Episdoe 5: Science News

High risk of STIs before women hit 21

Women are diagnosed with more sexually transmitted infections by age 21 than between ages 21 and 32, says a study from the University of Otago published the international journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases yesterday. Men, on the other hand had higher rates of diagnoses between 21 to 26. Plus, for 21 year olds diagnoses for women were nearly three times higher than for men.
Behavioural risks for sexually transmitted infections were also investigated. By the time they were 21, about eight out of 10 of both women and men had had more than one sexual partner. Condom s were reportedly used 'always' or 'usually' by more than half of women and men up to age 21 and by about 20 to 40 per cent in the later age periods.
Unsurprisingly, there was a strong correlation between having more sexual partners and sexually transmitted infections.

When frogs don’t croak

A study from Victoria University has found some mighty old frogs in Maud Island. According to the study two males are reaching at least 35 and 37 years, and a female is at least 34 years old. And they still haven’t croaked.
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/about/newspubs/news/ViewNews.aspx?id=2607&newslabel=

These aren’t vegemite kids.

The national MBF Healthwatchsurvey found that 22% of parents interviewed said their children skip breakfast on three to five school days of each week, and a further 20% skip breakfast on one or two school days. The remaining 58% of parents said their school aged children always ate breakfast before school. In the past, research has shown that skipping breakfast leads to reduced learning, attention and poor choices in food for the rest of the day. Children who skip breakfast are also more likely to be overweight. Asked why their children missed out on breakfast before school, just over half (51.6%) of parents said there was no time because of the pressures of being late for school or work or because of sleeping in.

http://researchaustralia.org/content/documents/Media%20Release_24%20Mar%2009_MBF_School%20kids%20wag%20breakfast.pdf