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Genes in the mother and the foetus play a role in the risk of preterm labour,suggest researchers from National Institutes of Health,US. The researchers found that there were some DNA variants in the foetus that were associated with the occurrence of premature labour and delivery,and there were some genes in the mother that also increased the risk of premature labour and delivery. In the foetus,the strongest gene influence was the interleukin 6 receptor,which is involved in the bodys response to inflammation. In the mother,the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 gene affects the structures in the cervix and uterus that get broken down at the start of labour. When there is an infection,the combination of these two genetic profiles raises the risk of preterm labour.

ZERO TO 20

Starting spoonfeeding later may trim obesity risk of baby

Waiting longer to start infants on solid food could make for slimmer adults,suggest researchers from University of Copenhagen. According to the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,the later you introduce complementary feeding to an infant,within the range of 2 to 6 months,the smaller is the risk that the infant will be overweight as adult. The World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommend that babies be breastfed exclusively until six months of age and advice against introducing solid foods until then. The researchers found that at age one,babies who were breastfed for longer had lower body mass indexes.

20 TO 50

Can fish oil help guard against schizophrenia?

Taking fish oil may help prevent full-blown psychotic illness in at-risk adolescents and young adults,suggests a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Researchers from the University of Melbourne,Australia,found that 5 per cent of the study participants taking omega-3s had developed a psychotic disorder 2 of 41 people,compared to 28 per cent of those on placebo 11 of 40. People taking fish oil also showed significant reductions in their psychotic symptoms and improvements in function,while they were at no greater risk of adverse effects than people taking placebo capsules.

50 AND ABOVE

Overweight at 70? You may live longer

A few extra pounds might help you live longer if you are past your prime but otherwise healthy,suggests a study published in the Journal of The American Geriatrics Society. Researchers found that overweight elderly were 13 per cent less likely to die during a 10-year period than those who kept their weight within the recommended range. While no one is questioning that extra fat poses health risks in young and middle-aged adults,it may cushion the impact of frailty and old age. They found that women who had an active life and didnt smoke were the most likely to be alive at the end of the study.