Sitting at desk is bad for health

Workers who spend excessive amounts of time at their desk could be putting their lives at risk, research suggests.

The Medical Research Institute in New Zealand found they may have a higher risk of developing potentially fatal blood clots.

The researchers found a third of patients admitted to hospital with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) were office workers who spent hours at a computer.

DVT is the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, most commonly in the legs. The clots can travel to the heart, lungs or brain, causing chest pain, breathlessness or possible death from a heart attack or stroke.

The New Zealand team examined a sample of 62 people admitted to hospital with blood clots, and found 34 per cent had been sitting at their desk for long periods.

– BBC NEWS

Cut lesion risk with vit C-rich food

Vitamin C from dietary sources, but not from supplements, is associated with a reduced risk of oral pre-cancerous lesions in men, a new study indicates.

Dr Nancy Nairi Maserejian, of New England Research Institutes in the United States, and colleagues examined intake of vitamins C, E, A and carotenoids in 42,340 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the occurrence of oral pre-cancerous lesions.

The men provided information on supplement use and diet every two to four years.

The scientists found that dietary vitamin C was significantly associated with a reduced risk of oral pre-cancerous lesions: those with the highest intake had a 50 per cent reduction in risk compared to those with the lowest intake.

A diet that includes vitamin C-rich foods, as well as a variety of nutrients, is likely to benefit most people, the researchers said.

– Reuters