News in brief - March 7, 2011

Prolonged cell phone use affects brain activity, study says - Fiber may cut mortality risk from some diseases

Prolonged cell phone use affects brain activity, study says

Using a cell phone for an extended period may enhance the excitability of brain tissue near the phone's antenna, says a study in the Feb. 23 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association. But researchers have yet to determine whether there are any associated health effects.

Widespread cell phone use has long spurred concerns that exposure to radio frequency-modulated electromagnetic fields leads to brain cancer and other harmful effects, but numerous studies have shown inconsistent results, the study said (www.jama.ama-assn.org/content/305/8/808).

For the study, researchers measured the brain glucose metabolism in 47 healthy individuals. Cell phones were placed on both ears of each participant, and the cell phone on the right ear was activated for 50 minutes. Researchers determined that metabolism was significantly higher in the region of the brain closest to the cell phone antenna when the phones were activated.

However, the study concluded that the results have no relevance in determining whether cell phone use has carcinogenic effects.

Fiber may cut mortality risk from some diseases

Consuming more dietary fiber may help reduce an individual's risk of dying from cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases, according to an Archives of Internal Medicine study published online Feb. 14 (archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/archinternmed.2011.18/).

Researchers with the National Cancer Institute and the AARP analyzed data from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study, which surveyed 567,169 AARP members in six states, Detroit and Atlanta. Of those, 20,126 men and 11,330 women died within nine years of the initial survey. The NCI and AARP researchers found that dietary fiber was associated with significantly lower death rates in both sexes.

Fiber intake lowered the risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases by 24% to 56% in men and 34% to 59% in women. Fiber was also associated with a lower risk of cancer death among men but not women. Fiber from grains showed the most positive results, the study said.

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