IN BRIEF (Page 19)

Peanut allergy strikes earlier

Potentially deadly peanut allergies are showing up at younger ages as parents introduce their children to the food earlier than a decade ago, according to a recent study.

The authors say the trend is troubling, particularly given that peanut allergies in children have doubled in the same period.

They recommend that parents should delay introducing their children to peanuts and other potential allergens.

The study published in the journal Pediatrics found that children born during or after 2000 were exposed to peanuts, on average, at 12 months of age and reported their first adverse reactions at 14 months.

Those born between 1995 and 1997 did not eat food containing peanuts until 22 months and did not show their first adverse reactions until 24 months.

The researchers are working on another study to see if early introduction of small amounts of peanut and other potentially offending food products could potentially prevent food allergies by desensitizing children and helping their immune system mount an appropriate response.

Soy good for elderly women

Older women who eat traditional Japanese soy-based foods on a regular basis face lower risks of heart disease, according to a study.

Soybeans - eaten as tofu, miso soup or Japanese fermented beans known as "natto" - have a high amount of isoflavones, a natural source of estrogen similar to the female hormone, the study found.

The risk of heart attacks or strokes for a woman who consumed soy at least five times a week was 0.39 compared with 1 for a woman who consumed the least, the study says.

The results were even more striking among women past menopause, with the risk falling to 0.25.

Estrogen is the most important female hormone that affects women's menstrual cycles and is essential for the healthy functioning of the female body. Estrogen levels decrease sharply once a woman begins menopause.

Heavier girls mature faster

Girls who are overweight often enter puberty earlier than girls who have a normal weight, Germany's professional association for gynaecologists reported, citing a study sponsored by the University of Michigan.

The Munich-based organization said girls who have been overweight since the age of 3 often experience breast development and other signs of puberty as young as 9. Breasts normally begin to develop after age 10.

The US scientists observed developments in body weight and body mass index in 350 girls through age 12. The body mass index is calculated by dividing body weight in kg by height in m sq.

Deal with `bad' cholesterol

After a stroke or mini-stroke, intensive lowering of "bad" low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with a statin drug significantly reduces the risk of a second stroke, according to new data from the Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels, or SPARCL, trial. Previously published data from the trial, which involved more than 4,700 adults, showed that taking 80 milligrams per day of atorvastatin, sold as Lipitor, reduced the risk of stroke and major heart-related events in patients with a history of recent stroke or mini-stroke.

Adults suffer from acne too

Pimples and blackheads are common aggravations of puberty, but about 40 percent of adults also get acne, experts say.

"Many people struggle with stress on a daily basis and don't eat nutritious foods. This is reflected in the condition of their skin," says cosmetician Gabriele Haeusler of Berlin. One of the most common problems is acne.

"It can have different causes," says Gisela Hubbes, a dermatologist from Duesseldorf. The skin reacts to the causes, for example, medications or stress, by breaking out in pimples and inflammation. In addition, fluctuations in hormone levels can also trigger acne in adults.

Agencies

(China Daily 12/12/2007 page19)