Welcome to Fitmodo, your regular weekly round up of the news you need to know to keep your earthly form in top shape — from fitness advice to breakthroughs in medical research.
This week: Australian scientists are breaking ground with research for stomach cancer, diabetes and inflammatory diseases. Also, fitness bands are totally mainstream now.
Australian Scientists Discover How Gut Bacteria May Prevent Stomach Cancer
Researchers from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) have found that genetic techniques could be used to ‘switch on’ proteins that may protect against stomach cancer.
The research investigated Helicobacter (H.) pylori, a bacteria that can cause chronic inflammation, potentially leading to stomach cancer.
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Fitness Wearables Are Mainstream, But Smartwatches Are Still For Tech Snobs
More than 2 million Australians over the age of 16 use a wearable device, a trend driven by the enthusiastic adoption of health and fitness apps — and health-orientated lifestyle choices.
A study by Telsyte predicts by 2020 around a third of the population could be wearing a smart wearable device on their wrists.
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Australian Scientists Discover Genes That Cause Inflammatory Diseases
A global study led by Brisbane’s QUT — alongside Christian-Albrechts-University in Germany and involving a total of 50 different research centres — has found hundreds of genes which cause five common, hard-to-treat and debilitating inflammatory diseases.
The discovery paves the way to new treatments for ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis (collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease), psoriasis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis.
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There’s No Such Thing As ‘Good Cholesterol’ Says Pivotal New Study
A surprising new genetic study shows that some people with naturally high levels of HDL cholesterol — the supposedly good kind of cholesterol — are at increased risk of a heart attack. Doctors are now further questioning the use of drugs to boost HDL levels while looking to new therapies to reduce heart risk.
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Australian Researchers Find ‘Brown Fat’ May Assist With Diabetes
Australian scientists have shown that brown fat — a special type of fat that burns energy to produce heat — may also help to keep blood sugar steady in adults. Researchers at Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research measured brown fat activity and blood glucose continuously in real time in study participants, and found that individuals with more brown fat had smaller fluctuations in blood sugar.
Their findings open new avenues for diabetes therapies that target brown fat.
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Also catching our eye:
- Do you suck at running? Lifehacker Australia tells you why.
- Business insider Australia have found some controversialist kid’s nutrition advice from Curtis Stone.
- If you’ve ever wondered what a bikini model eats, Popsugar Australia have the scoop on Tash Oakleys’day on a plate.