Don't blame sweets, and other myths...

Source: Agencies  |   2008-12-19  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THINK twice about blaming sweets for your out-of-control children this festive season, and those added pounds might not be due to an ill-advised late-night meal. As for an aspirin to cure a hangover? Forget it.

That's the advice of two researchers seeking to debunk some common myths that crop up during the holidays.

"In the pursuit of scientific truth, even widely held medical beliefs require examination or re-examination," Rachel Vreeman and Aaron Carroll of the Indiana University School of Medicine wrote in the British Medical Journal.

The pair combed through previous scientific studies and searched the Web for evidence to support or refute common beliefs such as one tagging poinsettia plants as toxic. They're not.

Many parents think sugar makes children hyperactive but research shows this is not the case. The link is most likely in parents' minds.

People fret over the holidays about putting on the pounds after so many festive meals. But eating late at night does not pose a problem when it comes to gaining weight, according to the studies the researchers reviewed.

Another myth is a mistaken belief that most body heat escapes through the head, putting undue importance on woollen hats. "If this were true, humans would be just as cold if they went without trousers as if they went without a hat," they said.

And for revelers confident they can prevent or cure a hangover, the researchers say that moderation or not drinking at all is the only answer.