US Military Has Contaminated Thousands Of Sites With Weapons Testing, Investigation Finds.

roPublica (12/28, Chakraborty, Lustgarten) reports that the Pentagon has cataloged more than 40,000 sites in the US contaminated by the testing and disposal of the nation’s weapons, and it has already spent $40 billion in clean-up. The testing and disposal of weapons have “poisoned drinking water supplies, rendered millions of acres of land unsafe or unusable, and jeopardized the health of often unwitting Americans.” The article says that the “total amount of land contaminated by the military is larger than the state of Florida,” and some plots have been “returned to public use – for parks, housing and schools – in some instances without thorough cleanups.” https://www.propublica.org/article/military-pollution-rdx-war-at-home

Retail Chain Recalls Some Makeup Products Due To Reports Of Cancer-Producing Asbestos.

According to CBS affiliate WPRI, a Rhode Island mother, who also works at a law firm specializing in asbestos litigation, decided to have the glittery makeup she purchased for her daughter tested at” a laboratory. That mother “claims the makeup came back positive for asbestos, which has been linked to lung cancer, mesothelioma and other types of cancer.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/claires-pulls-makeup-for-kids-asbestos-concerns/

Few US Schools Use Evidence-Based Programs To Reduce Obesity, CDC Paper Says.

reports very few public schools in the US “are implementing evidence-based programs to combat obesity despite the substantial amount of research that’s gone into developing them, according to a paper published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” The paper also found that some schools exacerbate unhealthy behaviors with “Biggest Loser” contests and other programs. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/28/cdc-paper-few-schools-use-proven-programs-combat-o/

Seattle To Implement New Sugary Beverage Tax On New Year’s Day.

reports Seattle, Washington’s tax on sugary drinks – a levy of 1.75 cents per fluid ounce the city enacted in June – will go into effect on New Year’s Day. Products such as diet beverages and “sweetened products from certified manufacturers with annual worldwide gross revenue of $2 million or less” have been exempted from the tax. While supporters assert the tax will reduce consumption of beverages with little nutritional value and which have been associated with obesity, opponents, including business and labor groups, argue it would adversely impact small businesses and employment. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/12/27/seattles-new-tax-sugary-drinks-kicks-new-years-day/984673001/

NIH, Population Council Sponsor Clinical Trials Of Male Contraception Gel.

National Institutes of Health and the Population Council are sponsoring “the largest-to-date clinical trial on a hormonal male contraception gel” set to start next year, with non-single participants in six countries taking part. The key ingredient in the gel, which is rubbed onto the “upper arms and shoulders once a day,” is “a synthetic progestin called nestorone – which blocks the testes from making enough testosterone to produce sperm – and a synthetic testosterone, which will counteract subsequent hormonal imbalances.” After the first clinical trials, however, “it will likely be at least five years before it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and becomes available to the public.” http://time.com/5077942/male-contraceptive-hormonal-gel/

Nutrition Researchers In Developing World Face Dilemma Of Whether To Collaborate With Big Food Industry.

reported that nutrition researchers in Malaysia, which is now “the fattest country in Asia, with nearly half the adult population now overweight or obese,” face the problem of a peer-review system in which multinational food corporations like Pepsi or Kellogg’s participate. This leads to the publication of studies such as the “one that concluded that children who drank malted breakfast beverages – a category dominated in Malaysia by Milo, a sugary powder drink made by Nestlé – were more likely to be physically active and spend less time in front of a computer or television.” The Times said that while the problem of industry influence on scientific research also exists in the West, in the developing world “government research funding is scarce and there is less resistance to the practice.” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/23/health/obesity-malaysia-nestle.html

Early Puberty In Girls May Be Associated With Increased Likelihood For Depression, Behavior Problems Lasting Into Adulthood,

“Girls who go through puberty early could be more likely to experience depression and behavior problems that last into their 20s compared to peers who start menstruation later,” researchers concluded after studying data on some “7,800 women who had their first menstrual cycle at an average age of 12.” Investigators interviewed participants “four times, starting around age 16 and continuing until about age 28.” The study revealed that “the younger the age at the first period, the stronger the association between early puberty and mental health problems. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-puberty-women-depression/girls-early-puberty-tied-to-depression-behavior-problems-into-adulthood-idUSKBN1EK15W

Vitamin D, Calcium Supplements May Not Reduce Risk Of Bone Fractures, Review Suggests.

reports researchers found that people over the age of 50 who take vitamin D and calcium supplements may not reduce their risk of fractures “regardless of dose, the gender of the patient, history of fractures or the amount of calcium in the diet.” Researchers analyzed “33 randomized clinical trials involving more than 50,000 adults over the age of 50.” The article points out that the US Preventive Services Task Force has questioned the benefits of taking vitamin D and calcium supplements “since 2013 when it issued recommendations saying evidence to support the benefit of the supplements in older adults without osteoporosis or vitamin D deficiency was ‘insufficient.’” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2017/12/26/calcium-and-vitamin-d-supplements-may-not-protect-against-bone-fractures-in-elderly/

Is North Korea Building Missiles Armed with Anthrax?

https://scout.com/military/warrior/Article/North-Korea-Building-Missiles-Armed-with-Anthrax-That-Can-Hit-America-112628161

When Incomes Rise, Women’s Average Weight Tends To Drop

reports that “as paychecks get bigger, women’s average weight tends to drop,” CDC researchers found. That is not the case with men, however. The study, which was “based on 2014 data,” revealed that “obesity prevalence was lower in the highest income group among women, but this was not the case among men.” The findings were published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. https://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/misc-weight-news-704/as-income-rises-women-get-slimmer-but-not-men-729612.html

Flu shot effectiveness in question as worse-than-normal season looms for US

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/flu-shot-effectiveness-in-question-as-worse-than-normal-season-looms-for-us/70003602

Daily Serving of Leafy Greens May Boost Brain Health Lutein, folate, and other nutrients seem to slow cognitive decline

https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/dietnutrition/70040?xid=NL_breakingnews_2017-12-21&eun=g721819d0r&pop=0&ba=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBreak_122117&utm_term=Morning%20Break%20-%20Active%20Users%20-%20180%20days

t People Who Have Larger Social Networks May Have A Decreased Risk For T2D,

“In a study of nearly 3,000 middle-aged to elderly people in the Netherlands,” investigators “found that people who had social networks of 10 to 12 people were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes [T2D] than people with only seven to eight close friends.” Specifically, “each drop in a social network member was tied to a 5 percent to 12 percent higher risk of diabetes,” the study revealed. The findings were published online in BMC Public Health. https://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/misc-diabetes-news-181/friendships-may-be-your-defense-against-diabetes-729508.html

FDA To Increase Regulation Of Homeopathic Remedies.

reports that on Monday, the FDA “issued a new proposal for regulating homeopathic medicines that have long been on the fringe of mainstream medicine.” The agency intends “to target products that pose the biggest safety risks, including those marketed for children or for serious diseases,” although “under the government’s framework, the vast majority of low-risk products would remain on the market.” Commenting on the matter, FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said, “We respect that some individuals want to use alternative treatments, but the FDA has a responsibility to protect the public from products that may not deliver any benefit and have the potential to cause harm.” https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-crack-down-snake-oil-homeopathy-n830756

Women With Sleep Disorders Other Than Sleep Apnea May Be More Likely To Experience Infertility,

reported that research suggests “women with sleep disorders other than sleep apnea may be more than three times as likely to experience infertility as their counterparts who don’t have trouble sleeping.” Investigators also found that “when insomnia was to blame for women’s sleeping difficulties, they were more than four times as likely as peers who slept well to experience infertility.” The findings were published online in the journal Sleep. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-fertility-sleep-disorders/sleep-problems-tied-to-female-infertility-idUSKBN1E92XO

FDA Pushes For Development Of Generic Insulin.

reported that on Friday, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced the FDA “will add insulin, a life-saving drug used by millions of diabetics, to its campaign to add generic competitors to brand-name products the agency believes are part of the US’s medical cost problem.” In a statement, Gottlieb said, “It’s important that we provide tools and resources to help companies to identify products on the market that lack competition.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-15/fda-targets-insulin-for-increased-competition-to-lower-prices

Not Quite a Fever, But Still A Mortality Risk Marker? Observational data make the case in apparently healthy population

The reference temperature of 98.6°F (37°C) inadequately describes the variation in normal body temperatures, an observational study found. After controlling for factors like age and race, every unexplained 0.149°C increase in body temperature was linked to 8.4% relative greater odds of mortality within the year, or an absolute increase of 0.52% (P=0.014) among patients seen at outpatient clinics of a large academic hospital in 2009-2014 (n=35,488). The average temperature of this study group made up of individuals who were expected to have normal body temperatures, having neither a diagnosis for an infection nor a prescription for antibiotics at the time, was actually 97.9°F (90% https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/generalprimarycare/69906?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-12-15&eun=g721819d0r&pop=0&ba=1&pos=3&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202017-12-15&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days

Women Who Have High Glucose Levels Early In Pregnancy More Likely To Have Babies With Heart Defects

) reports a recent study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found pregnant women who have high glucose levels early in pregnancy have a higher risk of having a baby with heart defects, “even if they do not have full-blown diabetes.” In studying data on more than 19,000 mothers, “of whom 811 gave birth to babies with congenital heart disease,” researchers “found that for each 10 milligrams per deciliter increase in plasma glucose, there was an 8 percent increase in the risk for giving birth to a baby with heart defects.” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/15/well/family/high-glucose-levels-in-pregnancy-tied-to-heart-defects-in-babies.html

Diabetes Rate Among US Veterans More Than Double Than Diabetes Rate In Overall US Population,

“More than 20% of US veterans have diabetes and 3.4% have undiagnosed diabetes, a combined figure that is more than double the diabetes rate in the overall US population,” researchers concluded after analyzing “five cycles of US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data conducted between 2005 and 2014.” The findings were published in the CDC’s Preventing Chronic Disease journal. https://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes/news/in-the-journals/%7B8b380efc-a265-455b-bbe3-3ec13918c412%7D/nhanes-nearly-25-of-us-veterans-have-diabetes

More People Around The World Die From Seasonal Influenza Than Previously Believed.

reports, “As many as 646,000 people are dying globally from seasonal influenza each year, US health officials” with the CDC “said on Wednesday.” Those officials estimated that “global death rates from seasonal influenza are likely between 291,000 and 646,000 people each year, depending on the severity of the circulating flu strain.” This is an increase from the “prior estimate range of 250,000 to 500,000 deaths,” according to findings published in The Lancet. Reuters adds that National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Director Dr. Anthony Fauci “and other experts have long called for investment in the development of a universal flu vaccine that would protect against both seasonal and pandemic flu.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-influenza-estimates/seasonal-flu-kills-more-globally-than-previously-thought-u-s-study-idUSKBN1E801T PBS NewsHour (12/13, Santhanam) reports that in arriving at the study’s conclusions, CDC researchers “analyzed the WHO’s Global Health Estimate data from 1999 to 2015, including statistics from 33 countries that represent more than half of global population.” Next, they “used computer modeling to develop estimates for flu-linked deaths, excluding pandemics, in 185 countries.” According to TIME (12/13, Ducharme), “the researchers also noted in the study that their estimates likely do not capture all” deaths related to influenza. Specifically, the study honed in “on flu-related respiratory illnesses, but influenza can also worsen chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, or cause other serious complications, including encephalitis and organ failure.”

Children Born To Mothers With RA May Have An Increased Risk For Chronic Diseases,

“Children born to mothers with rheumatoid arthritis [RA] have an increased risk for chronic diseases, including thyroid disease, epilepsy and rheumatoid arthritis, during childhood and adolescence,” researchers found after analyzing data on “2,106 children born by women with RA, and 1,378,539 children born by women without RA.” The findings were published online in Arthritis Care & Research. https://www.healio.com/rheumatology/rheumatoid-arthritis/news/online/%7B650990fe-16b7-4f1b-82e4-948d5b3ce4cb%7D/maternal-ra-linked-to-thyroid-disease-epilepsy-in-children

States Ranked In Terms Of Health By United Health Foundation.

reports the United Health Foundation released America’s Health Rankings, which ranks the states in terms of health. According to the report, the five healthiest states are Massachusetts, Hawaii, Vermont, Utah and Connecticut, while the five least healthy states are West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. STAT (12/12, Thielking) reports the rankings are based “on 35 factors that impact health, from vaccination levels and infant mortality rates to environmental pollution and poverty levels.” http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/12/health/2017-health-disparities-report/index.html

Postmenopausal Women Should Not Use Hormone Therapy To Prevent Chronic Medical Conditions, USPSTF Says.

reports the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a government-backed panel of experts, has concluded that “postmenopausal women should not use hormone therapy to prevent chronic medical conditions, because the risk of significant side effects outweighs the unclear evidence of a benefit.” The experts recommend, instead of hormone therapy, “a healthy diet and physical activity for the prevention of cardiovascular disease; daily low-dose aspirin to decrease the risk of colon cancer and cardiovascular disease in certain women; and medications like tamoxifen and raloxifene to decrease the risk of breast cancer in certain high-risk women.” The recommendation statement and a separate report documenting the evidence supporting the recommendations were published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-menopause-hormones/older-women-should-not-take-hormones-to-prevent-chronic-diseases-idUSKBN1E62US

Living Near a Gym Tied to Smaller Waistline And the reverse: residing near fast-food joints linked to greater adiposity

https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/obesity/69854?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-12-13&eun=g721819d0r&pop=0&ba=1&pos=4&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202017-12-13&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days

WHO: Progress Against Malaria Hits Roadblocks

the battle against malaria has ground to a halt as a result of flat financing, complacency, and political upheaval in some of the hardest-hit countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports. https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/generalinfectiousdisease/69523?xid=nl_mpt_special_reports_2017-12-12%20&uun=g721819d0r5883165u

Weight-Loss Medications, Bariatric Surgery Rated By Physicians As Less Effective Relative To Lifestyle Modification,

, “Primary care physicians [PCPs] and obesity medicine specialists rated behavioral factors as a greater cause of weight gain vs. biological factors, and rated weight-loss medications and bariatric surgery as less effective relative to lifestyle modification,” researchers concluded after examining “data gathered from questionnaires administered at CME courses and two consecutive years of an obesity medicine course.” The data also revealed that “physicians who practice obesity medicine gave higher effectiveness ratings for medications and bariatric surgery relative to PCPs.” The findings were published online in Obesity Science & Practice. https://www.healio.com/endocrinology/obesity/news/in-the-journals/%7B8d4d1421-9ff4-49b7-91e4-d91b352fe469%7D/survey-physicians-rate-weight-loss-medications-surgery-less-effective-than-lifestyle-in-obesity-management

Many Americans Believe Bariatric Surgery Is Dangerous, Ineffective, Despite Evidence To The Contrary.

that while “the medical case for bariatric surgery has grown much stronger in recent years,” with “high-quality studies on the long-term health outcomes of people with obesity who got surgery” indicating “on average, that they’re able to lose dramatic amounts of weight, and even reverse their obesity-related health conditions.” However, “out of the 20 million people who are eligible in the US, fewer than one percent get bariatric surgery for weight loss, according to the Obesity Society.” According to Vox, “polling data” indicate “that many Americans still think it’s dangerous and ineffective.” https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/12/7/16587316/bariatric-surgery-weight-loss-lap-band

Studies Find No Survival Advantage In “Obesity Paradox.”

“The ‘obesity paradox,’ a survival advantage in obese patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) reported by some studies, disappeared when investigators took a closer look at it” in research published in PLOS One. When investigators “focused on only incident CVD cases in a large nationally representative cohort” that included “more than 30,000 people in the Health and Retirement Study,” then “used patients’ pre-diagnosis weight, there was no longer any survival advantage, suggesting that previous studies suffered from bias and confounding.” https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/obesity/69722

AES Poster Rounds: Making the Ketogenic Diet Easier Top picks from the American Epilepsy Society meeting

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aesposterrounds/69724?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-12-08&eun=g721819d0r&pop=0&ba=1&pos=2&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202017-12-08&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days

Long-Term Benefits Of Bariatric Surgery May Persist For Years

reports, “Long-term benefits of bariatric surgery persisted for years,” researchers found. The findings of the 2,348-patient study were published online in JAMA Surgery. The authors of an accompanying commentary “stated that the researchers ‘must be commended for their meticulous and valuable work that underscores the benefits of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding in terms of weight loss and adiposity based chronic diseases.’” According to MedPage Today, “the study was a cooperative agreement funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.” https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/obesity/69693

Hormonal Contraceptives May Increase Breast Cancer Risk.

reported on a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine finding that “women who use hormonal” contraceptives “for more than a year are at a 20 percent higher risk for breast cancer,” though “the overall risk remains low.” ABC News (12/6, Childs, Yap, Francis) reports on its website that the finding was based on a “study of 1.8 million women in Denmark” who were followed for “nearly 11 years.” Study co-author Dr. Lina Mørch told ABC News, “I was hoping that I was able to recommend one product that was risk-free but could not recommend any product as risk-free.” The researchers also found that “the breast cancer risk seemed to increase with the duration of hormonal contraceptive use.” Dr. Jon LaPook commented on the study for the CBS Evening News (12/6, story 11, 1:35, Holt) saying, “Most of these breast cancers were found in women in their 40s, and women using hormones for less than five years had no increased risk after being off them for six months.” LaPook added, “The 20 percent translates to about one more case of breast cancer a year for ever 7,700 women.” He also said that there are “potential benefits of using hormones, for example, decreasing the risk of ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer or colon cancer and the benefit of preventing an unwanted pregnancy.” http://abcnews.go.com/Health/hormonal-birth-control-linked-increased-breast-cancer-risk/story?id=51619698

Menarche Tied to Seizure Onset Similar effect also seen in boys, suggesting hormonal trigger

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aes/69703?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-12-07&eun=g721819d0r&pop=0&ba=1&pos=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202017-12-07&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days

Very Low-Calorie Liquid Diet May Help Some Patients With T2D Reverse Their Condition,

“Patients with type 2 diabetes [T2D] can reverse the condition if they stick to a very low-calorie liquid diet, of around 850 kcal per day for three to five months, and then gradually reintroduce food, with ongoing support for maintenance of weight loss that includes strategies to increase physical activity and cognitive behavioral therapy,” researchers concluded. The findings of the 250-patient study were presented at the International Diabetes Federation Congress 2017 and simultaneously published in The Lancet. The author of an accompanying editorial wrote, “These results are impressive and strongly support the view that type 2 diabetes is tightly associated with excessive fat mass in the body. http://time.com/5048653/weight-loss-diabetes-diet/

FDA Approves Weekly Diabetes Drug.

reports the Food and Drug Administration approved Novo Nordisk’s weekly-injection diabetes drug Ozempic (semaglutide), which is in a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogs. The article reports that Novo hopes Ozempic “will take market share from” Eli Lilly’s Trulicity, which is also a GLP-1 analog. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-novo-nordisk-diabetes-fda/fda-approves-novo-nordisk-diabetes-drug-ozempic-idUSKBN1DZ2O9

Long, Slow Decline in BP Often Precedes Seniors' Death Falling blood pressure also linked to subcortical microinfarcts

https://www.medpagetoday.com/geriatrics/generalgeriatrics/69668?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-12-06&eun=g721819d0r&pop=0&ba=1&pos=0&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202017-12-06&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days

Ketogenic Diet May Help in Tough-to-Treat Epilespy Literature review suggests benefit in refractory status epilepticus

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aes/69652?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-12-05&eun=g721819d0r&pop=0&ba=1&pos=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202017-12-05&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days

China Working To Eliminate Toxic Pesticide Use.

reports China intends to ban the use of 12 more toxic pesticides within five years as the government aims to improve the safety of the nation’s farm produce. The government already has “withdrawn 22 highly toxic pesticides from use” and has prohibited “the use of any such products on fruit, vegetables and tea,” although China “still has a number of highly toxic chemicals in use on other crops.” https://www.reuters.com/article/china-pesticides/china-to-phase-out-more-pesticides-in-push-to-improve-food-safety-idUSL3N1O51PO

Estradiol Therapy May Limit Effects Of Stress On Working Memory In Postmenopausal Women, Research

reports that estradiol therapy in postmenopausal women “may limit the effects of stress on working memory and may aid in maintenance of proper hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal reactivity,” researchers concluded in a randomized study involving 42 women. The findings were published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. http://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/androgen-and-reproductive-disorders/estradiol-therapy-menopause-memory-stress/article/711301/

Advanced MR Imaging Shows Disrupted Connectivity In Complex Regions Of Brain Involved In Regulating Appetite Among Obese Teens,

reported that researchers found that “advanced MR imaging revealed disrupted connectivity in the complex regions of the brain involved in regulating appetite among obese teens.” The findings were presented at the RSNA meeting. http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/rsna-2017/mri-shows-brain-changes-obese-adolescents

Diabetes Later in Life? Could Be Type 1 Misdiagnosis could cause delays in appropriate care

People with type 1 diabetes might be misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes in adulthood, researchers suggested. Published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, a cross-sectional analysis reported that 42% (95% CI 39-45) of people with type 1 diabetes were diagnosed between the ages of 31 and 60, despite representing only 4% (n=537) of new diabetes cases diagnosed after the age of 30 in the cohort. "It is typically considered a disease of childhood and adolescence, but can occur at any age," wrote Nicholas J. Thomas, MRCP, of the University of Exeter Medical School in the U.K., and colleagues. "Identification of type 1 diabetes in adults older than 30 years is challenging because of the much higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes than type 1 diabetes in older adults (type 1 diabetes accounts for <5% of all cases)," and diagnosis-related errors https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/type1diabetes/69633?xid=NL_breakingnews_2017-12-04&eun=g721819d0r&pop=0&ba=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBreak_120417&utm_term=Morning%20Break%20-%20Active%20Users%20-%20180%20days

Review Of Previous Studies Finds Benefit From Drinking Coffee.

reports on a review of over 200 studies published in the BMJ finding that “drinking three to four cups of coffee a day is not only safe for most people, it might protect against heart disease or an early death.” Coffee drinking was also associated with “a lower risk for developing prostate, endometrial, skin and liver cancers, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, gout, gallstones and dementia.” https://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/caffeine-health-news-89/could-your-coffee-habit-lengthen-your-life-728831.html

Flu Season Begins Early, Could Peak By Christmas, CDC Says.

reports the flu season “is off to an early start this year” and could “peak over the holidays,” a new CDC analysis indicates. The piece says the “wildly unpredictable” flu viruses leave experts uncertain of precisely how extensive the season will be, but the CDC’s weekly flu reports offer updated predictions and data, with the most recent report showing “that Louisiana and Oklahoma already have widespread flu activity and some nearby states are heating up too.” According to CDC influenza epidemiologist Lynnette Brammer, who leads flu reporting, “If it continues to go up like it has the last couple of weeks, yeah, we could have a fair amount of activity right at Christmas.” https://www.statnews.com/2017/11/30/flu-season-update/

Weight Gain Tied To Insulin Therapy May Not Be Associated With Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes, Mortality Risk For People With T2D,

reports, “Weight gain associated with insulin therapy is not associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes or risk for mortality in people with type 2 diabetes [T2D],” researchers concluded. The findings were published online in Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews. http://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/type-2-diabetes/insulin-induced-weight-gain-adverse-cardiovascular-outcomes-t2d/article/710407/