Body fat in legs and blood pressure, antimicrobial resistance

People with a higher percentage of body fat in the legs less often have high blood pressure, compared to those with low levels. The study found that people with high body fat levels in their lower limbs were 53% less likely to have high diastolic blood pressure, and 39 percent less likely to have high systolic blood pressure. The probability of them exceeding the recommended limits of both was 61% lower than in the second group. In the study, high blood pressure was defined as 130/80 mm Hg or above.

High blood pressure and diabetes impair brain function, causing structural changes to grey and white matter which harm memory and thinking. People suffering from those medical conditions scored lower in tests that measured their thinking speed and short-time memory.

Scientists warn of antimicrobial resistance as a growing issue and „superbugs” or drug-resistant bacteria. High rates of antibiotic prescription for treatment of humans and animals and using the same drugs for both populations, like in Fiji, increases the risk of antimicrobial resistance. In August ten people died there from leptospirosis. Antibiotic resistance is estimated to cause at least 700 000 deaths a year globally.