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The dangers of nail varnish, self-tan, alcohol and too much TV

'High-maintenance' women who cover themselves in nail varnish, self-tan and hair spray may be at higher risk of developing diabetes, writes the Daily Mail this morning.

A Boston-based research team has linked phthalates - a class of chemicals found in the above-mentioned products – with the disease. The researchers found that those with the highest concentration of phthalates in their bodies faced twice the risk of developing diabetes as those with the lowest concentrations. They were also able to link high concentrations of phthalates with insulin resistance among women. However, the chemicals are also found in shampoos, soaps, plastics and packaging so take note: it may not be only the well-groomed that are in danger.

And while you're reeling from the thought hat your pink toenails are bad for you, in future you may be urged to think twice before pouring yourself a glass of red wine to unwind after a busy day at the practice. The Guardian writes that doctors want harrowing images of livers after years of alcohol-related cirrhosis or victims of violent abuse to decorate beer cans, wine and spirit bottles going forward, to force us to realise the health risks of drinking. It comes after the UK Faculty of Public Health (FPH) says harmful drinking has become so common that cigarette box-styled warnings are called for.

In related news, children are also likely to have some of their fun snatched away, as researchers have somewhat unsurprisingly linked the time toddlers spend watching TV with their future waist-line circumference.

The BBC and The Daily Mail both refer to a Canadian study that has concluded that children who increase the number of hours of weekly television they watch between the ages of two and four years old risk larger waistlines by age 10.

The study found an extra hour a week could add half a millimetre to their waist circumference and reduce muscle fitness.

The study, first reported in the BioMed Central journal, tracked the TV habits of 1,314 children, with experts concluding that children should not watch more than two hours of TV a day.

Well that's all right then.