Health briefs: The darker side of tanning

Despite public education efforts, many young adults still don't understand the dangers of sun exposure and tanning, a new U.S. survey finds. The nationwide online survey conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology found that 58 percent of respondents ages 18 to 29 believe people look more attractive with a tan, and 71 percent agreed with the statement: "Sun exposure is good for your health." In the past year, about 40 percent of respondents in that age group tried to get a tan by using a tanning bed, spending time in the sun, using a self-tanner, or getting a spray tan. The survey also found that one-quarter of respondents aged 18 to 29 were unsure if sun exposure can cause wrinkles.

Prejudice weighs heavily on once-obese women

Even after they shed their excess pounds, formerly obese women still have to contend with "anti-fat prejudice," according to a new study published last week in the journal Obesity. Researchers asked young women and men to read about women who had either lost 70 pounds of excess weight or had stayed the same weight (weight-stable), and who were either currently obese or currently thin. The participants were then asked about some of the women's attributes, including their attractiveness. "We were surprised to find that currently thin women were viewed differently depending on their weight history," study leader Janet Latner, of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said. "Those who had been obese in the past were perceived as less attractive than those who had always been thin, despite having identical height and weight."

-- HealthDay