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BOB HIRSHON (host):
Double checking blood pressure. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.
When you get your blood pressure checked, your doctor generally uses just one of your arms. But new research suggests both should be checked. A study in the British Medical Journal concludes that a significant difference between the blood pressure measured in one arm versus the other is a sign of vascular disease. The researchers followed 230 patients over ten years and found that those with inter-arm blood pressure differences had a higher rate of vascular disease and mortality.
In other health news, scientists in the Netherlands report in the journal Flavour that when food smells stronger, we take smaller bites and wind up eating less of it. They suggest that boosting a food’s aroma may be a new way to control portion size and reduce overeating. I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.
