Researchers estimate 1 in 50 people living in the United States have an allergy to shrimp and other shellfish.

Tropomyosin a chemical found in shellfish is responsible for the allergic reaction.

But writing in the Journal of Food Science, scientists found boiling shrimp for 10 minutes may lower allergy triggers in shrimp and reduce allergic reactions in people.

Experts say this discovery will help diagnose shrimp allergies, especially among populations consuming a lot of shellfish.

Too bad shrimp sushi is so awesome!

Via Food Navigator.

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It’s impossible to eat too healthfully. A good diet will help you lose weight, stay fit, and feel great. Can’t argue with that!

But eating a healthy diet might also improve how well you think.

Published in the journal Hypertension, researchers found people who eat right had better cognitive function.

For the study, scientists followed 124 men and women with high blood pressure, age 52, and a minimum of 15 pounds overweight.

Depending on their grouping, individuals were either instructed to continue eating as they normally do or switch to a healthy diet.

And when given tests to assess mental function – in this case crossing off specific digits on a piece of paper as quickly as possible – individuals on a healthy diet did 30% better than individuals on a normal diet.

Regular exercise also contributed to the group’s success.

Researchers add that the diet and exercise groups lost an average of 19 pounds and lowered their blood pressure.

Via HealthDay News.

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Carrying around a lot of extra weight has to be murder on your legs. It must wreak havoc on your knees, ankles, and joints.

Turns out it does, especially in kids. Overweight or obese children are twice as likely to sprain something as normal weight kids.

Writing in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found obese children tended to suffer more lower body injuries, while thinner – more active – kids endured more sporting injuries, like lacerations and bumps on the head.

Data on 23,000 children, ages 3 to 14, revealed the obese children – one in six of the kids studied – had more lower extremity injuries with a 30% risk, compared to an 18% risk for normal weight children.

And obese kids had a 10% risk to suffer head or face injuries, while thinner children only had a 18% chance.

Researchers point out that both obese children and adults take longer to recover from physical injuries.

Via Reuters.

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Snacks and junk food are everywhere, even hardware stores and pet shops have candy and salty snacks up by the cash registers.

So now experts think all this easy access to food and snacking could spur “constant eating” in young children.

Writing in the journal Health Affairs, researchers claim 27% of calories that American kids eat come from snacks; mostly salty foods, candy, desserts, and sweetened beverages.

The scientists say children’s caloric intake has increased by 113 calories per day from 1977 and 2006 – basically a can of soda.

All this snacking may lead to constant eating, which refers to the “physiological basis” for eating is becoming upset and kids confusing when to and when not to eat.

This compulsion, coupled with inactivity, will continue to fuel rising obesity rates. So U.S. health officials have urged food producers to improve the nutritional quality of their products.

And parents to become better educated about nutrition and to encourage their kids to exercise more.

Via Reuters.

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If you’re overweight, odds are you don’t feel that good about yourself. And most likely if you’re depressed, you’re a wreck too.

A lot of people use food as a drug; junk food is an awesome cure-all.

So it should be no surprise that researchers found a link between depression and obesity – and vise-versa.

Published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, scientists found a “bidirectional” association; meaning obese people had a 55% risk of developing depression, and depressed individuals were 58% more likely to become obese.

Other then the obvious – feeling bad and eating too much – the scientists attribute inflammatory effects of obesity to depression, social pressure to be thin, and the chemical effects of depression and depression medication may interfere with the endocrine system.

So the researchers suggest doctors monitor depressed people’s weight and obese individuals mood.

Via HealthDay News.

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A midday snooze on the couch sounds like a good idea – feels like one too – but making a habit out napping could be harmful.

Writing in the journal Sleep, researchers say individuals who nap four to six days out of the week are more likely to have diabetes.

The study involved 20,000 Chinese adults, ages 50 and older.

When accounting for other factors – such as exercise, age, and diagnoses of hypertension or cardiovascular disease – frequent naps were still linked to higher diabetes risk.

For both men and women, taking naps four to six days per week increased their risk of diabetes by 36%; napping appears to impair fasting glucose levels.

Unless you work a demanding job with crazy hours, you should probably stop napping after kindergarten anyway.

Via Reuters.

Image credit: Woman’s Day