Have you missed the latest health news this week (27-31 May)? Don’t miss out, catch up on all the health headlines now.
GP surgery closures in UK hit all-time high
An investigation by the medical website Pulse has found 138 surgeries closed in 2018, compared with 18 in 2013. Data released by 186 out of 217 clinical commissioning groups and health boards in a freedom of information request suggest that GP surgery closures across the UK have reached an all-time high, affecting an estimated half a million patients last year.
Smaller surgeries, serving 5,000 or less were the worst affected in 2018, accounting for 86% of closures.
Can ultra-processed food link to an early death?
Scientists have suggested that ultra-processed foods, such as chicken nuggets, ice cream and breakfast cereals have been linked to early death and poor health.
Two studies in France and Spain showed that those eating more ultra-processed food had worse heart health and risked cardiovascular disease.
Find out more about the studies
Are dating apps users more likely to have unhealthy attitudes to weight?
A US study based on 1,700 adults has revealed that those who use dating apps may be at risk of using unhealthy habits to control their weight.
Vomiting, laxative use and fasting were the most common in the study, but researchers insist a direct link couldn’t be made at this stage and that further research was needed to confirm the relationship between using apps and weight control.
Chief medical officer considers taxing unhealthy food
England’s Chief Medical Officer, Prof Dame Sally Davies says she is considering recommending a tax on unhealthy food, including added sugar in baby food and high-calorie food such as pizza and cakes.
She hopes this will help persuade parents to buy more fresh fruit and vegetables, as she has been asked to urgently review what can be done to meet the government’s target of halving childhood obesity by 2030.