Post 2023-07-26

FEEDING bottles are essential tools for nourishing infants. These become indispensable companions throughout early childhood. Available in plastic, glass and stainless steel and packed with features ranging from anti-colic nipples to feeding spoons, selecting the right feeding bottle can often be a challenge for new parents. Mylo, a full-stack pregnancy and parenting platform, recently conducted an online survey to ascertain parents' preferences when selecting feeding bottles for their infants. The survey sought responses from 725 parents and provided insights into their preferences and the factors influencing their choice. According to the findings, 42.5% of parents prefer plastic bottles over other materials for feeding their babies. The participants pinpointed easy availability, safety to use, convenience to wash, and simplicity to carry as different utility-driven advantages of plastic bottles. Moreover, durability, cost-efficiency,…

EXPERTS say there is limited evidence of the health risks of aspartame, an artificial sweetener used in various products as a substitute for sugar. The sweetener is widely used in the production of various food and beverage products. These include diet drinks, chewing gum, sugar-free chocolates, sweets and baked goods, dairy products and breakfast cereals. The sugar substitute has been a talking point in recent weeks after confusing media reports, some suggesting that it had been deemed a cancer-causing agent. But a joint statement by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) joint expert committee on food additives (JECFA) has provided some clarity. The IARC is an intergovernmental agency forming part of the WHO. It categorised aspartame…

Aspartame, the artificial sweetener used in products from Coca-Cola’s diet sodas to extra sugar-free chewing gum, is the latest substance to be declared a possible carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Carcinogens are substances that have the potential to cause cancer to humans. According to the IARC, there are four different levels of classifications – carcinogenic, probably carcinogenic, possibly carcinogenic and not classifiable. The levels are based on the strength of the evidence, rather than how dangerous a substance is. Some of the top agents that are carcinogenic to humans based on their classifications: Category 1: when an agent is considered ‘carcinogenic to humans’: As per the IARC, this classification is used when there is enough proof that the agent causes cancer in people. Typically, the…

According to a study, high-quality sleep and coping mechanisms, such as the ability to reframe a situation in order to see the positive side, can help to prevent poor mental health when confronted with unpleasant or stressful experiences. Chronic stress is a significant risk factor for several mental health disorders, including depression and pathological anxiety. The study looked at data from more than 600 people during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, which was a long and stressful period. They set out to test the hypothesis that coping mechanisms promoted positive mental health outcomes, which could be enhanced by getting enough sleep. Emma Sullivan, a PhD student from the Department of Psychology at the University of York, said: “As the Covid-19 pandemic has been a prolonged period of stress for people…

Mental health problems among adults are an ever-increasing public health concern. These include depression, anxiety, and conditions associated with bad childhood experiences such as abuse. Several factors are known to influence the development of mental illness. These include anxiety, early adversity, socio-economic status and some demographic characteristics such as where a person lives. In a recent study we assessed the prevalence of mental health problems among South African adults. We also explored socio-economic and demographic associations with depression, anxiety and adverse childhood experiences. We found that South Africans who were exposed to adverse experiences in early childhood had a higher risk of probable depression or probable anxiety in adulthood than people who did not face adversity in childhood. (We say “probable” because our study recorded the presence of symptoms. The…

Anxiety takes many forms – you probably have your own tormenting version – but it’s typically a feeling of extreme fear or worry, often paired with catastrophizing thoughts and physical symptoms. When it is problematic, anxiety can become debilitating to your mental and physical health, contributing to a number of serious conditions, including burnout, cardiac disorders, gastrointestinal problems, hypertension, migraine headaches and dementia. Environment plays a part, but so does your legacy. Anxiety runs in families: 30% to 50% of your anxiety is because of your genes. Forty-one percent of people with anxiety disorders are not treated. “Everyone feels anxious at times,” says Elizabeth Hoge, director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Programme at Georgetown University School of Medicine. “It’s the intensity and frequency of symptoms that makes it problematic.” Consider…