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Sleeping too much, just like sleeping too little, could increase a person's risk of dying, a new U.K study indicates. Researchers at the University of Warwick's Warwick Medical School studied 10,308 British civil servants in two different time periods: between 1985 and 1988, and between 1992 and 1993. Study participants who slept longer than eight hours were more than twice as likely to die as those who kept sleeping for seven. Researchers believe depression, low socioeconomic status and cancer-related fatigue could play a part. (CBC) With seven hours seen as the optimal amount of sleep for the average adult, the...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American states where more people own guns have higher murder rates, including murders of children, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health reported on Thursday. The study, certain to provoke arguments in a country where gun ownership is an important political issue, found that about one in three U.S. households reported firearm ownership."Our findings suggest that in the United States, household firearms may be an important source of guns used to kill children, women and men, both on the street and in their homes," said Matthew Miller, assistant professor of health policy and injury prevention, who...

The more television 4-year-old children watch the more likely they are to become bullies later on in school, a U.S. study said Monday. At the same time, children whose parents read to them, take them on outings and just generally pay attention to them are less likely to become bullies, said the report from the University of Washington. Bullying can now be added "to the list of potential negative consequences of excessive television viewing along with obesity, inattention and other types of aggression," said Frederick Zimmerman who led the research. "Our findings suggest some steps that can be taken with...

If you were neglected as a child or if your parents paid more attention to your siblings, take heart. It might not be your fault. It might be because you're ugly. That's what Andrew Herrell's research at the University of Alberta suggests. Herrell, the director of the population research lab in the university's sociology department, studied parents' behaviour in grocery stores, where children often suffer minor injuries. He was trying to understand what factors contributed to those injuries. What he found would stun most fair-minded parents - ugly kids were neglected more often than attractive ones. "They'll deny it," said...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young children who live in homes with gas cooking stoves may be at increased risk for respiratory illnesses, research from Hong Kong suggests. "Gas cooking can be a significant source of indoor air pollution," Dr. T. W. Wong of the Chinese University of Hong Kong told Reuters Health. Wong explained that the burning of cooking gas may generate nitrogen dioxide. Smokey cooking fumes, particularly from deep frying, may also contribute to indoor air pollution, the investigator said. Both types of indoor air pollution may increase the likelihood of respiratory diseases, especially among the very young...

Study: Lesbian & Bisexual Girls at Heightened Risk for Tobacco Use; Prevention Efforts Important When Working With Girls 4/5/2004 4:05:00 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: National Desk Contact: Mary-Ellen Shay of Children's Hospital Boston, 617-355-6420; web: http://www.childrenshospital.org BOSTON, April 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A new study has found that lesbian and bisexual girls may be among the hardest hit by tobacco among the nation's young people. Led by researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, the study appears in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Using data from adolescents participating in...

Childhood Spanking and Alcohol Abuse Study Says It's Linked, But Some Question Validity A Canadian study has shown a correlation between childhood spanking and later drug and alcohol abuse, but the validity of the findings are being questioned in some quarters. The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal reported that children who are spanked are twice as likely to develop alcohol and drug abuse problems and engage in anti-social behavior when they grow up. More from your Guide below Advertisement They also have a higher rate of anxiety disorders, the study said. Dr. Harriet MacMillan, lead author...