Health: Mood News.

Worriers' Eating Habits

Daughters whose parents pressure them to look good or whose mothers are focused on being thin themselves are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders -- but not all women who grow up in these environments develop a preoccupation with their weight. Now Canadian researchers believe they have identified a reason why some are more susceptible. York University psychologist Caroline Davis and her colleagues surveyed 158 women, ages 17 to 30. Those with a history of parental emphasis on looks who had high scores for anxiousness were most likely to exhibit weight preoccupation. Women from similar backgrounds who had normal or low anxiety did not report much weight obsession. This suggests that while family attitudes do play a role, an anxious personality is a stronger risk factor for eating problems.

Smoking Daze

Smoking may cloud mental performance, especially after strenuous activity. In a study led by University of London psychologist David Bunce, 28 smokers and 28 nonsmokers viewed several words and tried to recall them later. Regardless of smoking status, regular exercisers did the best. But the next day, when everyone took a similar test after two minutes of intense aerobic activity, the nonsmoking habitual exercisers maintained their performance, while scores fell somewhat among sedentary types -- and most of all among the smoking exercisers. Carbon monoxide in cigarettes may compromise the ...