It was a fascinating year for health discoveries, with scientists making major breakthroughs in cancer and mental health research.
The Global News audience was shocked to learn researchers had found a link between sugar and cancer growth, unknown risk factors for dementia and that STI rates in Canada have been on a steady (and scary) rise. But it was also the lighter side of science that piqued interest, including the best ways to fight belly fat and how a baby could emerge from the womb holding his mother’s IUD.
Here are the top eight stories that made major health headlines in 2017.
Sugar stimulates cancer growth
A groundbreaking study out of Belgium found that a compound in sugar stimulates aggressive cancer cells and helps them grow faster. This built upon what scientists already knew about cancer and how it mines energy from sugar to fuel growth.
The discovery does not mean healthy people who consume sugar will get cancer, but rather cancer patients would benefit from avoiding sugars like glucose and fructose that rapidly break down in the body.
Dementia risk factors you didn’t know
A study published in The Lancet found that one-third of the world’s dementia cases could be prevented. It also unveiled nine risk factors, some of which date back to childhood experiences. Scientists estimate that keeping an eye out for the risks and addressing the issues right away could vastly improve the lives of people living with dementia.
Some risk factors include social isolation, hypertension, obesity and smoking, and potential factors comprise pollution and visual loss.
Baby is born with mother’s IUD in hand
It was a viral story that shocked onlookers (and women with IUDs). A baby in Alabama was photographed shortly after birth clutching his mother’s IUD in his hand. He was dubbed “Mirena baby” after the brand name for the birth control device.
The woman’s doctors assumed her IUD had fallen out, but after the baby was born, her obstetrician announced that it had been hiding behind her placenta. Despite reading online that getting pregnant with an IUD could cause complications, including miscarriage, the woman gave birth to a healthy boy, Dexter.
Canadian Cancer Society issues a scary report
In June, the Canadian Cancer Society issued a warning that nearly one in two Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. The reason, however, was something of a double-edged sword: Canadians are living longer and age is a key factor in susceptibility.
It was estimated that over 200,000 cancer cases would be diagnosed in 2017, 90 per cent of which would be in those 50 and older. A healthier lifestyle, including cutting out smoking and excessive drinking, as well as eating healthy, exercising and practicing sun safety are among the best ways to prevent cancer.
STIs in Canada on the rise
In a shocking series on STIs, Global News discovered that rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were steadily on the rise in Canada. Since the late 1990s, each infection has seen a steep and steady increase, causing concern among sexual health professionals.
Some doctors point to problematic policy changes — for example, pap smear guidelines changed from every year to every three years, allowing more infections to go undetected and undiagnosed — as well as a general decline in condom use.
How to lose belly fat
It counts among the most common concerns surrounding weight loss: how to lose belly fat. Doctors, nutritionists and weight loss experts alike say the problem isn’t in the effort but the approach.
It requires a full-body philosophy since there’s no such thing as “spot reduction.” Begin in the kitchen by loading up on protein, healthy fats, complex carbs and fibre. Then do a combination of high-intensity interval training at the gym with 10 minutes of core-strengthening exercises.
A baby tragically died from a kiss
In a story that gripped people across the internet, a newborn baby in Iowa died at only 18 days old from contracting the HSV-1 herpes virus from a kiss.
Her parents had a wedding celebration six days after her birth, and doctors suspect the baby girl contracted the virus from someone at the reception. Sadly, HSV-1 can be passed on by an infected person even if they don’t have an open sore.
Woman receives praise from her boss when she takes mental health leave
There’s still a stigma attached to mental health, but one woman in Michigan found that in her company, it’s simply not an issue.
Madalyn Parker emailed her team to say she needed a couple of days off to focus on her mental health. She was astounded by the response she received from her boss, who praised her for her honesty and for shedding light on the importance of taking time to tend to your mental health. He called her an “example to us all.” It served to spark a larger conversation about the importance of mental health in the workplace.