Health & Beauty

Statistics show that men are half as likely as women to be diagnosed with depression but three times more likely to end their own lives.

The failure to understand male depression is due to a continuing silence about the emotional world of men, according to a study to be showcased during the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) Festival of Social Science.

The research, which is carried out by Dr Ali Haggett of the University of Exeter, suggests that, although men are three times as likely to become alcohol dependent and more than twice as likely to use Class A drugs...

Devon’s Public Health leaders have added their voice to a growing debate about the amount of sugar in people’s diets.

Their comments follow the recent petition on a proposed sugar tax, handed to Government by TV chef and food campaigner Jamie Oliver, and the publication of a report by Public Health England (PHE) yesterday, entitled Sugar Reduction: The evidence for action. This report was commissioned by Ministers at the Department of Health to inform policy-making as part of the Government’s forthcoming childhood obesity strategy.

The report suggests a number of measures...

Devon residents susceptible to the effects of flu are being reminded to get their annual vaccination to protect them against the illness this winter.

Flu can be a serious illness, particularly for those in the at risk groups, so it’s vital that people in the eligible groups* and parents of young children take up the offer of the free flu vaccination, even if they feel healthy.

The effects of flu can be much more serious than people think. It’s highly infectious, and the symptoms of fever, chills, headache, aches and pains in joints and muscles, and extreme tiredness, can...

New research from the University of Exeter and University College London has challenged claims that sitting for long periods increases the risk of an early death even if you are otherwise physically active.

The study, which is published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, followed more than 5,000 participants for 16 years (making it one of the longest follow-up studies in this area of research) and found that sitting, either at home or at work, is not associated with an increased risk of dying.

These findings challenge previous research suggesting that the act of...