US: Processed meat linked to Native American diabetes risk
Native Americans who frequently consume processed meat in a can - more commonly known as "spam" - were twice as likely to develop diabetes, according to new research...
Jamaica: New roadblock in anti-tobacco efforts
RYO, a US-based tobacco company, is introducing "bama" cigarettes that are 25% cheaper than competitor's brands and threatens the anti-tobacco advocacy work of organizations such as the Heart Foundation of Jamaica and the Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control...
Global: Fast food restaurant density linked to obesity prevalence
The more fast food restaurants in a country, the higher obesity prevalence, according to new research...
Iraq: Government bans public smoking
Parliament recently approved legislation the bans smoking in public. Smoking in public places - such as government buildings, schools, hospitals, offices, theaters, hotels, restaraunts, markets, and gas stations - will now be met with a US$8.50 fine...
Global: Success with tobacco control digital media campaigns
Reviewing 26 case studies from 11 countries and the European Union, a new report from the Global Dialogue for Effective Stop-Smoking Campaigns found that digital campaigns - i.e. using websites, social media, texting, email messaging, etc. - are effective at helping people to quit smoking...
Perspective: Urbanization could provide opportunities for healthy living
Urbanization, once the embodiment of humanity's attempt to create a "better" life, is now an entrenched risk factor for NCDs. However, argues Shusmita Hossain Khan, we can turn the curse of urbanization into a boon for healthy living if we first admit the problem and then implement key country-level and regional strategies to reduce urban-related risk factors...
US: Statins equally effective for men and women
Statins are just as effective for women as they are for men, according to new research involving more than 140,000 people...
US: New lunch guidelines for schoolchildren
The US Department of Agriculture recently revised the guidelines on school lunches in an effort to increase the quality of federally subsidized meals for more than 32 million schoolchildren...
India: Diabetes prevention texts sent to one million people
In January 2011, Arogya World launched its new mHealth project by sending diabetes prevention texts to more than one million consumers...
Australia, New Zealand: New Zealand to ban tobacco re-export
The New Zealand government it will ban the re-export of branded tobacco products across the Tasman Sea, as part of a broader effort to bring the two economies closer together...
Jordan: Center of new Arab science e-network
Announced at the first annual meeting of the Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN) in December 2011, Jordan will become the central hub of new regional science collaborations across the region...
US: Obesity rates remain unchanged
Obesity rates for adults and children have either remained the same or increased for some populations over the last ten years, according to new research...
Australia: Sleep duration linked to CVD risk
Both long and short sleep duration can increase cardiovascular disease risk, according to research involving almost 220,000 people age 45 years and older...
Yemen: Khat presents added burden to tobacco epidemic
Although a deep-rooted social tradition in many countries, chewing khat can increase the use of tobacco and exacerbate its harm, according to new research...
Norway: Drop in soda consumption among kids
Elementary school children consumed fewer sugar-sweetened beverages in 2008 compared to 2001, according to new research...
Central America: High rates of diabetes, hypertension
The combined prevalence of diabetes was 8.5% and the prevalence of hypertension was 25.3% in cities across Central America, according to the first study that included a representative sample from Belize, San Jose, San Salvador, Guatemala City, Managua, and Tegucigalpa...
South Korea, Thailand: Attitude towards smoking differs among adolescents
South Korean and Thai adolescents approach smoking differently, which highlights the need for culturally appropriate prevention and education programs, according to new research...
Australia: Black tea may reduce blood pressure
Drinking black tea regularly over an extended period of time can lower blood pressure, according to new research...
Nepal: New alliance to improve human resources for health
A new alliance among 24 organizations - such as major NGOs, donors, professional organizations, health worker unions, and educational institutions - will advocate for improving human resources for health in Nepal...
Eastern Mediterranean: Limited engagement between researchers and policymaking
Researchers are not engaging in knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) activities that lead to health policymaking in the region, due in large part to little support for such activities, according to new research...
