Behind the Headlines

Unborn babies may 'practise' crying

Thursday Jun 6 2013

"Babies practise frowning in the womb so they can show when they are unhappy after birth," reports the Daily Mirror. The story comes from a small study that looked at '4-D' ultrasound scans…

Paper towels may be more hygienic than air dryers

Thursday Jun 6 2013

The Mail Online has encouraged readers to "ditch the hand dryers", as "paper towels are more hygienic". The debate on the relative merits of paper towels versus hot air dryers may appear trivial, but the issue can be a matter of life and death…

NICE publishes guidance on cutting down smoking

Wednesday Jun 5 2013

"Smokers urged to 'cut down' rather than quit," The Daily Telegraph reports. The story comes from landmark national guidance on how healthcare professionals should help smokers who find it difficult to give up. The guidance…

Controversial advice on chemicals in pregnancy

Wednesday Jun 5 2013

The Daily Mail reports on the warning for pregnant women that household chemicals could pose a threat to their babies. ‘Don’t paint the nursery and avoid non-stick frying pans’ the Mail continues…

Vegetarian diet linked to longer lifespan

Tuesday Jun 4 2013

'Veg diet key to living longer' reports today’s Daily Express front page headline. Its story is prompted by a large, well-designed, long-term study that looked at whether vegetarians had a different risk of death compared to non-veggies...

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Claim that statins damage muscles 'overblown'

Tuesday Jun 4 2013

"Statins could lead to muscular injuries, scientists warn,” reports The Daily Telegraph. The headline is based on a new study looking at whether statins – drugs used to reduce blood cholesterol levels – increased the risk of damage…

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Michael Douglas, oral sex and throat cancer

Monday Jun 3 2013

The actor Michael Douglas discussed his recent throat cancer treatment in an interview with The Guardian this weekend, and revealed that he blamed oral sex for his condition. When asked by the newspaper if his throat cancer was...

Cocktail of skin cancer drugs 'shrinks melanomas'

Monday Jun 3 2013

“A cocktail of drugs can reduce advanced skin cancer tumours by more than 80 per cent,” reports the Mail Online. The news is based on a small early stage trial of a combination of two drugs, nivolumab and ipilimumab…

Are short, intense exercise bursts enough to stay fit?

Monday Jun 3 2013

'Just 12 minutes of intensive exercise per week is enough to improve your health if you are overweight,' according to The Daily Telegraph. The paper reports on the findings of a study into the phenomenon…

Fans of bondage and S&M report better mental health

Friday May 31 2013

“Could bondage be good for you?” is the somewhat surprising question asked on the Mail Online website. This article is prompted by a Dutch study assessing the mental health of people into bondage…