When is it healthy to be fat? When you are older, apparently. Recent US research found elderly people with low body weight have a higher risk of hospitalisation and death compared to healthy senior citizens of a similar age. The very thin elderly "may be at as much risk or more" of serious illness than even the very overweight elderly, say researchers at Ohio State University. They found people with the lowest body mass had 60-70 per cent more visits to the doctor than heavier people - but the reasons are unknown.
Lifelong Learning - the key to health and well-being in older age, is the theme of the Carry On Learning conference taking place in Tullamore Court Hotel, Co Offaly on November 25th and 26th. There will be workshops on challenging ageism, healthy eating, cyberspace, arts and alternative therapies. For further details, contact the conference co-ordinator, Health Promotion Services, Midland Health Board. Tel: 0506-46738.
Tourette's Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterised by tics - involuntary rapid movements which occur repeatedly - which affects one in 2,000 people. On Saturday, the Tourette's Syndrome Association's annual conference will take place at 2 p.m. in the Metropole Hotel, Cork. Guest speakers will be Dr Finbar O'Leary, child psychiatrist, and Dr David Carey, lecturer in special education.
The third leading cause of death in Europe, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is reaching epidemic proportions, warn leading respiratory physicians. In the Republic more than 12,000 deaths per year can be attributed to illnesses related to COPD. The condition, which is more common in men than in women, and among those in the 45-75 age range, involves irreversible reduction in the lung's ability to take in oxygen and remove carbon dioxide - linked diseases include bronchitis, asthma and emphysema. There is considerable concern at the increase in smoking among young people, as cigarettes are one of the primary causes of COPD.
Food intolerance appears to have become the health problem of the 1990s, and the number of people claiming to be allergic to dairy products has rocketed. It is estimated 40 per cent of the population could be suffering from some form of food intolerance. However, cutting out certain foods may not be the answer. Gaynor Bussell, spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, says: "If 40 per cent of us start cutting out the so-called main offenders such as dairy products then we will be on a far too nutritionally restrictive diet. We could quite possibly see a rise in problems such as osteoporosis which is linked to a lack of calcium in our diet." (PA News)
The North Dublin Branch of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland are having a discussion with question and answer time on living with diabetes, Wednesday, November 11th, 8 p.m. in the Regency Hotel, Swords Road, Dublin 9. Speakers include Dr Tom Moran and Dr Tony O'Sullivan.