When it comes to melanoma, an early diagnosis often means the difference between life and death. Researchers at Stanford University have now developed a computer program that can detect skin cancer with as much accuracy as a dermatologist. Their goal was to increase access to important skin cancer screening.

The researchers used deep learning and visual processing to develop the program, which references about 130,000 images of skin lesions. First, they created a comprehensive database of images using the internet and information from Stanford’s medical school. Then, they selected specific high-quality images representing about 2,000 skin conditions. Finally, the researchers developed the algorithm and tested the program using a scientific curve that differentiates benign lesions from those that are cancerous.

Testing showed that the program’s success matched the performance of the 21 dermatologists who participated in the study. In the future, researchers hope to develop a smartphone app using the algorithm, making it accessible to more people.

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Sourced from: FOX News

In spite of all the warnings about health risks associated with a diet high in sugar—type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and more—Americans are still drinking too much soda. According to recent reports, about two-thirds of children and teens and half of adults reported drinking at least one sugar-sweetened beverage a day from 2011 to 2014.

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend restricting added sugars to no more than ten percent of total calories per day, and eliminating sugary drinks from the diet. These new reports suggest the amount of added sugar consumed in drinks alone comes close to the recommended limit.

According to researchers, sugary drink intake increases with age in children—teens drink the most—but decreases with age in adults. Adults between the ages of 20 and 39 have the highest intake of sugary drinks.

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Sourced from: Live Science

Body shaming—most commonly fat shaming—is an increasingly harmful form of prejudice. Body shaming often takes place online, as cyber bullying, and also occurs in schools, work places, and public areas. It can affect anyone, from everyday people to celebrities.

According to a new study, the painful, psychological effects of body shaming—being stereotyped as lazy, unattractive, incompetent, or to blame for body size—can increase stress and the risk for medical problems such as heart disease and metabolic diseases like diabetes. The study showed that people who feel ashamed of their size are less likely to pursue a healthy lifestyle.

The recent study confirmed earlier research demonstrating that body shaming and weight bias has a negative effect on both mental and physical health. It’s important for health care providers, the media, and the public to know that blaming and shaming people with obesity is not an effective way to promote weight loss, and, in fact, the opposite is true.

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Sourced from: ScienceDaily