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Iodine 131 exposure puts children's normal growth and development at risk, says UB radiation expert

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EXPERT CONTACT :

Alan Lockwood, MD

Professor of neurology and nuclear medicine

UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Office: 716-859-7526; Cell 716-868-8763

ahl@buffalo.edu

Alan Lockwood, MD, can discuss human health effects of radiation. He is a board member of Physicians for Social Responsibility. Six weeks after the Chernobyl accident, he examined survivors at the Moscow hospital

 Lockwood calls the Japanese Health Ministry’s advice not to give tap water to infants “prudent.” He notes, “The reason that iodine-131 is so dangerous in children is that their normal growth and development, especially of the brain, depends on the thyroid gland. And if there is exposure as a child, the risk of developing thyroid cancer later in life is higher.”

It is reasonable to expect that the higher levels of radioactivity in the water will not last very long, he says, noting, “Iodine-131 has a relatively short half-life, just over eight days.”
 “It is quite predictable that radioisotopes have been detected in the Japanese food supply,” says Lockwood, who notes that radioactivity in food is a definite concern. “Japanese officials appear to be on top of this situation and have kept these foods out of the Japanese food supply. This is a reasonable preventive action that is in accord with one of the central principles of public health.  Radiation levels should be kept as low as reasonably achievable, a principle referred to in radiation safety circles by the acronym, ALARA.”
Related Topics:

ALARA, cancer, children, earthquake, Japan, Japanese food supply, kids, nuclear, pediatrics, radiation, radiation levels, radiation poisoning, radioactive iodine, radioactivity, risk, thyroid cancer, thyroid gland, tsunami

Ten (Research-Tested) New Year’s Resolutions

Ten (Research-Tested) New Year’s Resolutions

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Need help choosing a New Year’s resolution? Research from the University at Buffalo can provide some direction. Below is a summary of useful health and wellness tips assembled from studies published by UB researchers in 2010.

Have a happy, healthy and safe new year. 

 
1.     Take care of a loved one and boost your own well being. Research by UB assistant professor of psychology Michael J. Poulin shows that helping sick family members can reduce stress and anxiety.
 
2.     Losing a few pounds may help you survive a car crash. Research by UB’s Dietrich V. Jehle, M.D. and professor of emergency medicine, found that moderately obese drivers are more likely to die in a severe car crash. 
 
3.     Hit the sack early. UB researcher Lisa B. Rafalson found that seven hours of sleep may decrease the risk of developing diabetes.
 
4.     Keep kids involved with friends to prevent overeating. Research by UB’s Sarah-Jeanne Salvy, associate professor of pediatrics, shows that childhood friendships can be a substitute for food and therefore can help stem obesity in children.
 
5.     Don’t give up hope when the going gets tough. Research by UB’s Mark D. Seery, assistant professor of psychology, found that adverse life experiences appear to make us more resilient and adaptable to stress.
 
6.     Talk to your kids about current events. Research by UB’s Ming M. Chiu, professor of learning and instruction, found that children who discuss current events with their parents develop better math and reasoning skills.  
 
7.     Jack-up your consumption of soy. Research by UB’s Anne M. Weaver and co-researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute shows that soy products are associated with a reduced risk of developing invasive breast tumors. 
 
8.     Encourage your kids to walk to school. Research by UB’s James N. Roemmich, associate professor of pediatrics, shows that a simple morning walk could help curb stress-related spikes in heart rate and blood pressure in children, potentially reducing their risk of heart disease later in life.
 
9.     Pay with cash at the grocery store to avoid junk food. Research by UB’s Satheeshkumar Seenivasan found that people who bought groceries with credit and debit cards were more likely to load up on unhealthy foods. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101018174345.htm
 
10. Have a few drinks to boost romance. Drinking in moderation with your spouse or partner can increase intimacy, according to research by Ashley Levitt of UB’s Research Institute on Addictions. 

 

Related Topics:

adaptability, behavior, blood pressure, cancer, caretaking, credit and debit cards, current events, diabetes, emergency medicine, grocery store, health, heart rate, intimacy, junk food, kids, learning, math and resoning, moderate drinking, overeating, pediatrics, resilience, resolutions, sleep deprivation, soy invasive breast tumors, stress, walking, weight loss

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