Evidence-Based Living
The impacts of military deployment
A recent post on the BCTR's Evidence-Based Living blog looked at the long-term effects of military deployment on veterans' health, citing meta-analyses from the journal Epidemiological Reviews, finding, The post quotes Brian Leidy, director of The Military Projects, regarding new research showing that often...
Continue Reading >Is obesity really a disease?
"Last month, the American Medical Association classified obesity as a disease in its own right for the first time. (Previously, it had been categorized as a symptom or risk factor.) There is plenty of evidence that shows people who are obese are more likely to develop diabetes and...
Continue Reading >Gaps in evidence: Gun violence in America
"News stories about the problem of gun violence in America have dominated media outlets across the country over the past year. The tragic school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut continues to fuel an on-going debate about the laws surrounding violence and safety in our society. It’s a sensitive subject,...
Continue Reading >More evidence on why you should get a flu shot
"Yes, summer is in full swing. But the next flu season is just a few months away. We’ve written before about the effectiveness of the flu vaccine. Now a new analysis from the U.S. Center for Disease Control has calculated the approximate number of hospitalizations which...
Continue Reading >Proven methods to quit smoking
"One in five deaths in the U.S. can be credited to tobacco, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control – a statistic that makes it clear: Smoking is a huge health problem. "But there is good news: today America has more former smokers than current smokers, and more...
Continue Reading >Update: New evidence on Parkinson’s disease
"According to the National Institutes of Health, at least 500,000 Americans suffer from Parkinson’s disease, and about 50,000 new cases are reported each year. The disease is a progressive neurological disorder that is caused by the degeneration of neurons in a region of the brain that controls movement....
Continue Reading >How to identify emotional abuse and neglect in preschoolers
"The evidence is clear that developing skills early-on – especially before children enter kindergarten – is essential for success later in life. Unfortunately, children face consequences throughout their lives when they do not get the support they need as babies and preschoolers. Physical and behavioral problems and delays...
Continue Reading >Summer learning loss: Do kids miss out?
"For most kids, summer vacation has begun. This typically means more time spent at the park, swimming pool or beach, and often in front of the TV as well. It also means less time engaged in educational pursuits like reading, math and problem solving. "Many teachers say that our...
Continue Reading >The evidence on hands-free cell phone devices while driving
"Whether it’s a quick call to ask what’s needed from the grocery store or catching up with a long-distance friend – people everywhere talk on cell phones while they’re driving. "It’s long been recognized that talking on the phone while driving increases your risk of being involved in a...
Continue Reading >An update on barefoot running
Last week, the American College of Sports Medicine held its annual conference. There, researchers presented five separate studies on the benefits of running barefoot or with minimal footwear. What did the evidence demonstrate? Read more at the BCTR's Evidence-Based Living blog: An update on barefoot...
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