Harvard Health Content API

People who spend more time in the sun may have a lower risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study finds. The study was done in 4 regions of Australia. They ranged from Brisbane on the east-central coast to the island of Tasmania in the south. The study included 216 adults with early symptoms linked to MS. They were not diagnosed with MS, however. This group was compared with 400 adults who had no symptoms. Everyone was asked about sun exposure, as children and adults. Researchers also measured blood levels of vitamin D and skin damage. People with early symptoms linked to MS had less sun exposure than people with no symptoms. They also had lower vitamin D levels and less skin damage. Risk of early MS symptoms was lower in latitudes farther north. These areas were closer to the equator and had more sun exposure. HealthDay News and Reuters Health news service wrote about the study.

Many Americans may take antidepressants for the wrong reasons, a study suggests. The study used data from national surveys. More than 20,000 U.S. adults were interviewed. About 1 out of 10 said they had taken antidepressants in the last year. But 1 out of 4 people taking the drugs had not been diagnosed with one of the illnesses they usually treat. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry published the study. Reuters Health news service wrote about it February 4.

The world is getting fatter, and Americans are getting fat faster than people in any other country, a report has found. The report covers 199 countries. It provides numbers on weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. Numbers are from 2008. They are compared with numbers from 1980. In that time, obesity nearly doubled. Now about 10% of the world’s men and 14% of women are obese. The United States is the fattest country among rich nations. Japan is the slimmest. But the world rate of uncontrolled high blood pressure fell. Average blood pressure in the United States is among the world’s lowest. Other high-income countries also had large drops. Cholesterol levels fell in North America, Australia and Europe. However, cholesterol has risen in parts of Asia. These are developing areas where people now have more income and eat more meat. The journal Lancet published the reports.

A vaccine that helps prevent cervical cancer in women also protects men against genital warts, a study finds. The vaccine, known as Gardasil, prevents infection with four types of human papilloma virus (HPV). These types cause cervical cancer in women and genital warts in both sexes. HPV also can cause cancer of the anus, penis and mouth. The three-dose vaccine is recommended as a routine vaccine for girls. The nation’s largest group of children’s doctors said this week that boys “may” also receive it. But the group did not endorse routine use. The new study included more than 4,000 boys and men, ages 16 through 26. They were randomly assigned to receive either Gardasil or a placebo (fake) vaccine. Researchers kept track of them for 2 to 3 years. For those not previously infected, getting all 3 shots of the real vaccine reduced new infections by 90%.

Older adults with metabolic syndrome may be more likely to have memory problems, new research suggests. This syndrome is a collection of factors related to health. Together, they greatly increase the risk of fatal heart attack and stroke. People with the syndrome have at least three of the risk factors. They include high blood pressure, a large waistline and high blood sugar. The others are abnormal levels of blood fats: high triglycerides and low levels of HDL (“good cholesterol”). The study included 7,087 people over age 65. About 16% had metabolic syndrome. They were given several memory tests. The people with metabolic syndrome were 20% more likely to have memory problems than other people. The journal Neurology published the study online. USA Today wrote about it February 2.

If you’re the daughter of a woman who had a stroke, your risk of heart attack as well as stroke may be increased, a study finds. The study included 2,210 men and women who had a previous heart attack, severe chest pain or stroke. About 1 in 4 said that a parent or sibling had had a stroke. People who had this family history of stroke were just as likely to have a heart attack or chest pain themselves as to have a stroke. But the family history of stroke was different for women who had a heart attack or chest pain than for men. Among women, the parent who had a stroke was twice as likely to be her mother as her father. Among men, the parent with a stroke was equally likely to be the mother or father. But if a man’s sibling had a stroke, it was 4 times as likely to be a brother as a sister. The study appeared in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.