Behind the Headlines 2017 Quiz of the Year
2017 was another busy year for health news.
In the last 12 months, Behind the Headlines has covered more than 300 health stories that made it into the mainstream media. If you've been paying attention you should find this quiz easy and fun.
Answers are at the foot of the page (no peeking!).
In January's news...
What ancient practice was said to be useful for lower back pain?:
- a) Yoga
- b) Meditation
- c) Tai Chi
What activity was said to age your DNA?:
- a) Sitting down all day
- b) Using a sunbed
- c) Standing close to a working microwave
In February's news...
What traditional type of sweet was linked to ADHD?:
- a) Toffee
- b) Turkish delight
- c) Liquorice
A study called for what to be added to food to prevent colds and flu?:
- a) Zinc
- b) Vitamin D
- c) Echinacea
In March's news...
Playing what game was reported as helping prevent PTSD?:
- a) Tetris
- b) Solitaire
- c) Backgammon
What was described as a "dangerous cocktail"? Mixing:
- a) Sugars and fats
- b) Alcohol and energy drinks
- c) Binge eating with binge watching a box set
In April's news...
British babies were (wrongly) reported to be?:
- a) The world's worst criers
- b) The world's cutest babies
- c) The world's fattest babies
What hipster essential was linked to heat stroke?:
- a) Tattoos
- b) Skinny jeans
- c) Bulletproof coffee
In May's news...
What social media app was reported to be most harmful for teen mental health?:
- a) Instagram
- b) Snapchat
- c) WhatsApp
What popular diet trend may be doing "more harm than good"?:
- a) Juicing
- b) Gluten-free food
- c) Coconut oil
In June's news...
What group of people was reported to spend more time sitting down than the average person over 75?:
- a) Millennials
- b) Middle-aged office workers
- c) Schoolchildren
What kitchen essential got blamed for spreading "toxic spores"?:
- a) Toaster
- b) Kettle
- c) Washing-up bowl
In July's news...
What type of farmyard animal was vaccinated against HIV?:
- a) Cows
- b) Sheep
- c) Chickens
What was said to have halved in the last 40 years?:
- a) Average sperm count in Western men
- b) STIs rates in UK teenagers
- c) Christmas-associated food poisoning cases
In August's news...
What cosmetic practice was reported to be leading to accidental injury?:
- a) Hair dyeing
- b) Using eyelash extensions
- c) Shaving pubic hair
What "old wives' tale" may have an element of truth in it?:
- a) Carrots help you see better in the dark
- b) You lose most of your body heat through your head
- c) Kissing a cut or graze will help it heal faster
In September's news...
What was reported to be "hitchhiking" on dirty holiday laundry?:
- a) Head lice
- b) Bedbugs
- c) Cat and dog fleas
Going to what type of institution may cut your risk of heart disease?:
- a) Prison
- b) University
- c) Boarding school
In October's news...
What was described as a "waste of time and money"?:
- a) DNA analysis
- b) Telomere measuring
- c) Hormonal fertility testing
What dietary habit could lead to hardening of the arteries?:
- a) Cutting down on your carbs
- b) Putting ketchup on your chips
- c) Regularly skipping breakfast
In November's news...
What could be potentially bad for children's health?:
- a) Fidget spinners
- b) Grandparents
- c) Pokémon Go
What type of wound may heal faster?:
- a) Wounds sustained during the daytime
- b) Wounds sustained during the night-time
- c) Wounds sustained at a high altitude
In December's news...
Eating 40g of what per day may bring some health benefits?:
- a) Nuts
- b) Prunes
- c) Cheese
We were told there is "proof" that smoking makes you less what?:
- a) Physically attractive
- b) Intelligent
- c) Co-ordinated
And the answers are...
In January's news...
What ancient practice was said to be useful for lower back pain?:
- a) Yoga – a review found that yoga may have some benefits when compared to a wait and see approach
What activity was said to age your DNA?:
- a) Sitting down all day – researchers found evidence that suggests that women who spend most of the day sitting down have faster-ageing cells compared to more active women
In February's news...
What traditional type of sweet was linked to ADHD?:
- c) Liquorice – Researchers found eating liquorice in pregnancy is linked to a range of developmental issues, including ADHD
A study called for what to be added to food to prevent colds and flu?:
- b) Vitamin D – a review estimated that supplementing food with vitamin D would prevent millions of cold and flu cases
In March's news
Playing what game was reported to help prevent PTSD?:
- a) Tetris – researchers speculated that playing the visually demanding game may help prevent the brain from storing upsetting visual memories after a traumatic event
What was described as a "dangerous cocktail"? Mixing:
- b) Alcohol and energy drinks – put simply the alcohol can make you think of doing something stupid and the energy drink then gives you the energy to go out and do it
In April's news...
British babies were (wrongly) reported to be?:
- a) The world's worst criers – but the review that prompted the claim only found reliable data from a handful of nations
What hipster essential was linked to heat stroke?:
- a) Tattoos – a small study found tattooed skin produced less sweat, which could lead to overheating
In May's news...
What social media app was reported to be most harmful for teen mental health?:
- a) Instagram – the photo sharing app was linked to anxiety, depression, loneliness, bullying, body image and FOMO (fear of missing out) – where your social media peers seem to be enjoying a better quality of life
What popular diet trend may be doing "more harm than good"?:
- b) Gluten-free food – a study found that going gluten-free may increase your risk of heart disease
In June's news...
What group of people was reported to spend more time sitting down than the average person over 75?:
- b) Middle-aged office workers – a Scottish survey found people who worked reported a longer amount of time sitting down compared to those aged 75 and above
What kitchen essential got blamed for spreading "toxic spores"?:
- b) Kettle – steam released by a kettle, as well as coffee machines and showers, was reported as creating the perfect conditions for fungi to grow
In July's news...
What type of farmyard animal was vaccinated against HIV?:
- a) Cows – 4 cows were immunised against HIV
What was said to have halved in the last 40 years?:
- a) Average sperm count in Western men – a major review of research carried out since 1973 found an estimated 50-60% drop in sperm count in developed nations
In August's news...
What cosmetic practice was reported to be leading to accidental injury?:
- c) Shaving pubic hair – a US survey found around 1 in 4 people who regularly shaved their pubic hair had experienced a minor injury as a result of their "grooming"
What "old wives' tale" may have an element of truth in it?:
- c) Kissing a cut or graze will help it heal faster – saliva was found to have properties that help speed up the healing process
In September's news...
What was reported to be "hitchhiking" on dirty holiday laundry?:
- b) Bedbugs – dirty laundry left lying around in holiday hotel rooms may attract the bugs, who then "fly back home" along with the laundry
Going to what type of institution may cut your risk of heart disease?:
- b) University – a gene study found people with genes associated with spending longer in education had around a 33% reduced risk of developing heart disease
In October's news...
What was described as a "waste of time and money"?:
- c) Hormonal fertility testing – researchers in the US found hormones tested in "ovarian reserve" fertility test kits bear no relation to how likely women were to get pregnant
What dietary habit could lead to hardening of the arteries?:
- c) Regularly skipping breakfast – researchers from Spain found that people who regularly skipped breakfast were more likely to have atherosclerosis – hardening and thickening of the arteries
In November's news...
What could be potentially bad for children's health?:
- b) Grandparents – an international review found evidence that children cared for by grandparents were more likely to be overweight, and that parents often complained grandparents "undermined" their efforts to provide healthy meals
What type of wound may heal faster?:
- a) Wounds sustained during the daytime – Fibroblasts – specialist cells that help repair damaged tissue – were found to be most active during the "daytime cycle" of the body clock
In December's news...
Eating 40g of what per day may bring some health benefits?:
- c) Cheese – a daily portion of around 40g (around the size of a matchbox) was linked to a lower risk of heart disease and strokes
We were told there is "proof" that smoking makes you less what?:
- a) Physically attractive – a twin study looked at how people perceived indentical twins – one a smoker, the other not – but the evidence was far from conclusive
Scores:
- 1-5 Girlfriend in a Coma – The Smiths
- 6-10 Achy Breaky Heart – Billy Ray Cyrus
- 11-15 Night Nurse – Gregory Isaacs
- 16-20 Rock 'n' Roll Doctor – Black Sabbath
- 21-23 I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
- 24 Stayin' Alive – Bee Gees
Hope you all have a happy new year and see you back in 2018.
