Children's Health: Parents in dark about using epinephrine for kids’ food allergies ♦ Long-term benefits of improving your toddler's memory skills ♦

Parents in dark about using epinephrine for kids’ food allergies When a child has a food allergy, it’s critical for pediatricians and allergists to show parents when and how to use an epinephrine auto-injector and to provide a written emergency food allergy action plan for home and school. But many parents say doctors don’t give them this potentially lifesaving information about their children’s emergency care. This communication gap needs to be fixed.

Long-term benefits of improving your toddler's memory skills Preschoolers who score lower on a memory task are likely to score higher on a dropout risk scale at the age of 12, new research shows.The authors offer suggestions for how parents can help kids improve their kid's memory

Physical activity may help keep overweight children fit High body adiposity, low physical activity, and particularly their combination are related to poorer physical fitness among 6-8 year old children. These results suggest that physically active overweight children have better fitness compared to their inactive peers

Immigrant kids' diet is different, less nutritious than mom's The diet of Mexican immigrant children in the US is different from what their mothers eat, according to sociologists, and that may mean kids are trading in the generally healthy diet of their moms for less nutritious American fare.

Cardiovascular Research: New technology promises fast, accurate stroke diagnosis ♦ Overweight, obesity early in life increase risk of cardiac death

Ultrasound examinations can identify patients at risk of stroke Ultrasound, a non-invasive technique commonly used to study the presence of atherosclerosis disease in blood vessels, can be used to identify patients at increased risk of future stroke who could benefit from surgery. Since surgical treatment to prevent stroke is only considered beneficial to some, ultrasound can prove useful in preventing unnecessary surgical intervention.

Heart disease patients who sit a lot have worse health even if they exercise Patients with heart disease who sit a lot have worse health even if they exercise, reveals research. Patients in the study wore an activity monitor during their waking hours for nine days. The monitors allowed the researchers to measure how long patients spent being sedentary, or doing light, moderate or vigorous levels of physical activity. The researchers also assessed various markers of health including body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness.

New technology promises fast, accurate stroke diagnosis A new approach to identifying biomarkers in blood has proven successful in helping diagnose stroke, and the technology could be expanded to diagnose such conditions as concussion, some forms of dementia, and some types of cancer and heart disease.

Overweight, obesity early in life increase risk of cardiac death Overweight and obesity throughout adulthood, and especially elevated weight in early adulthood, were associated with increased risk of sudden cardiac death in a 32-year study of more than 72,000 women.

Women's Health: Women with moderate beer consumption run lower risk of heart attack ♦ New treatment may help overcome common pregnancy-related complication

Female gamers a new risk group for ,,overweight Young women who play computer games are a new risk group for developing overweight and obesity. This is the finding of a study that includes more than 2,500 Swedes in their 20s.

Number of young female anesthesiologists increases, but wages lower than male colleagues A study has analyzed a 2013 survey of members of the American Society of Anesthesiologists that found 40 percent of anesthesiologists under the age of 36 were female, a substantial increase over 2007 when 26 percent of young anesthesiologists were women. Despite an increasing number of women anesthesiologists, the study found male anesthesiologists earned 29 percent more than female anesthesiologists, with a reported average annual income of $403,616 for men compared to $313,074 for women.

Women with moderate beer consumption run lower risk of heart attack Women who drink beer at most once or twice per week run a 30 percent lower risk of heart attack, compared with both heavy drinkers and women who never drink beer. These are the findings of a Swedish study which has followed 1,500 women over a period of almost 50 years

New treatment may help overcome common pregnancy-related complication In pregnant women with preeclampsia, a procedure used to remove a protein called sFlt-1 from the blood reduced the amount of protein excreted in the urine and stabilized blood pressure. Pregnancy continued an average of eight days and 15 days in women treated once and multiple times, respectively, compared with three days in untreated women with preeclampsia.

Scotland: Deep Fried Mars Bar Debate

"It is not for me to comment on the aesthetic aspects of the banner in the deep fried Mars Bar debate, but reference to this as a Scottish “icon” and a “delicacy”. (The Times, 21.07.15) simply confirms how much there is to do to improve the Scottish diet and attitudes to diet and nutrition in Scotland. 

The 1200 kcal content represents more than half the daily requirement for an average healthy weight woman (2000 kcal) and just under half the daily requirement for an average healthy weight man (2500 kcal). While, for some, protection of this “icon” may seem a laudable aim, we are deceiving ourselves if we don’t see the link between the promotion of calorie dense foods like this and Scotland’s weight and obesity problem. This isn’t about being a killjoy, nor am I getting this out of perspective, but it is about being realistic.

With 68% of Scotland’s adults overweight or obese - from a health perspective, there is nothing to celebrate here."

Children's Health: Blood pressure levels declined in past decade ♦ Risk of COPD may already occur in adolescence ♦ Many overweight teenagers do not recognize they are too heavy

Many overweight teenagers do not recognize they are too heavy More than a third of overweight or obese teenagers don't see themselves as being too heavy and think their weight is about right.

Less intensive chemo avoids irreversible side effects in children's cancer Children with a rare type of cancer called Wilms’ tumor who are at low risk of relapsing can now be given less intensive treatment, avoiding a type of chemotherapy that can cause irreversible heart problems in later life.

Risk of COPD may already occur in adolescence Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of most common causes of death in the world today -- active smoking accounting for approximately 85 percent of all cases. Yet ground-breaking research indicates that accelerated decline of lung function is not a prerequisite for COPD.

For children with allergies, reading food labels crucial It is estimated that one in every 13 children in the U.S. has a food allergy. Food allergy reactions can range from a rash to respiratory distress and even death. The uncertainty of how a child will react when exposed to food allergens is a great concern for parents.

Blood pressure levels, prevalence among U.S. children, adolescents declined in past decade Recent trends in blood pressure levels and prevalence of elevated blood pressure in the United States have been published in a new article

Health Research: Key mechanism that causes neuropathic pain found ♦ Marijuana users substitute alcohol at 21 ♦ Higher vitamin D doses needed to restore healthy levels in overweight blacks

Marijuana users substitute alcohol at 21 A recent study looked at marijuana and alcohol use in people between the ages of 18 and 24. It's probably not surprising that the results show a drastic increase in alcohol consumption in people just over 21; after all, that's the minimum legal age to drink. What an economist-researcher found remarkable is that, at the same age, there was an equally dramatic drop in marijuana use.

Age-related self-destruction of cells makes kidney prone to injury As advances in medicine allow individuals to live longer, people are facing unique age-related health challenges. As they age, organs such as the kidneys become more susceptible to injury, and their ability to self-repair is decreased. Researchers have found a cellular signal that causes kidney cells to die, making the kidneys prone to injury.

Higher vitamin D doses may be needed to restore healthy levels in overweight blacks The current recommended minimum daily dose of vitamin D is not sufficient to restore healthy vitamin D levels in overweight or obese black.

Life expectancy substantially lower with combination of diabetes, stroke or heart attack In an analysis that included nearly 1.2 million participants and more than 135,000 deaths, mortality associated with a history of diabetes, stroke or heart attack was similar for each condition, and the risk of death increased substantially with each additional condition a patient had.

Key mechanism that causes neuropathic pain found A biological process called endoplasmic reticulum stress appears to play a key role in causing neuropathic pain, according to a new study. The discovery could eventually lead to new therapeutics for controlling chronic pain associated with trauma, diabetes, shingles, multiple sclerosis or other conditions that cause nerve damage

Weight Loss Research: Fructose produces less rewarding sensations in the brain ♦ Weighing yourself daily can tip the scale in your favor ♦ Weight-loss surgery may greatly improve incontinence

Weighing yourself daily can tip the scale in your favor For those wishing to lose weight and keep it off, here’s a simple strategy that works: step on a scale each day and track the results. A two-year study found that frequent self-weighing and tracking results on a chart were effective for both losing weight and keeping it off, especially for men.

Weight-loss surgery may greatly improve incontinence For severely obese people, bariatric surgery may have a benefit besides dramatic weight loss: it can also substantially reduce urinary incontinence. This study is the first to examine the longer-term effects of the surgical procedure on incontinence three years after bariatric surgery

Prevalence of overweight, obesity in the United States More than two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese, according to new estimates. Overweight and obesity are associated with a variety of chronic health conditions, which could potentially be avoided by preventing weight gain and obesity.

Eating in the absence of hunger: A recipe for expanding waistline Snacking when you're not hungry can cause weight gain as much as overly large portion sizes and energy-rich foods, a researcher reports.

Fructose produces less rewarding sensations in the brain Fructose not only results in a lower level of satiety, it also stimulates the reward system in the brain to a lesser degree than glucose. This may cause excessive consumption accompanied by effects that are a risk to health, report researchers. Various diseases have been attributed to industrial fructose in sugary drinks and ready meals.

Weight Loss Research: High-fat diet produces signs of brain inflammation ♦ How body's good fat tissue communicates with brain ♦ Smaller plates, smaller portions? Not always

High-fat diet alters behavior and produces signs of brain inflammation  Can the consumption of fatty foods change your behavior and your brain? High-fat diets have long been known to increase the risk for medical problems, including heart disease and stroke, but there is growing concern that diets high in fat might also increase the risk for depression and other psychiatric disorders.

How body's good fat tissue communicates with brain  Brown fat tissue, the body’s “good fat,” communicates with the brain through sensory nerves, possibly sharing information that is important for fighting human obesity, such as how much fat we have and how much fat we’ve lost, according to researchers

Smaller plates, smaller portions? Not always  It may have become conventional wisdom that you can trick yourself into eating less if you use a smaller plate. But a new study finds that trick doesn't work for everyone, particularly overweight teens

Weight-loss surgery before joint replacement can improve outcomes in severely overweight patients  Bariatric surgery prior to joint replacement is a cost-effective option to improve outcomes in severely overweight patients, research demonstrates. It is well-known that obesity takes a toll on one's health. Bariatric surgery and subsequent weight loss reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes and even some forms of cancer. But before now, the effect of bariatric surgery on joint replacement outcomes was not known

Childrens Health: Autistic children more likely to have GI issues in early life ♦ Baseball injuries ♦ Risk factors associated with overweight cluster + more

Autistic children more likely to have GI issues in early life  Children with autism spectrum disorder were two-and-a-half times more likely to have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms as infants and toddlers than children with typical development, Continue Reading

Pre-K children outpace normal expectations through kindergarten  Students who were enrolled in the NC Pre-K Program are making significant gains across all areas of learning through the end of kindergarten, Continue Reading

Education may not improve our life chances of happiness  Getting a good education may not improve your life chances of happiness, according to new mental health research Continue Reading

Baseball injuries: Majority of parents unaware of safe pitching practices  A new study found that 53 percent of the parents/caregivers of youth baseball pitchers are unaware of safe pitching practices designed to prevent overuse injuries -- common tears or damage, most often to the elbow or shoulder -- which can cause pain, lost play time and, if not treated appropriately, arthritis, deformity and disability Continue Reading

Risk factors associated with overweight cluster in children  Lifestyle-related cardiometabolic risk factors cluster in children in the same way as in adults, The results show that risk factor levels even lower than those generally accepted as risk factor thresholds for type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic vascular disease are harmful when several risk factors cluster Continue Reading

3/1/15 Health News: Statins reduced risk of liver cancer ♦ Can coffee reduce your risk of MS? ♦ Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease reversed in Rats ♦ Plus More

Statin use associated with reduced risk of liver cancer  In a nested-case control study of individuals living in the UK, a part of the world with a relatively low incidence of liver cancer, statin use is associated with a decreased risk of liver cancer Continue Reading

Can coffee reduce your risk of MS?   Drinking coffee may be associated with a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study  Continue Reading

Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease reversed in rats  A controlled-release oral therapy has been developed by scientists that reversed type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease in rats, according to a study. "Given these promising results in animal models of  type 2 diabetes we are pursuing additional preclinical safety studies to take this mitochondrial protonophore approach to the clinic" said the researchers.Continue Reading

African Americans who fled the South during great migration led shorter lives  Millions of African Americans moved from the South in the early 20th century to seek better job opportunities and higher wages, but a new study on the historic Great Migration shows that with improved economic conditions came a greater risk of mortality Continue Reading

GLP-1 secretion is reduced in overweight, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes  The world's largest study looking at the secretion of the gut hormone GLP-1 has found that the secretion is reduced among overweight and obese people, people with pre-diabetes and newly diagnosed people with type 2 diabetes. Continue Reading

11/29/14 Health News:Trans fat can hurt your memory ♦ RARE STRAIN OF E. COLI OUTBREAK ♦ Obesity linked to cancer ♦ Superbug shows recent decline

Trans fat may hurt your memory

If you can’t remember where your car keys are, you may want to eat fewer muffins.It turns out the more trans fat you eat, the less you may remember, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific conference last week. Maybe that explains why some people don’t know how they pack on the pounds over the holidays. Continue Reading

10 SICK IN UK FROM E. COLI O55 OUTBREAK

At least 10 people in Blandford, United Kingdom, have been diagnosed with infection of E. coli O55, a rare strain of E. coli never before recorded in the U.K., according to BBC News. Seven patients have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a kidney disease associated with the most severe E. coli illnesses. Some of the... Continue Reading

Overweight, obesity linked to nearly 500,000 new cancers in 2012 worldwide

Researchers estimate that a quarter of all obesity-related cancers in 2012 were attributable to the rising average body mass index (BMI) in the population since 1982, and were therefore “realistically avoidable” Continue Reading

Superbug in SE Michigan shows recent decline

A new study finds a decrease in an emergent strain of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) that is resistant to last line defense antibiotics. Researchers examined the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) infections in southeastern Michigan, where the majority of these infections have occurred in the US Continue Reading

4/19/14 Health News: FOOD-SAFETY TIPS FOR EASTER EGGS ♦ Anti-vaccine Movement is Giving Diseases a 2nd Life ♦ Overweight/Obese Youth May Not Receive Needed Lab Screening

FOOD-SAFETY TIPS FOR EASTER EGGS

Easter Sunday is coming right up, so here are some important food-safety tips to remember this time of year when you’re decorating, cooking and/or hiding Easter eggs: Be sure and inspect the eggs before purchasing them, making sure they are not dirty or cracked. Dangerous bacteria may enter a cracked egg. Store eggs in their... Continue Reading   

Anti-vaccine Movement is Giving Diseases a 2nd Life

Recent measles outbreaks in New York, California and Texas are examples of what could happen on a larger scale if vaccination rates dropped, says Anne Schuchat, the CDC's director of immunizations and respiratory diseases. Officials declared measles, which causes itchy rashes and fevers, eradicated in the United States in 2000. Yet this year, the disease is on track to infect three times as many people as in 2009. That's because in most cases people who have not been vaccinated are getting infected by others traveling into the United States. Then, Schuchat says, the infected spread it in their communities.Continue Reading

Patients Nationwide Now Have Direct Access to Lab Test Results Through Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics has launched MyQuest by Care360 at QuestDiagnostics.com/MyQuest, a secure patient portal that enables patients to view copies of their lab test reports from Quest Diagnostics. Quest Diagnostics provides direct patient access to lab information through a range of free channels which include a patient portal and mobile health app as well as traditional mail, fax and email. Quest has provided several channels for patients to request and receive their lab reports in select states where direct patient access had been allowed prior to the new federal rule.Continue Reading

Overweight/Obese Youth May Not Receive Needed Lab Screening

Maryland Medicaid/Children's Health Program providers are inadequately coding diagnoses of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents, according to a CDC study published in the April 11 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Furthermore, at-risk overweight and obese children and adolescents are not receiving recommended laboratory screening tests for obesity-related conditions.Source:Continue Reading