Questões de Concurso Comentadas sobre inglês para dataprev

    A new study on physical activity that involved more than half a million participants over age 40 found that modest exercise increases life expectancy regardless of weight.

    Contrary to most of the attention given to obesity as the crucial risk factor for health, the study found that an active lifestyle increased life expectancy to a greater extent than a lower body mass index (BMI), in general. In fact, participants who were active but class 1 obese lived an average of 3.1 years longer than those who were at a normal weight but didn’t engage in physical activity. This is in-line with reports from earlier this year that excessive sitting is unhealthy and that reducing excessive sitting to less than 3 hours a day alone can improve longevity by 2.0 years.

    The article states low level of physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity would confer a 1.8-year gain in life expectancy after age 40, compared with no activity. A low level of physical activity is defined as up to 75 minutes of fast walking per week.

    A consequence of this study is that it calls into question the reliance on BMI to assess fitness. That isn’t to suggest that BMI isn’t a factor, but that what we’ve heard for years in the media that being overweight is “bad” for you while exercise is “good” is a flawed message. A better message would be: Regular exercise is essential to longevity and a lower BMI helps too — do the first and the other will likely follow.

Internet:<singularityhub.com>  (adapted).

        A new study suggests invasive medical procedures may be an overlooked route of microplastics exposure, raising concerns about potential health risks. Minute particles of plastic (called microplastics) are everywhere. They’ve been found in our water, in our food, and in the air we breathe, according to a 2021 scientific review. Just a year later, another study found microplastics in the human bloodstream. Now, in what researchers are calling a first, microplastics have been detected in the heart tissues of individuals who underwent cardiac surgery.

         According to the author of the research, the detection of microplastics in vivo is alarming, and more studies are necessary to investigate how the microparticles enter the cardiac tissues and the potential effects of microplastics on long-term prognosis after cardiac surgery. The author and his team used direct infrared imaging, and identified 20 to 500 micrometer-wide particles made from eight types of plastic. The scientists also found plastic particles in blood samples collected from participants. They added that “microplastics are highly likely to distribute in various organs throughout the body.”

        A fraction of the plastic pieces identified had a diameter too large to likely enter the body through inhalation or ingestion, according to the analysis. This indicated that the heart operation itself may permit direct access of microplastics to the bloodstream and tissues. The researchers cited previous scientific investigation showing that microplastics have been detected in the air in operating rooms and could directly enter a patient whose organs are exposed to the air during surgery.             

         Such large particles may also come from equipment and materials used in a heart operation, including surgical incision protective film, intravenous therapy bags, tubing, and syringes. The types of plastics detected might also offer evidence that microplastics could be introduced during surgery, which may raise the risk of heart disease.

Internet: <www.everydayhealth.com> (adapted).