Health Tips... from UPI

LEISURE ACTIVITY REDUCES RISK OF ALZHEIMER'S

Adults who participate in more leisure activities are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, a study finds. Research funded by the Alzheimer's Association and the National Institute on Aging analyzed information collected by the Swedish Twins Registry. People who took time in early or late adulthood to do things like play sports, garden, read, pay social visits, attend the theater, and join clubs and organizations were less inclined toward Alzheimer's disease. "The idea that mental activity is good for the brain is not unlike the idea of 'use it or lose it' when it comes to keeping the body fit," said Ross Andel of the University of South Florida.

GAY-LESBIAN RELATIONSHIP SKILLS MORE EVOLVED

When it comes to relationships, heterosexual couples have a lot to learn from their homosexual counterparts, a study suggests. "Gay and lesbian couples are a lot more mature, more considerate in trying to improve a relationship and have a greater awareness of equality in a relationship than straight couples," says University of Washington psychologist John Gottman. In videotaped discussions among 40 participating couples, straight couples tended to begin discussions with greater negativity, and among these, 96 percent of discussions that began badly only got worse. "Homosexuals start the same kind of discussions with more humor and affection, are less domineering and show considerably more positive emotions than heterosexual couples," Gottman said. As a result, they were more successful in resolving conflicts.

CARE AMBASSADORS HELP CHILDREN WITH DIABETES

Young children with diabetes have a difficult time sticking to rigorous schedules of monitoring, insulin and diet to control their blood sugar. As a consequence, they are at greater risk for developing complications such as heart disease and blindness later in life. A study of 299 patients ages 7 to 16 with type 1 -- insulin-dependent -- diabetes at the Joslin Diabetes Center shows adding a case manager or "care ambassador" to keep in touch with diabetic children and their families between medical visits resulted in significant improvements. Patients assigned case managers were more than three times as likely to improve their blood sugar levels as those without case managers.

TEENS HAVE TROUBLE FINDING MEDICAL HELP ONLINE

Poor Internet skills may be standing between teenagers and health, a study finds. University of Michigan researchers found misspelled words, ambiguous search terms and an imprecise approach to Web site scanning prevents students from finding the medical information they seek. The Internet has become an important primary resource to direct people toward appropriate treatment, and increasingly is used by doctors as a source of specific follow-up information, says study author Caroline Richardson. For teens in particular, the Internet may be the first choice because of its convenience and privacy. Researchers recommend schools teach better Internet search skills, and Web site designers tailor medical sites specifically for teens.

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(EDITORS: For more information on LIESURE contact Todd Kluss at (202) 842-1275, ext. 106, or tkluss@geron.org. For TEACHING HETEROS contact Joel Schwarz at (206) 543-2580 or joels@u.washington.edu. For DIABETES contact Marge Dwyer at (617) 732-2415 or marjorie.dwyer@joslin.harvard.edu. For TEEN HEALTH contact Nicole Fawcett at (734) 764-2220 or nfawcett@umich.edu.)