of prediabetes, said senior researcher Shyam Biswal, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, in Baltimore.But,...

MONDAY, March 7, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Taller people have a higher risk of colon cancer than shorter folks, and researchers say height should be considered when it comes to screening for the disease.For the new study, the research team at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore analyzed data from 47 international studies that included more than 280,000 cases of colorectal cancer and more than 14,000 cases of precancerous colon polyps (adenomas). Data from a Johns Hopkins' study of more than 1,400 adults who had colonoscopies was also included."The findings suggest that, overall, the tallest individuals within the highest percentile of height had a 24% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than the shortest within the lowest percentile," said study co-author Dr. Gerard Mullin,...

MONDAY, March 7, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- While smoking has declined in the United States, the rate of tobacco use in poorer communities is double nationwide levels, according to a new study.It also linked smoking to mental health conditions and substance use disorders in these communities. The findings highlight the need for targeted smoking prevention and cessation programs in less advantaged U.S. communities, researchers said."Our study underscores the importance of understanding the association and increased risk of mental health conditions and substance use disorders among adults from underserved communities who smoke while also addressing socioeconomic risk factors to achieve better health outcomes," said lead author Sue Lin, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human...