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MONDAY, March 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Widely used diabetes and obesity drugs don't increase the risk of breast cancer, a new study indicates.The drugs — called glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists or GLP-1 RAs for short — are effective in treating type 2 diabetes and obesity and in reducing heart disease. But some previous studies have suggested a possible link between them and breast cancer.GLP-1RAs include albiglutide (Tanzeum); dulaglutide (Trulicity); exenatide (Byetta); extended-release exenatide (Bydureon); liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda); lixisenatide (Adlyxin); and semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus).To evaluate a possible link between the drugs and breast cancer, researchers reviewed 52 randomized controlled trials that compared GLP-1 RAs with other diabetes or...

MONDAY, March 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- If you're feeling tired at work, a "microbreak" could help restore your pep, a new study claims.Microbreaks are short, unplanned timeouts that include activities such as having a snack, chatting with a workmate, stretching or doing a crossword puzzle, the researchers explained."A microbreak is, by definition, short," said study co-author Sophia Cho, an assistant professor of psychology at North Carolina State University."But a five-minute break can be golden if you take it at the right time," she said in a university news release. "Our study shows that it is in a company's best interest to give employees autonomy in terms of taking microbreaks when they are needed -- it helps employees effectively manage their energy and engage in their work...

MONDAY, March 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Lab-created heart valves that grow with the recipient could spare kids born with heart defects from the repeated valve-replacement surgeries they now endure.University of Minnesota researchers found that lab-created valves implanted in young lambs for a year were capable of growing within the recipient. "This is a huge step forward in pediatric heart research," said senior researcher Robert Tranquillo, a professor of biomedical and chemical engineering and materials science. "This is the first demonstration that a valve implanted into a large animal model, in our case a lamb, can grow with the animal into adulthood."Right now, the only accepted options for kids with heart defects are valves made from chemically treated animal tissues. But...

MONDAY, March 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Kids and teens are already struggling to learn outside the classroom during the pandemic, but lockdowns and quarantines are also making it hard for them to control their weight, child health experts say.Lost routines, economic insecurity and grief are making things more challenging for children who struggle with their weight, whether it's with obesity or anorexia, according to doctors at Stanford Children's Health in California. When stay-at-home orders and online school became widespread, many young people were no longer participating in sports or even walking the halls at school. "Everyone's activity level has changed drastically," said Dr. Elizabeth Shepard, medical director of the pediatric weight clinic at Stanford Children's Health's...