logo
At-home health tests are here. But they aren't always the best option

At-home health tests are here. But they aren't always the best option

Washington Post2 days ago

The doctor is in — the mailbox, that is.
You can now do self-administered tests for everything from thyroid function to HIV in the privacy of your own home — and that list continues to grow, as the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first at-home cervical cancer test .

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Your Apple Watch Might Not Be as Accurate as You Think, New Study Finds
Your Apple Watch Might Not Be as Accurate as You Think, New Study Finds

CNET

time13 minutes ago

  • CNET

Your Apple Watch Might Not Be as Accurate as You Think, New Study Finds

The first thing that always crosses my mind when testing fitness wearables is how accurate the data is. Smartwatches and fitness trackers aren't cheap, and if you're using them to monitor something as crucial as your health, then accuracy matters. Everyone and their brother wear some sort of fitness tracker, whether it be an Apple Watch, Google Pixel Watch, Oura Ring or Whoop. It's estimated that one in three Americans uses a wearable device for health and fitness tracking features. That brings me back to whether these things can be trusted. If they're not accurate… What's the point? Should we all go back to analog? Researchers from the University of Mississippi conducted a meta-analysis of 56 studies that compared the Apple Watch with reference tools when measuring factors like heart rate, step count and energy burned. While there's always some expected error, we have a more definitive answer for how much stock you should put in the numbers you see on your watch. Apple Watches are good at measuring steps and heart rate The meta-analysis findings show that the Apple Watch accurately measures your heart rate and step count. We know this based on the mean absolute percentage error measurement (the standard way to measure accuracy) reported for each health metric. Heart rate had a percentage error of 4.43%, while step count had an error of 8.17%. Anything below 10% is considered excellent, so you should feel pretty confident in what your Apple Watch says your heart rate and step count are for the day. However, you shouldn't rely on the energy expenditure metric The same can't be said for energy expenditure or calories burned. The percentage error for this metric was 27.96%. That's a significant jump in inaccuracy. Researchers found energy expenditure inaccurate across all activities tested, including walking, running, mixed-intensity workouts and cycling. This isn't a new problem. Several studies have found that smartwatches and trackers don't do a great job of calculating calorie burn. They can be off by 40% to 80%. A different study revealed that the Apple Watch Series 9 can vary in energy expenditure and heart rate measures across skin pigmentation. While this study was specific to Apple Watches, I expect similar trends across other devices because they often measure similarly. One study found that the Fitbit Surge had a mean error of 27% when measuring calories burned. Smartwatches calculate how many calories you burn throughout the day, using factors such as your movements, heart rate and data from the sensors inside the watch. Other factors, such as your age, weight and gender, are also included in this calculation. None of them will be 100% accurate. Where does this leave you and your data? This news doesn't scare me as a smartwatch wearer who uses my daily data to track my workouts and sleep. I still think the data smartwatches give us is a great way to stay motivated. I've used the Google Pixel 3 watch to monitor my heart health thanks to the cardio load metric. When it comes to sleep, I've noticed some inaccuracy when it comes to when I fall asleep and wake up, though it's not a huge difference. Most trackers use your heart rate and movement to track your sleep, so it's unsurprising to see some degree of error. There's always some error, and for my use, that's OK. I use my data for trends of my progress, rather than extremely granular data. Though if you're a serious athlete who tracks down to the calorie, it's essential not to rely on your smartwatch for this number. Your smartwatch is a tool to guide you through your wellness journey. Use it to build habits and make meaningful changes, not diagnose medical conditions. That said, I wouldn't count out smartwatch features like Apple's Vital app, fall detection or the loss-of-pulse detection feature that Google Pixel watches are getting. Apple and other brands continuously release updates to improve their tech over time. And if you're wondering which smartwatch you should get for the best accuracy, it's hard to say. They all have their own tracking methods, even if they often overlap. None of them are perfect, so it's best to choose which one fits your budget and vibe best.

Fungus in "agroterrorism" arrest already widely prevalent in U.S., researcher says
Fungus in "agroterrorism" arrest already widely prevalent in U.S., researcher says

CBS News

time22 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Fungus in "agroterrorism" arrest already widely prevalent in U.S., researcher says

The fungus labeled a "potential agroterrorism weapon" in a recent arrest touted by the Trump administration likely originated in North America and is already widely prevalent around the country, a researcher who studied the fungus for the federal government says. University of Michigan researcher Yunqing Jian and her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, were charged with trying to smuggle strains of a fungus called Fusarium graminearum into the United States. Jian worked at the University of Michigan, according to officials, and Liu works at a Chinese university. The two have co-authored research into the fungus. "I can confirm that the FBI arrested a Chinese national within the United States who allegedly smuggled a dangerous biological pathogen into the country," FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday in a post on X. While the pathogens in the cultures seen in this photo may look similar, DNA data indicates they represent distinctly different species within the Fusarium graminearum complex. Photo by Keith Weller, USDA Agricultural Research Service According to charging documents in the case, Liu told customs officers he was trying to continue his research with the strains at the University of Michigan lab that Jian worked in, skirting the rules that require paperwork and safeguards to safely import fungi for studies. F. graminearum is already widely prevalent across the U.S. in native grasses around the country as well as crops, scientists say. It spreads and thrives usually during wet weather, causing a common crop disease called Fusarium head blight or head scab, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. "It's extremely prevalent in North America. It likely arose in North America, so it's not like a foreign agent coming in. And it's already causing a lot of problems in U.S. agriculture," Harold Kistler, an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota, told CBS News. On the left, a healthy wheat head stands in contrast to the one on the right, which is inoculated with Fusarium graminearum and shows severe symptoms of Fusarium head blight disease. Photo by Keith Weller, USDA Agricultural Research Service Kistler said scientists believe F. graminearum likely originated in North America, because all of its closest relatives have been found on the continent. "Graminearum itself is distributed worldwide, and likely because of the distribution of grain from North America worldwide," he said. Kistler previously worked as a researcher for the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, studying fungi like F. graminearum and the crop disease it causes. While at the agency, he co-authored research with Liu and Jian uncovering new molecular clues to how the disease might be mitigated. "It's a real problem. The problem is because there's no naturally occurring resistance to the disease. And people have been trying for decades to find resistance. It's just a tough nut to crack," Kistler said of the head blight caused by F. graminearum. Farmers in the U.S. rely on a number of methods to mitigate the risk of F. graminearum, including the use of fungicides, though scientists have worried about the possibility of mutations that could make the fungicides less effective. "The fungicides are not cheap. So it's extra cost to farmers. But it's worth it because, without it, their crops could be completely lost. Not only due to yield reduction, but because what grain they may have would be contaminated with these toxins," Kistler said. Billions of dollars were lost to epidemics caused by the fungus in the 1990s, researchers and agriculture officials estimate. The Food and Drug Administration monitors for the toxins that are produced by fungi like F. graminearum, including deoxynivalenol, also called vomitoxin or DON, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in humans who ingest too much of it. "It is not possible to completely avoid the presence of DON in wheat. DON is sometimes found in wheat grown under normal weather conditions, however, the fungus thrives in cool, wet conditions," the FDA said in a 2010 advisory to states and grain groups. Kistler said U.S. distributors also test grain for the presence of the toxins to prevent there being too much of it in the food supply. "If it's too high, they will reject it. They won't buy it. Or they will reduce the amount that they'll pay for it. If it's just marginal, they can blend it with grain that doesn't have the toxin to get below the limit of what's considered safe," he said.

Here's what's inside Meta's experimental new smart glasses
Here's what's inside Meta's experimental new smart glasses

The Verge

time23 minutes ago

  • The Verge

Here's what's inside Meta's experimental new smart glasses

Meta has revealed more information about Aria Gen 2, its experimental smart glasses designed to serve as a test platform for research about augmented reality, AI, and robotics. The glasses pack several improvements into their lightweight frame that could one day translate into consumer products, including an improved eye-tracking system that can track gaze per eye, detect blinks, and estimate the center of pupils. 'These advanced signals enable a deeper understanding of the wearer's visual attention and intentions, unlocking new possibilities for human-computer interaction,' Meta writes. Meta initially announced Aria Gen 2 in February, saying they will 'pave the way for future innovations that will shape the next computing platform.' They build upon Meta's first iteration of the glasses in 2020, which were similarly available for researchers only. Along with an improved eye-tracking system, Aria Gen 2 comes with four computer vision cameras that Meta says enable 3D hand and object tracking. Meta says researchers can use this information to enable highly precise tasks like 'dexterous robot hand manipulation.' The glasses also have a photoplethysmography sensor built into the nosepad, which allows the device to estimate a wearer's heart rate, along with a contact microphone that Meta says provides better audio in loud environments. There's a new ambient light sensor as well, allowing the glasses to differentiate between indoor and outdoor lighting. The Aria Gen 2 glasses include folding arms for the first time, weigh around 75 grams, and come in eight different sizes. Meta plans on opening applications for researchers to work with Aria Gen 2 later this year. The initiative builds on the successful development of Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, a form factor it aims to expand with its Orion augmented-reality glasses, a rumored partnership with Oakley, and a high-end pair of 'Hypernova' glasses with a built-in screen.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store