A weekly round-up of news affecting your health.
PALEO BENEFITS WEIGHED
The controversial paleo diet is more effective for losing weight than following the recommended Australian dietary guidelines, say West Australian researchers.
But they said more research was needed and people should be cautious about going on a diet that cut out entire food groups.
The Edith Cowan University study involved 39 healthy women who either went on a high-fat and low-carbohydrate paleo diet or the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) diet for four weeks.
The paleo group lost an average of two kilos more than the other group and no significant differences in cardiovascular health were found between the groups.
"While both groups lost weight over the period, the paleo group lost an average of 4.3 per cent of their body weight over the testing period, compared to 1.6 per cent for the AGHE group," said lead researcher Angela Genoni.
"Despite the greater weight loss, we should be cautious about advocating a diet that cuts out entire food groups.
"Significantly, the paleo diet markedly reduces the calcium intake relative to the AGHE diet because it excludes all dairy products, which could have a negative impact on bone strength, particularly in older people."
CLUMSY TEENAGE BOYS EXPLAINED
Teenage boys who experience a sudden growth spurt may become clumsy because their brains can't keep up with their rapid height increase, says a new study.
Researchers at the University of Bologna studied the cause behind the loss of co-ordination of growing adolescent boys.
They analysed different aspects of the way 88 teenage boys walked, finding those whose height increased by more than 3cm in three months tended to be more awkward.
"A sudden increase in height affects the body's ability to control established motor skills, such as walking," said lead author Dr Maria Cristina Bisi.
After a growth spurt, the body needed time to adjust to the body's new dimensions, she said.
The study was published in the journal Biomedical Engineering OnLine.
TALK ABOUT DYING URGED
Australians with dementia are being urged to discuss their end-of-life wishes with their loved ones and doctors as soon as possible after their diagnosis.
"This helps to ensure they will receive the care they want at a time when they may no longer have the capacity to make those wishes known," says Alzheimer's Australia CEO Carol Bennett.
Dementia is the second leading cause of death nationally, with an estimated 353,800 Australians living with the condition.
But many don't realise that early access to palliative care can help people with chronic illness live well and improve their quality of life.
"People often don't realise that dementia is a terminal illness and therefore don't make the association between dementia and palliative care," she said.
"Talking about dying can be extremely difficult. The PCA Dying to Talk Discussion Starter is a great tool to initiate palliative care discussions, especially for people with dementia, whose cognitive ability will continue to decline."
FUN GOES FROM SEX
Women seeking fertility treatment, particularly if they are young, may experience a negative impact on their sex lives, says a US study.
But it's likely to dissipate over time, says senior study author Dr Tami S. Rowen from the University of California-San Francisco's Irene Betty Moore Women's Hospital.
"We weren't surprised at all to find sexual distress in couples who are infertile," she said.
"Sex takes on a really different meaning for people trying to get pregnant."
DRINKERS NO MORE
People close to someone who's given up booze or cut right down are being sought by University of Adelaide researchers.
Their stories will form part of a bigger study into the social experiences of people who decide to change their drinking habits.
"There are a number of compelling reasons for people to limit or abstain from alcohol, especially health reasons, and yet alcohol is ingrained in Australian cultural and social practices," says PhD student Ashlea Bartram.
"This can make ceasing or reducing alcohol consumption a difficult behaviour to perform."
She said the study's ultimate aim is to develop strategies to better support drinkers who want to change their habits.
