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Having an optimistic mind-set may reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and early death, a review of studies has found. In previous studies, optimism has been shown to be associated with a range of favourable physical health outcomes and with greater success in work, school and relationships. This new meta-analysis, published in JAMA Network Open, included 15 studies that measured optimism and pessimism by asking the level of agreement with such statements as “In uncertain times, I usually expect the best,” or “I rarely expect good things to happen to me.” Analysis of the 10 studies that looked at heart disease, which pooled data on 209,436 people, found that compared with pessimists, people with the most optimistic outlook had a 35 per cent lower risk for cardiovascular events. Nine studies with data on all-cause mortality included 188,599 participants and found that optimists had a 14 per cent lower risk of premature death than the most pessimistic people. Read Com

Business Standard : A vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and seeds, with few animal products, is linked to a significantly lower risk of developing Type-2 diabetes. The study explored that vegan diet is associated with improved psychological well-being in addition to reduction in the risk factors for Type-2 diabetes , and heart diseases . For the study, researchers from the University of London, examined 433 people aged mid-50s, on average. Results of the study, published in the journal BMJ, showed that while quality of life -- both physical and emotional -- improved significantly, depressive symptoms and nerve pain (neuropathic pain) also improved in people on plant-based diet. In addition to a sharp fall of blood glucose levels in those who cut out or ate very few animal products, these participants also lost nearly twice as much weight. The fall in blood fats -- a risk factor for cardiovascular disease -- was also greater in those on plant-base

Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system that can better predict the risk of death in patients with heart disease than human experts. In a study published in the journal PLOS One, researchers showed how the AI could revolutionise healthcare. "It won't be long before doctors are routinely using these sorts of tools in the clinic to make better diagnoses and prognoses, which can help them decide the best ways to care for their patients," said Andrew Steele, from the Francis Crick Institute in the UK. "Doctors already use computer-based tools to work out whether a patient is at risk of heart disease, and machine-learning will allow more accurate models to be developed for a wider range of conditions," said Steele. The model was designed using the electronic health data of over 80,000 patients, collected as part of routine care. Scientists, including those from the University College London in the UK, wanted to see if they cou