None of us enjoys having our job cut into our leisure time. So the next time your boss asks you to work late and miss your band rehearsal or board game night, point them to a new study in the Journal of Vocational Behavior. Researchers have found that spending more time on a hobby can boost people’s confidence in their ability to perform their job well. But watch out — if your hobby is too similar to your work, then increased time on leisure activities may actually have a detrimental effect.
While there is little women can do to avoid living in areas of high air pollution, the study suggests another reason to press for better environmental standards to reduce air pollution.
High dose statins could be made available directly from high street pharmacies as part of the NHS Long Term Plan to cut heart disease and stroke, NHS chief executive Simon Stevens has announced.
Facebook and Instagram have announced that they will remove posts promoting ‘miracle’ cures and get-slim-quick products, which are known to have limited benefits with possible damaging side-effects.
The move follows a series of requests from health service chiefs including NHS chief executive Simon Stevens to act responsibly and protect users from content that could cause physical or mental harm.
The guidelines emphasise the importance of building strength and balance for adults, and include recommendations for pregnant women, new mothers and disabled people.
Focusing on three papers exploring the benefits of Parkrun – a free 5km running event held weekly in parks around the UK that has seen an increase in popularity. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
The study also shows a couple of interesting findings, including that while smoking tends to be viewed as less socially acceptable today, more rarely depicted on TV and brands never displayed, the same cannot be said for alcohol.
Drinking, often to excess, still appears to be seen as acceptable to depict as the social norm for young adults.
What this study cannot tell us is whether media exposure to smoking or alcohol increases the risk of these behaviours among young people.
Report: 'Caring for the mental health of the medical workforce'
This report provides a summary of findings from a large-scale survey into doctors’ and medical students’ mental health. The survey, which was open to BMA members and non-members across the UK received over 4,300 responses.
Our study about the ‘weekend warrior’ physical activity pattern and mortality was one of the most talked about studies of 2017. Here we offer an infographic summarising the results of our study. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
APA blog post. Smokers who are trying to quit may not always have to reach for a piece of nicotine gum to stave off a craving. Deliberately inhaling a pleasant aroma may be enough to reduce the urge to light up, at least temporarily, and could be used as part of an effective smoking cessation strategy, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
The dramatic decline in the popularity of smoking since the turn of the millennium could largely be the result of increased education and awareness of the harms of smoking, and that it's now less socially acceptable, particularly since the smoking ban in public places.
But what will be of concern to some is that while teens may be less likely to try smoking or think it acceptable, there may have been a massive increase in the perceived acceptability of vaping and the number of teens who have tried e-cigarettes if they'd been asked about it in the surveys.
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Due to limitations the proportions of disease or deaths attributed to prolonged sitting – and associated health costs – should be considered as estimates.
Despite the limitations imposed by the underlying studies, this research supports health advice to reduce the amount of time spent sitting.
Shift patterns and limited food choices present barriers, but these strategies can help. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
This study shows under laboratory conditions the difference that a 30-minute walk can make to someone who has been otherwise sedentary for much of the day.
It's interesting that, especially for women, there was an added effect if they also got up and walked around every half hour, avoiding the effects of lengthy periods of sitting.
It's the sort of programme people who spend a lot of time sitting down could adopt in their daily lives – for example, a half-hour walk in the morning, then getting up to make a cup of tea or just walk around every half hour.
While fish and chips can be a delicious treat, big portions of deep-fried food can mean it delivers far more calories in one meal than most of us need – or even want. This study suggests that it is possible to offer a smaller portion, using standardised boxes to control portion size, without causing problems for shops or upsetting customers. This may also have the benefit on cutting down on excess packaging and reducing food waste.
However, this was a small study, carried out in a real-world setting to find out whether the intervention was possible.
Views and Reviews. As healthcare providers, it’s easy to forget to look after ourselves at work. We know that taking breaks and eating and drinking regularly is a critical component of being “optimised,” helping to sustain our energy, concentration, and performance, and reduce the risk of human error. Yet, for many, the realities of working in busy, modern hospitals get in the way. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
When leaders seek to create a healthy working environment for their employees, often the focus will be on improving physical wellbeing, such as using office furniture that supports the body effectively or encouraging the use of laptop/screen stands to prevent neck pain. However, it is crucial that leaders seek to create a working environment that also takes care of the mental health of employees. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
E-cigarettes are almost twice as effective as nicotine replacement treatments, such as patches and gum, at helping smokers to quit, according to a new clinical trial.