Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Computers Detect Lung Cancer on Scans as Well as Docs Do
Computers were able to identify small lung cancers on CT scans as well or better than doctors, a new study finds.
The study, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, was conducted by researchers from Google and several medical centers, The New York Times reported.
They applied artificial intelligence to CT scans used to screen people for lung cancer. This screening is recommended for people at high risk of cancer due to smoking.
But the screening can miss tumors or mistake benign spots for cancer, and doctors examining the same scan may come to different conclusions, The Times reported.
This new technology is still under development, but shows how artificial intelligence may have a future role in medicine.
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Purely Elizabeth Granola Products Recalled
A range of gluten-free granola products have been recalled by Purely Elizabeth because they may contain foreign matter such as glass, plastic or rocks.
All of the recalled products contain cashews. The company said no injuries or illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled products, CBS News reported.
The products were sold online and at major retailers across the United States.
The recalled products include: 16-ounce packages of Coconut Cashew Grain-Free Granola with the UPC Code 8551400002946 and best by dates of Nov. 30, 2019 and Dec. 3, 2019; eight-ounce packages of Coconut Cashew Grain-Free Granola with the UPC Code 855140002700 and best by date of Oct. 19, 2019; eight-ounce Banana Nut Butter Grain-Free Granola with the UPC Code 855140002724 with best by dates of Oct. 17, 2019 and Dec. 12, 2019; and Pumpkin Spice w/Ashwagandha Superfood Grain-Free Granola with the UPC Code 810589030158 and best by date of Dec. 7, 2019.
Consumers should not eat any of the recalled products, but instead should contact Purely Elizabeth for free replacement. For more information, call 720-242-7525, Ext 106.
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Walking During Work Meetings Bring Benefits
Holding work meetings while taking a walk outdoors offers a number of benefits, researchers report.
Not only does it provide much needed exercise for people who are often tied to their desks for the entire work day, it can also give them a stress-reducing mental lift.
"A lot of folks often say they don't have time after work to go to the gym or exercise," Dr. Alberto Caban-Martinez, who helped conduct a walking meeting pilot study for the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, told CNN.
"One of the things our pilot study showed is that converting some of the time you're at work into a walking meeting is really beneficial to cardiovascular health and, potentially, even to productivity," Caban-Martinez said.
The findings will be published June 24 in the the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's journal Preventing Chronic Disease.
Taking a stroll in the park is also good for retirees, according to another University of Miami study. That research, published online recently inn the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that seniors who lived in the greenest parts of Miami had lower rates of chronic diseases.
"We discovered in our research that the presence of green space -- trees, other forms of vegetation -- were associated with lower rates of four different forms of heart disease," lead author Scott Brown told CNN. "When our parents said 'go outside,' they might have been on to something."
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U.S. Children Eating Less Seafood
American children are eating less seafood than they used to, a new American Academy of Pediatrics report says.
"Seafood consumption by children has declined every year since 2007 to levels not seen since the early 1980s," the authors wrote, CNN reported.
"Fish and shellfish are, in general, good sources of low-fat protein rich in several essential vitamins and minerals as well as, in certain instances, the essential nutrients omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids," which improve brain functions, the authors noted.
They added that other health benefits of seafood include lower risk of heart disease and the possible prevention of certain allergic reactions, such as asthma and eczema, CNN reported.
But there are some risks. For example, eating fish contaminated with methylmercury pollution may harm a child's developing nervous system.
U.S. government advisories on possible fish contamination may have "pushed people away from eating fish in general and canned tuna in particular," according to the report authors.
They provided recommendations on seafood that are safe for children to eat. The report was published in the journal Pediatrics.
