Banning All Tobacco? Great Idea, Majority Of Americans Say
A new survey published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers showed over 57% of respondents supporting a ban of all tobacco sales. Separately, a study of millions of Medicare beneficiaries shows that spending time in nature may lower risks for dementia.
Stat:
Majority Of Americans Support Banning All Tobacco Products: Survey
A majority of Americans support banning all tobacco products, according to a new poll published by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey, which was published Thursday in the peer-reviewed journal Preventing Chronic Disease, asked 6,455 people nationwide: “To what extent would you support a policy to prohibit the sale of all tobacco products?” A little over 57% of respondents said they would support such a policy. (Florko, 2/2)
In other health and wellness news —
The Washington Post:
Lower Your Risk For Dementia By Spending Time In Nature
Spending time in nature — even as little as two hours a week — has been linked to several health benefits. It seems to support healthy aging and has been associated with, among other things, improved cognitive function, blood pressure, mental health and sleep. Now, a study of nearly 62 million Medicare beneficiaries suggests that nature may also help protect against the risk of developing certain neurodegenerative disorders. The results revealed that older adults who lived in a Zip code with more green space had a lower rate of hospitalization for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias such as vascular dementia and Lewy body dementia. (Kim, 2/2)
The Washington Post:
Smartphone App May Help Detect Stroke Symptoms, Research Shows
Smartphone technology can detect heart irregularities and listen to a cough to help flag potential health problems. Soon, it may be able to help identify symptoms of a stroke. Stroke experts said they hope this technology could help educate people about the signs of a stroke and encourage them to seek emergency medical care more quickly. (Bever, 2/2)
The New York Times:
‘My Watch Thinks I’m Dead’: 911 Dispatchers Are Buried Under An Avalanche Of False, Automated Distress Calls From Skiers
Winter has brought a decent amount of snowfall to the region’s ski resorts, and with it an avalanche of false emergency calls. Virtually all of them have been placed by Apple Watches or iPhone 14s under the mistaken impression that their owners have been debilitated in collisions .As of September, these devices have come equipped with technology meant to detect car crashes and alert 911 dispatchers. It is a more sensitive upgrade to software on Apple devices, now several years old, that can detect when a user falls and then dial for help. But the latest innovation appears to send the device into overdrive: It keeps mistaking skiers, and some other fitness enthusiasts, for car-wreck victims. (Richtel, 2/3)
The Washington Post:
Did Your New Year’s Resolutions Slide? Blame The ‘What The Hell’ Effect
Have you already given up on the healthy-eating goals you set for yourself in January? You may be suffering from the “what-the-hell” effect. The term was coined by two researchers at Northwestern University in the 1970s, who conducted experiments studying the psychological changes that occur in people who restrict their eating. They noticed an all-or-nothing style of eating among many students. One student told them about her friends who starved themselves all day but by nighttime gave up and “ate everything in sight.” (Parker-Pope, 2/2)
The Washington Post:
Harvard Is Shutting Down Project That Studied Social Media Misinformation
Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government said Thursday that it will shut down a prominent research center that studied online misinformation next year, marking the latest turning point for the study of social media’s impact on American society and politics. Since 2019, the Technology and Social Change Project has published research into the spread of coronavirus hoaxes and the online incitement techniques that preceded the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. It will wind down due to a school policy that requires a faculty member lead such an undertaking, Nancy Gibbs, the director of the Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy, said in an internal email shared with The Washington Post. (Harwell and Menn, 2/2)
