Eating fatty “comfort” foods to cheer you up may do just the opposite, according to new research that linked increased trans-fat consumption to increased risk of depression. The study was conducted in Spain and tracked the dietary habits, mental health, and lifestyles of 12,059 college graduates over the course of six years.
None of the participants had depression at the beginning of the study, but by the end of the six-year period, 657 cases were identified through self-reported questionnaires filled out every two years. The study showed a correlation between increased trans-fat consumption and the development of depression. Those who derived the highest percentage of their daily calories (at least 0.6%) from trans-fats had a 42% increased risk of depression compared to those who consumed the least amount of trans-fats.
For Americans, these results are especially bad news, but also especially important. The average Spaniard derives 0.6% of his or her daily calorie intake from trans-fats whereas trans-fats account for a whopping 2.5% of the average American’s daily calories. Even worse is that most Spaniards get their trans-fats from natural sources such as milk, butter, meat, and cheese whereas Americans get many of their trans-fats from processed snack foods, fried or fast food. In short, not only do Americans eat more overall, but they also consume worse quality food than Spaniards do.
The authors also point out that high trans-fat intake is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and that many individuals with cardiovascular disease are also depressed. It is suggested that these two conditions may share a common cause.
“Bad fat (trans-fat) increases inflammation in the body. In the heart, that contributes to the buildup of plaque that can cause heart disease. In the brain, substances secreted by inflammation may interfere with neurotransmitters that affect mood,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
The authors admit the study cannot offer a definitive answer as to whether trans-fat intake contributes to depression or whether those who are prone to depression chose poorer quality diets. However the researchers did exclude cases of depression that were diagnosed within the first two years of the study, which significantly strengthens the notion that trans-fat consumption comes before depression.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
News Article: Risk of Hypertension in Egg-Donated Pregnancies
Women impregnated as a result of egg donation are often categorized as high-risk patients. The reasoning for this was recently explored in an article from the University Hospital Aachen in Germany. Their report is contains information that any woman who is considering receiving an egg donation should know.
The authors of the article used data from cases they had encountered in their own hospital to support their assessment. In reviewing their case files, they reported that within the past four years, eight women who had received egg donations had to receive treatment for pregnancy-induced hypertension. Three of these eight pregnancies had to be terminated due to a threat to the mother’s life. The other five had milder hypertension.
The authors say women should be aware of the risk of hypertensive disorder associated with egg donated pregnancy. They recommend women who choose egg donation should be closely monitored by their doctors throughout their pregnancy and that doctors should give such patients specialized materno-fetal medicine.
The authors of the article used data from cases they had encountered in their own hospital to support their assessment. In reviewing their case files, they reported that within the past four years, eight women who had received egg donations had to receive treatment for pregnancy-induced hypertension. Three of these eight pregnancies had to be terminated due to a threat to the mother’s life. The other five had milder hypertension.
The authors say women should be aware of the risk of hypertensive disorder associated with egg donated pregnancy. They recommend women who choose egg donation should be closely monitored by their doctors throughout their pregnancy and that doctors should give such patients specialized materno-fetal medicine.
News Article: Link Between Economic Insecurity, Stress, and Obesity
American University researchers claim that the obesity crisis could be due in part to growing economic insecurity, stress, and a sense of powerlessness in nations where high-sugar and high-fat foods pervade. For the first time in the world’s history, there are currently more overweight than underweight adults worldwide.
“When I began looking into the issue of obesity, I realized the most overweight are the least privileged members of society,” researcher, Jon D. Wisman said. “It was those people who possessed the least control over their lives and thus suffer the greatest insecurity and stress.”
Wisman said that the least privileged tended to be minorities, and amongst the minorities, the most overweight tended to be women. Wisman also pointed out how stress increases cortisol production in the body and increases in cortisol cause the body’s appetite for high fat and high sugar foods to increase as well.
In addition, the researchers indicated that technological advancement and economic progress have increased incomes and lowered the cost of food, therefore promoting greater calorie intake. At the same time technological advancement and economic progress have also decreased calorie expenditure.
Since 1980, the number of Americans who are obese has doubled. Although the researchers acknowledge economic insecurity cannot account entirely for this, they point out that 1980 marked the beginning of a time period of mass economic insecurity – with increasing health care costs, economic uncertainty, unemployment, and stress.
To further support the notion that increased economic insecurity has led to increased obesity, the researchers also indicated how obesity did not increase between 1960 and 1980. During that 20-year span, unemployment was low and many social programs which reduced economic insecurity significantly had been put into place.
“The (obesity) epidemic really began around 1980 when the safety nets began to fall apart,” Wisman said. “It is going to take a serious reassessment of social organization in order to fix this situation.”
“When I began looking into the issue of obesity, I realized the most overweight are the least privileged members of society,” researcher, Jon D. Wisman said. “It was those people who possessed the least control over their lives and thus suffer the greatest insecurity and stress.”
Wisman said that the least privileged tended to be minorities, and amongst the minorities, the most overweight tended to be women. Wisman also pointed out how stress increases cortisol production in the body and increases in cortisol cause the body’s appetite for high fat and high sugar foods to increase as well.
In addition, the researchers indicated that technological advancement and economic progress have increased incomes and lowered the cost of food, therefore promoting greater calorie intake. At the same time technological advancement and economic progress have also decreased calorie expenditure.
Since 1980, the number of Americans who are obese has doubled. Although the researchers acknowledge economic insecurity cannot account entirely for this, they point out that 1980 marked the beginning of a time period of mass economic insecurity – with increasing health care costs, economic uncertainty, unemployment, and stress.
To further support the notion that increased economic insecurity has led to increased obesity, the researchers also indicated how obesity did not increase between 1960 and 1980. During that 20-year span, unemployment was low and many social programs which reduced economic insecurity significantly had been put into place.
“The (obesity) epidemic really began around 1980 when the safety nets began to fall apart,” Wisman said. “It is going to take a serious reassessment of social organization in order to fix this situation.”
News Article: Yearly Mammograms Starting at Age 40 Save 71% More Lives than Standard Procedure
A new study challenges the current U.S. Preventative Service Task Force recommendations for breast cancer screenings, as it shows mammograms performed on younger women more frequently than recommended result in more lives saved. The research appears in the February issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
The Task Force’s current recommendations are that women should be screened every other year from ages 50-74, whereas the American Cancer Society recommends that women should be screened every year from ages 40-84. The study found that the Task Force’s recommendations reduced cancer deaths by 23 percent whereas the American Cancer Society’s recommendations reduced cancer deaths by 40 percent – a difference of 71% more lives saved.
“Mammography is one of the few screening tools that has been proven to save lives and our analysis shows that for maximum survival, annual screenings beginning at 40 is best,” said director of breast imaging at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mark Helvie, M.D.
The current breast cancer statistics, according to the American Cancer Society, are that 209,060 Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 40,230 will die from the disease.
“This data gives women more information to make an informed choice about the screening schedule that’s best for them,” Helvie added.
The Task Force’s current recommendations are that women should be screened every other year from ages 50-74, whereas the American Cancer Society recommends that women should be screened every year from ages 40-84. The study found that the Task Force’s recommendations reduced cancer deaths by 23 percent whereas the American Cancer Society’s recommendations reduced cancer deaths by 40 percent – a difference of 71% more lives saved.
“Mammography is one of the few screening tools that has been proven to save lives and our analysis shows that for maximum survival, annual screenings beginning at 40 is best,” said director of breast imaging at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mark Helvie, M.D.
The current breast cancer statistics, according to the American Cancer Society, are that 209,060 Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 40,230 will die from the disease.
“This data gives women more information to make an informed choice about the screening schedule that’s best for them,” Helvie added.
News Article: Increasing Numbers of Girls are Entering Early Puberty
A recent study on breast development in young American girls has shown that higher numbers of girls are beginning puberty at ages 7 and 8 than there were 30 or even 10 years ago. The study was published in an online paper called Pediatrics.
The data examined was gathered from 1,239 girls between the ages of 6 and 8 from New York City, Cincinnati, and the San Francisco Bay area. The data showed higher proportions of girls with early breast development than were found in studies done 10 and 30 years prior.
Of the five stages of breast development, known as the Tanner Breast Stages, 10.4% of white, 23.4% of black, and 14.9% of Hispanic girls had reached breast stage 2 or higher by age 7. And by age 8, 18.3% of white, 42.9% of black, and 30.9% of Hispanic girls had reached breast stage 2 or higher. The percentage of early breast development in white girls showed the greatest increase when compared to earlier studies.
Lead author of the study, Dr. Frank Biro, and his colleagues said their study was not representative of all girls in the U.S. and that further research would be needed to gain an accurate sample. However, Biro asserts that if this is an accurate population-wide trend, it could have important health implications that would need to be considered.
Previous studies have shown that girls who reach puberty earlier run a higher risk of breast cancer later in life. They are also more likely to engage in risky behavior. Also, due to the fact that girls who enter puberty earlier are psychologically younger than they appear and may be expected to act older, their emotional and mental development can be affected. Other studies have shown that girls who enter early puberty are at higher risk for depression as well.
As for what the reasons for these findings could be, researchers could only speculate. A correlation was found between BMI and breast development; more obese girls with higher BMIs tended to reach puberty earlier than girls with lower BMIs. Biro said that increasing obesity rates could have something to do with earlier puberty rates.
The data examined was gathered from 1,239 girls between the ages of 6 and 8 from New York City, Cincinnati, and the San Francisco Bay area. The data showed higher proportions of girls with early breast development than were found in studies done 10 and 30 years prior.
Of the five stages of breast development, known as the Tanner Breast Stages, 10.4% of white, 23.4% of black, and 14.9% of Hispanic girls had reached breast stage 2 or higher by age 7. And by age 8, 18.3% of white, 42.9% of black, and 30.9% of Hispanic girls had reached breast stage 2 or higher. The percentage of early breast development in white girls showed the greatest increase when compared to earlier studies.
Lead author of the study, Dr. Frank Biro, and his colleagues said their study was not representative of all girls in the U.S. and that further research would be needed to gain an accurate sample. However, Biro asserts that if this is an accurate population-wide trend, it could have important health implications that would need to be considered.
Previous studies have shown that girls who reach puberty earlier run a higher risk of breast cancer later in life. They are also more likely to engage in risky behavior. Also, due to the fact that girls who enter puberty earlier are psychologically younger than they appear and may be expected to act older, their emotional and mental development can be affected. Other studies have shown that girls who enter early puberty are at higher risk for depression as well.
As for what the reasons for these findings could be, researchers could only speculate. A correlation was found between BMI and breast development; more obese girls with higher BMIs tended to reach puberty earlier than girls with lower BMIs. Biro said that increasing obesity rates could have something to do with earlier puberty rates.
News Article: A Good Relationship Helps You Live Longer
A recent study that appeared in the British Medical Journal indicates that romantic relationships can be highly beneficial to overall health, so long as partners are chosen carefully. The study, led by researchers from Cardiff University in Wales, included one billion participants from across Europe and found that those in stable relationships had mortality rates fifteen percent lower than the general population’s.
The researchers found that marriage in particular increased both male and female longevity and tended to benefit wives mentally and husbands physically. It was also found that 18- to 25-year-olds involved in romantic relationships experienced better mental, but not physical health. Research also showed that those with several partners tended to have shorter lifespans than those in long-term relationships.
Despite the positive findings on romantic relationships in conjunction with overall health, researchers emphasize that it would be wrong to assume that any kind of romantic relationship is better than being single. In fact, singles enjoyed better mental health than those in strained relationships. Also, breaking up was, unsurprisingly, found to have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of both males and females.
However, the researchers concluded that avoiding relationships at the risk they might go wrong in order to prevent damage to health is not at all advisable. They encourage avoiding bad relationships but affirm that the benefits of a good one far outweigh the drawbacks of a bad one.
The researchers found that marriage in particular increased both male and female longevity and tended to benefit wives mentally and husbands physically. It was also found that 18- to 25-year-olds involved in romantic relationships experienced better mental, but not physical health. Research also showed that those with several partners tended to have shorter lifespans than those in long-term relationships.
Despite the positive findings on romantic relationships in conjunction with overall health, researchers emphasize that it would be wrong to assume that any kind of romantic relationship is better than being single. In fact, singles enjoyed better mental health than those in strained relationships. Also, breaking up was, unsurprisingly, found to have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of both males and females.
However, the researchers concluded that avoiding relationships at the risk they might go wrong in order to prevent damage to health is not at all advisable. They encourage avoiding bad relationships but affirm that the benefits of a good one far outweigh the drawbacks of a bad one.
News Article: Lightly Steamed Broccoli Contains Powerful Anti-Cancer Enzyme
Eating broccoli may significantly lower your risk of developing cancer because of the enzyme, myrosinase, it contains, researchers from the University of Illinois wrote in Nutrition and Cancer. Researchers warn that overcooking broccoli destroys the enzyme, so the vegetable must only be steamed lightly.
The health benefits of broccoli have been researched for years and another one of its ingredients, sulforphane, is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer qualities. Many people take broccoli powder supplements for this purpose.
However the authors of the study say, similar to overcooked broccoli, broccoli powder alone does not offer anywhere near as many health benefits as lightly steamed broccoli does. A major reason for this is because broccoli powder does not contain the myrosinase enzyme.
Researchers found that combining broccoli powder with sprouts of broccoli produced sulforaphane levels nearly twice as high as were produced by powder alone. The ingredients in broccoli have been found to lower not only your risk of cancer (breast and lung in particular), but heart disease as well, the authors added.
The health benefits of broccoli have been researched for years and another one of its ingredients, sulforphane, is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer qualities. Many people take broccoli powder supplements for this purpose.
However the authors of the study say, similar to overcooked broccoli, broccoli powder alone does not offer anywhere near as many health benefits as lightly steamed broccoli does. A major reason for this is because broccoli powder does not contain the myrosinase enzyme.
Researchers found that combining broccoli powder with sprouts of broccoli produced sulforaphane levels nearly twice as high as were produced by powder alone. The ingredients in broccoli have been found to lower not only your risk of cancer (breast and lung in particular), but heart disease as well, the authors added.
News Article: Lightly Steamed Broccoli Contains Powerful Anti-Cancer Enzyme
Eating broccoli may significantly lower your risk of developing cancer because of the enzyme, myrosinase, it contains, researchers from the University of Illinois wrote in Nutrition and Cancer. Researchers warn that overcooking broccoli destroys the enzyme, so the vegetable must only be steamed lightly.
The health benefits of broccoli have been researched for years and another one of its ingredients, sulforphane, is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer qualities. Many people take broccoli powder supplements for this purpose.
However the authors of the study say, similar to overcooked broccoli, broccoli powder alone does not offer anywhere near as many health benefits as lightly steamed broccoli does. A major reason for this is because broccoli powder does not contain the myrosinase enzyme.
Researchers found that combining broccoli powder with sprouts of broccoli produced sulforaphane levels nearly twice as high as were produced by powder alone. The ingredients in broccoli have been found to lower not only your risk of cancer (breast and lung in particular), but heart disease as well, the authors added.
The health benefits of broccoli have been researched for years and another one of its ingredients, sulforphane, is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer qualities. Many people take broccoli powder supplements for this purpose.
However the authors of the study say, similar to overcooked broccoli, broccoli powder alone does not offer anywhere near as many health benefits as lightly steamed broccoli does. A major reason for this is because broccoli powder does not contain the myrosinase enzyme.
Researchers found that combining broccoli powder with sprouts of broccoli produced sulforaphane levels nearly twice as high as were produced by powder alone. The ingredients in broccoli have been found to lower not only your risk of cancer (breast and lung in particular), but heart disease as well, the authors added.
News Article: When it Comes to New Year’s Resolutions, “Why” is More Important than “How”
Which is a more effective way to achieve your New Year’s goal – devising a detailed plan on how you will reach it or focusing on why you want to reach it? According to researcher and assistant professor, Julia Bayuk, the why is more important than the how.
Those who create detailed plans to achieve their New Year’s resolutions will have a harder time reaching their goals than those who simply think about their goal and remind themselves why they want to reach it, Bayuk says.
“Planning can actually make you more narrow minded,” Bayuk explained. “I might be so focused on this plan that when there’s other opportunities to achieve the same goal, I might not take advantage of them.”
She uses an example of a dieter who plans to restrict her calorie intake and passes up the chance to join a friend at the gym or for a walk. In one of the tests that Bayuk and her collaborators conducted, participants all wanted to achieve the goal of saving money.
Some were told to formulate a saving plan while others were told not to plan, but to think of all the reasons why they wanted to save money. Later, the participants were given the chance to buy snacks. The non-planners were much better at avoiding the temptation than the planners were.
Bayuk says that anyone with a New Year’s Resolution should forget about traditional, planning-based mindsets and instead focus on why. She suggests strategically placing notes around your house reminding yourself why your resolution matters.
Those who create detailed plans to achieve their New Year’s resolutions will have a harder time reaching their goals than those who simply think about their goal and remind themselves why they want to reach it, Bayuk says.
“Planning can actually make you more narrow minded,” Bayuk explained. “I might be so focused on this plan that when there’s other opportunities to achieve the same goal, I might not take advantage of them.”
She uses an example of a dieter who plans to restrict her calorie intake and passes up the chance to join a friend at the gym or for a walk. In one of the tests that Bayuk and her collaborators conducted, participants all wanted to achieve the goal of saving money.
Some were told to formulate a saving plan while others were told not to plan, but to think of all the reasons why they wanted to save money. Later, the participants were given the chance to buy snacks. The non-planners were much better at avoiding the temptation than the planners were.
Bayuk says that anyone with a New Year’s Resolution should forget about traditional, planning-based mindsets and instead focus on why. She suggests strategically placing notes around your house reminding yourself why your resolution matters.
News Article: Data Shows Increasing "Marriage Gap" Between Highly Educated and Moderately Educated Americans
The latest national data indicate that marriage amongst “moderately educated” Americans, a 58% majority, is in trouble whereas marriage is growing stronger amongst highly educated Americans. “Moderately educated” refers to those who have a high school diploma, possibly some post-secondary education, but no four-year college degree, also called “Middle Americans.”
Middle America is experiencing increased divorce and birth out-of-wedlock rates while the opposite is true amongst highly educated and affluent Americans whose marriages are growing more stable than ever. This is a result of what researchers call, a remarkable reversal of historic trends. Researchers are calling this the “marriage gap.”
Increases in unemployment, declines in religious attendance, and shifts in attitudes towards marriage are the major trends accounting for the retreat from marriage in Middle America. While educated Americans seem to be embracing pro-marriage mindsets, Middle Americans are losing faith in marriage.
What is known as the “marriage mindset” – religious attendance and faith in marriage as a way of life – is now stronger amongst highly educated Americans than in moderately educated Americans. Highly educated Americans are also now more likely to attend church on a weekly basis than moderately educated Americans, whereas in the ‘70s, the opposite was true.
Data shows that moderately educated Americans have also become dramatically more likely to have children outside of marriage. For example, in the early ‘80s, only 13% of babies born to moderately educated women were born outside of marriage. Nowadays, the rate of babies born outside of marriage amongst moderately educated mothers has soared up to 44%. Data also shows that divorce rights have gone up amongst the moderately educated and down amongst the highly educated.
“Marriage plays a central role in securing the American Dream…”sociologist, W. Bradford Wilcox of University of Virginia said. “Adults and children fortunate enough to live in an intact, married family are much more likely to succeed in school and the workplace, to acquire a home of their own, and to experience upward mobility.”
Wilcox believes this growing marriage gap should be a concern to all Americans.
Middle America is experiencing increased divorce and birth out-of-wedlock rates while the opposite is true amongst highly educated and affluent Americans whose marriages are growing more stable than ever. This is a result of what researchers call, a remarkable reversal of historic trends. Researchers are calling this the “marriage gap.”
Increases in unemployment, declines in religious attendance, and shifts in attitudes towards marriage are the major trends accounting for the retreat from marriage in Middle America. While educated Americans seem to be embracing pro-marriage mindsets, Middle Americans are losing faith in marriage.
What is known as the “marriage mindset” – religious attendance and faith in marriage as a way of life – is now stronger amongst highly educated Americans than in moderately educated Americans. Highly educated Americans are also now more likely to attend church on a weekly basis than moderately educated Americans, whereas in the ‘70s, the opposite was true.
Data shows that moderately educated Americans have also become dramatically more likely to have children outside of marriage. For example, in the early ‘80s, only 13% of babies born to moderately educated women were born outside of marriage. Nowadays, the rate of babies born outside of marriage amongst moderately educated mothers has soared up to 44%. Data also shows that divorce rights have gone up amongst the moderately educated and down amongst the highly educated.
“Marriage plays a central role in securing the American Dream…”sociologist, W. Bradford Wilcox of University of Virginia said. “Adults and children fortunate enough to live in an intact, married family are much more likely to succeed in school and the workplace, to acquire a home of their own, and to experience upward mobility.”
Wilcox believes this growing marriage gap should be a concern to all Americans.
News Article: Emotions and Conflict in Romantic Relationships
Fights in romantic relationships can produce some of the most intense kinds of emotions. New research from Baylor University has investigated and classified these emotions.
Dr. Keith Sanford of Baylor and his research team studied 105 college students in romantic relationships over the period of eight weeks. They discovered links between different types of emotion, different types of underlying concern, and different types of perceived emotion of partners.
Sanford differentiated between two types of negative emotions – “hard” and “soft” emotions. Hard emotion is associated with asserting power and soft emotion is associated with expressing vulnerability.
Two types of underlying concerns were also identified – “perceived threat” concerns and “perceived neglect” concerns. Perceived threat involved perceptions of one’s partner being hostile, blaming, controlling, or critical. Perceived neglect involved perceptions of one’s partner failing to make desired contributions to the relationship or failing to demonstrate adequate levels of commitment or investment in the relationship.
Perceived threat and perceived neglect were associated with increases in one’s own hard or soft emotions. The effects of perceived neglect were also found to be stronger than those produced by perceived threat.
The study found that when people perceived threat, they observed increases in their partner’s hard emotion and when they perceived neglect, they observed decreases in soft emotion or increases in flat emotion.
Sanford said one of the most interesting findings related to the complexities of soft emotion. Perceived partner soft emotion was associated with a decrease in one’s own concerns of neglect. Soft emotion in oneself however, was associated with increased concerns of partner neglect.
Sanford said this finding is consistent with the notion that soft emotion is socially centered and attachment-related. The study appeared in the journal, “Personal Relationships.”
Dr. Keith Sanford of Baylor and his research team studied 105 college students in romantic relationships over the period of eight weeks. They discovered links between different types of emotion, different types of underlying concern, and different types of perceived emotion of partners.
Sanford differentiated between two types of negative emotions – “hard” and “soft” emotions. Hard emotion is associated with asserting power and soft emotion is associated with expressing vulnerability.
Two types of underlying concerns were also identified – “perceived threat” concerns and “perceived neglect” concerns. Perceived threat involved perceptions of one’s partner being hostile, blaming, controlling, or critical. Perceived neglect involved perceptions of one’s partner failing to make desired contributions to the relationship or failing to demonstrate adequate levels of commitment or investment in the relationship.
Perceived threat and perceived neglect were associated with increases in one’s own hard or soft emotions. The effects of perceived neglect were also found to be stronger than those produced by perceived threat.
The study found that when people perceived threat, they observed increases in their partner’s hard emotion and when they perceived neglect, they observed decreases in soft emotion or increases in flat emotion.
Sanford said one of the most interesting findings related to the complexities of soft emotion. Perceived partner soft emotion was associated with a decrease in one’s own concerns of neglect. Soft emotion in oneself however, was associated with increased concerns of partner neglect.
Sanford said this finding is consistent with the notion that soft emotion is socially centered and attachment-related. The study appeared in the journal, “Personal Relationships.”
News Article: We Live Longer, But with More Disease than a Decade Ago
New research reveals that increased life expectancy in the United States has been accompanied with decreased years of health. Cardiovascular and other diseases and disabilities have been increasing right along with expected years of life.
Although the probability of a 65-year-old surviving age 85 has doubled from 20% to 40% from 1970 to 2005, new research from Eileen Crimmins, AARP Chair in Gerontology at the University of Southern California, indicates that the average “morbidity,” or period of one’s life spent with a serious disease or loss of functional mobility, has actually increased over the decades.
“There is substantial evidence that we have done little to date to eliminate or delay disease while we have prevented death from diseases,” Crimmins explained.
In 1998, a male 20-year-old could expect to live another 45 years free from at least one of the lead causes of death; cardiovascular disease, cancer or diabetes. A 20-year-old female could expect to live another 49.2 years free from these diseases. That number fell to 43.8 years for males to 48 years for females over the past decade.
Also since 1998, the occurrence of cardiovascular disease amongst older men has increased as well as the occurrence of cancer amongst older men and women. The occurrence of Diabetes increased significantly amongst all adults over age 30. The percentage of the population with multiple diseases has also risen.
Functional mobility is defined as the ability to walk up ten steps, walk a quarter mile, stand or sit for 2 hours, and stand, bend or kneel without the help of equipment. A decade ago, a male 20-year-old could expect to spend 3.8 years of his life without functional mobility and a female 20-year-old could expect to spend 7.3 years without functional mobility. Now the numbers have increased to 5.8 years for males and 9.8 years for females.
“The growing problem of lifelong obesity and increases in hypertension and high cholesterol are a sign that health may not be improving with each generation,” Crimmins said. “We do not appear to be moving to a world where we die without experiencing significant periods of disease, functioning loss, and disability.”
Although the probability of a 65-year-old surviving age 85 has doubled from 20% to 40% from 1970 to 2005, new research from Eileen Crimmins, AARP Chair in Gerontology at the University of Southern California, indicates that the average “morbidity,” or period of one’s life spent with a serious disease or loss of functional mobility, has actually increased over the decades.
“There is substantial evidence that we have done little to date to eliminate or delay disease while we have prevented death from diseases,” Crimmins explained.
In 1998, a male 20-year-old could expect to live another 45 years free from at least one of the lead causes of death; cardiovascular disease, cancer or diabetes. A 20-year-old female could expect to live another 49.2 years free from these diseases. That number fell to 43.8 years for males to 48 years for females over the past decade.
Also since 1998, the occurrence of cardiovascular disease amongst older men has increased as well as the occurrence of cancer amongst older men and women. The occurrence of Diabetes increased significantly amongst all adults over age 30. The percentage of the population with multiple diseases has also risen.
Functional mobility is defined as the ability to walk up ten steps, walk a quarter mile, stand or sit for 2 hours, and stand, bend or kneel without the help of equipment. A decade ago, a male 20-year-old could expect to spend 3.8 years of his life without functional mobility and a female 20-year-old could expect to spend 7.3 years without functional mobility. Now the numbers have increased to 5.8 years for males and 9.8 years for females.
“The growing problem of lifelong obesity and increases in hypertension and high cholesterol are a sign that health may not be improving with each generation,” Crimmins said. “We do not appear to be moving to a world where we die without experiencing significant periods of disease, functioning loss, and disability.”
News Article: Good News From Leading Healthcare Organizations
Six of the nation’s leading health care organizations will be collaborating in an effort aimed towards improving healthcare quality and reducing costs nationwide. The organizations will share data on outcomes and protocols for selected treatments to develop models for optimal care.
The Collaborative also aims to see these models replicated across the country. The six healthcare organizations involved in the collaborative are Cleveland Clinic, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Denver Health, Geisinger Health System, Intermountain Healthcare, and Mayo Clinic. These organizations comprise of a combined patient population of over 10 million.
The Collaborative will begin its mission by focusing on eight conditions where related treatment costs have been rapidly increasing and where quality and outcome of treatments are widely varied throughout the nation. These conditions and treatments include knee replacement, diabetes, heart failure, asthma, weight loss surgery, labor and delivery, spine surgery, and depression. Treatment for these conditions amounts to hundreds of billions of dollars in medical costs each year.
“By collaborating to gather data and identify the most effective care models, we can address variation in treatment, cost, and outcomes to give patients the quality care they need and bend the cost curve down in a meaningful way,” said Dr. Brent James of Intermountain Healthcare.
The aim of the Collaborative is three-fold; to develop models to reduce cost of healthcare, improve quality of healthcare, and transfer knowledge to other healthcare systems.
The Collaborative also aims to see these models replicated across the country. The six healthcare organizations involved in the collaborative are Cleveland Clinic, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Denver Health, Geisinger Health System, Intermountain Healthcare, and Mayo Clinic. These organizations comprise of a combined patient population of over 10 million.
The Collaborative will begin its mission by focusing on eight conditions where related treatment costs have been rapidly increasing and where quality and outcome of treatments are widely varied throughout the nation. These conditions and treatments include knee replacement, diabetes, heart failure, asthma, weight loss surgery, labor and delivery, spine surgery, and depression. Treatment for these conditions amounts to hundreds of billions of dollars in medical costs each year.
“By collaborating to gather data and identify the most effective care models, we can address variation in treatment, cost, and outcomes to give patients the quality care they need and bend the cost curve down in a meaningful way,” said Dr. Brent James of Intermountain Healthcare.
The aim of the Collaborative is three-fold; to develop models to reduce cost of healthcare, improve quality of healthcare, and transfer knowledge to other healthcare systems.
News Article: Parental Involvement Plays a Crucial Role in Learning
A poll recently released by the Associated Press found that parents are the group most blamed for what is wrong with the education system. The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) urges people to move beyond the blame game and is committed to providing parents with ways to become active parts of their children’s education.
Children are outside the classroom five times as often as they are inside which is why learning should not be confined to just the classroom, president and founder of NCFL, Sharon Darling, said.
“We agree that parents are the most important factor in their children’s education,” said Darling.
The NCFL offers several recommendations about how parents can become meaningful participants in their children’s education:
1. Parents can fill daily activities such as grocery shopping, car-pooling or park visits, with fun learning activities. To learn how to incorporate learning into everyday life, NCFL recommends wonderopolis.com.
2. Parents should seek the help that is available for them to navigate the education system and prepare their children for college. NCFL has formed the Family Literacy-Community College Partnership initiative which is a complete set of free materials designed to help families understand the importance of earning a degree, how to navigate the system, and better prepare their children for post-secondary education. These materials will soon be made available at famlit.org.
3. Finally, schools should set up programs to more effectively foster parental engagement and parents should take advantage of the programs that do exist in their child’s school. NCFL emphasizes that parental involvement must extend beyond one-time activities such as bake sales; parents should do all they can to become a part of their children’s school.
Children are outside the classroom five times as often as they are inside which is why learning should not be confined to just the classroom, president and founder of NCFL, Sharon Darling, said.
“We agree that parents are the most important factor in their children’s education,” said Darling.
The NCFL offers several recommendations about how parents can become meaningful participants in their children’s education:
1. Parents can fill daily activities such as grocery shopping, car-pooling or park visits, with fun learning activities. To learn how to incorporate learning into everyday life, NCFL recommends wonderopolis.com.
2. Parents should seek the help that is available for them to navigate the education system and prepare their children for college. NCFL has formed the Family Literacy-Community College Partnership initiative which is a complete set of free materials designed to help families understand the importance of earning a degree, how to navigate the system, and better prepare their children for post-secondary education. These materials will soon be made available at famlit.org.
3. Finally, schools should set up programs to more effectively foster parental engagement and parents should take advantage of the programs that do exist in their child’s school. NCFL emphasizes that parental involvement must extend beyond one-time activities such as bake sales; parents should do all they can to become a part of their children’s school.
News Article: Standardizing Front-of-Package Nutritional Information
With more companies opting to include a few selected pieces of nutritional information on in the front of their packages, many ask, what are the most important nutrition facts that should be highlighted anyway?
An Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee recently answered this question. Though the committee acknowledges the helpfulness of providing important nutritional information on the front of packages, they call for standardization. They determined what the most important nutritional facts that should be emphasized on the fronts of packages were: calorie, saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium content.
“These nutritional factors are the biggest contributors to the leading causes of illness and death in the U.S.,” said committee-member Matthew Kreuter, PhD.
Next, the IOM committee will examine the best way these key nutrition facts should be presented on the front of packages in order to impact shoppers’ decisions.
“Peoples lives are busier and not everyone can take the time to stop and read the nutrition facts panel on the back of the package,” Kreuter said. “So it’s worth considering whether we can make it easier for consumers to make healthy choices by putting important information on the front of the package.”
An Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee recently answered this question. Though the committee acknowledges the helpfulness of providing important nutritional information on the front of packages, they call for standardization. They determined what the most important nutritional facts that should be emphasized on the fronts of packages were: calorie, saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium content.
“These nutritional factors are the biggest contributors to the leading causes of illness and death in the U.S.,” said committee-member Matthew Kreuter, PhD.
Next, the IOM committee will examine the best way these key nutrition facts should be presented on the front of packages in order to impact shoppers’ decisions.
“Peoples lives are busier and not everyone can take the time to stop and read the nutrition facts panel on the back of the package,” Kreuter said. “So it’s worth considering whether we can make it easier for consumers to make healthy choices by putting important information on the front of the package.”
News Article: Sleeping with your Pets Can be Dangerous
Many people can’t imagine bedtime without their pet beside them. Some veterinary scientists however, say that allowing pets in bed is not the best idea. Although rare, the risk of contracting a disease from your pet is real – as a study published in the February issue of the CDC journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases, affirmed.
“I know this will make me unpopular, but pets really don’t belong in your bed,” Bruno Chomel, co-author of a study and expert on transmission of diseases from animals to humans, said.
Sleeping with or kissing your animals on the lips may put you at risk for serious medical problems, according to the study. Chomel and another co-author, Ben Sun, chief veterinarian with the California Department of Public Health, presented examples of rare cases where humans became ill from their pets.
Among the examples was a nine-year-old boy who developed the plague after sleeping with a flea-infested cat. Another was a 60-year-old woman who contracted meningitis from continually kissing her dog. There were other documented cases of chronic, drug-resistant staph infections due to sharing beds with pets.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 60 percent of all human pathogens could have been transmitted from animals. Experts say those at the greatest risk of contracting disease from pets are the young, elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
But don’t panic. Although it is important for pet owners to recognize the risk of disease, The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) emphasizes that healthy pets carry very little risk. If you aren’t ready to kick your pets out of bed, there are other precautionary measures that can greatly reduce disease transmission risk.
“A little common sense will go a long way,” said AVMA president, Larry Kornegay.
Some common-sense approaches Kornegay suggests are regular veterinary exams, vaccinations appropriate for your geographical area, and dental care for pets. He also recommends owners wash their hands and be sure to keep their animals from drinking toilet bowl water or eating feces.
Joseph Doles, a Cleveland Veterinarian says common sense and proper veterinary care will “further reduce an already rare risk.”
“I know this will make me unpopular, but pets really don’t belong in your bed,” Bruno Chomel, co-author of a study and expert on transmission of diseases from animals to humans, said.
Sleeping with or kissing your animals on the lips may put you at risk for serious medical problems, according to the study. Chomel and another co-author, Ben Sun, chief veterinarian with the California Department of Public Health, presented examples of rare cases where humans became ill from their pets.
Among the examples was a nine-year-old boy who developed the plague after sleeping with a flea-infested cat. Another was a 60-year-old woman who contracted meningitis from continually kissing her dog. There were other documented cases of chronic, drug-resistant staph infections due to sharing beds with pets.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 60 percent of all human pathogens could have been transmitted from animals. Experts say those at the greatest risk of contracting disease from pets are the young, elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
But don’t panic. Although it is important for pet owners to recognize the risk of disease, The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) emphasizes that healthy pets carry very little risk. If you aren’t ready to kick your pets out of bed, there are other precautionary measures that can greatly reduce disease transmission risk.
“A little common sense will go a long way,” said AVMA president, Larry Kornegay.
Some common-sense approaches Kornegay suggests are regular veterinary exams, vaccinations appropriate for your geographical area, and dental care for pets. He also recommends owners wash their hands and be sure to keep their animals from drinking toilet bowl water or eating feces.
Joseph Doles, a Cleveland Veterinarian says common sense and proper veterinary care will “further reduce an already rare risk.”
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