Peer support for physical health improvement: recovering ‘stolen years’?

suicide-1267709_640

Lucy Simons discusses whether peer support interventions can help to provide physical health improvements for people living with severe mental illness.

[read the full story...]

Nutrition interventions for people with severe mental illness: do we need more dieticians?

4283381883_e474483c5b_b

Elena Marcus considers a brand new systematic review, which evaluates the impact of nutrition interventions for people with severe mental illness.

[read the full story...]

Breastfeeding and caries risk

shutterstock_96680560

63 studies were included in the review of the association between breastfeeding and caries. The majority (73%) were cross-sectional. The findings suggest that breastfeeding up to 12 months of age is not associated with an increased risk of dental caries and in fact may offer some protection compared with formula.

[read the full story...]

A fish a day keeps depression away?

shutterstock_127801319

Mark Horowitz fires up the barbecue and slices some lemons as he summarises a recent meta-analysis which concludes that higher fish consumption was found to be associated with a reduced risk of depression.

[read the full story...]

Motivational interviewing for paediatric oral health

shutterstock_147084917

The review of motivational interviewing (MI) to improve parent-child health interventions included 25 studies in all with 4 dental studies. The dental studies demonstrated a positive effect on oral health and were suggestive of a benefit on dental caries.

[read the full story...]

Inconsistent messages about healthy eating impact on choices made by people with learning disabilities in day services

Food on the brain

What do we know about what factors influencing food choice by people with learning disabilities in day services?

Here, we look at a qualitative study, which sets out to explore this in a day service in Scotland.

[read the full story...]

Tooth erosion: carbonated drinks associated with higher risk

shutterstock_28728817

This review of 13 observational studies found support for an association between the carbonated drinks, natural acidic fruit juices, and confectionery and snacks in addition to a higher risk of tooth erosion and a reduced risk in those with high consumption of milk and yogurt.

[read the full story...]

Are changes in routine health behaviours the missing link between bereavement and poor physical and mental health?

shutterstock_42252547

Olivia Maynard summarises a systematic review of changes in routine health behaviours following later life bereavement, which finds strong support for changes in nutrition, sleep quality and weight status after bereavement.

[read the full story...]

Dementia risk factors in people with mild cognitive impairment

People with a learning disability and family carers are able to talk about end-of-life care and healthcare professionals need to acknowledge and respect this expertise

Akshay Nair summarises a recent systematic review and meta-analysis of modifiable predictors of dementia in mild cognitive impairment. The meta-analysis finds that diabetes and the presence of any neuropsychiatric symptoms significantly predicted the conversion of mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

[read the full story...]

Pointing the FINGER at a multi-component intervention to prevent cognitive decline and dementia

shutterstock_222049165

Caroline Struthers critically appraises a recent RCT of diet, exercise, cognitive training and vascular risk monitoring to prevent cognitive decline and dementia in at-risk Finnish women.

[read the full story...]