Research

A person's intensity of Facebook use can be predicted by activity in a reward-related area of the brain, according to a new study published in the open access journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. www.frontiersin.org is part of the Nature Publishing Group family

Read the full paper at http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5577 #OpenAccess

Bariatric surgery is more effective than non-surgical options at reducing body weight and increasing remission rate of type 2 diabetes, suggests an analysis of the available randomised controlled trials . . .

Osteoarthritis of the knee. This systematic review concludes that as of 2002 sufficient evidence had accumulated to show significant benefit of exercise over no exercise in patients with osteoarthritis, and further trials are unlikely to overturn this result. The evidence is largely from trials in patients with knee osteoarthritis

The relation between vitamin D and 137 health outcomes is investigated by researchers. Above is a map of those 137 vitamin D related outcomes: percentage of outcomes per outcome category for all study designs. Read the study #OA http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g2035

Mammogram. Annual screening in women aged 40-59 does not reduce mortality from breast cancer beyond that of physical examination or usual care, concludes this 25-year study http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g366

Survival from 10 to 20 years after breast cancer, by contralateral mastectomy. Read this #OA paper comparing the survival rates of women with BRCA associated breast cancer who did and did not undergo mastectomy of the contralateral breast http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g226

Eating more whole fruits, particularly blueberries, grapes and apples, is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas greater consumption of fruit juices has the opposite association #Research

BMJ research finds lithium is an effective treatment for reducing the risk of suicide in people with mood disorders . . .

BMJ research shows that a high intake of the fatty acids found in fish is associated with a 14% reduction in the risk of breast cancer

English stop smoking services have helped 20,000 to quit, but much variation exists, finds this BMJ study http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f4921

Global and regional mean consumption levels of dietary trans fat and cholesterol in 2010 for adults ≥20 years of age. Read this #OA paper on global and regional consumption levels of dietary fats and oils in 1990 and 2010 http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g2272

Map of study countries and their suicide rates in 2009. Research finds that after the 2008 economic crisis, rates of suicide increased in the European and American countries studied, particularly in men and in countries with higher levels of job loss. Study at http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5239

Research finds "pre-eclampsia is a risk factor for cerebral palsy mainly mediated through pre-term birth and low birth weight."

Research identifies a small increase in the incidence of mental disorders in children born after ovulation induction/intrauterine insemination. Children born after in vitro fertilisation/intracytoplasmic sperm injection were found to have overall risk comparable with children conceived spontaneously.

Increased years of life lost are associated with increased air pollution. This study highlights the need to reduce air pollution in Beijing, China, to protect the health of the population #OA http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f7139