For many expats learning a second or third language is par for the course, but studies have shown the benefits of speaking another language extend far beyond being able to communicate. Learning a language benefits the brain in ways that can pay off later in life, according to the deepening field of study into the relationship between bilingualism and cognition.

Increasing numbers of studies are finding learning a language benefits an ageing brain. In one large Scottish study, researchers looked at the standard intelligences tests, administered to 11-year olds, of 835 native English speakers born in Edinburgh in 1936. Many were retested in their 70s and those who spoke two or more languages performed significantly better cognitively on certain tasks than would be expected from their original IQ tests, said study author Dr. Thomas Bak of the University of Edinburgh.

“Our results suggest a protective effect of bilingualism against age-related cognitive decline, independently of IQ,” Bak and his co-authors concluded.

In a separate study from Canada, psychologists also studied bilingualism and its effects on the brain in dementia patients. They discovered people who speak two or more languages outperformed monolinguals in tasks which require attention, selection and inhibition. These are the high-level cognitive processes which we need to multitask effectively.

For the brain the process of multitasking is complicated and taxes energy resources, said Ellen Bialystok in CBC News, who runs a cognitive research lab at York. She first observed how bilingual children perform better in the 1980s writes expathealth.org

“What a bilingual always has to do is draw attention to the right language, and keep that other active language out of the way. Now the system that selects, inhibits, and switches is the executive function system, she explained.

“That means that every time a bilingual opens their mouth, they’re using their executive function system. It’s getting practised, it’s getting fortified, and it’s becoming more efficient.”

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Tobacco companies have largely ignored the deadline for displaying graphic warnings on all cigarette packs sold in Indonesia. The setback is a blow to Indonesia’s anti-smoking campaign and its efforts to lower the smoking rate, currently the highest for male smokers in the world.

Despite being told a year and a half ago, many tobacco companies have not heeded the requirements to cover at least 40 percent of packaging with graphic warnings. The deadline for complying was Tuesday 24th June and campaigners say most companies didn’t make changes.

The National Commission for Child Protection said it found little sign of change in brands being sold in Jakarta and 11 other cities across the country. “This clearly indicates that the cigarette industry has defied Indonesian law,” said commission chair Arist Merdeka Sirait. “The government has been defeated by the cigarette industry.”

Only around 12 percent of the 3,300 tobacco brands owned by 672 companies nationwide have registered the photos they plan to use on their packaging, according to the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency. Manufacturers were given a choice of five images last June.

Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi said companies who missed the deadline will be issued with a warning and continued failure to comply could result in a fine of up to $42,000, and five years in prison.

Indonesia’s largest cigarette supplier, Philip Morris-owned Sampoerna, said it had issued packets with the new warnings on Monday, but needed time to clear its existing stock.

“We believe the government will implement the regulation consistently and fairly, so as to realize a climate of healthy competition among cigarette manufacturers, as well as providing clear information about the impact of smoking on health,” Sampoerna spokesman Tommy Hersyaputera said.

Tobacco controls are particularly contentious in Indonesia, one of the world’s largest producers of cigarettes and a growing market for the industry. Tobacco farmers often hold protests when restrictions are proposed. Indonesia is also one of the few countries which hasn’t joined a World Health Organisation tobacco treaty.

Advertising also runs rife in ways not seen in western countries for years. Billboards, LED displays, and television ads all push cigarettes on Indonesia’s 240 million people. A national survey found 67 percent of males aged of 15 smoke – the highest rate in the world – and 35 percent of the total population regularly smoke, surpassed on only by Russia

After the recent measles outbreak in the USA, travelers going abroad this summer are advised to get vaccinated before they travel. There have been a record-number of measles cases in the United States this year, many resulting from unvaccinated travelers visiting places such as Southeast Asia, and Africa and returning home infected with the disease, reports expathealth.org

So far this year, there have been a confirmed 334 measles cases, the highest figure in more than two decades. ‘Homegrown’ measles cases – those originating the US – were eliminated in 2000, and the recent spike is due to unvaccinated travelers visiting areas which have an active measles outbreak.

“This is not the kind of record we want to break, but should be a wake-up call for travelers and for parents to make sure vaccination records are up to date,” said Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases.

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Before the measles vaccine became available in 1963, the virus infected about 500,000 Americans each year, causing 500 deaths and 48,000 hospitalizations. Measles is still common in many parts of the world, including countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. The CDC said 22 of the cases seen the US this year had been brought back from the Philippines, where a large outbreak began in October 2013.

Measles is best prevented by the MMR vaccine, which, when administered correctly, protects patients from measles, mumps and rubella. Ninety percent of cases in the US this year have been among people who have not had the vaccination or are of unknown vaccination status, according to the CDC. Many people who don’t have the vaccine do so due to religious, personal, or philosophical reasons, reports USA Today.

“Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease that’s best prevented with an MMR vaccine,” said Dr. Mark Sannes, chair of infectious disease for the Park Nicollet Travel Clinic. He also noted polio is on the rise in other countries, and 10 places are currently experiencing outbreaks.

Other common disease travelers should consider vaccinations for are hepatitis A and B, typhoid, yellow fever, and rabies. While there is no vaccine at present, malaria is another ongoing risk for visitors to many tropical and subtropical regions. You should ideally see your doctor four to six weeks before you travel for advice on which vaccines you may require. Even if you leave it late, Sannes notes, last-minute appointments should still be available.

Though measles remains officially “eliminated” in the USA – because there have been no sustained homegrown outbreaks in recent years – “this is a reminder that we cannot let our guard down,” Schuchat said.

Physical inactivity is the biggest threat to Australian women’s health, posing more of a risk than smoking, obesity, or high blood pressure, reports news.com.au this week. The research, carried out by the University of Queensland, shows women over 30 who don’t exercise are at the reports Expathealth.org

In women aged 22-27, smoking was, as expected, the most serious risk factor but after the age of 30 the risk begins to drop off, with lack of exercise becoming the biggest cause of heart problems. The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, tracks the health of more than 32,000 Australia women.

Researchers warned the dangers of an inactive lifestyle were being underestimated, and deserved to be a much higher public health priority. The risks associated with smoking, being overweight and high blood pressure are well known, the dangers of physical inactivity are being under-publicized.

University of Queensland research professor Wendy Brown said the research showed women needed to move more.

“Continuing efforts to encourage people to stop smoking are warranted, but much more emphasis should be placed on physical inactivity,” she said.

“If all over-30s followed recommended daily exercise guidelines – 150 minutes of at least moderate intensity physical activity – the lives of more than 2,600 middle-aged and older women could be saved each year in Australia alone.’’

The study is one of the first in developed countries to look at how lack of exercise affects women specifically. Last month the UK government warned the country has become less physically active than at “any time in human history”, reported the Independent. The report called for more funds to be allocated for footpath and cycle track building, as well as an independent body dedicated to improve physical fitness.

In Australia more companies are introducing wellness and health promotion plans into their employee benefits package, reflecting a global trend. News.com.au reports the Queenslanders Credit Union has introduced initiatives such as free lunchtime yoga classes and fresh fruit provision to keep employees healthy.

Study co-author Dr Toby Pavey said the low levels of physical inactivity in women over 30 could be due to women starting their families later in life. The demands of small children were now falling later.

Trust your doctor, not the Internet, is the message from scientists this week, as a study finds 9 out of 10 Wikipedia medical entries contain errors. Scientists in the U.S. compared Wikipedia entries for health related issues such as heart disease, lung cancer, depression and diabetes with peer-reviewed research. They found most articles contain “many errors”.

The concept of Wikipedia allows people to create edit, and delete entries, which increases the likelihood of mistakes. Wikimedia UK, the British arm of Wikipedia, said it was “crucial” that people with health concerns spoke to their GP first. Though the articles can be altered by anybody, there are volunteers from the medical profession who check pages for inaccuracies, reports expathealth.org

Wikipedia is the sixth most popular website for research said the authors of the study, published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Researchers found up to 70% of medical students and 47% of physicians use the tool.

The researchers wrote, “Physicians and medical students who currently use Wikipedia as a medical reference should be discouraged from doing so because of the potential for errors.”

The study looked at articles for the 10 most costly conditions in America, including asthma, back problems and osteoarthritis. The articles were printed and analysed on 25 April 2012 and the researchers found 90% made statements which contradicted the latest medical research.

Errors found included an entry which stated to correctly diagnose high blood pressure three high readings needed to be taken over time. This is incorrect and could lead to a dangerous delay in treatment said doctors. Another entry claimed antidepressants were not beneficial for children, but according to the researchers, this is incorrect and could prevent parents from allowing their children to be treated with medication if necessary.

Lead author Robert Hasty of Campbell University said, while many of the mistakes were relatively minor, some “could have clinical implications”. He urged fellow doctors to get involved in editing Wikipedia entries to improve their accuracy.

“Wikipedia is not about truth but about verifiability”

Reported by the BBC, James Heilman president at Wiki Project Med Foundation said he disagreed with the findings, “The conclusions of Hasty’s paper are not supported by the data he provides.

“One example he raises of a so called ‘error’ is Wikipedia’s recommendation around the diagnosis of blood pressure. We stated that three measurements are usually required.

“So does the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the UK which was our reference. Wikipedia is not about truth but about verifiability.”