Sunny Health

It's not hard to find horror stories about mobile appliances and cancer. On the other hand, numerous studies have sprung up to debunk these theories. So what should you believe? Is it time you ditch the Iphones and Blackberrys? Let's find out.

What's the link between mobile devices and cancer you might ask? Reports of a link between the two have periodically surfaced ever since cell phones became common appendages to people’s heads in the 1990s. There has been no concrete evidence as The National Cancer Institute in the US and Time Magazine (May 17) seem to think so. No big deal right? Not quite. It seems a growing number of independent researchers beg to differ.

Let's start with what the people who support the fact that the prolonged usage of mobile devices is one of the factors for brain cancer are saying.

1. Statistical evidence from research and studies show that there will be an increase in the number of brain tumours over a period of 30 years.

2. People who started using mobile/ cordless phones as teens have a 420% higher risk of getting brain cancer.

3. Use of cell phones inside buildings or in cars increases cancer risk, as it increases the radiation a phone must emit to function.

4. People are advised against carrying cell phones against the body, even in pockets.

5. It is ill advised to sleep with mobile phones placed under pillows. (Uh, I'm guilty of that.)

6. Use of text messaging and non-wireless headsets can reduce cancer risk.

* all data was extracted from the findings of the International Electromagnetic Field Collaborative

In fact if these same folks had it their way, they want parents to ensure that children below the age of 18 not be allowed to use mobile phones except in emergencies. It's happening right now in France actually where children in elementary schools can only use their phones for texting.

But it wouldn't be a fair article if we didn't take a look at what the detractors say right? So here we go.

1. Cancer generally requires mutation, i.e., DNA damage, and cell phone signals, radio waves, WiFi - none of these have enough energy to break the chemical bonds that hold your DNA together.

2. Experts believe that there was too much inconclusive data to link mobile phones and brain cancer. The observation period has been too short to because 20 years ago mobile phones did not possess the popularity they currently have.

3. Electromagnetic energy from cell phones and radio towers are categorized as non-ionizing radiation and are generally thought to be harmless.

4. Basically the microwave radiation waves used for mobile phones are already in the air anyway. If mobile phones caused cancer, we'd all be in trouble - not just mobile phone owners.

In my opinion sure. Mobile phones CAN kill - the biggest proven health risk of cell phones is traffic accidents caused when talking on the phone while on the road.

Maybe tomorrow things will change, and we'll find that cell phones are harmful. But till that day comes I'll be holding on to my Iphone for a little while longer.

In a recently conducted survey by the Heath Promotion Board (HPB), it was discovered that one out of ten Singaporeans were overweight.

*Horror*

Granted, we’re still a long way off the obesity rates of countries like the US and UK (in the US, one in three people were obese). But don’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet. It seems that Singapore’s rate of obesity among its population – a 0.65 per cent increase from the year 2004 – is similar to these countries. What this means is that if nothing is done to curb this trend soon, we’ll end up having to shop for clothes a few sizes larger than usual in the not too distant future.

So what does this boil down to? Simple. Singaporeans are not getting enough exercise and they’re not eating healthily. What’s even more worrying is that all of this is happening in spite the efforts of the HPB in promoting awareness, healthy living programmes with emphasis on exercise and a healthy diet.

Remember, taking small steps is often better that asking to drastically change entire lifestyles overnight. Let us not kid ourselves with instant fixes. The changes we seek can only come about with diligence over time. So immerse yourself in supportive environments, skip the finger food, be an informed customer when it comes to nutritional values of food. The list goes on. With every small success, won’t you feel motivated to do much more? I know I am.

We’re losing the battle of the bulge but we can still win the war.