ScienceDaily: Living Well News

It is often said that 'children eat what they like,' but the results of a new study by nutritionists and sensory scientists suggests that when it comes to meals, it is more accurate and more relevant to say, 'children do not eat what they dislike.'

So, a metal head shows up at a techno party... pretty unlikely, right? Right. Disliking certain kinds of music is just as constitutive of personal taste as is liking other kinds; and because it influences music-related behavior, this has consequences for our everyday lives. Researchers have now investigated some of the possible reasons why people dislike music.

Scientists have known for years that a person's risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) can be lowered with lifestyle changes such as modifying diet, exercise, alcohol and tobacco use. Now a new study shows that a long-term association also exists between an adolescent's psychological well-being and their risk of CVD as an adult. Specifically, they found that people who are more optimistic or positive when they are adolescents can lower their chances of being in the high-risk category for CVD as an adult.

Researchers found that higher levels of dietary fiber are associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia. In a large-scale study, over 3500 Japanese adults completed a dietary survey and were then followed up for two decades. Adults who consumed more fiber, particularly soluble fiber, were less likely to go on to develop dementia. These findings may relate to interactions between the gut and the brain.

New research found that children with positive, early interactions with their care givers -- characterized by warmth, responsiveness, and a stimulating home environment -- were at reduced risk of childhood obesity.

Leading health care organizations recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months after birth, yet some mothers report stopping due to a perceived lack of milk supply. Researchers found in a recent study that women who stopped breastfeeding because they believed they had inadequate milk supply -- a condition called perceived inadequate milk supply (PIMS) -- are more likely to have a specific mutation in a gene found in mammary tissue.

For the first time, neuroscientists have identified a population of neurons in the human brain that light up when we hear singing, but not other types of music.