With the full-swing of the festive season almost upon us, magazines, charities and media outlets have been trying to raise awareness of mental health, amid concerns that for some, Christmas can exacerbate depression and anxiety. Continue reading
Sahara Care Blog
Barbershop scheme aims to address stigma of male mental health
A barber shop has introduced a new scheme designed to get men talking about their mental health, with fears that many are keeping their emotions bottled up. Continue reading
Football club takes mental health by the horns
A professional football club is tackling mental health head-on as it introduces specialist wellbeing classes for its up and coming players. Continue reading
Boxing legend opens up about bipolar disorder
Iconic boxing star Frank Bruno has opened up about his experiences with bipolar disorder. Continue reading
Government push for better mental health support in schools
Mental health efforts in schools will be redoubled to reflect the growing issue of mental illness among young people, according to a new Government initiative. Continue reading
Spending more time alone can be hugely beneficial for mental health, study finds
New research claims to have discovered a link between short periods of solitude and good mental health. Continue reading
Increased risk of autism linked to obesity in mothers
A new study has discovered an increased risk of autism in children born to mothers who are overweight before they become pregnant, according to a report in the Daily Mail.
Researchers from the Virginia Commonwealth University found that obese mothers had a 36 per cent higher risk of having a child on the autistic spectrum.
The risk was 17 per cent higher in overweight women, they add.
The university says the results highlight future risk as the general population on average becomes more overweight.
In the UK, 62 per cent of adults are considered overweight, while 28.1 per cent of adults are considered clinically obese, with almost six in 10 women in the UK classed as obese or overweight.
Obesity is already known to be a major risk to personal health, but the effects it may have on unborn children are widely under-researched.
Professor Dr Bernard Fuemmeler of the Virginia Commonwealth University said: “Prenatal exposure to environmental toxins, stress and nutrition have all been linked to neurodevelopmental outcomes in children.
“Of note, the increase in prevalence of neurodevelopmental problems has also been paralleled by an increase in prevalence of obesity in society.
“This parallel, along with preclinical data linking high-fat diet and pre-pregnancy obesity to errant brain and behavioural development in offspring, have led to speculation that there may be a link between these two recent trends.
“Correspondingly, there has been growing attention to maternal weight status, either pre-pregnancy weight or excess gestational weight gain, on children’s neurodevelopmental outcomes.”
Government proposes maximum waiting time for children to receive mental health treatment
Children with mental health problems will be “guaranteed” treatment within four weeks, according to a leaked Government report. Continue reading