Watching a horror film 'burns nearly 200 calories'

A new study has revealed that watching scary movies can burn up to 200 calories a sitting.
The adrenaline rushes that viewers experience during a 90-minute horror film are believed to use up the same amount of energy as is contained within a bar of chocolate.

According to The Sunday Telegraph, scientists from the University of Westminster monitored the total energy expenditure of ten different people as they watched a selection of movies. Participants' heart rates, oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output were measured and the study found that on average, the number of calories used increased by a third during horror film viewing. The movie that burned the most calories across the board was 1980 psychological thriller The Shining, with the average viewer using up 184 calories - close to the amount burned during a half-hour walk.

Classic shark horror Jaws finished second, with viewers burning on average 161 calories, and The Exorcist came third, with participants using up around 158 calories during each viewing. The research also confirmed that films featuring shock moments designed to make viewers jump are the best calorie-burners, as they cause a spike in heart rate. "Each of the ten films tested set pulses racing, sparking an increase in the heart rate of the case studies," explained Dr Richard Mackenzie, senior lecturer and specialist in cell metabolism and physiology at the University of Westminster. "As the pulse quickens and blood pumps around the body faster, the body experiences a surge in adrenaline. "It is this release of fast acting adrenaline, produced during short bursts of intense stress (or in this case, brought on by fear), which is known to lower the appetite, increase the Basal Metabolic Rate and ultimately burn a higher level of calories." Helen Cowley, editor of LOVEFiLM - which commissioned the study - added: "We all know the feeling of wanting to hide behind the sofa or grab a pillow when watching scary or hair raising scenes, but this research suggests that maybe those seeking to burn some calories should keep their eyes on the screen."

The top ten calorie-burning horror films are as follows: 

1.1. The Shining: 184 calories
2.2. Jaws: 161 calories
3.3. The Exorcist: 158 calories
4.4. Alien: 152 calories
5.5. Saw: 133 calories
6.6. A Nightmare on Elm Street: 118 calories
7.7. Paranormal Activity: 111 calories
8.8. The Blair Witch Project: 107 calories
9.9. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: 105 calories
10.10. [Rec]: 101 calories

Air pollution tied to lung cancer in non-smokers

NEW YORK: People who have never smoked, but who live in areas with higher air pollution levels, are roughly 20 percent more likely to die from lung cancer than people who live with cleaner air, researchers conclude in a new study.

"It's another argument for why the regulatory levels (for air pollutants) be as low as possible," said Francine Laden, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, who was not involved in the research.

Though smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer, about one in 10 people who develop lung cancer have never smoked.

"Lung cancer in 'never smokers' is an important cancer. It's the sixth leading cause of cancer in United States," said Michelle Turner, the lead author of the study and a graduate student at the University of Ottawa.

Previous estimates of how many non-smokers get lung cancer range from 14 to 21 out of every 100,000 women and five to 14 out of every 100,000 men.

The fine particles in air pollution, which can irritate the lungs and cause inflammation, are thought to be a risk factor for lung cancer, but researchers had not clearly teased apart their impact from that of smoking.

In this study, Turner and her colleagues followed more than 180,000 non-smokers for 26 years. Throughout the study period, 1,100 people died from lung cancer.

The participants lived in all 50 states and in Puerto Rico, and based on their zip codes, the researchers estimated how much air pollution they were exposed to -- measured in units of micrograms of particles per cubic meter of air.

Pollution levels in different locations ranged from a low of about six units to a high of 38. The levels dropped over time, however, from an average of 21 units in 1979 - 1983, to 14 units in 1999 - 2000, producing an overall average pollution level of 17 units across the study period.

After the team took into account other cancer risk factors, such as second-hand smoke and radon exposure, they found that for every 10 extra units of air pollution exposure, a person's risk of lung cancer rose by 15 to 27 percent.

The increased risk for lung cancer associated with pollution is small in comparison to the 20-fold increased risk from smoking.

And the study team didn't prove that the pollution caused the cancer cases, but "there's lots of evidence that exposure to fine particles increases cardiopulmonary mortality," Turner told Reuters Health.

Fine particles in air pollution can injure the lungs through inflammation and damage to DNA, Turner's team writes in its report, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Previous research has suggested similar conclusions. A study of people in China, for example, found an increased risk of lung cancer attributed to indoor air pollution from burning coal and wood to heat homes (see Reuters story of December 7, 2009). And several European studies have linked levels of soot and vehicle exhaust to lung cancer in non-smokers.

Laden noted that the pollution levels associated with the increased risk of cancer in the current study are not uncommon in the U.S.

"These levels are within the (regulatory) standards," Laden told Reuters Health. "We're not talking about people who live in a really polluted place with no pollution control."

Laughter good medicine for dementia patients

SYDNEY: Laughter may be good medicine for elderly dementia patients -- and best of all, it doesn't have side effects.

Australian humour therapist Jean-Paul Bell was originally a clown doctor working with sick children, but now he makes the elderly laugh through a programme called Play-Up.

Bell was also the key humour therapist in a Sydney-based study into the impact of humour therapy on mood, agitation, behavioural disturbances and social engagement in dementia patients, a study that showed those who took part seemed
happier.

"The whole idea behind the Play-Up programme and what we're doing at the Arts Health Institute is encouraging them to play more because we believe that they've got potential to keep playing right until you take your last breath," Bell said.

He set up the Arts Health Institute to train aged-care staff in fostering playful relationships with their patients, particularly those with dementia.

The study, called the SMILE study, took place over three years, involving 36 nursing homes and 400 residents. (Reuters).

Make dog your fitness buddy

NEW YORK: When it comes to getting fit a person's best friend just might be a four-legged one.

Experts say studies show dog owners walk more, walk faster, and are more likely to enjoy an active lifestyle because of their companion animal.

"I'm fascinated by what a great motivator dogs can be," said Dr. Sandra McCune, co-editor of the book, "The Health Benefits of Dog Walking for People and Pets."

McCune, an animal behaviorist based in Leicestershire, England, said studies show if you're a dog walker, you're more likely to meet the guidelines for daily activities.

Dogs are the reason behind two-thirds, 66 percent, of the walks their owners take each week, according to a recent survey of more than 1,011 adults commissioned by pet food company Mars Petcare.

One-quarter of people with children and pets regularly visit parks and other outdoor spaces because of their dog. (Reuters)

Asthma tied to poorer diabetes control in kids

NEW YORK: Kids with diabetes may have a higher-than-average rate of asthma, and those with both conditions seem to have a tougher time keeping their blood sugar under control, a study out Monday suggests.
Researchers found that among 2,000 3- to 21-year-olds with diabetes, 11 percent had asthma - higher than the roughly 9 percent rate among children and young adults in the U.S.
The difference was bigger when the researchers looked at the 311 young people with type 2 diabetes, the form associated with obesity and usually diagnosed in adults.
In that group, 16 percent had asthma, compared with 10 percent of those with type 1 diabetes. (Reuters)