Girls hitting puberty earlier, sparking concern in the U.S.
Here's a look at some of the top health news being talked about around the U.S. and the world today:
• Girls are hitting puberty earlier than in years past, and researchers believe it may have to do with obesity rates and toxins in the environment, the New York Times reported. Research suggests girls are developing breasts by age 7 or 8, which sparks concerns about increased cancer risk.
• Some people can sleep through anything — and now researchers think they have a clue about why that is, USA Today reported. Published in Current Biology, researchers have discovered a link between sleep spindles and whether a person is easily disturbed by noises while he or she is sleeping.
• Cases of salmonella in children have been linked to dry pet food used in the family home, a new study published today in the journal Pediatrics shows. Reported by ABC News, researchers say the findings suggest they may have gotten the poisoning by touching surfaces that come into contact with the pet food.
Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.
Comments
Charlotte
Mon, Aug 9, 2010 : 11:50 p.m.
Or that the children are actually eating the pet food... seems more plausible.
Ron
Mon, Aug 9, 2010 : 10:49 p.m.
Well the way I look at it, it can`t be doing that much harm since everyones life expectancy has gone up in both male and female...
Tarc
Mon, Aug 9, 2010 : 4:55 p.m.
Actually, most biologists and medical researchers think it it mostly due to hormone simulating compounds (like BPA) that we (especially Americans) are constantly fed. Our ridiculous addiction to pre-packaged, individually sized, disposable, plastic-wrapped society is killing itself. Add in the needless anti-bacterials, the sanitizers, the flame-retardants, the plastic in can linings, etc., and you can measure all kinds of new, nasty chemicals in the blood.
Mikey2u
Mon, Aug 9, 2010 : 4:34 p.m.
My barber told me he's noticed a significant increase in the number of high-school aged boys that are going bald. He said it has been happening over the past 15 years.