Generation X and swine flu
Study subjects: 3,000 adults aged 36-39
Location of study: U.S.
Results: A University of Michigan report surveying Generation X behavior found that only 1 in 5 Gen Xers got a flu shot during the 2009-2010 H1N1 epidemic. Sixty-five percent were moderately concerned about contracting the flu, and almost 60 percent said they were more concerned.
Significance: The Generation X Report concluded the response showed awareness without panic or fear. The 2009-2010 H1N1 epidemic was the first major infectious disease scare Generation X encountered.
Walnuts and prostate cancer
Study subjects: Mice
Location of study: U.S.
Results: A joint study by researchers at the University of California — Davis and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California found that after feeding mice a human size portion of walnuts (three ounces) per day, prostate tumors shrank approximately 50 percent and grew 30 percent slower than prostate tumors in control mice.
Significance: Walnuts are known as being heart-healthy. This new study — and previous research showing that walnuts slow the development and growth of breast cancer tumors in mice — further elevate their healthy status.
‘Office Space’ not far from the truth
Study subjects: 2,000 workers
Location of study: U.K./Finland
Results: A study of middle-aged government workers found that people who work long hours are at a greater risk of depression. The report cites people who regularly work more than 11 hours per day as being high-risk cases.
Significance: The researchers said that having a fulfilling job or good relationships with co-workers could ward off work-related depression.
