Could This Be Linked to Autism?

Hi and welcome to this weeks look at headlines in natural health on iHealthTube.com…

Autism rates continue to climb but scientists still can’t pinpoint definite reasons why… But a recent study in China is looking at a key nutrient as a possible factor.  The study looked at almost 28 thousand newborns… of them, 310 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders at age 3.  When compared to control subjects… the findings showed the risk of austin spectrum disorder was significantly increased in those with the lowest vitamin D levels at birth.

In fact… the group with the lowest vitamin D level at birth had as much as a 260 percent increased risk of autism spectrum disorder.

Most of us know that being overweight can eventually lead to a number of health issues as we age… but now a recent study is showing that a risk of dementia can be a result of carrying those extra pounds.

The study out of London looked at one point three million adults living in the United States and Europe.  It found that people who have a high body mass… or BMI are more likely to develop dementia than those with normal weight.  However it also found that people near the onset of dementia who go on to develop dementia tended to have lower body weight than those who were dementia-free.

The lead author explained that people who develop dementia may have a higher BMI decades before the onset… but also that weight loss caused by metabolic changes occurs during the pre-dementia stage.

Finally… it may not be a surprise… but the smoke free laws that have been put in place in recent years are paying dividends in at least one key area.

Research out of Kentucky… which has one of the highest adult cigarette smoking rates… showed that instances of lung cancer were lower in communities with strong smoke-free workplace laws.  The research looked at 20 years of new lung cancer diagnosis in Kentucky… and found the incidences were 8 percent lower in communities with strong smoke-free workplace laws compared to those without smoke-free laws.

Kentucky was used in the study because it has more cases of lung cancer than any other state and a morality rate 50 percent higher than the national average.

That’s a look at headlines in natural health this week… make sure to go to iHealthtTube.com and sign up for our free email newsletter to stay connected to the latest in natural health from the experts themselves.