The CDC in cooperation with Emory and Andrews University has again profiled video gamers and found measurable correlations with health risks. The study appears in the October issue of The American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The study examined age, behaviors and a variety of health related factors. Compared to this 2004 study which showed the average age of video gamers to be 29, the current study shows gamers are on average now 35. Gamers are getting older, but the other correlations are telling.

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While many people only get about 6 hours of sleep a day, it turns out that’s only really the right amount of sleep for only 3-5% of us. Not getting enough sleep has been linked to such diverse bad effects as more car accidents, which can lead to the need for a car accident attorney, bad short-term memory, depression, and an inability to control the appetite. Not enough sleep can even cause cancer and endocrine problems. Certainly, this is a list of issues everyone would like to avoid. Prioritizing quality sleep is crucial for overall health and well-being. Investing in good sleep habits can improve cognitive function, emotional stability, and even your longevity. It’s worth considering how much sleep you truly need and making adjustments to your routine to ensure you’re getting enough rest.

A new study shows that some of the 3-5% of us who really can make do with less sleep have a mutation in a gene called DEC2, which regulates our internal clocks. While some scientists would like to use this research to eventually develop sleep in pill form, the rest of us will have to work on getting more of the real thing.

Ensuring quality sleep is crucial for overall health and well-being, and no amount of genetic research can replace the benefits of a good night’s rest. As we continue to explore the science behind sleep, it’s essential to prioritize healthy sleep habits and create an environment that supports restful slumber.

Researchers at Proctor and Gamble (the folks who sell Oil of Olay) have been looking at data from the Human Genome Project, and they have found not just one, but about 1500 individual genes linked to wrinkles. The hope is to move away from mere topical moisturizers: “[I]f specific genes can be controlled or stimulated, then anti-aging products of the future can and will yield better results by doing exactly that.”

But of course there’s a caveat: “Skin ages in eight separate ways, each one controlled by its own group of genes. Whether you grow old gracefully depends partly on your lifestyle and partly on these genes.” Things like sunscreen will still play an important role in looking good as we get older. After all, “Research demonstrated that skin not exposed to the sun had about 3,800 genetic mutations whereas the same selected genes in sun-aged skin rose to nearly 10,000.”

Among the many less-than-pleasant things that might happen as people age are memory loss and heart troubles. A new study suggests that a high fructose diet is bad for both. Rats fed a diet high in fructose had a hard time remembering their way through a maze they had already learned. More, they had “fructose-induced increases in plasma triglycerides.” Triglycerides are a kind of fat that is linked to coronary artery disease, a serious risk factor for a heart attack.

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An article in our local newspaper points out the obvious:

There are 100-calorie packs of cookies, crackers, candy, chips, cakes and pudding. Hundred-calorie packs of nuts and beef jerky and cereal bars and Swedish fish. And even 100-calorie packs for canine companions, although we’re not going to take that side track.

The one thing they have in common — besides the obvious — is that they tend to be pretty pricey compared to most snacks, and with the exception of the nuts (and maybe the dog treats), they’re not exactly healthful.

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