Health matters

For seniors, any exercise may be better than none
Even 15 minutes a day of brisk walking, cycling or swimming could help older adults live longer, according to a review of past research that found any physical activity is better than none. For people over 60, meeting current guidelines for moderate-to-vigorous exercise was linked to a 28 per cent lower risk of dying over about 10 years, compared to being completely sedentary. But even lower levels of exercise were tied to a 22 per cent reduction in mortality risk.

Spinal injections help ease low back pain
Spinal epidural injections of steroids may relieve low back pain from a ruptured disc, but only briefly, a new study shows. And the injections offer no significant relief for pain related to narrowing of the spaces around the spinal cord, the researchers say.

Nearly-term babies have elevated ADHD risk
Very premature babies are known to have an increased risk for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and a new study suggests this may be true also for babies born only slightly early. “There has been quite a lot of research on very preterm birth and the increased risk for ADHD but less evidence when it comes to late preterm birth (weeks 34-36) and even less regarding babies born early term (weeks 37-38),” said lead author Dr Minna Sucksdorff of the University of Turku in Finland.

An aspirin a day may keep colon cancer away
Taking one or two baby aspirins a day for at least five years was tied to a lower risk of colorectal cancer in a study from Denmark. Earlier studies had suggested that aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen may help protect against colorectal cancer, but it wasn’t clear how much had to be taken, and for how long, to achieve those benefits.