Health News

Around 120 cot deaths could be avoided if parents stopped sharing beds with their children, research has found.

Currently, NHS officials advise that parents should not bed share if they have been drinking alcohol, taking drugs or if they smoke.

But a new study has found that the guidance should be expanded to dissuade all bed sharing, especially with babies under three months.

The study suggested that 120 deaths a year could be prevented, a reduction of 40%, if parents only brought children into their beds for comfort and feeding, but not sleeping.

Watch: Smoking causes 40 cot deaths a year

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• Cot death

The chance of developing obesity as an adult could be determined in the womb, a report has found.

The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) said that women need to know that their weight and health, during pregnancy and before they conceive, plays a key part in securing a healthy long-term future for their children.

The impact of a mother's health and eating habits on her baby, even before conception, has been studied by a task force which said obesity could be the cause of a biological cycle of maternal obesity which leads to health issues for children in later life.

Taskforce chairman Professor Tom Sanders said: "Evidence suggests that poor foetal growth, especially followed by accelerated growth in infancy, may be associated with long-term adverse consequences for health.

"Poor foetal growth may also affect kidney development, making offspring more sensitive to the blood pressure raising effect of salt and, therefore, increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease."

Read: Doctors call for soft drink tax to tackle obesity

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• Obesity

ITV News has learned the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is to unveil major reforms of the out-of-hours care and the return to the days of the family doctor. But already tonight there's criticism that another round of reforms won't solve funding problems in the health service:

Medical Editor Lawrence McGinty reports:

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• Jeremy Hunt

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is expected to announce on Thursday a major shake-up of GP care, in an attempt to revive the idea of the "family GP". The key proposals include:

• Patients should have a named individual - usually a GP - responsible for care 24/7
• Red tape hindering GPs will be reduced
• There will be a new Chief Inspector of General Practice to ensure focus on patient care

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• NHS
• Jeremy Hunt

Family GPs are to be made "responsible" for out-of-hours care in a shake-up of the NHS, ITV News can reveal.

Leaked accounts of Jeremy Hunt's keynote speech - planned for Thursday - show the Health Secretary wants to return to the days of the 'family doctor' with each patient having one GP in charge of their care.

In the speech, it is believed Hunt will outline major reforms to GP practice and especially to out of hours care - to put right faults he thinks have led to the current crisis in emergency department. GPs will not necessarily have to deliver the care but will be made accountable

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• Jeremy Hunt

Doctors believe a drug used to treat diabetes could significantly help people suffering from Parkinson's Disease.

Tests on the drug are still in their very early stages, but initial results suggest it might combat aspects of the physical degeneration caused by the disease.

ITV News reporter Ben Chapman reports:

Read: Diabetes drug moves Parkinson's treatment a step closer

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• Parkinson's Disease
• Diabetes

Parkinson's UK have said it is "too soon to know effects" the common diabetes drug Exenatide will have on the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

This new research is a huge step forward in the on-going fight to find a drug which can slow down, or even halt, the progression of Parkinson's.

Despite these encouraging results, it is simply too soon to tell whether this drug is a blind alley or a breakthrough for people with Parkinson's.

The research was conducted in a very small number of people and, crucially, without a placebo group – making it difficult to draw too many firm conclusions at this stage.

We look forward to seeing the results of a much larger trial to fully examine the usefulness of exenatide for people with Parkinson's.

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• Parkinson's Disease
• Diabetes

A diabetes drug called Exenatide could be beneficial for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, new research has found.

This new study is perhaps more noteworthy for the approach it has taken with respect to the clinical trial design.

All of this was done in a modest number of patients and the results compared with a matched control arm that received best medical therapy.

Using this approach they found a signal of effect that suggested that the drug may well be slowing down the disease process.

All of which is good news not only for patients with PD but for us all, as we seek to explore how drugs already out there could be repositioned.

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• Parkinson's Disease
• Diabetes

• Although research is ongoing, to date there is no known cure or way to prevent Parkinson's disease.
• Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative neurological disorder marked by a progressive loss of motor control.

• The recent study investigated the use of a drug approved for diabetes care, Exenatide, in PD patients.
• Patients were divided into two groups: 20 patients received Exenatide injections for 12 months, while the other group of 24 patients served as controls.

• After one year of treatment patients receiving Exenatide displayed improved cognitive ability and motor skills, while control patients declined.
• The study suggests that Exenatide may improved motor function in patients and provides a strong rationale for conducting a larger study.

The study was carried out by the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

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• Parkinson's Disease
• Diabetes