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Is that Bill Clinton? And other health news

Can you distinguish your Bill Clinton’s from your Bob Holness’? Or Oprah Winfrey from Liza Minnelli? If you can’t then the Daily Mail says you may have early onset Alzheimers.

Scientists believe a facial recognition test could offer an early indicator of dementia in younger people. They found that those who consistently struggled to recall the names of prominent people were more likely to have a form of the condition.

The study, published in the journal Neurology, found the test made a distinction between not recognising the face at all, or being able to recognise the face but not being able to name it, which could provide clues as to which bit of the brain is showing function loss.

Children of obese or overweight mothers are more likely to die early of heart disease, the BBC reports. Scottish research published in the British Medical Journal showed a 34% higher risk of dying before the age of 55 in adults whose mothers were obese in pregnancy.

While it is not known to what extent genetics, influences in the womb, or lifestyle explain the link, the authors say their findings are of ‘major public health concern’.

The Telegraph reports that an NHS trust has been issued with three formal warnings after inspectors found filthy maternity wards, water placed out of the reach of elderly patients and uncaring staff who were sarcastic to bleeding mothers in pain. Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone, east London, has been ordered by the CQC to make ‘urgent improvements’ after failing to meet 10 out of 16 of the regulator’s hospital standards.

Matthew Trainer, regional director of CQC in London, said the concerns were ‘very serious’.