How ultraprocessed foods took over Americans' diets, according to experts
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Rise of PocDoc: The DIY heart checker which delivers results in 10 minutes
As a 15-year-old, Steve Roest decided to spend eight weeks in Germany to live with a family that spoke no English. While there, he also learned to fly a plane 'under dubious circumstances' and later returned to the UK fluent in German. Ten years later he was made commercial director of global ticketing platform Viagogo and put his language skills to good use to scale its German operations with football's Bundesliga. 'I really like hard problems to solve,' says Roest. 'I believe in enforced humility, where you put yourself into a new situation that's complex and you're forced to learn in a really humble way. That's been my experience in my whole leadership career where I've been out of my depth but tried to learn quickly.' Roest has taken this approach into his latest venture with PocDoc, a UK-leading digital health diagnostics start-up, where he is co-founder and CEO and the leadership theme continues. 'There are few things harder in start-up life than building complex medical devices from scratch,' he explains. Read More: 'I pitched my car finance idea to my mother-in-law and she got it straight away' 'We were told on many occasions that it would be very difficult or borderline impossible. But we didn't consider ourselves to be the smartest people in the room [as we sought advice].' The British-born digital diagnostics company and its 'healthy heart check', which costs £19.99, now aims to revolutionise the way people test for cardiovascular diseases. The at-home, finger-prick test delivers a full cholesterol profile, BMI score, calculates heart age, and provides a ten-year risk assessment for heart attacks or strokes. The results are processed in 10 minutes and appear instantly, with any problems shared directly with a GP via the NHS app. Based in Cambridge, PocDoc started from a laboratory in early 2020 – the diagnostics provider had also tested for polio in Pakistan – while its heart checker took under three years to build, with 20 scientists and software engineers at the helm. With 40 staff today, PocDoc can now produce 3m units annually from its UK manufacturing facility. The vision was to focus on screening large volumes of people faster and more affordably than trying to get potential patients into a GP surgery which, says Roest, has limitations. He had entered into the business insistent on getting to the nub of the issue for the customer: the healthcare system. 'It doesn't need a new test per se, it needs a new way to affordably stop people having strokes, heart attacks, developing Type 2 diabetes and developing chronic kidney disease,' says Roest. Read More: A naval officer's submarine saga inspired me to become a leader There was also a personal pull. When he was 14, Roest's father had a stroke due to an undiagnosed cardiovascular disease which had a catastrophic effect on his family. 'It had a huge impact on me on the fragility of life,' he says. 'It created this drive to solve things today rather than wait for tomorrow.' His father, Jerry, had previously ran Compuserve as VP Europe and, following his stroke recovery, he then became song identifier Shazam's first CEO. Roest junior, who had studied German and linguistics at Oxford University, scaled to 80 markets worldwide over a decade at Viagogo. He left as the company crossed the $2bn ($1.5bn) ticket line. 'It gave me an incredible perspective when we started PocDoc,' he says. One of the three PocDoc co-founders is also his wife, Kiran, a life sciences specialist. She had been working with a colleague highly-cited in the point-of-care testing space, Dr Vladimir Gubala, who was also writing a research paper around using smartphone tech with quantitative blood testing. With his venture tech entrepreneurship, Roest mentioned to the pair that either the research paper was published or a business case could be made. Five years on – with PocDoc having raised £10m investment – Roest cites stories of PocDoc's work in the North East and Yorkshire with communities who aren't able or willing to access GP care. 'We are finding a high percentage of people that are at serious risk of having heart attack or stroke and getting them into treatment,' he says. 'There was a 21% increase in prescribed medication as a result of the programmes we have been involved in.' The firm has also partnered with women's groups as a way of screening in community centres in a manner they not only feel comfortable with but who had also been previously unknown to the healthcare system. Meanwhile, in the Cambridge area, PocDoc had approached serial non-responders via the local NHS system. A single text message was sent out to multiple thousands for a health heart check at home with an 80% uptake within 48 hours. 'It's not that they didn't want to take care of their health, there previously wasn't an effective, usable product that they could conveniently interact with,' admits Roest, who also hosts the HealthTech hour, Europe's largest health tech podcast. In May, the British Heart Foundation warned that the UK's heart health has declined more quickly at the start of the 2020s than in any other decade for over 50 years. It is one of the reasons why PocDoc has teamed up with high street chain Superdrug to make more under-40s aware of their health risks. Roest says that over half of this age category PocDoc screened have a heart age that is five years older than their real age. 'This isn't just an older person's issue anymore,' adds Roest. PocDoc now views the area of its prevention as a $100bn market globally, with the British firm hoping to make a sizable revenue dent into that figure over the next three years. Read More: 'I moved schools every six months. Now I run a thriving business network' Roest anticipates exporting to 10 international markets by the end of the year and a US launch in late 2026. With a multi seven-year figure turnover, PocDoc is on course for half a million orders since launch. In effect, it is now the default product both in the healthcare system for running community workplace and home screenings, as well as being the No.1 diagnostic product on the UK high street, outside of COVID and pregnancy. 'I'm a good news bearer and don't believe in moaning,' adds Roest. 'The NHS gets moaned at by everybody but we have been the opposite of that and are bringing good news to the table.' View from the top: Steve Roest on.. The best advice My father told me: 'Don't let the bastards grind you down'. He started saying it during the dotcom crash and it became a motto. The only definite way you lose is if you quit. Giving back The Last Friday Club involves me giving up my time on the last Friday of every month for free, predominantly helping people in the health tech, start-up and clinical space. I am doing that because I wish someone had done it during my entrepreneurial career. Read more: The boss who has found 'nature's answer to plastic' 'I had one good idea and turned it into a £3m voiceover and talent success' The life lesson behind a 335-year-old funeral business? 'Never sleep on an argument'Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
New study makes concerning discovery after testing samples from nearly 200 homes: 'It's a global problem'
New study makes concerning discovery after testing samples from nearly 200 homes: 'It's a global problem' Many people trust private wells to deliver clean, natural water — but a new study reveals that's not always the case. What's happening? A three-year study from Pennsylvania State University found that nearly one in five private wells tested in Pennsylvania contained PFAS — manmade "forever chemicals" linked to serious health problems. According to WESA, the researchers tested 167 private wells across the state and discovered that 18% showed PFAS contamination, with some exceeding federal safety limits. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of long-lasting chemicals often used in products like nonstick cookware, water-resistant clothing, and firefighting foam. They're known to build up in the human body and the environment, and they're now showing up in unexpected places — including people's homes. "It's a global problem that I think researchers as a whole should come together to figure out how to support communities who may be impacted vastly," said Faith Kibuye, a water resources extension specialist at Penn State, per WESA. Why is this finding concerning? Research has linked PFAS exposure to increased risk of cancer, weakened immune systems, hormone disruption, and developmental issues in children. With over 1 million households relying on private wells in Pennsylvania alone — many of which are located in rural or underserved areas — this issue has significant public health implications, WESA reported. Since state and federal water regulations don't cover private wells, homeowners must handle testing and treatment themselves. That makes PFAS contamination an invisible threat — one that families may not realize they're exposed to until it's too late. Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated case. One study revealed that nearly half of the U.S. tap water contains PFAS, and experts in the U.K. have called for tighter regulations on the presence of "forever chemicals" in their drinking water. These stories show just how widespread the problem is becoming. What's being done about PFAS in well water? The researchers hope their work will help spread awareness and prompt more homeowners to test their water. "It's also a good thing that we're getting a lot of awareness out there about PFAS in general and what people can do," Kibuye said, per WESA. In Pennsylvania, homeowners can turn to state-certified labs to test their well water for PFAS. If contamination shows up, filtration systems — like activated carbon or reverse osmosis — can help remove the chemicals. On a larger scale, several states have begun tightening regulations on PFAS use. Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized nationwide limits for six types of PFAS in public water systems, and it confirmed this spring it intends to uphold those regulations under the new administration. Although current regulations exclude private wells, increasing awareness of the issue could help close that gap and give more families peace of mind about the water they rely on every day. Do you worry about having toxic forever chemicals in your home? Majorly Sometimes Not really I don't know enough about them Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The three key heart attack symptoms to look out for and what to do
The NHS is urging the public to help "spread the word" about three vital signs of a heart attack. The health service has turned to social media platform X where they shared a series of images and guidance on how to respond quickly if you find yourself in such a situation. The NHS posted: "Do you know the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest? Know what to do in these emergencies and help spread the word." READ MORE: Parents warned over three food illnesses that can turn 'serious' quickly READ MORE: UKHSA issue urgent warning over three wet wipe brands and says 'dispose of them' Following this, the NHS outlined the steps to take if someone is suffering a cardiac arrest: "The person will be unconscious and not breathing, or not breathing normally. The faster you act, the better their chances of survival." Should you suspect someone is experiencing cardiac arrest, the guidance is to ring 999 and begin CPR immediately, reports the Mirror. The NHS also provided advice for circumstances where someone might be suffering a heart attack. They recommended: "The person will usually be conscious and may experience symptoms including chest pain, dizziness, and shortness of breath. "If you think someone is having a heart attack, call 999 immediately" Additional symptoms highlighted on the NHS website include pain in the left arm, perspiration, feeling nauseous or vomiting, and coughing or wheezing. It's also crucial to understand that someone experiencing cardiac arrest will not respond to any sound or physical contact. The NHS defines a cardiac arrest as a serious condition where the "heart stops beating in a normal way, preventing blood from pumping around the body". The NHS describes a cardiac arrest as a severe situation where the "heart stops beating in a normal way, preventing blood from pumping around the body". To address this, the NHS website offers vital advice on how to respond in these emergencies: Danger: Keep calm and check the scene is safe to approach Response: Shout 'are you alright?' and shake the person's shoulders Shout for help: Send someone for help and call 999 Airway: Tilt the head back gently to open the airway Breathing: Check for normal breathing by looking at the chest to see if it is rising and falling or listening for abnormal sounds such as infrequent and noisy gasps Compressions: If the patient is not breathing normally, start hands-only CPR pushing hard and fast in the centre of the chest Additionally, if you encounter someone suffering from a heart attack, the NHS advises adhering to a specific checklist while awaiting an ambulance: Sit the person down and make them comfortable Don't give them anything to eat or drink If available, ask them to take a 300mg aspirin tablet to chew slowly (unless they are under 16 or allergic) Moreover, if you come across someone having a heart attack, the NHS recommends following a particular checklist while waiting for an ambulance:. For more information on suitable actions or symptoms to look out for, refer to the NHS website.
