Listeria cases spreading.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/28/health/salad-listeria/

Obesity, Diabetes In Pregnancy May Be Associated With An Increased Risk For Autism In Offspring.

published online Jan. 29 in Pediatrics reveals that women who are obese while pregnant may have nearly double the likelihood of giving birth to a child with autism. When expectant mothers are both obese and diabetic, the risk for autism in their offspring may be quadrupled. Researchers arrived at these conclusions after examining data on some 2,734 pairs of mothers and babies tracked between 1998 and 2014. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-autism-obesity-diabetes-idUSKCN0V70CK

Total Energy Expenditure From Exercise Plateaus At Higher Activity Levels, Study Finds.

reports that a study published online Jan. 28 in the journal Current Biology indicates that “Americans trying to lose weight won’t get the results they desire by slogging through extra miles on the treadmill – they’ll need to cut calories to do it.” After tracking “332 adults in five countries,” including the US, researchers “found that ‘total energy expenditure increases with physical activity at low activity levels but plateaus at higher activity levels.’” http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-28/more-exercise-doesn-t-always-mean-losing-weight

Wearable Sweat Sensor Tracks Biochemical Markers.

reports in “Science Now” that the device could someday “alert sweat drenched users to risks of dehydration, fatigue, stress and other physical ailments.” The sensor tracks four biomarkers “including electrolytes like sodium and potassium, and metabolites like glucose and lactate,” as well as body temperature. Long term, the research team seeks to track “an array of other proteins, molecules and ions that could offer more clues to a person’s physical well being.” The Times highlights the prospect this device may become commonplace in the future. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-sweat-monitor-20160127-story.html

Case Of Zika Virus Emerges In Minnesota As Physicians Call For Bolder Response.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-27/u-s-to-halt-blood-donation-by-travelers-to-zika-affected-areas reported there are now ten cases of Zika virus in five states after a new case was reported in Minnesota. Medical editor Jon LaPook, MD, said there is concern because mosquitoes that could carry the virus are found in regions where sixty percent of Americans live. Dr. Daniel Lucey of the Georgetown University Medical Center told NBC Nightly News (1/27, story 6, 2:05, Holt), “Now we have a pandemic. ... We need global leadership for this evolving rapidly accelerating health problem.” Tom Costello reported that a “quarter of a million” Brazilian soldiers “are now on mosquito control missions” as the country prepares for Carnival and the Olympics. Costello added that President Obama is “pushing American researchers to develop a vaccine quickly, but that could be years away.” Officials Under Pressure To Stop Spread Of Zika Virus. Reuters (1/28, Steenhuysen, Nebehay) reports that the World Health Organization is under pressure to take action against the Zika virus outbreak spreading through Latin American and the Caribbean. WHO will hold a special session on Thursday on the Zika virus. The US Food and Drug Administration, and others, are working to quickly implement “donor deferral measures for travelers who have visited affected regions in order to protect the blood supply in the United States.”

Sedentary Women May Experience More Severe Menopause Symptoms, Study Finds.

Sedentary Women May Experience More Severe Menopause Symptoms, Study Finds. In a more than 1,100-word article, CNN (1/27, Storrs, To) reports that new research suggests that women “who lead sedentary lives have more severe menopause symptoms compared with more physically active women.” Researchers asked over 3,500 women living in Latin American cities “about their menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, irritability, insomnia and depression,” and found that “women who were sedentary...were 28% more likely to report having severe menopause symptoms than those who exercised more.” Additionally, researchers found that “sedentary women were also 52% more likely to be obese.” The findings were published in the journal Menopause. Medical Daily (1/28) also covers the study. http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/27/health/menopause-hot-flashes-exercise/index.html

CDC Outlines Testing Protocol for Zika Virus Long-term follow-up includes repeat hearing tests for infants

The CDC has urged expectant mothers or women planning to get pregnant to avoid visiting multiple countries, including Brazil, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Barbados, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Samoa. An outbreak of Zika virus infection was first recognized in northeastern Brazil in early 2015, and authorities reported a sharp increase in the number of reported cases of microcephaly in areas affected by the outbreak in September. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/55861?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-27&eun=g721819d0r

WHO To Hold Session To Brief Member States About Zika.

The AP (1/27, Keaten) reports the World Health Organization said evidence linking birth defects with the Zika virus is “circumstantial” and more research is needed. Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said in a statement, “Although a causal link between Zika infection in pregnancy and microcephaly has not been established, the circumstantial evidence is suggestive and extremely worrisome.” Chan added that the “increased occurrence of neurological syndromes, noted in some countries coincident with arrival of the virus,” also “adds to the concern.” The agency plans to hold a “special session” in Geneva on Thursday “to brief member states about Zika http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_WHO_ZIKA_VIRUS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Some 41 Million Kids Five And Under Are Overweight Or Obese, WHO Report Finds.

reports in “Science Now” that some “41 million children age five and under are overweight or obese, a number expected to grow to more than 70 million children worldwide during the next decade, a new World Health Organization report says.” In fact, “between 1990 and 2014, rates of young children who are overweight or obese have surged to 6.1% from 4.8%,” the report prepared by the World Health Organization’s Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity found. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-overweight-children-worldwide-20160125-story.html

Athletes Using Vitamin D To Prevent Injuries, Improve Athletic Performance.

On the front of its Personal Journal section, the Wall Street Journal (1/26, D1, Bachman, Subscription Publication) reports that some professional and college athletes are using vitamin D in an effort to prevent injuries and even improve athletic performance. According to the Journal, the Endocrine Society’s recommendation for adequate vitamin D levels is between 40 and 60 ng/ml. http://www.wsj.com/articles/elite-athletes-try-a-new-training-tactic-more-vitamin-d-1453745154

Nicotine Replacement Alone Can Help Smokers Quit

NRT is effective for smoking cessation without behavioral support http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/Smoking/55830?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-26&eun=g721819d0r

Bagged Salads Recalled Over Links to Deadly Listeria Outbreak Across 6 States

One person is dead and 11 more have been hospitalized after falling ill with deadly listeria infections that experts warn have been linked to several brands of bagged salad. The multi-state outbreak of the dangerous bacteria has been linked to a Dole processing facility in Springfield, Ohio, the CDC recently announced. Anyone who's purchased bagged salads under the brand names of Dole, Fresh Selections, Simple Truth, Marketside, The Little Salad Bar, or President's Choice Organics are advised to check the manufacturing code found on the package. If the code begins with the letter A, consumers are advised to throw the salad away. Read: How To Stay Safe From Cyclospora Investigators say five of the listeria victims ate pre-packaged salad. Two of them specified that they'd eaten Dole brand salad. The victims were located in Michigan, Massachusetts, Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, according to the CDC. http://news.yahoo.com/bagged-salads-recalled-over-links-212800772.html

CDC Expands Zika Warning Most additions are in the Americas

The CDC has added eight countries to its list of places where the risk of Zika virus merits a travel alert for pregnant women. The additions, listed in an early release from Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, are Barbados, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, Guyana, Cape Verde, and Samoa. Last week, the agency had urged expectant mothers or women planning to get pregnant to avoid visiting Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/55805?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-23&eun=g721819d0r

Ground-Level Ozone Exposure May Raise Death Risk Mortality from COPD and diabetes tied to air pollution

Long-term exposure to ground-level ozone is associated with an increased risk of death, especially death from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes, according to findings from a large prospective study. The analysis of data from nearly 670,000 participants in a nationwide cancer prevention study suggested that every additional 10 parts per billion (ppb) of long-term ground-level ozone exposure increased the risk of dying from diabetes or COPD during follow-up by 16% and 14%, respectively. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pulmonology/SmokingCOPD/55797?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-23&eun=g721819d0r

Genes Offer Clues to Cough Cause Method could help reduce antibiotic overuse in acute respiratory illness

Patterns of genetic response to infection can be used to tell if a cough is caused by bacteria, viruses, or neither, and have promise for slowing the inappropriate use of antibiotics, researchers reported. In an observational study, host gene expression classifiers were highly accurate in helping to pin down the cause of community-onset acute respiratory illness in people seeking care at an emergency department, according to Ephraim Tsalik, MD, PhD, of Durham VA Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and colleagues. The test was more accurate in distinguishing bacterial from viral causes than procalcitonin, a biomarker that's increasingly being used in the clinic, and also outperformed previously reported genetic tests, Tsalik and colleagues reported online in Science Translational Medicine. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/55769?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-22&eun=g721819d0r

Imaging Study Finds Differences In Brains Of Obese Children.

reports on a small imaging study published online in Heliyon finding that obese children may differ in the “communication between areas of the brain that control impulsivity, inhibition, and reward” from healthy-weight controls. The difference “may make obese children more prone to overeat.” Coauthor Kevin Niswender, MD, PhD, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, explained, “We found that as weight increased among children, the connectivity between the inhibition-associated brain region and reward-associated region decreased, while that between the impulsivity-associated region and reward region increased.” That means that obese children appear to have “more impulsivity drive and less inhibitory control.” The study was based on MRI in 38 children, with 5 being obese, and 6 others overweight. https://login.medscape.com/login/sso/getlogin?urlCache=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5tZWRzY2FwZS5jb20vdmlld2FydGljbGUvODU3NTU4&ac=401

Living Near A Supermarket May Help Kids Lose Weight, Study Suggests.

reports a new study suggests “living close to a large supermarket can help obese children slim down.” Lead author Dr. Lauren Fiechtner of MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston said of the study, “Children enrolled in an obesity intervention program who lived closer to a supermarket decreased their body mass index (BMI) and increased their fruit and vegetable intake.” Fiechtner cautioned however that “supermarket proximity alone might not have tipped the scales” as “the kids whose habits changed the most were also enrolled in a weight-loss program and given advice on how to make better food choices.” The study was published in the American Journal of Public Health. http://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/food-and-nutrition-news-316/having-supermarket-nearby-may-help-kids-lose-weight-707247.html

School water coolers may help kids lose weight

reports a new study of more than one million New York City school students suggests that “giving school children access to chilled, self-serve water may help chip away at childhood obesity.” The study, conducted by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center, New York University’s Institute for Education and Social Policy, and the Center for Policy Research at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, “analyzed data collected from 1,227 elementary and middle schools across New York City – some with and some without ‘water jets.’” The results showed that “schools with water dispensers saw a modest weight drop among students.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/school-water-coolers-may-help-kids-lose-weight/

Swine Flu Kills 12 in Russia as Illness Spreads Throughout Region

Swine flu has has been gaining ground across Russia, killing more than 12 people in the country since December, according to state news agency TASS. The majority of flu cases are caused by the A(H1N1) strain, commonly known as swine flu. Russia’s current epidemic is expected to peak in January and February, according to Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova.d Four swine-flu related deaths were reported in Rostov, southern Russia, among 120 reported cases, according to the AFP news agency. Five people, including a child, died from the disease in Dagestan in southern Russia and two died in Yekaterinburg in the east and Adygea in the south. A swine flu case was also reported by Russian state media in the northern city of Novy Urengoy late last year. http://www.newsweek.com/swine-flu-kills-12-russia-417370

Sleeping In On Weekends May Help Reduce T2D Risk Associated With Sleep Deprivation.

that participants who underwent four days of sleep deprivation “had a 23 percent drop in insulin sensitivity compared to normal levels.” However, “testing following the two days of recovery sleep showed that both insulin sensitivity levels and the disposition index fully rebounded after the catch-up sleep, the researchers said.” Medical Daily (1/19, Scutti) also covers the study. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-sleep-diabetes-idUSKCN0UW2BN

Hawaii baby born with small head had prior Zika infection

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/17/health/hawaii-zika-baby-microcephaly/

ADHD Still Affects People into Adulthood Dutch study finds symptoms persist past age 60

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) doesn't go away, even in the latest decades of life, Dutch researchers reported here. About 3% of adults over age 60 in The Netherlands still had ADHD, reported Sandra Kooij, MD, PhD, of the European Network of Adult ADHD, and colleagues at the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD) meeting. "ADHD is not outgrown in adults, and neither in older people," Kooij told MedPage Today. "The prevalence is a little lower, but the disorder can still be found in older individuals, who also still suffer from typical ADHD problems like restlessness, distractability, and from concurrent depression and anxiety." http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/APSARD/55683?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-16&eun=g721819d0r

Flint, Mich., has 10 fatal cases of Legionnaires’ disease; unclear if linked to water

More disturbing news has come for residents of Flint, Mich., who are already reeling from an escalating health crisis tied to their city’s lead-contaminated water supply. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services officials announced Wednesday that the city and the surrounding area have seen a spike in cases of Legionnaires’ disease — a bacterial infection that can be deadly for between 5 to 30 percent of those who contract it. So far, 87 cases have been diagnosed since June, two months after Flint changed its water source to the Flint River, the Detroit Free Press reported. Ten of those cases were fatal. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/01/14/beleagured-flint-mich-sees-10-fatal-cases-of-legionnaires-disease-unclear-if-connected-to-water-supply/

Ebola resurfaces in Sierra Leone hours after WHO declares outbreak over

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/15/africa/sierra-leone-ebola-new-case/index.html

Estrogen Appears To Have Antiviral Effects Against The Influenza A Virus.

reports that “estrogen has antiviral effects against the influenza A virus,” a study published in the American Journal of Physiology – Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology suggests. In the study, “estrogen compounds were able to spread their antiviral effects through a protein structure called estrogen receptor beta, which binds with other molecules to promote cell response – acting sort of like a gatekeeper.” http://www.medicaldaily.com/battle-sexes-female-sex-hormone-weakens-flu-virus-women-not-men-369514

Warning Labels May Deter Parents From Purchasing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages For Their Kids, Study Suggests.

reports that a new study published online in the journal Pediatrics suggests that parents may be less inclined to buy their children sugar-sweetened beverages if they came with warning labels detailing potential health risks. CNN (1/14, Storrs) reports that the study found that 40 percent of parents who saw the health warning label “went with the sugary drink option, compared with 53% of the parents who saw the calorie label and 60% of those who were given no labels.” CNN points out that “bills are under consideration in New York and California that would require sugar-sweetened beverages to feature health warning labels on their packaging, similar to tobacco warning labels.” http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/01/14/463061869/warning-labels-might-help-parents-buy-fewer-sugary-drinks-study-finds

Depression, Binge Eating Common in Weight Loss Surgery Patients Findings offer better understanding of mental health in bariatric candidates

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/Obesity/55653?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-14&eun=g721819d0r

Pertussis Outbreak Hits Florida Preschoolers Report casts doubt on vaccine effectiveness

Twenty-six preschoolers in Leon County, Fla., became ill with pertussis or pertussis-like symptoms -- even though many were current on their vaccinations -- after a classmate developed the illness, according to a study published by the CDC. Officials attributed this outbreak to a combination of the children's incomplete vaccination status, waning immunity due to vaccine type, possible provider error, and perhaps the emergence of vaccine-resistant bacteria. The "attack rate" among children age 1-5 at the preschool was 22%, reported James Matthias, MPH, of the Florida Department of Health in Tallahassee, and colleagues writing in Emerging Infectious Diseases. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Vaccines/55647?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-14&eun=g721819d0r

Fauci Warns Against Coming Mosquito-Borne Diseases. Group Says The World Is Unprepared For Next Pandemic.

reports on efforts to combat “multiple mosquito-borne diseases” such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya viruses. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, argues in a report in The New England Journal of Medicine, that the US should also be prepared “for a similar scenario.” USA Today points out that “there are no vaccines for chikungunya and Zika” and “no drugs” for any of them. Fauci and Morens call on the medical community to “up our game with broad and integrated research that expands understanding of the complex ecosystems in which agents of future pandemics are aggressively evolving.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/01/13/diseases-proliferate-mosquitoes-becoming-public-enemy-no-1/78755284/ reports the authors estimated that pandemics “could cost humanity $6 trillion in the 21st century, or $60 billion a year,” and “argued for the investing $4.5 billion a year—or 65 cents for every resident of the planet—to prepare.” The reports said that there are few threats “that can compare with infectious diseases in terms of their potential to result in catastrophic loss of life,” yet “nations devote only a fraction of the resources spent on national security to prevent and prepare for pandemics.” Moreover, the report said the WHO was “unprepared” to combat pandemics and needs to make “significant changes in order to play this role effectively.” They noted that “there is no realistic alternative” to the underfunded agency. The document was drawn up by 17 academics, policymakers, and nonprofit and industry leaders from around the world. Reuters (1/14, Kelland) says that the report by the Commission on Creating a Global Health Risk Framework for the Future was coordinated by the US National Academy of Medicine, along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and several other organizations. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-13/a-billion-in-pandemic-prevention-is-worth-a-trillion-in-cure

Chronic Stress May Trigger Production Of A Protein That Reduces Body’s Ability To Break Down Fat, Study Suggests.

reports that the findings of a laboratory study published in the February issue of the journal BBA Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids “may help explain how stress reduces” the “ability to lose weight.” Working with “cells and mice...researchers found that chronic stress triggers production of a protein called betatrophin.” In turn, that protein “reduces the body’s ability to break down fat.” http://consumer.healthday.com/mental-health-information-25/stress-health-news-640/stress-may-make-it-harder-to-lose-weight-706796.html

Frozen Fecal Matter an Option for C. Diff Fresh no better in treating diarrhea

Lee's group reported that they are planning a 10-year follow-up of these patients for a better understanding of long-term positive outcomes, such as improvement of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and autoimmune disease, along with negative outcomes, such as the development of metabolic or autoimmune diseases or cancer. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Gastroenterology/GeneralGastroenterology/55617?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-13&eun=g721819d0r

Pre-Pregnancy Consumption Of Potatoes May Be Associated With Increased Risk Of Gestational Diabetes.

eports that new research conducted at the NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and Harvard University revealed that women who consume more potatoes before conceiving may be at a greater risk of developing gestational diabetes while pregnant. Researchers analyzed data from over 15,000 women taking part in the Nurses’ Health Study II from 1991 to 2001 and found that “over the ten-year period, out of 21,693 pregnancies, there were 854 cases of gestational diabetes.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/potatoes-pregnancy-gestational-diabetes-risk/

Wake-up call for obscure but deadly infection

It may kill almost as many people as measles—probably close to 90,000 in 2015—but few have heard of it, even among physicians in areas where the deaths occur. It can manifest decades after infection and in many different ways: as an abscess; as a fulminant blood infection with fever, headache, and pain; or as a pulmonary infection with cough and chest pain that’s easy to confuse with tuberculosis. The obscure disease is melioidosis and a research team today sounds the alarm about it in a paper that provides the first global estimates of its prevalence and the number of deaths it causes. “I’m very happy to see this paper published,” says Alfredo Torres, a microbiologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston who wasn’t involved in the work. “It makes very clear that this disease has been underreported and that we need to pay more attention to it.” Melioidosis is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, which typically lives in the soil. People and a range of animals can become infected through skin abrasions or when inhaling contaminated dust or drinking contaminated water. The microbe can lead to acute disease immediately or lie dormant before exploding into full-blown melioidosis decades later, a trait that once earned it the nickname “Vietnamese time bomb." Melioidosis is resistant to many antibiotics; even when treated, up to half of the patients may die. http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2016/01/wake-call-obscure-deadly-infection

Personalized Diet May Be Better Than Broad Recommendations.

“Well” blog reports that in the wake of the government dietary recommendations, “recent scientific findings are beginning to lend support to a new approach to diet, one personalized to the individual.” Recent research suggests that everyone is unique in how they “absorb and metabolize nutrients,” so scientists are “scrambling to provide more effective nutritional advice based on such distinguishing factors as genetic makeup, gut bacteria, body type and chemical exposures.” A study published in the journal Cell “found a startling variation in the glucose responses of 800 subjects fed the same foods,” leading researchers to conclude that “each person’s capacity to extract energy from foods differs.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/11/a-personalized-diet-better-suited-to-you/?ref=health&_r=0

Researchers Seeking To Determine Whether Gut Bacteria From Skinny People Could Help Curb Obesity In Other People.

reports that scientists are seeking to determine “whether gut bacteria from skinny people could help curb obesity in others.” A study will look at “the effects of gut microbes from lean, metabolically healthy donors on the bodies of people with obesity and/or insulin sensitivity.” Researchers “will freeze the feces from donors and case the material into pills, to be taken orally by the” http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-01-11/will-pills-containing-fecal-matter-help-treat-obesityparticipants.

Drinking Soda Can Make You Store More Unhealthy Fat

reports that unlike other types of fat, visceral fat “tends to be more metabolically active,” which means it “releases compounds that can disrupt the body’s ability to efficiently break down sugar from food” to use as energy, “as well as boost production of cholesterol in the liver.” The study found that daily consumption of sugary drinks “was linked to a 27% greater increase in visceral fat volume,” compared to those who refrained from sugary drinks. According to Fox, there is a growing body of data connecting visceral fat levels to chronic health problems like diabetes, so “this provides an additional piece of evidence suggesting that sugar-sweetened beverages may be associated with a harmful metabolic parameter.” http://time.com/4175428/drinking-soda-fat-sugar/ Not all fat is created equal, and there’s fresh evidence that sugar-sweetened drinks make the body build up the worst kind of fat for your metabolism

Most Gastric Bypass Patients May Experience At Least One Adverse Event In Years Following The Procedure, Study Suggests.

reported that research indicated “nearly 90% of gastric bypass patients experienced at least one adverse event in the years following the procedure.” Investigators found that “in approximately two-thirds of patients, the symptoms were severe enough to prompt contact with a general practitioner or other healthcare professional, and 29% of patients experienced events requiring hospitalization.” The researchers found that “the most common adverse events were fatigue, abdominal pain, anemia, and dumping syndrome.” The findings were published online in JAMA Surgery. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Obesity/55570

Friendship Beneficial To Long-Term Health, Study Suggests.

reported that a study of 14,000 Americans ranging from adolescence to old age revealed that “having friends is good for your physical health, and the benefits appear to start early in life.” Kathleen Mullan Harris, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina, stated loneliness and poor health are linked in older people, but this is the first time it has been studied in younger people. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/08/having-friends-is-good-for-you-starting-in-your-teens/?ref=health&_r=0

Experts React to Dietary Guidelines But plenty of praise for focus on dietary patterns

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/55577?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-09&eun=g721819d0r

Spike in Drug Shortages Worries ER Docs Emergency departments pinched by rising drug shortages

http://www.medpagetoday.com/EmergencyMedicine/EmergencyMedicine/55557?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-08&eun=g721819d0r

Cancer Death Rate Has Fallen 23 Percent Since 1991, Data Indicate.

reports that data from the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) annual report indicate “the cancer death rate has fallen 23 percent since its peak in 1991.” The decline “is attributed to declining smoking rates and advances in cancer detection, treatment and prevention.” The AP points out, however, that “cancer is becoming the No. 1 killer in more and more states as deaths from heart disease have” fallen. http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/07/health/cancer-deaths-good-news/

Flu Season Off To Slowest Start In Five Years.

eports that “a warm winter is helping create the slowest start to the U.S. flu season in five years.” It is unclear whether “the current season is slow thanks to mild weather, or if the country is returning to a more traditional cycle when flu peaks in February or March, said Joseph Bresee, chief of epidemiology and prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “ In an interview, Bresee said, “We are a little later than in the past couple of years, but it’s too early to say if it will be a mild or a severe season.” He added, “While the weather may have something to do with it, it’s always hard to predict when the flu will come.” http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-07/fewer-fevers-aches-in-mild-flu-season-may-help-health-insurers

Experimental Blood Test May Help Identify Prostate Cancers That Are Unlikely To Respond To Treatment With Newer Hormonal Therapies.

reports that “an experimental blood test showed promise for identifying prostate cancers that were unlikely to respond to treatment with newer hormonal therapies, according to” research presented at the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium. Investigators found that individuals “with tumor cells that varied widely in appearance and genetic make-up on the test, described as a ‘liquid biopsy,’ had a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 5 months when treated with abiraterone (Zytiga) or enzalutamide (Xtandi) compared with 17 months for patients whose tumor cells had more consistent characteristics.” Additionally, “tumor-cell heterogeneity...correlated with overall survival (OS).” http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/MGUCS/55551

HHS, USDA Release Updated Dietary Guidelines.

eported, “Today the government revised its advice for a healthy diet. The headlines: Lean meat and eggs may now be okay, but sugar and salt still bad.” USA Today (1/8, Szabo) reports that the new guidelines, from the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Health and Human Services, recommend “limiting the amount of added sugars in our diet to no more than 10% of daily calories,” which is approximately “12 teaspoons of sugar a day.” reducing “sodium intake was the major push of the 2010 guidelines, and that document recommended that those most at risk of heart disease, or about half the population, lower their intake to 1,500 mg.” However, “the new guidelines delete that lower amount as part of the top recommendations.” But, “the report says those with high blood pressure and prehypertension could benefit from a steeper reduction.” “Essentially, the latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans nudges the country’s nutritional policy toward a traditional Mediterranean diet.” http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-dietary-guidelines-eggs-coffee-20160107-story.html

Mexico's 10% Sugary Drink Tax Tied to Less Consumption Reduction was greatest in least affluent households

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/PublicHealth/55537?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-07&eun=g721819d0r

Premature Menopause May Increase A Woman’s Later Risk Of Depression, Review Indicates.

Premature menopause may increase a woman’s later risk of depression,” the findings of a 14-study review published online Jan. 6 in JAMA Psychiatry indicate. Researchers found that women “whose menopause began when they were 40 and older had a lower risk of depression later in life than those with premature menopause.” http://consumer.healthday.com/mental-health-information-25/depression-news-176/might-early-menopause-trigger-depression-706731.html

Financial Rewards Meant To Encourage Obese Employees To Lose Weight May Not Be Effective.

http://consumer.healthday.com/mental-health-information-25/behavior-health-news-56/insurance-discounts-don-t-motivate-employees-to-slim-down-study-says-706735.html

Chemicals Contained In Fracking Fluids And Wastewater May Pose Serious Risks To Reproductive And Developmental Health.

reports, “Arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde, lead and mercury are among more than 200 toxins found in fracking fluids and wastewater that may pose serious risks to reproductive and developmental health, according to” research published Jan. 6 in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. Researchers arrived at this conclusion after investigating “more than 1,000 chemicals used in and created by” the fracking process. Some studies indicate that “even tiny doses of chemicals released during phases of oil and natural gas production could pose serious health risks – especially to developing fetuses, babies and young children.” Andrea Gore, PhD, of the University of Texas at Austin, “co-authored a scientific statement in September that underscored that point.” Combining fracking chemicals may result in “more unpredictable and worrisome” risks, “according to the statement from the Endocrine Society.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fracking-fluid-health-study_568db472e4b0cad15e636b70?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green§ion=green

Fluconazole Use May Increase Miscarriage Risk Risks higher than for other antifungals

Use of the oral antifungal medication fluconazole (Difulcan) was associated with increased risk for spontaneous abortion in pregnant women, in comparison with pregnancies in which other antifungals were used as well as those without any such treatment, a large population-based Danish cohort study found. Women who were exposed to oral fluconazole were associated with a significant increased risk of spontaneous abortion versus matched control pregnancies with no record of antifungal use (hazard ratio 1.48, 95% CI 1.23-1.77), reported Ditte Mølgaard-Nielsen, MSc, of Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, Denmark, and colleague http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/Pregnancy/55527?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-06&eun=g721819d0r

Aspirin May Lower Risk of Lethal Prostate Cancer But confirmation needed before a firm recommendation can be made

Men with prostate cancer had almost a 40% lower risk of dying of the disease if they were taking aspirin for cardiovascular protection, a large cohort study showed. The hazard ratio for prostate cancer death was 0.61 (95% CI 0.47-0.78) for men who reported taking aspirin more than three times a week versus those who reported less frequent or no aspirin use. Aspirin prophylaxis also was associated with a 24% reduction in the hazard for lethal prostate cancer, defined as metastatic disease or death. Total prostate cancer and the risk of high-grade or locally advanced disease did not decrease with aspirin use. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ASCOGU/55525?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-06&eun=g721819d0r

Approximately One-Third Of All Cancer Cases May Be Linked To Inherited Genes.

reports that the researchers found that “overall heritability for cancer was 33 percent among the entire study population, and notably higher for certain types of cancers.” Newsweek adds, “Significant heritability was found in 58 percent of diagnosed skin melanomas, 57 percent of prostate cancers, 43 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers, 39 percent of ovarian cancers, 38 percent of kidney cancers, 31 percent of breast cancers and 27 percent of uterine cancers.” http://www.newsweek.com/double-trouble-study-tw412028ins-reveals-lot-about-cancer-risk-

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/55504?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-05&eun=g721819d0r

Patients with gout are at significantly elevated risk for atrial fibrillation (Afib), a U.K. population-based study found. At the index date of gout diagnosis, a significantly greater percentage of gout patients had Afib compared with controls (7.42% versus 2.98%, P<0.001). The prevalence of Afib at the index date was significantly higher in both men (6.69% versus 2.49%) and women (9.36% versuss 3.71%) with gout than in their respective controls. "Gout is probably an independent risk factor for Afib, despite it also being associated with many comorbidities that also contribute to development of Afib," Weiya Zhang, PhD, of the University of Nottingham, and colleagues wrote online Dec. 17 in Rheumatology. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/GeneralRheumatology/55498?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-05&eun=g721819d0r

Game-Changers 2015: Rethinking Fat Not so bad anymore

A major step toward ending the government's "ban" on total dietary fat and data supporting supporting a new approach to fat, was the "game changer" in the field for 2015, according to diet and nutrition experts contacted by MedPage Today. In it's January 2015 report, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAC) scientific panel "for the first time, and based on strong scientific evidence ... abandoned any explicit ceiling on total fat intake, focusing instead on the type of fats," said Meir Stampfer, MD, DrPH, of Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/55504?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-01-05&eun=g721819d0r

Tropical Diseases Moving North Toward US.

reports that as mosquitoes and ticks are able to expand their ranges due to climate change, tropical diseases, including Lyme, West Nile, Chagas, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, are moving north. Scientists say that while this does not mean epidemics are imminent, as a “set of factors far more complex than the weather” will determine whether a full outbreak occurs. However, they say some factors “are, for now, unstoppable, scientists say: the weather is hotter; cheap airfares mean humans travel more than they did decades ago; and cities in tropical countries are becoming more crowded, creating nurseries for each disease.” Meanwhile, “other factors can be manipulated to stop outbreaks: insects can be killed; patients can be cured before they are bitten again; vaccines can be developed; and simple measures like screens, air-conditioning and bug spray can play big roles.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/health/us-becomes-more-vulnerable-to-tropical-diseases-like-zika.html?ref=world&_r=0

Many Physicians Not Strongly Recommending HPV Vaccine For Preteens, Study Reveals.

reports that a survey of nearly 600 physicians revealed that many pediatricians and family physicians “are not strongly recommending the cancer-preventing HPV vaccine to preteens and their parents.” The report found that “more than one-third” of those surveyed “don’t strongly recommend it for” kids 11 to 12 years old and instead more likely to “recommend vaccination and to give the shots to older kids and girls.” The findings were published in Pediatrics. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/many-doctors-dont-urge-hpv-shots-for-preteens-study-says/2016/01/03/66da6928-b23e-11e5-8abc-d09392edc612_story.html

Colorado Bans Sugary Drinks At Childcare Centers.

reported that Colorado regulations for about 2,000 licensed child care centers scheduled to take effect on Feb. 1 are “getting praise from health and child advocates for provisions that ban sugary drinks, limit television viewing and require playground time and healthy meals.” http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_29334970/new-colorado-rules-bar-sugary-drinks-restrict-tv

Higher Sugar Consumption May Be Linked To Increased Breast Cancer Risk, Mouse Study Suggests.

reported that research “published in...Cancer Research support[s] studies that suggest people who consume more sugar have a higher risk of cancer – especially breast cancer.” Investigators found, in their study in mice, “that fructose, in particular, affects a metabolic process (or pathway) called 12-LOX. It helps cells metastasize.” Medical Daily (1/3, Venosa) also covered the story. http://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/here-s-how-sugar-might-fuel-growth-cancer-n488456