Health Highlights: Sept. 8, 2008

ByABC News
September 8, 2008, 4:36 PM

Sept. 8 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Exercise Decreases Risk of Pregnancy-Related Depression

Exercising and remaining upbeat about their changing shapes may reduce the risk of depression among pregnant women, say U.S. researchers who surveyed 230 women in Pennsylvania throughout their pregnancy and into the postpartum period.

The women were asked about their exercise habits, feelings about weight, appearance and other body image aspects, and about symptoms of depression, United Press International reported.

Women who did more exercise prior to pregnancy were more satisfied with their bodies during the second and third trimesters, and had fewer depressive symptoms in the second trimester than other women.

"Our study supports the psychological benefits of exercise to improve body image and lessen depressive symptoms," lead researcher Danielle Downs, of Pennsylvania State University, said in a news release, UPI reported.

The study appears in the August issue of the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

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Lap-and-Shoulder Belts Equal to Child Safety Seats in Injury Prevention

Among children ages 2 to 6, lap-and-shoulder safety belts are as effective as child safety seats in preventing serious injuries in traffic crashes, says a study by researchers at the University of Chicago and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

But their analysis of three large representative samples of crashes and related hospital data did show that child safety seats are 25 percent more effective at reducing less serious injuries, United Press International reported.

Lap belts alone aren't as effective as child safety seats or lap-and-shoulder seat belts, but are far better than riding unrestrained, the researchers said.

The study appears in the journal Economic Inquiry.

All states require the use of child safety seats and the minimum age and weight requirements for children's use of seat belts has been increasing over time, UPI reported.