Health scan

A snapshot of the current thinking in medicine, fitness and lifestyle trends that impact your life.

A persistent cry for help
Babies who cry a lot and have sleeping and feeding problems may be at a higher risk for behavioural problems during childhood, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a study shows. About 20% of all babies have sleeping and feeding problems during the first year of life, but these disappear by preschool. Else, kids should be screened for behavioural problems.

Spring cleaning the (older) mind
Older people should springclean their minds to reduce clutter and improve memory.
Older people are less able to process information — including remembering things — because their memories tend to be cluttered with masses of information, shows a Canadian study that compares how well people in their 20s and 60s recalled information.
Older adults need to keep irrelevant information out of their consciousness, to improve memory and recall.

Getting high on fruit, but not on happiness
Happy People eat sweets and junk food while hopeful ones choose fruit, reports a study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
The reason, say researchers, is that hope makes people think about their future.
Instead of thinking about the good times past, people should focus on the good things to come, they advise, adding that your waistline will thank you.