ScienceDaily: Living Well News

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• Can our genes be making us fat?
• National study ranks city governments' use of social media
• Weight loss won't necessarily help teen girls' self-esteem
• Big contact lenses provide instant relief for dry eyes, experts say
• Getting in rhythm helps children grasp fractions, study finds
• Majority of fourth graders are exposed to smoke, study finds
• Fewer injuries for winning soccer teams
• Pediatricians sound alarm on overuse sports injuries
• 'Look at me' toddlers eager to collaborate and learn

Can our genes be making us fat? Posted: 22 Mar 2012 01:20 PM PDT While high-fat foods are thought to be of universal appeal, there is actually a lot of variation in the extent to which people like and consume fat. A new study reported that two specific genes (TAS2R38–a bitter taste receptor and CD36–a possible fat receptor), may play a role in some people's ability to taste and enjoy dietary fat. By understanding the role of these two genes, food scientists may be able to help people who have trouble controlling how much fat they eat.

National study ranks city governments' use of social media Posted: 22 Mar 2012 12:14 PM PDT Six times as many big-city governments reached citizens via Facebook in 2011 compared to 2009. Use of YouTube and Twitter grew fourfold and threefold respectively. Researchers ranked the online interactivity, transparency and accessibility of the 75 largest U.S. cities.

Weight loss won't necessarily help teen girls' self-esteem Posted: 22 Mar 2012 08:35 AM PDT Obese white teenage girls who lose weight may benefit physically, but the weight change does not guarantee they are going to feel better about themselves, according to a new study.

Big contact lenses provide instant relief for dry eyes, experts say Posted: 22 Mar 2012 08:33 AM PDT Wide-diameter contact lenses are offering instant relief to people who suffer chronic dry eyes. The lens rests on the sclera, the white part of the eye. Major improvements in materials and design have sparked a resurgence in the use of scleral contact lenses.

Getting in rhythm helps children grasp fractions, study finds Posted: 22 Mar 2012 07:02 AM PDT Tapping out a beat may help children learn difficult fraction concepts, according to new findings. An innovative curriculum uses rhythm to teach fractions at a California school where students in a music-based program scored significantly higher on math tests than their peers who received regular instruction.

Majority of fourth graders are exposed to smoke, study finds Posted: 22 Mar 2012 07:02 AM PDT More than 75 percent of fourth-graders in urban and rural settings have measurable levels of a nicotine breakdown product in their saliva that documents their second-hand smoke exposure, researchers report.

Fewer injuries for winning soccer teams Posted: 22 Mar 2012 06:58 AM PDT All soccer players and fans know that it is better to win than to lose. Yet the fact that victory also means less risk of injury is not as obvious.

Pediatricians sound alarm on overuse sports injuries Posted: 22 Mar 2012 06:55 AM PDT Baseball shoulder, gymnast wrist, runner's knee. These are just a few of the labels sports medicine specialists use to describe the increasing number of repetitive-use injuries they see in young children.

'Look at me' toddlers eager to collaborate and learn Posted: 19 Mar 2012 12:11 PM PDT Parents should think twice before brushing off their child's calls to "look at me!" A new study is the first to show that toddlers' expectations of how their parent will respond to their needs and bids for attention relate to how eager they are to collaborate and learn.

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