The College of Human Ecology at Cornell University publishes The Evidence-Based Living Blog and has published some excellent posts over the past few months with information you may find useful both at work and in your personal life including articles about how to avoid mosquitoes, the effectiveness of new medical treatments, gun violence and public health, and how fruit impacts your diet.
The evidence on babies, sleep and crying
I’ve still got babies on the brain as I refresh my memory on how to care for a newborn. By the time they were two months old, my two older children were learning to sleep in their cribs. That meant letting them cry and learn to settle themselves when I knew all of their needs were met. So I was curious to read some recent media reports about the evidence on “crying-it-out.”
New evidence on religion
Most people don’t relate the concepts of religion and evidence because, by its definition, religion involves a faith or belief outside of facts and data. Nonetheless, there are plenty of researchers who have dedicated their careers to studying how religion impacts people and society. So I was intrigued to come across a new meta-analysis last week that delved into the relationship between intelligence and religiosity.
Skin-to-skin is best for newborns
With only about 9 weeks until our third child is due, I’m starting to think once again about everything that comes along with a new baby. At a recent birth preparation class, the instructor encouraged us to look up the evidence about holding your baby skin-to-skin immediately after he or she is born.
What we know about fruit
There is plenty of evidence out there that consuming foods high in sugar is bad for your health. But what about eating fruit?
An evidence-based birthday
By now, our regular readers know that here at EBL, we value systematic reviewsabove other forms of evidence. That’s because these reviews collect all of the available evidence on a given topic to provide a summary of what we know and an assessment of the data quality. In short, they’re the best way to find a definitive answer about what does and doesn’t work.
Evidence check: New medical treatments often lacking
It’s human nature to assume that new often means better. But in the case of medical treatments, that’s not always the case. In a new systematic review published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers reviewed 10 years of previous issues of the New England Journal of Medicine to identify the benefits of various medical practices which were described.
The evidence on music therapy
We’ve all heard the idiom, “Music is good for the soul.” But, according to the evidence, it’s good for your health as well.
A new method to avoid mosquitoes
It’s the time of year when you are likely to have uninvited guests to your backyard gatherings and picnics at the park: mosquitoes.
Is obesity really a disease?
Last month, the American Medical Association classified obesity as a disease in its own right for the first time. (Previously, it had been categorized as a symptom or risk factor.) There is plenty of evidence that shows people who are obese are more likely to develop diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But does that make obesity a disease in its own right? What about being overweight, but not obese?
Gaps in evidence: Gun violence in America
News stories about the problem of gun violence in America have dominated media outlets across the country over the past year. The tragic school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut continues to fuel an on-going debate about the laws surrounding violence and safety in our society. It’s a sensitive subject, and many people across the nation hold opposing viewpoints about what should be done. But one thing is clear: gun violence is a critical public health problem.