Promote alternative medicines to spread healthcare services: Experts

Healthcare experts today called for promoting complimentary and alternative medicines which they said can open new vistas in science and cater to a large segment of population by focusing on good nutrition and preventive practices.

However, jurisdictions where alternative practices are sufficiently widespread should be licensed and regulated, they said at a conference organised by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

Alternative medicines are frequently grouped with complimentary or integrative medicines which refer to the same interventions when used in conjunction with mainstream techniques. More focus is required on validation of their process technologies and scientific evaluation, said Dr H.K. Chopra, co-chairman of ASSOCHAM Hospitals and Healthcare Committee.

“Research and development programmes in newly-emerging and challenging areas of science in Ayurveda need to be encouraged so that they can be marketed worldwide,” he said. A recent systematic review of studies in 13 countries concludes that about 31 per cent of cancer patients use some form of complimentary and alternative medicines.

Dr J.D. Sarangi, special secretary at the Delhi government’s department of health and family welfare, said the growing interest in alternative medicines is a positive symbol for the medical community which has started moving from a narrow approach to more holistic remedies.
However, the scientific community has to debate that in the era of evidence-based medicine, should official endorsement be given to remedies that cannot be scientifically proven.

Among those present during the inaugural session were Dr C.K. Katiyar, vice-president and head of ayurveda department at Dabur, Dr R.K. Khandal, director at Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, Dr Shikha Sharma, managing director of Nutri-Health Systems, Dr Lalit Verma, secretary at the Central Council of Homeopathy, and Arun Kumar, deputy secretary general of ASSOCHAM.

India invests only one per cent of GDP in primary healthcare centres. The country has an average of 0.6 doctors per 1,000 people against the global average of 1.23. The country’s healthcare sector currently estimated at Rs 3.75 lakh crore is likely to double in volume over the next five years.

Now, girls attain puberty at 10 years!

Now, girls are reaching puberty, two years earlier. The age of attaining sexual maturity among a girl, when she changes physically, hormonally and sexually has dipped, especially in urban India, to 10 years from 12-13 earlier, not just in India but globally, according to a Times of India report. 

A study published in the Lancet on Wednesday says the age of 18 years clearly no longer signifies adulthood.

According to it, the earlier onset of puberty has increased the window of risk associated with adolescence. It said previous generations of parents viewed the physical changes of puberty as being of greatest significance with raging hormones being blamed for much of adolescent bad behaviour.

Professor Susan Sawyer and George Patton (Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne and University of Melbourne) say, "Puberty is increasingly recognized as a significant physiological event that catapults adolescents into higher risk for a range of health-related behaviours like mental disorders and substance use," said the study.

Dr Rajiv Chhabra, chief of pediatrics at the Artemis Health Institute, agrees with the findings. He said the phenomenon is leaving girls with well-developed bodies, which they're not emotionally equipped to handle. "Premature puberty is becoming common among girls in India. Lifestyle and dietary changes could be fuelling this trend. Vegetables and eggs containing hormones like oxytocin can hasten puberty. Earlier, we would tell parents to teach a girl the concept of menstrual cycle when she turns 13. Now, we ask parents to talk about it to their 10-year-old daughters," said Dr Chhabra.

Promote alternative medicines to spread healthcare services: experts

Healthcare experts today called for promoting complimentary and alternative medicines which they said can open new vistas in science and cater to a large segment of population by focusing on good nutrition and preventive practices.

However, jurisdictions where alternative practices are sufficiently widespread should be licensed and regulated, they said at a conference organised by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

Alternative medicines are frequently grouped with complimentary or integrative medicines which refer to the same interventions when used in conjunction with mainstream techniques. More focus is required on validation of their process technologies and scientific evaluation, said Dr H.K. Chopra, co-chairman of ASSOCHAM Hospitals and Healthcare Committee.

“Research and development programmes in newly-emerging and challenging areas of science in Ayurveda need to be encouraged so that they can be marketed worldwide,” he said. A recent systematic review of studies in 13 countries concludes that about 31 per cent of cancer patients use some form of complimentary and alternative medicines.

Dr J.D. Sarangi, special secretary at the Delhi government’s department of health and family welfare, said the growing interest in alternative medicines is a positive symbol for the medical community which has started moving from a narrow approach to more holistic remedies.
However, the scientific community has to debate that in the era of evidence-based medicine, should official endorsement be given to remedies that cannot be scientifically proven.

Among those present during the inaugural session were Dr C.K. Katiyar, vice-president and head of ayurveda department at Dabur, Dr R.K. Khandal, director at Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, Dr Shikha Sharma, managing director of Nutri-Health Systems, Dr Lalit Verma, secretary at the Central Council of Homeopathy, and Arun Kumar, deputy secretary general of ASSOCHAM.

India invests only one per cent of GDP in primary healthcare centres. The country has an average of 0.6 doctors per 1,000 people against the global average of 1.23. The country’s healthcare sector currently estimated at Rs 3.75 lakh crore is likely to double in volume over the next five years.
 

US-based Indian creates first artificial kidney

New Delhi: US-based Indian origin researcher Shuvo Roy has created the world’s first implantable artificial kidney. What’s sensational about Roy’s creation is that the organ, no larger than a coffee cup, will be able to mimic the kidney’s most vital functions like filtering toxins out of the bloodstream, regulate blood pressure and produce the all important vitamin D. The artificial kidney has been tested successfully on a small number of animals. Large-scale trials on animals and humans are expected over the next five years.

Once available, and if affordable, this creation by the Roy-led team at University of California will do away with the need for kidney dialysis. This will be a boon for all patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). At present in India, of the 1.5 lakh new patients who suffer from endstage renal failure annually, only 3,500 get kidney transplants and 6,000-10,000 undergo dialysis. The rest perish due to an acute shortage of dialysis centres and nephrologists to man them. CKD is rising at a rapid pace in India and the majority of those who perish are either unable to find a suitable organ for transplantation or are unable to pay for the high dialysis costs.

According to Roy, the device has a filtration section to remove toxins from the blood, alongside a compartment with renal cells to conduct other functions of a kidney. He believes the artificial kidney could last for decades and require no pumps or batteries. Patients wouldn’t require anti-rejection drugs (as is required after transplants) either because there would be no exposed natural tissues for the immune system to attack. The University of California team is awaiting approval to conduct larger scale animal and human trials. Already, it has successfully tested the implant in a few rats and pigs. “The payoff to the patient community is tremendous,” said Roy.

“It could have a transformative impact on their lives...With the right financial support, I think we could reach clinical trials in five years. But it’s hard to say how long after that it becomes commercially available due to the uncertainties of the FDA and commercialization prospects.’’

THE ULTIMATE RELIEVER?
The artificial, implantable kidney developed by Dr Shuvo Roy is the size of a coffee cup and is ready for test on humans. If successful, it could replace the need for dialysis and transplants for lakhs of people suffering from chronic kidney diseases

The patient’s blood passes through two stages after entering the device
1- Filter Side: Silicon membranes filter the blood and remove toxins
2 - Cellular Side: A bed of kidney cells (grown with help of tissue engineering) regulates chemical balance of the blood

SHUVO ROY
Roy’s father is from India while his mother is a Bangladeshi. Born in Bangladesh, young Roy spent some time in India as well. Studied in Uganda, where his father was a doctor. Went to US for higher studies

KIDNEY DISEASE IN INDIA
Every year, 1.5 lakh new patients end up suffering from end-stage renal failure. Only 3,500 get transplants and 6,000 undergo dialysis. The rest die due to shortage of dialysis centres and nephrologists Patient undergoing dialysis  spends 10,000 a month, with the  process taking up to 72 hours ‘

Artificial kidney will be boon for India’
So what would this artificial kidney mean for India? ‘‘It will be a real boon,’’ said Dr S C Tiwari, director of nephrology and renal transplantion medicine at Fortis health care. He added: ‘‘The biggest problem with CKD patients in India is that majority of them are diagnosed in the final stages where they would either require constant dialysis or a transplant. They would require dialysis three times week. However, of the two lakh CKD patients requiring dialysis, only 10,000 get it, mainly because they can’t afford it. Maybe only 1,000 such patients get it for free or at a subsidized rate in government hospitals. The artificial kidney, when available and if affordable, will be a miracle.’’ Dr Madan Bahadur, nephrologist with Mumbai’s Jaslok Hospital added, ‘‘Work on creating tubular cells (that perform the biochemical work of the kidney) began a decade back. But bio-chemical engineering has so far not managed to replicate the kidney.’’ According to Dr Jitendra Kumar, head of nephrology at Asian Institute of Medical Sciences, the main reason why this artificial kidney will be a real breakthrough is because it will be able to mimic the vital functions of a kidney like regulate BP and produce vitamin D — things a dialysis can’t do.

Kidney disease rising in India: Doctors

New Delhi: Lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, smoking and drinking are some of the reasons that are resulting in an increased number of chronic kidney diseases - especially among women - in both rural and urban India.

With World Kidney Day celebrated March 8, doctors opined that immediate measures should be taken to the curb the rising numbers.

"Diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high uric acid are on the rise and kidney disease is very common in these metabolic conditions," said Jitender Kumar, Senior nephrologist and department Head, Nephrology, Asian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), IANS report said.

Talking about the rise of kidney disease in women, Kumar said that the lifestyle among women is changing and an increasing number of metabolic disorders are affecting them-- not only in the higher strata but lower too.

"Consuming junk food and smoking is common among females today. Even in lower strata of society, smoking "beedis" and "hookahs" is rampant," said Kumar.

"Last year alone, we observed out of 1,200 deliveries, many women had high sugar, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and hypertension. Out of 11,000 dialysis done last year, around 40 percent were women patients."

Talking about preventive measures Sanjeev Saxena, Nephrologist, PSRI Hospital, said that there was low awareness in India about the disease and its preventive measures.

"In most cases, the disease is only identified at an advanced stage or end stage. It's important that people are aware and realize the importance of timely intervention," he said.

According to doctors, in India, estimates indicate that anywhere between 200,000 and 400,000 people develop end stage kidney disease (kidney failure) each year.

Agreed, Sunil Prakash, Nephrologist, BLK Superspeciality hospital: "Given the difficult circumstances, it's best to promote simple screenings such as urine and blood tests as well as ultrasound, particularly for patients with diabetes and hypertension."

"Timely diagnosis and treatment can most certainly delay and even prevent kidney failure, totally avoiding the need for troublesome dialysis," he added.

More and more Indians should donate their kidneys, expressed the doctors further.

A healthy teen is never an ager

Teenagers who turn their backs on a healthy lifestyle and turn to drink, cigarettes and junk food are significantly unhappier than their healthier peers. New research also shows that 12-13 is a catalyst age when young people turn away from the healthy habits of their younger years and start to get involved in risky behaviours.

The research, which used information from Understanding Society, a long-term study of 40,000 UK households funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), looked at the responses of 5,000 young people between the ages of 10-15 to questions about their health-related behaviours and levels of happiness. The results show that:

• Young people who never drank any alcohol were between four and six times more likely to have higher levels of happiness than those who reported any alcohol consumption.
  
  
• Youth who smoked were about five times less likely to have high happiness scores compared to those who never smoked.
  
  
• Higher consumption of fruit and vegetables and lower consumption of crisps, sweets and fizzy drinks were both associated with high happiness.
  
  
• The more hours of sport youth participated in per week the happier they were.
  

Researchers at the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex believe the data showed that unhealthy behaviours such as smoking, drinking alcohol and taking no exercise are closely linked to substantially lower happiness scores among teenagers, even when socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, family income and parent's education are taken into account.

Twelve per cent of 13-15 year olds reported that they smoked compared with two per cent of 10-12 year olds.  The figures for alcohol consumption were even more striking with eight per cent of 10-12 year olds reporting having had an alcoholic drink in the last month rising to 41 per cent amongst 13-15 year olds.

The research also showed that between the ages of 13 and 15, when young people are given more autonomy over their lifestyle choices, their food consumption becomes less healthy and their participation in exercise reduces.

Only 11 per cent of those aged 13-15 years reported consumption of 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables per day and even amongst the 10-12 year olds less than a fifth reported eating fruit and vegetables 5 or more times per day.

Dr Cara Booker, one of the co-authors of the research said: "What this research shows us is that young people across the social spectrum are failing to eat healthy balanced diets and are starting to consume alcohol at a young age.

This is storing up problems for later life, because we know that there are clear long-term links between health-related behaviours and well-being in adulthood.  Helping young people to reduce damaging health choices as they start making independent decisions are important in order to reduce the number of adults at risk from chronic disease because of their low well-being and poor health-related behaviours."

Scientists unfold reasons for weak memory and brain aging

Diet lacking in omega-3 fatty acids -- nutrients found in fish -- may weaken memory and also accelerate brain ageing, according to a new study.

"People with lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids had lower brain volumes that were equivalent to about two years of structural brain ageing," said study author Zaldy S. Tan, geriatrics researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Some 1,575 people with an average age of 67-years and free of dementia, underwent MRI brain scans. They were also given tests to measure mental function, body mass and the omega-3 fatty acid levels in their red blood cells, the journal Neurology reports. 

Researchers found that people whose docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acids compound) levels were among the bottom 25 percent of the participants had lower brain volume compared to people who had higher DHA levels, according to a statement. 

Similarly, participants with levels of all omega-3 fatty acids in the bottom 25 percent also scored lower on tests of visual memory and executive function, such as problem solving and multi-tasking and abstract thinking.

Mild dehydration could turn you cranky

Washington, Feb 19: Thirst makes us reach out for water, but even mild dehydration can leave us cranky, confused and fatigued.

Tests by a University of Connecticut (UConn) lab showed that it didn't matter if a person had just walked for 40 minutes or was sitting at rest - the adverse effects from mild dehydration were the same.

Mild dehydration is defined as an approximately 1.5 percent loss in normal water volume in the body, the British Journal of Nutrition reports.

The test results affirm the importance of staying properly hydrated at all times and not just during exercise, extreme heat or exertion, says Lawrence E. Armstrong, study co-author and professor of physiology at UConn's Neag School of Education.

"Our thirst sensation doesn't really appear until we are one (percent) or two percent dehydrated. By then, dehydration is already setting in and starting to impact how our mind and body perform," says Armstrong, an international expert on hydration, according to a UConn statement.

"Dehydration affects all people, and staying properly hydrated is just as important for those who work all day at a computer as it is for marathon runners, who can lose up to eight percent of their body weight as water when they compete," concludes Armstrong.

Vitamin C helps brain tumour therapy

Sydney:  Feeding brain cancer cells with vitamin C softens them up for radiation therapy and hastens their death.

Patries Herst from the University of Otago, with Melanie McConnell investigated how combining high dose vitamin C with radiation affected the survival of cancer cells isolated from brain tumours, and compared this with the survival of normal cells.

They found that a high dose of vitamin C by itself caused DNA damage and cell death which was much more pronounced, especially before radiation, the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine reports.

Herst says brain cancer patients have a poor prognosis because these tumours are aggressive and very resistant to radiation therapy.

"We found that high dose vitamin C makes it easier to kill these cells by radiation therapy," says Herst, according to an Otago statement.

She says there has long been a debate about the use of high dose vitamin C in the treatment of cancer. High dose vitamin C specifically kills a range of cancer cells in the lab and in animal models.

"If carefully designed clinical trials show that combining high dose vitamin C with radiation therapy improves patient survival, there may be merit in combining both treatments for radiation-resistant cancers, such as glioblastoma multiforme," says Herst.

IVF babies from frozen embryos healthier

London: IVF babies born from frozen embryos are heavier and healthier than those born from fresh embryos, a study has shown.

The study involved measuring the weight and length of gestation for 384 babies born after fresh embryo transfer and 108 born after frozen embryo transfer.

All the babies were single births, with no twin or triplet pregnancies included in the study. The proportion of low birth weight babies (less than 2.5 kg) was lower for babies from frozen embryos at 3.7 percent, as compared to 10.7 percent for babies from fresh embryos.

Frozen embryo babies typically had a longer gestation period (0.65 weeks longer) than those born from fresh embryos, the research also found, the Daily Mail reports.

Lead researcher, Suzanne Cawood, deputy head of embryology at the Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health, London, said: "For all assisted reproduction technologies, it is important that we ensure the procedures promote optimal health in the resulting children throughout their lives."

"Our study suggests that babies born from frozen embryos have a significantly longer gestation period and are significantly heavier at birth compared to babies from fresh embryos," said Cawood.

"This is important because prematurity and low birth weight are both risk factors for poorer health later in life and are linked to higher rates of behavioural and learning difficulties. This means that resulting babies may potentially be healthier if frozen embryos are transferred rather than fresh embryos," said Cawood.

In 2008, Danish scientists also found that babies born after frozen embryo transfer had higher birth weights than those born from fresh embryos. They suggested only top quality embryos survive the freezing and thawing process.

These findings were presented at the British Fertility Society Annual Meeting, Leeds.

Diabetic likely to deliver babies with defects

Diabetic women who become pregnant are four times more likely than other women to deliver babies with birth defects, which include heart disease and spina bifida, a study reveals.

Spina bifida is a defect in which the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth. A newborn may have a sac sticking out of the mid to lower back.

These findings suggest that higher blood sugar levels in the mother raise the risk. This compares with a risk of one in 50 for women without diabetes, the journal Diabetologia reported.

The study, led by researchers at Newcastle University and the Regional Maternity Survey Office, is based on 401,149 pregnancies, including 1,677 pregnancies in women with diabetes, between 1996 and 2008 in England, according to the Daily Mail.

Researcher Ruth Bell said: "The good news is that, with expert help before and during pregnancy, most women with diabetes will have a healthy baby. The risk of problems can be reduced by taking extra care to have the best possible glucose control before becoming pregnant."

"Any reduction in high glucose levels is likely to improve the chances of a healthy baby," said Bell.

Previous research shows having diabetes increases the chance of birth defects, but this is one of the first studies to quantify the effect of glucose levels on risk.

Asthmatic women risk unborn child's health

Many pregnant asthmatic women, who may be remiss in using the right medication, may end up risking the health of their unborn child, a study reveals.

If asthma is not correctly managed during pregnancy it can result in premature births, low birth weights and even stillbirths, said postdoctoral researcher Annette Osei-Kumah from University of Adelaide.

Asthma is often worse during pregnancy due to different factors released from the placenta which cause inflammation in the mother's lung, said Osei-Kumah.

Previous studies reveal that during pregnancy, one-third of women report their asthma is worse, one-third maintain their asthma remains the same and another third report an improvement, said a university statement.

However, most women underestimate the effect of asthma during their pregnancy, said Osei-Kumah.

"Most women who said their asthma didn't change actually recorded poorer lung function when tested, and 55 percent experienced at least one asthma attack during pregnancy," she said.

There are sex-specific effects as well. Uncontrolled asthma invariably leads to low birth weights in female babies. Male babies, on the other hand, continue to grow normally but if a mother has an asthma attack during pregnancy they are less likely to survive.

Most women who are asthmatic stop using their medications during pregnancy due to fear of side-effects, but their concerns are unfounded, added Osei-Kumah.

Taking Care of Young Teeth

Healthy teeth and a healthy mouth give children more than just a beautiful smile. A healthy mouth supports overall health, and it can help children perform better in school. But far too many children have preventable oral health problems far too young. 

Tooth decay affects more than 25 percent of American children 2 to 5 years old, and half of children 12 to 15 years old -- that's more than any other chronic infectious disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Left untreated, tooth decay causes pain and infection, which can lead to problems in eating, speaking, playing, and even learning. 

There is plenty that parents and caregivers can do to help prevent tooth decay and other oral diseases.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) says that children should have their first visit to a pediatric dentist no later than their first birthday. The first tooth usually comes in between 6 and 12 months of age -- schedule an appointment and get started on good oral health care from the beginning. The AAPD says that, in one study, children that saw a dentist before their first birthday had dental costs that were 40 percent lower in the first five years than costs for children who had not seen a dentist by their first birthday. 

Establish Good Habits - Kids need help establishing good dental care habits. Make sure they brush twice a day, floss every day, follow a healthy diet and visit the dentist every six months for checkups and cleanings.

   

• Using a soft-bristled brush, kids should brush for at least two minutes. Some power toothbrushes have a built-in timer. Before teeth appear, clean baby's gums twice a day with a soft cloth or baby toothbrush and water.

•  Parents should floss young children's teeth once a day, until they can do a good job themselves, at least until age 7 or 8.

• Make sure they eat foods with vitamin C, which helps gum tissue stay

          healthy and calcium, for strong teeth.

       

   

Be Alert - Watch for signs of oral health problems. Talk to your dentist if you see warning signs such as:

   

• Changes in performance at school -- listening, concentrating and

           learning.

• n  Sucking on cheeks or lips.

• Reluctance to smile

• Problems chewing foods.

• Problems sleeping.

• Aching teeth or gums.

Now, kill the weeds without pesticides

London: Good news for gardeners and environmentalists alike. Scientists have unveiled a gadget that could kill weeds in a jiffy without requiring noxious pesticides.

But the darker side is it require a 2,500-volt charge. The concentrated energy penetrates weed's vascular systems, boiling the water in the plant cells and breaking down the cell walls.

Weeds wilt immediately in a cloud of steam like overcooked vegetables, then dry out and within days disintegrate into the soil.

The device can annihilate garden invaders such as nettles, bindweed and dandelions, and even obliterate the dreaded Japanese knot-weed. But if used on a human, the current would stop the heart by raising the body temperature to 284F (140C), the Daily Mail reports.

Electrical engineer Mike Diprose, who invented the zapper, believes it will revolutionise gardening and curb the use of potentially dangerous chemical sprays.

'It could clear overgrown plots in hours and tackle weeds more than six feet high,' says Diprose, 64. He has been testing it at his house in Calver, Derbyshire, with a warning: Danger of Death: High Voltage.

The zapper is a square blue box, similar in size to a vacuum cleaner mounted on a trolley. Leading from the box is a cable attached to a long plastic probe with a handle and a 3in metal spike on the end.

However, the apparatus is so dangerous that use by amateur gardeners has been ruled out. Instead, he proposes a scheme to license and train operators who could be called out by householders to exterminate weeds. "It would be lethal in the wrong hands, like a shotgun," said Diprose.

Salt-resistant rice to hit the market soon

London: If the efforts put in by the agricultural scientists in Japan bear fruits, farmers across the globe can sow rice on the less futile and salty fields. Efforts are on to develop salt-resistant rice variety after a huge tsunami last year hit paddy fields in Japan leaving behind a salty sludge.

Farmlands that accumulate salt have lower crop yields, which can threaten food supply, as rice happens to be the staple of billions of people worldwide.

'The beauty of the new method (called MutMap) is its simplicity,' said Sophien Kamoun, professor and head of the Sainsbury Lab on Norwich Reserch Park, who co-authored the study which was reported in the journal Nature Biotechnology.

'By working with cultivars favoured by farmers and already adapted to local conditions, the MutMap method will enable plant scientists and breeders to develop new crop varieties in nearer a year rather than five to 10 years,' added Kamoun.

The new method can also improve rice productivity worldwide. Even otherwise, much of the crop is often grown on land that is prone to high levels of salinity.

The new technique also takes advantage of the speed at which sequencing can now be done to screen plant mutants for valuable traits, according to a Norwich and Iwate Research Centre statement.

'Until now, plant breeding has not been able to take advantage of the genomics revolution,' said Ryohei Terauchi, professor at Iwate Biotechnology Research Centre, Japan, who led the study.

'MutMap overcomes one of the greatest limitations, which has been the time it takes to identify genetic markers for desirable traits,' Terauchi added. 

Tablet computers cause postural problems

London: The use of tablet computers such as the Apple iPad cause postural problems, which can be improved by placing them higher to avoid low gaze angles.

'Compared to typical desktop computing scenarios, the use of media tablet computers may be more of a concern for the development of neck and shoulder discomfort,' said lead investigator Jack T. Dennerlein, from Harvard School of Public Health, and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

A group of experienced tablet users completed a set of simulated tasks with two media tablets, an Apple iPad2 and a Motorola Xoom. Each tablet had a proprietary case that could be adjusted to prop up or tilt the tablet computer, reports the 'Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation'.

During the experiment, users completed simple computer tasks such as Internet browsing and reading, game playing, email reading and responding, and movie watching.

Head and neck postures and gaze angle and distance were measured using an infrared three-dimensional motion analysis system, according to Harvard statement.

The findings suggest that tablet users should place the tablet higher, on a table rather than the lap, to avoid low gaze angles, and use a case that provides steeper viewing angles.

'Our results will be useful for updating ergonomic computing standards and guidelines for tablet computers,' said Dennerlein.

Source: http://newshopper.sulekha.com/tablet-computers-cause-postural-problems_news_1395634.htm