Medical Bulletin 20/January/2026

The "displacement hypothesis" suggests excessive gaming crowds out essentials like cooking nutritious meals, exercising, or sleeping well—especially during university years when lifelong habits form. In Australia, where 92% of households game, researchers zeroed in on undergrads (median age 20) via an online survey using validated tools: Diet Quality Tool for nutrition scores, IPAQ-SF for activity levels, PSQI for sleep, PSS-10 for stress, and TFEQ-R18 for eating behaviors.

Participants self-reported weekly gaming hours, split into low (0-5), moderate (6-10), and high (greater than 10) groups. Stats like multiple linear regressions adjusted for gender, ethnicity, and smoking to pinpoint independent links.

Key results showed stark differences. High gamers scored a median diet quality of 45 vs. 50 for low gamers; with each extra gaming hour dropping scores by 0.16 points. BMI was higher too—26.3 kg/m² median for high gamers, with obesity rates 5x greater. Sleep suffered, with PSQI medians of 7.0, crossing the "poor sleep" threshold of 5. Physical activity dipped weakly, but high gamers were mostly males favoring PC and violent games, drinking less alcohol surprisingly.

Though cross-sectional and self-reported limits causality, these patterns scream for "healthy gaming" programs in universities—think balanced schedules blending screens with salads and shut-eye. As gaming dominates student life, this study pushes pragmatic steps to safeguard health without ditching the fun.

REFERENCE: Kaewpradup, T., et al. (2026). Video gaming linked to unhealthy diet, poor sleep quality and lower physical activity levels in Australian University students. Nutrition, 144, 113051. DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2025.113051. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0899900725003685

European Review Confirms Paracetamol Safety in Pregnancy Despite Autism Claims

Paracetamol—safe pregnancy painkiller or hidden autism risk? New European research delivers a clear verdict, debunking viral claims fueled by Donald Trump that have pregnant women worried worldwide.

In a review published Saturday in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health, researchers led by Asma Khalil, professor of obstetrics at City St. George’s, University of London, sifted through top-tier evidence to settle the debate. Paracetamol (Tylenol in the US) remains the go-to pain reliever for moms-to-be, with no proven link to autism, ADHD, or intellectual disabilities when used as directed. This comes amid lawsuits like Texas's against Tylenol makers and Trump's September advice urging pregnant women to skip it—claims slammed by global health experts as unscientific.

The team ran a rigorous systematic review and meta-analysis, hunting down 43 high-quality studies on paracetamol use in pregnancy and kids' neurodevelopment. They used standard tools to weed out bias and zeroed in on the gold-standard data: three massive sibling studies tracking over 260,000 children for autism, 335,000 for ADHD, and 405,000 for intellectual issues. These compared kids from the same mom—one exposed to paracetamol in utero, the other not—ruling out shared genes or family factors that could skew results.

Findings? Zero causal links across the board. Even pooling all solid studies, no ties emerged to autism, ADHD, or cognitive delays. Past research hinting at risks—like a 2025 US review of 46 studies cited by Trump—was riddled with confounders, such as fever or pain itself harming fetuses if untreated. A 2024 Swedish study echoed this: no connections.

Khalil stresses reassurance: "Stick to the lowest dose for the shortest time." Untreated pain or fever risks mom and baby far more. Grainne McAlonan, a neuroscience expert at King's College London not involved, hailed it as a "game-changer" to end the panic.

This study arms doctors and parents with bias-free facts, proving paracetamol's safety while spotlighting why weak data sparks needless fear.

REFERENCE: D'Antonio, Francesco et al.; Prenatal paracetamol exposure and child neurodevelopment: a systematic review and meta-analysis; The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health; doi: 10.1016/S3050-5038(25)00211-0

Bamboo Foods Show Potential for Supporting Metabolic Health: Study

Bamboo shoots: superfood sensation or sneaky thyroid threat? A fresh systematic review uncovers promising health perks from this Asian staple—but with key caveats for safe eating.

Published in Advances in Bamboo Science, researchers combed human trials, cell studies, and lab tests to evaluate bamboo as a "functional food." Bamboo, a speedy grass powerhouse with 1,250+ species (80% in Asia), packs protein, fiber, minerals like potassium and selenium, and antioxidants. Eaten as shoots or leaves in cuisines worldwide, it's hailed for digestion, metabolism boosts—yet raw forms hide cyanide risks, demanding proper boiling to detoxify.

The team scoured PubMed and Web of Science, screening 1,052 records to land on 16 solid studies: four human trials (4,934 people), four using human cells, and eight lab-based on nutrition/processing. Quality checks via Newcastle-Ottawa Scale rated human studies moderate, all but one from Asia. No meta-analysis possible due to variety, but patterns emerged.

Human trials showed mixed bags. A big kids' study linked frequent shoots to 31% goiter rates despite good iodine—echoed by rat data on thyroid shrinkage—flagging goitrogen risks. Yet positives shone: flavonoid extracts cut toxic acrylamide/glycidamide exposure (sex differences noted); diabetes patients saw blood sugar drops from shoot-fortified cookies; healthy women got better cholesterol, more bowel movements, and bigger stools.

In human cell tests, bamboo extracts slashed inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death—especially under high sugar—hinting at metabolic protection. Low toxicity even with some lead, as gut digestion neutralized it.

Lab work revealed prebiotic perks (feeding good gut bugs), toxin reduction in cooking (like acrylamide), and nutrient tweaks via harvest/processing.

Bottom line: Boiled bamboo may aid guts, lipids, blood sugar, and antioxidants, tied to its fiber and bioactives. But small studies mean no blanket endorsements—watch thyroid risks.

REFERENCE: Pizzol, D., Zampieri, T., MacKinnon, R., Yon, D.K., Richardson, F., López Sánchez, G.F., Caminada, S., Bertoldo, A., Butler, L., Veronese, N., Soysal, P., Shin, J.I., Smith, L. (2025). Bamboo consumption and health outcomes: A systematic review and call to action. Advances in Bamboo Science 13: 100210. DOI: 10.1016/j.bamboo.2025.100210, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773139125000898