HEALTH NOTES: More Britons say no to booze

More than a third of people in Britain have no plans to drink alcohol this Christmas.

Nearly a quarter now say they drink less compared to this time last year, while four in ten people aged 18 to 34 say they are teetotal, according to a survey by price comparison website Forbes Advisor.

The research concluded that the number of Brits turning away from the drink is increasing, driven by concerns about health and saving money.

More than a third of people in Britain have no plans to drink alcohol this Christmas

AI similar to X-ray specialists

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is just as good at spotting medical problems on an X-ray as specialists, it is claimed.

Researchers from the University of Warwick presented the 'learning software' with almost two million historical X-rays showing the signs of 37 different medical conditions.

The results showed that in about 95 percent of cases, the AI ​​– called

Experts say the findings could revolutionize NHS radiology, increasing the speed and accuracy of scans.

“These types of comprehensive AI programs will be the future of medicine, with AI acting as a co-pilot for busy doctors,” said Professor Vicky Goh, a radiology expert at King's College London.

Click into this week's Medical Minefield podcast to hear why doctors are going to war over a £45 cholesterol-lowering drug

An economist has warned that treating dementia will cost the NHS around £1 billion a week by 2025.

According to Julian Jessop, a former adviser to the Treasury, the degenerative brain disease will account for around £50 billion in annual expenditure, due to the increasing number of people developing the condition.

Nearly a million people in Britain currently suffer from dementia – costing the country around £35 billion a year – but this number is expected to rise to around 1.6 million by 2040, according to research.

Mr Jessop presented his estimates last week at a meeting of the Geller Commission – an organization that reviews the standard of NHS dementia care.

Nearly one in four people over 65 have not been hugged in the past month, a study shows, while one in three say they do not feel hugged enough.

The research, carried out by weighted blanket company Kudd.ly, also found that Londoners receive almost twice as many hugs as the rest of the country – an average of between five and nine hugs per month.

About 40 percent of the 2,000 respondents also said that cuddling was extremely beneficial to their emotional well-being.

Nearly one in four people over 65 have not been hugged in the past month, according to a study, while one in three says they do not feel hugged enough

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