Poor sleep increases genetic susceptibility to asthma
Poor and inadequate sleep bolsters genetic susceptibility to asthma, potentially doubling the risk of being diagnosed with the condition, says a study by Shandong University, China, published in the journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research (April). Researchers studied data of 455,405 people aged 38 to 73 years from the UK Biobank, of whom 17,836 individuals were diagnosed with asthma over a period of nine years. They found that those with high genetic risk who also reported poor sleep patterns were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with asthma compared to those with healthy sleep and a low genetic risk. A healthy sleep routine decreased risk of asthma by 44 percent in those at low genetic risk, by 41 percent in those at intermediate risk and by 37 percent in those with high risk.
The researchers suggested that inadequate sleep may cause an inflammatory response in the body that increases risk of asthma. “This research suggests there is a link between asthma and not getting enough sleep, although it is too early to say that treating poor sleep could reduce someone’s risk of developing asthma,” says Dr. Erika Kennington, head of research and innovation at the charity Asthma and Lung, UK.
Positive co-parenting is good for children
Children have the best outcomes when both parents regard their co-parenting relationship as highly positive and worst when both parents rated their relationship as poor, says a recent study led by Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan, lead author and professor of psychology at The Ohio State University.
“The best outcome for children was when both parents saw their co-parenting relationship as positive. But children are almost as well-adjusted when the relationship quality was moderate and mothers were less positive about co-parenting relative to fathers,” says Schoppe-Sullivan, who adds that children are less well-adjusted when fathers are less positive than mothers in co-parenting.
The study surveyed 2.915 low-income couples in seven US states. Participants were asked about their co-parenting relationship with their partner — in other words, how they related to each other as parents.
Gut microbes linked to ADHD in children
The microbial composition of the stomach may affect a child’s susceptibility to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), reveals a study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (April). Researchers from Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, surveyed 70 children and found that gut bacteria in children with ADHD had higher levels of certain species of fungi.
“The human body houses a complex and diverse microbial ecosystem, and findings from this study suggest that dysbiosis of the fungal mycobiome in ADHD can influence patient health,” says Lian-Jen Wang, child psychiatrist at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan. Dysbiosis is defined as an “imbalance” in the gut microbial community that is associated with disease.
The researchers found that in experiments with cells grown in the lab, one species called Candida albicans was in abundance in samples from children with ADHD, which increased the permeability of cells that line the intestine. This created a “leaky gut” that allows bacteria into the bloodstream, possibly resulting in inflammation throughout the body and brain.
Protective parenting shields children from health problems
According to a recent study conducted by University of Georgia researchers, setting limits and letting your children know you are keeping an eye on them reduces the risk of physical and mental health problems in adulthood. The study analysed responses of 4,825 respondents to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 97. Researchers found that children whose parents gave them time curfews and monitored their friend groups were better shielded from harmful behaviour that could have lifelong effects, such as smoking or binge drinking.
“This isn’t just the direct ‘know where your kids are’ type of parenting, and it’s not helicopter parenting that makes a difference. Communicating love and the desire to be part of your child’s life, I think, is probably part of the magic ingredient of vigilant parenting that benefits the child,” says Katherine Ehrlich, co-author of the study and an associate professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia.
