Aug

25

Childhood earaches 'may increase risk of obesity in adult life' - Times Online(Childhood Obesity News)

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Researchers from the University of Florida, noted that chronic, repeated ear infections can damage a nerve in the middle ear that controls taste sensations. The study suggests that prompt diagnosis and treatment of middle ear infections — one of the most common childhood conditions requiring medical attention — may help to prevent obesity in some people. In research presented today at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Philadelphia, Linda Bartoshuk, who led the study, said that middle-ear infections, also known as otitis media, are becoming more common in children. The researchers found that those with a history of ear infections were more likely to report a higher, more intense preference for fatty foods than others and were twice as likely to be obese. More research was needed to identify the percentage of children with ear infections who might be vulnerable to obesity, how much nerve damage must occur before obesity begins, and how frequently the damage must occur, she added. Read Childhood Obesity

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