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Mosquitoes especially attracted to beer drinkers, study shows
Researchers found beer drinkers are 1.35 times more attractive to mosquitoes; recent sexual contact also increases attraction, while showering and sunscreen reduce it, aiding bite prevention.
- In 2023, biologist Felix Hol and his team conducted the Mosquito Magnet Trial at the Lowlands music festival in the Netherlands, studying mosquito attraction.
- The study arose from the need to understand why mosquitoes target some people more, focusing on factors like beer drinking, recent intimate contact, and sunscreen use.
- Researchers recruited about 500 volunteers who answered questionnaires about hygiene, diet, and activity while the team exposed participants' arms to thousands of female Anopheles mosquitoes in a pop-up lab.
- Findings showed participants who drank beer and had shared a bed the previous night attracted mosquitoes 1.35 times more than others, while recent showering and sunscreen reduced attractiveness.
- The team noted the loosely controlled setting and participant bias and emphasized that further research is needed before recommending lifestyle changes to reduce mosquito bites.
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People Drinking Beer Attract Mosquitoes, Study Reveals
Study finds people drinking beer attract mosquitoes 1.35 times more than non-drinkers. Credit: Steven Walling / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 People who drink beer are more likely to attract mosquitoes than those who don’t, according to a new study by Dutch researchers. The findings suggest that lifestyle choices such as alcohol consumption can influence how often someone gets bitten. Researchers observed that people who drink beer attract mo…
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Total News Sources9
Leaning Left1Leaning Right3Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
13%
C 50%
R 38%
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