Tag: health study

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Ft Mac Health

Health Study Shows that Northern Alberta Residents are More Likely to be Heavier than Average

Northern Alberta, health study

A new health study show that residents of Northern Alberta, including those in the Fort MacMurray and Wood Buffalo areas, are more likely to be heavier than average when the national and provincial weight averages are calculated in. The Health Quality Council of Alberta released a report on July 29, 2015 that detailed the findings. According to the report 59% of the adults from Northern Alberta who were surveyed, out of 4,424 adults in all, were either overweight or obese. On average across the entire nation 54% of Canadians are either overweight or obese according to the statistics released by Statistics Canada. To be considered overweight or obese an adult will have a body mass index that is considered higher than what is acceptable for good health.

According to the health study estimates for Northern Alberta 7 out of 10 adults in the north zone area are overweight or obese. This area includes all communities north of Edmonton, which means Wood Buffalo and Fort MacMurray. South zone adults fared a little better, with 6.4 out of 10 people categorized as overweight or obese according to their BMI. Wood Buffalo Primary Care Network communications advisor Jordan Hiltunen explained “There’s so many factors at play, and what makes us as one community more prone to obesity than another, outside of years and years of data and analysis, that’s very hard to speculate on. One of the most common anecdotal bits of feedback that we get is that people find it a lot harder to incorporate regular daily exercise into their lives when we hit those epic winters. You don’t see that playing as big of a role in, for example, Vancouver.”

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Health

A New Health Study Shows That Scratching an Itch Makes the Itching Worse

health study, itch
health study, itch

A new health study reinforces what we already know about an itch, if you scratch it this will only make you itch worse as a result. This means that the old advice your mom used to give you was right. The health study was performed by Washington University researchers who studied what happens in the brain when you scratch your skin. When this happens then more serotonin is released into the brain of the individual, and this will increase the sensation of itching. The health study researchers used two types of mice in their clinical trials, and one of these mice types were bred specially so that they were missing the gene used in the body to produce serotonin. Both sets of mice were injected with a substance that results in itching.

The genetically altered mice did not scratch as much as those who were not missing certain genes. When the genetically deficient mice were injected with serotonin then their amount and intensity of scratching increased to what was seen in the unaltered mice, leading researchers to the health study conclusion on the common itch. Zhou-Feng Chen, one of the researchers who performed the health study, stated “Our findings suggest that the events happen in this order: First, you scratch, and that causes a sensation of pain. Then you make more serotonin to control the pain. But serotonin does more than only inhibit pain. Our new finding shows that it also makes itch worse.” The next time you feel an itch don’t scratch it or you will only make things worse.

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Uncategorized

Fort McKay Health Study Launching Soon

health study, Fort McKay
health study, Fort McKay

 

First Nations and Metis residents in Fort McKay and the surrounding area will soon launch a health study that is comprehensive in the hopes of addressing community health problems and needs. For years these groups have been frustrated with the Alberta health information and processes, and they decided to launch their own health study in Fort McKay as a result. Starting in September data and health information collection will be undertaken by medical staff in the local community. This collection will hopefully include all of the residents, numbering at more than 700. Physical exams, samples of blood and urine, and even hair samples may be taken. Once all of the health data has been collected it will be turned over to epidemiologists and toxicologists who will review all of the data closely.

The Fort McKay health study will include an examination of the oilsands, and he environmental impacts that they have. Other factors that will be examined and analyzed will include diet, medical history, genetics, substance abuse, lifestyles, obesity, and other activities. According to the resident physician at Fort McKay, Dr. John O’Connor, “This is going to be complete and comprehensive. It must be comprehensive. Let’s look at every determinate of health. We’re going to take the high-road on this study. It’s not like we will try to twist the data towards a conclusion we’re looking for. This is going to be very thorough. The assumption is the government has decided they have other priorities, despite their public announcement. So it’s time to stop waiting and take things into the hands of the community.”