Measles Killer: More Common than Believed Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis always fatal

NEW ORLEANS -- A rare and universally fatal complication of measles is more common than clinicians had thought, a researcher said here. The disease is subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and in the pre-vaccine era investigators thought it occurred about one in 100,000 measles cases, according to James Cherry, MD, of the University of California Los Angeles. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/IDWeek/61103?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-31&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Price Moderation For Prescription Drugs Could Be Coming, Analysts Say.

reported that some analysts and investors believe the prospect of price moderation on prescription drugs could be coming due to structural changes in the marketplace caused by increased competition, government intervention, and backlash from pharmacy-benefit managers. According to the Journal, recent corporate earnings reports have called into question the ability of drugmakers to raise prices. Additional coverage is provided by Fierce Pharma (10/28, Staton). http://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/amgen-bids-farewell-to-enbrel-price-hikes-and-big-sales-boosts-they-brought

Consumption Of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Fell By More Than 20% Since City Enacted “Soda Tax,” Study Finds.

reported that after Berkeley enacted a “soda tax,” the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages decreased by more than 20% in the city’s low-income neighborhoods, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. The article points out that four cities across the US are considering soda tax proposals in the upcoming election. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-soda-tax-idUSKCN12S200

Women Who Are Due To Give Birth Over The Winter May Need To Take Stronger Vitamin D Supplements, Study Indicates.

quoted study author Nicholas C. Harvey, MA, MB, BChir, MRCP, PhD, Professor of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology at the UK’s University of Southampton, who said, “It is critical for pregnant women to have sufficient levels of vitamin D for the health of their baby.” Harvey added, “Our study findings suggest that in order to optimize vitamin D concentrations through pregnancy, the supplemental dose given may need to be tailored to a woman’s individual circumstances, such as the anticipated season of delivery.” http://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/customized-vitamin-d-supplements-may-benefit-pregnant-women/

Cranberry Capsules Fail to Prevent UTI in Trial Randomized trial in nursing homes found no benefit

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/IDWeek/61086?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-29&eun=g721819d0r&pos=4

Big Easy' Hosts Obesity Week 2016 Gastric bypass, insurance coverage, and nutritional policy research are among the highlights

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ObesityWeek/61084?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-29&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

CDC Many Factors Affect IBD's Population Prevalence Federal survey data yield several surprises

Similar to previous reports, a higher prevalence of IBD was seen among adults ages 45 and older (3.2%), as well as among non-Hispanic whites (1.4%). But Dahlhamer and colleagues also found variations in certain subgroups that had not been previously reported. Adults with less than a high school level of education had a higher prevalence of IBD (1.7%) compared with those who had a bachelor's degree or higher (1.1%). Additionally, 1.6% of unemployed adults, compared with 1.2% of adults who were currently employed, reported ever receiving a diagnosis of IBD. Adults living in poverty (family incomes <100% of the federal poverty level) had a higher prevalence of IBD (1.8%) than adults from families with incomes ≥400% of the federal poverty level (1.1%). Regionally, adults living outside the central city of a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) had a higher prevalence of IBD (1.4%) than did adults living in the central or principal city of an MSA (1.0%). Individuals born in the U.S. were more likely to have been diagnosed with IBD (1.4%) than those who were born elsewhere (0.8%). http://www.medpagetoday.com/Gastroenterology/InflammatoryBowelDisease/61062?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-28&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Can Dental Care Fight Pneumonia? Regular checkups linked to protection against bacterial disease

Bacterial pneumonia is a serious illness "associated with significant morbidity and mortality," he said, adding, "Anything we can do to reduce the burden of disease is important." File noted that aggressive approaches to reducing the bacterial burden in the mouth using chlorhexidine rinses or gels are now the standard of care when hospital inpatients are on a ventilator. Doll said the link between bacteria in the mouth and pneumonia is fairly straightforward. After all, she said, there's a "direct conduit" between the mouth and the lungs, and it is easy to aspirate bacterial species that can cause disease. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/IDWeek/61071?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-28&eun=g721819d0r&pos=2

Kaiser Poll Indicates Drug Prices Are Main Health Concern For Americans.

http://www.usnews.com/news/data-mine/articles/2016-10-27/voters-care-more-about-drug-prices-than-repealing-obamacare-poll-shows

Exposure To Antibiotics During Hospital Stay May Sharply Increase Risk Of Sepsis, Septic Shock After Discharge, Researcher Says.

reports that “exposure to antibiotics during a hospital stay can sharply increase the risk of sepsis or septic shock after discharge, a researcher said” at the annual IDWeek meeting. Although “sepsis is rare, it’s nearly 80% more likely after treatment with certain ‘high-risk’ antibiotics, compared with no antibiotic therapy, according to James Baggs, PhD, of the” CDC. However, “the risk is elevated regardless of what antibiotics are used and rises with the duration of treatment, Baggs reported.” http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/IDWeek/61073

Nurses’ ICU Scrubs Often Pick Up Disease-Causing Germs, Study Finds.

reports, “The ‘scrubs’ of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses often pick up disease-causing germs, including those resistant to antibiotics,” researchers found after collecting samples from 40 ICU nurses “before and after each 12-hour shift,” as well as samples from “all the patients the nurses cared for and items in the patients’ rooms.” Investigators “found 22 instances when at least one of the five germs” focused on by the study “was transmitted from the patient or the room to a nurse’s scrubs.” HCP Live (10/27, Scott) reports, “The study tracked methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are resistant to many antibiotics.” The findings were presented at IDWeek 2016. https://consumer.healthday.com/infectious-disease-information-21/staph-infection-mrsa-news-766/briefs-emb-10-27-10amet-nurses-scrubs-bacteria-idweek-duke-release-batch-2933-716183.html

Injectable Male Contraceptive Temporarily Effectively Lowers Sperm Count, Study Indicates.

reports that the injectable contraceptive shot that temporarily “lowers sperm count” may provide men with “an alternative that is more reliable than condoms and more reversible than vasectomies,” the findings of the study published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism suggest. The 320 study participants, whose sperm counts were “normal,” were given two injections of “a long-acting progestogen and a long-acting androgen.” Overall, “it took an average of eight months for the average sperm count to be reduced low enough to be considered effective,” investigators found. http://www.nj.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2016/10/male_birth_control_could_be_as_easy_as_a_monthly_s.html

Bariatric Surgery in Teens Saves $$ Long-Term But costs, complications overwhelm benefits in the first few years

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Obesity/61042?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-27&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

FDA Steps Up Warnings for Testosterone, Other Steroids

reports that the Food and Drug Administration has added a new warning to the labels of drugs used to treat low testosterone. According to the FDA, the new warning “will alert prescribers to the abuse potential of testosterone and the serious adverse outcomes, especially those related to heart and mental health.” The move “is the latest in a series of actions the agency has taken to try to curb prescriptions of a product whose use has soared over the past decade, especially among middle-aged men.” NBC News (10/25, Fox) reports that the FDA warned, “Reported serious adverse outcomes include heart attack, heart failure, stroke, depression, hostility, aggression, liver toxicity and male infertility. Individuals abusing high doses of testosterone have also reported withdrawal symptoms, such as depression, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, decreased libido and insomnia.” http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-steps-warnings-testosterone-other-steroids-n672681

Common Household Chemicals May Alter Hormones, Contribute To diabetes

“Common household chemicals found in a wide range of products from carpets to cleaning products can alter hormones and contribute to type 2 diabetes [T2D] – likely costing Europeans billions of dollars annually,” researchers found after examining “data from seniors in the Swedish city of Uppsala on how exposure to chemicals known to disrupt the endocrine system, like phthalates, PCBs, pesticides and perfluoroalkyls, contributes to obesity and diabetes.” After using these data “to study the effects of chemical exposure on Europeans more broadly,” the study authors concluded that “a 25% reduction in exposure to the chemicals studied would result in a 13% drop in cases of diabetes among seniors.” The findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. http://time.com/4546786/diabetes-obesity-causes-chemicals/

E-Cigarettes Could Be Used To Help Combat Obesity In Smokers Trying To Quit, Study Suggests.

reports that in a review published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research, researchers found that while the nicotine in cigarettes “makes smokers less likely to overeat,” e-cigarettes, “which contain nicotine but no tobacco, may help prevent them from eating too much when they quit.” The article notes that smoking tobacco “is known to suppress appetite and smokers often say they smoke to keep their body weight in check.” But for smokers trying to quit and prevent weight gain, the researchers said, e-cigarettes with food flavorings “may replicate some of the sensations of eating.” http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL8N1CU6NE

Wildly Unbalanced Consumption Of Omega-6 Vs Omega-3 Fatty Acids Contributing To Growing Rates Of Obesity, T2D, Researchers Contend.

Advances in modern agriculture are one reason why consumption of omega-6 versus omega-3, commonly found in vegetable, corn and seed oils, has pushed omega-3 to the side, the authors suggested. For example, grain-fed animal byproducts are higher in omega-6, whereas grass-fed animal products, such as milk, are richer in omega-3. The authors suggest the rising rates of obesity and chronic diseases due to inflammation are a result of this increased consumption. "The evidence suggests that when you consume omega-3 fats they provide fat burning signals in the body, whereas omega-6, particularly from vegetable oils, provides fat storing signals," DiNicolantonio said in an interview. "And now that our balance of omega-6:3 is in favor of the omega-6 we are constantly sending our body signals to store more fat but worse than that, the omega-6 also creates inflammatory fat especially when the dietary intake of omega-3 is low." Omega-6 and omega-3 have a wide range of opposing effects, specifically impacting obesity and type 2 diabetes. Some of these inverse relationships include omega-6 increasing leptin and insulin resistance, waist circumference, oxidation, triglycerides, inflammation, adipose cells, and white adipose tissue. Similarly, a recent NIH Women's Health Initiative study reported that high concentrations of omega-6 in blood was positively assocatied with increased weight gain in young women. Simopoulos explained in an interview how "the low omega-3 intake and high fructose intake of Western diets lead to an increase in appetite, lipogenesis and obesity." So increasing the intake of nuts, seeds, and oceanic seafood to increase the intake of both ALA and EPA/DHA. This may not only decrease the risk of numerous chronic diseases but may also help our waistline." http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Obesity/61007

Measles confirmed in Ann Arbor area

Health officials in Washtenaw County, MI have confirmed a measles case in an adult resident with a recent history of international travel. The individual is receiving medical treatment after being seen at the University of Michigan East Ann Arbor Health and Geriatrics Center on Thursday, Oct 13. The East Ann Arbor Health and Geriatrics Center is located at 4260 Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor. As a precaution, individuals who were in the East Ann Arbor Health and Geriatrics Center this past Thursday, Oct 13 between approximately 9:00 am and 3:00 pm are advised to seek vaccination, if not fully vaccinated with two doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR). Vaccination is not necessary if an individual has a prior history of measles illness. Individuals born before 1957 are assumed to have natural immunity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://outbreaknewstoday.com/measles-confirmed-in-ann-arbor-area-28721/

CHEST: Docs Disagree on E-Cigarette Safety ... and on whether to recommend them for smoking cessation

"The vast majority of physicians who answered the survey -- about 88% -- reported that at least some of their patients had asked their opinion about e-cigarettes, and four out of five reported their patients were using e-cigarettes to stop smoking," Baldassarri said. Most surveyed physicians said they did not believe e-cigarettes were as effective for smoking cessation as first-line treatments like nicotine patches, nicotine gum or varenicline (Chantix), but when asked if they would recommend e-cigarettes to patients who had failed these first-line treatment, about half said they would. "This really gets the the heart of the controversy about whether these products should be recommended for smoking cessation," Baldassarri told MedPage Today. "We just don't have the studies to tell us if these products are safe and useful for smoking cessation, and we won't have them for a while." http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/CHEST/60991?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-25&eun=g721819d0r&pos=2

Companies Offer Mail-Order Tests To Check For Signs Of Early Aging.

reports that several companies are offering mail-order tests that claim to measure signs of early aging. The tests measure the length of a person’s telomeres in their DNA, which naturally shorten with age and can eventually disappear, which leaves cells at risk for disease. However, some scientists say the tests fail to provide any medically-useful information. http://www.wsj.com/articles/mail-order-tests-check-cells-for-signs-of-early-aging-1477328529

Study Suggests Weight Control A Major Reason For Smoking Among Young People.

reports a study published in the journal Health Economics analyzed data from 10,500 young people aged 11 to 15 and found that 46 percent of girls and 30 percent of boys who frequently smoke cited weight control as one of their reasons for doing so. Moreover, girls and boys who considered themselves “much too fat” were roughly 225 percent and 145 percent more likely to smoke, respectively. Study author John Cawley said the study helps “us better understand why people choose to engage in risky health behaviors. It’s not always just about the immediate pleasure or enjoyment; sometimes it’s a means to another end.” I am tempted to do nicotine patch because after menopause, my healthy diet and miles of swimming. hours of weight lifting and stair running no longer stop belly fat formation! https://consumer.healthday.com/cancer-information-5/tobacco-and-kids-health-news-662/teens-cigs-weight-cornell-release-batch-2917-715894.html

Brain Features Tied to Personality in Chronic Daily Headache Is personality a modifiable risk factor for CDH?

Patients experiencing chronic daily headache (CDH) have regions of higher volumes of the amygdalae, the structures in the brain's temporal lobes that are involved in many emotions and motivations, according to research presented here. Moreover, the study linked amygdala volumes to specific personality features, leading the investigators to suggest that the coping strategies patients adopt may eventually translate to altered brain structure. http://www.medpagetoday.com/clinical-context/Migraines/60970?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-24&eun=g721819d0r&pos=1

Some NSAIDs Found To Have Greater Association With Risk Of Heart Failure.

reports, on a study published in the BMJ finding that some commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with higher risks of heart failure. The study found those who used NSAIDs had a 19 percent higher risk of hospital admission for heart failure. The study further found that the rate was much higher for ketorolac (83 percent), than for naproxen (16 percent), and some such as celecoxib were associated with little or no increased risk. In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Gunnar H. Gislason, chief scientific officer of the Danish Heart Foundation, wrote, “There is difference between the NSAIDs in risk of heart failure and higher dosages are associated with increased risk.” He concludes that the study shows “the elderly and patients with any heart condition should avoid NSAIDs.” The study was based on data covering 92,000 people admitted to hospitals in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and the U.K. from 1999 to 2010. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-nsaids-heart-failure-idUSKCN12K2J1 I am curious as to what ingredient in some NSAIDS is doing this and how.

Swapping Out Diet Beverages For Water May Help Patients With T2D Lose Weight, Study Indicates.

“Patients with type 2 diabetes [T2D] looking to drop weight may want to swap out diet beverages for water,” researchers suggested after finding “that participants who switched to water and stopped drinking diet beverages experienced a decrease in weight and body mass index.” Participants who switched to water “also saw greater improvements in fasting blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity.” The findings of the 81-patient study were published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. http://www.medicaldaily.com/drinking-water-instead-diet-beverages-may-help-diabetes-patients-lose-weight-401717 I guess they make you crave real suger and eat more????

Genetic Variations May Influence Menopausal Hot Flashes In Women, Study Suggests.

reports that how often a woman experiences menopausal hot flashes may “come down to variations in...genes,” researchers suggested after examining “the entire genomes of more than 17,000 women who participated in the US government’s Women’s Health Initiative, during which they provided samples of their DNA and information on their experiences with hot flashes and night sweats.” Investigators identified 14 variants “located in a specific region of chromosome 4,” that appeared to be associated with hot flashes. http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/19/health/hot-flashes-genes/

Gastric Bypass Tied to Increased Risk for C. Diff Infection May be result of decreased stomach acid secretion

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ACG/60896?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-20&eun=g721819d0r&pos=1

Coffee, Genetics May Block Hepatitis in Heavy Drinkers Gene variant also shows possible liver-protective effect

Chalasani told MedPage Today he believed the relationship with coffee is real and biological. He said he could only speculate on possible mechanisms -- in vitro studies are now underway that may shed more light -- but he suspected that some kind of antioxidant effect, such as is seen with flavonoid compounds, may be at work. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ACG/60853?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-19&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Nasal, Injected Flu Vax in Dead Heat Study does not detect herd immunity associated with live attenuated vaccine

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Vaccines/59689?xid=nl_mpt_Weekly_Education_2016-10-19&eun=g5883165d1r A big goal is herd immunity.

Generic Drugs Saved $230B Last Year, Report Says.

says a report from the Generic Pharmaceutical Association released Wednesday showed that generic drug prices “are still declining overall even as more are sold.” Last year, “generic drugs made up 88% of prescriptions filled and 28% of total drug spending.” This year, “the percent of prescriptions increased to 89% while the percent of overall spending dropped to 27%.” The report said that last years savings amounted to $230 billion. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/10/18/generic-drugs-saved-230-billion-2015-but-their-prices-rise-too/92366472/

Walking After Meals May Control Blood Sugar Levels For People With T2D Better Than Doing 30 Minutes Of Exercise All At Once During The Day, Study Indicates.

“A small study conducted by researchers in New Zealand found that walking 10 minutes after meals, and dinner in particular, proved to be more effective in controlling blood sugar levels for” people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) “than doing 30 minutes of exercise all at once during the day.” In fact, “walking post-dinner brought post-meal blood sugar levels down by 22 percent,” the study revealed. The findings were published online in Diabetologia. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/studies-suggest-benefits-exercise-people-type-diabetes/story?id=42874203

Mice Given Soy May Experience Less Bone Mass Loss Than Control Mice, Study Finds.

“A little soy may go a long way bonewise,” research in mice suggests. After feeding “female laboratory mice a special soy-based diet in the earliest weeks of their life post-breastfeeding before” letting them resume “a regular diet until they turned six months old,” then removing “their ovaries (to mimic menopause-related bone loss),” researchers found that “mice given soy experienced less bone mass loss than the control mice.” The findings were published online in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) journal. http://www.medicaldaily.com/early-soy-may-help-protect-against-later-bone-loss-women-says-mice-study-401405

Most Consumers Don’t Read, Recall Prescription Drug Safety Information, Study Suggests.

reported that a study published online in the Journal of Risk Research found that “while about 80 percent of those viewing risk information for a fictitious allergy drug claimed to have read at least half or more of the warnings, an eye-tracking tool found they actually read little to none of the cautionary material on a product website.” Additionally, the study participants “had a very low recall level,” with almost 45 percent not recalling any risks at all. https://www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2016/10/14/side-effects-medicines/

Higher Lupus Disease Activity in First Year Postpartum Tight follow-up in months after birth may help avert flares

WHY? http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Lupus/60812?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-17&eun=g721819d0r&pos=1

Wild Bird Migration Blamed for Avian Flu Outbreak Global transportation of pathogens not limited to humans

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/URItheFlu/60810?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-17&eun=g721819d0r&pos=2

Androgen Deprivation Therapy For Prostate Cancer May Be Associated With Increased Risk Of Dementia, Study Suggests.

reports that “reducing testosterone levels with androgen deprivation therapy, or A.D.T., is a common treatment for prostate cancer,” but research published online in JAMA Oncology “has found that it more than doubles the risk of dementia.” STAT (10/13, Love) reports that investigators “looked at medical records from the Stanford University Health System from 1994 to 2013.” They found “9,272 men...with prostate cancer diagnoses, 1,826” of whom “were receiving ADT.” The researchers “excluded men with previous dementia diagnoses, and only included those who had records available for follow-up visits.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/well/live/prostate-cancer-treatment-can-raise-dementia-risk.html?_r=0

Absent Parents Tied to Earlier Smoking, Drinking in Kids

Young children who had an absent parent by the time they were 7 years old were linked with increased risks of smoking and alcohol consumption prior to their teenage years, data from a large cohort study in the U.K. found. Overall, children who experienced parental absence by age 7 were associated with a more than two-fold increased risk of having smoked or consumed enough alcohol to feel drunk by age 11 compared with those who were living with both natural parents at that time, reported Rebecca E. Lacey, PhD, of University College in London and colleagues, writing in Archives of Disease in Childhood. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/60733?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-14&eun=g721819d0r&pos=8

SSRIs in Pregnancy Tied to Kids' Speech Disorders

Offspring of pregnant women who took selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy showed increased risk for speech and language disorders, a large Finnish database study indicated. Overall, children whose mothers "purchased" two or more prescriptions for SSRIs had a 63% increased risk of speech or language disorders compared with those born to unexposed women (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.37-2.01, P<0.001), reported Alan S. Brown, MD, of Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues. There was also a 39% increased risk of motor disorders that did not reach significance (HR 1.39, 95% CI 0.98-1.96, P=0.06), the authors wrote in JAMA Psychiatry. http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/Pregnancy/60770?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-14&eun=g721819d0r&pos=2

Many Americans Use Alternative Medicine To Treat Chronic Pain, Report Finds.

reports the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics released a report on how Americans treat pain finding that many “turn to complementary health approaches to help manage them.” Researchers found that in 2012, almost “42% of adults with a musculoskeletal pain disorder used at least one alternative health approach, and 50% of people with neck pain did.” The article outlines what medical research has found about the efficacy of several alternative pain management approaches. The researchers looked at use of natural products (like special diets and supplements), practitioner-based practices (like chiropractic or massage therapy), mind and body approaches (like hypnosis and meditation), and whole medical systems (like Ayurveda and acupuncture). The use of natural products was most common, followed by mind and body therapies. Critics of alternative therapies often contend that complementary health approaches don’t have a lot of evidence to back them up. Most of the methods haven’t undergone clinical trials in the United States. That said, some natural pain remedies are better studied than others. The National Institutes of Health recently analyzed 105 randomized controlled trials of complementary medicine for pain relief in the U.S. in order to help doctors determine what approaches to recommend to the people they see. Here are some natural, science-backed ways to treat pain: http://time.com/4527808/how-to-treat-your-pain-without-drugs/

Studies Emphasize Risks Of Maternal Obesity On Mothers And Babies.

reports, “A growing number of babies worldwide are at risk of brain damage or having a stroke, heart attack or asthma in adulthood because their mother was obese,” researchers warned. In fact, “four studies published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology make clear that the risks of maternal obesity include stillbirth, dangerously high blood pressure in pregnant women, diabetes in the mother or child, and complications during childbirth.” In fact, “the scale of obesity in women of childbearing age and the consequent dangers to health were so great that urgent action was needed to ensure women were a normal weight before they conceived,” the study “authors say.” An unborn child’s brain could be damaged because “obesity in pregnancy is associated with complex neuroendocrine, metabolic, immune and inflammatory changes, which probably affect foetal hormonal exposure and nutrient supply,” Godfrey’s paper explains. Junk food shortening lives of children worldwide, data shows Read more The key lies in “epigenetic processes by which aspects of parental (both mother’s and father’s) lifestyle can affect the way the baby’s genes operate during development. These can change the person’s responses to the challenges of, for example, living in an ‘obesogenic’ environment,” it adds. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/oct/12/more-babies-face-health-risks-due-to-obese-parents-experts-warn

Exercise May Improve Ability Of Fat Cells To Burn Calories.

Exercise may aid in weight control and help to fend off diabetes by improving the ability of fat cells to burn calories, a new study reports. It may do this in part by boosting levels of a hormone called irisin, which is produced during exercise and which may help to turn ordinary white fat into much more metabolically active brown fat, the findings suggest. Irisin (named for the Greek goddess Iris) entered the scientific literature in 2012 after researchers from Harvard and other universities published a study in Nature that showed the previously unknown hormone was created in working muscles in mice. From there, it would enter the bloodstream and migrate to other tissues, particularly to fat, where it would jump-start a series of biochemical processes that caused some of the fat cells, normally white, to turn brown. Brown fat, which is actually brown in color, burns calories. It also is known to contribute to improved insulin and blood sugar control, lessening the risk for Type 2 diabetes. Most babies, including human infants, are plump with brown fat, but we humans lose most of our brown fat as we grow up. By the time we are adults, we usually retain very little brown fat. In the 2012 study, the researchers reported that if they injected irisin into living mice, it not only turned some white fat into brown fat, it apparently also prevented the rodents from becoming obese, even on a high-fat, high-calorie diet. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/12/well/move/how-exercise-may-fight-obesity-by-turning-white-fat-into-brown.html?_r=0

Sarcopenia: Muscle Weakness Creeps Up With Age

Muscle strength wanes as a result of denervation in the muscles’ motor units and a transformation from rapid type II muscle fibers to slower type I muscle fibers. Muscle strength declines by 1.5% a year in individuals ages 50 to 60 and then 3% annually from age 60 onward.1 "Especially in diseases like diabetes, cardiac [congestive] heart failure, and COPD, if we can fix the muscles early, the chances of the person functioning better, being less likely to go to the hospital, less likely to die, and less likely to develop functional deterioration are becoming very apparent, Exercise—particularly resistance exercise—builds muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical performance. Particularly relevant for patients with sarcopenia is the strength section, which presents ways to use weights, resistance bands, and common objects at home to build muscle strength without needing to go to a gym.5 No exercise regimen is complete, however, without a good nutritional plan to complement it. recommends that those older than 65 consume at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, evenly distributed during main meals. The researchers also found that dietary protein supplementation for at least 3 months may result in positive effects in older individuals who are malnourished and frailer.6 "For people who are already taking in enough protein, taking protein alone doesn’t really improve a person's muscle strength," Dr. Manini cautions. "You have to couple it with resistance exercise." Because the elderly also experience vitamin D deficiency, a daily dose of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is recommended to prevent diminished muscle strength and frailty. Data show that 800 IU/day or more of vitamin D3 appears to improve muscle strength and reduce the risk of falls.7 http://www.medpagetoday.com/resource-center/Nutrition-in-the-Elderly/Sarcopenia/a/58559?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-13&eun=g721819d0r&pos=7

Americans’ Use Of Supplements Remains Steady, But Types Of Supplements Taken In Flux, Study Finds.

reports that a study published in JAMA suggests that “the majority of American adults use dietary supplements,” a rate which has “remained steady for about the past decade...despite an increase in the number of studies” showing they produce little to no health benefits. According to CNN, the National Institutes of Health “has spent $250 million to $300 million to study the health effects of supplements, and ‘most of the larger NIH-supported clinical trials of DS (dietary supplements) failed to demonstrate a significant benefit compared to control groups.’” While the research has not deterred Americans from using supplements altogether, it may have caused some to stop “using some of the products and been drawn to others” instead. http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/11/health/dietary-supplement-trends-steady/index.html Americans take fewer multivitamins but more vitamin D, omega-3s studies suggesting health benefits of vitamin D and fish oil, and the resultant widespread media attention, drove the increases in use of those products.

Boston Most “Active Living” City In US, Report Finds.

revealed that Boston has “earned the title of being the top ‘active living community’ in the U.S.” The new report ranked “which cities have been most successful in helping residents live active lives” using “infrastructure data from 48 U.S. cities and their surrounding areas.” The report found that “bike and park scores have stronger correlations with lower obesity, diabetes, and blood pressure.” Meanwhile, “a better public transport system was associated with ‘lower daily physical pain,’ according to the report.” NBC News (10/11) provides additional coverage. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/boston-san-francisco-active-living-cities-us-report/story?id=42723694

WHO Calls For Countries To Raise Taxes On Sugary Drinks To Curb Obesity.

reports the World Health Organization released a statement calling for countries to tax sugary drinks with the aim of curbing obesity. The statement pointed out that the incidence of obesity around the world has more than doubled since 1980. The article points out that the WHO released a report earlier this year on sugary drink taxes. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/12/health/sugar-drink-tax-world-health-organization.html?_r=0

People Following A High-Protein Weight-Loss Diet May Experience No Changes In Insulin Sensitivity, Study Reveals.

reports that even though a high-protein diet “may help people slim down, it doesn’t necessary improve other health problems,” researchers found after following “34 postmenopausal women with obesity for about six months” who were randomized to one of three groups. The study revealed that “women who ate more protein experienced no changes in their insulin sensitivity – which is important for overall health.” http://time.com/4526448/high-protein-diet-weight-loss-insulin/

Soda Makers Give Millions To Health Groups While Simultaneously Lobbying Against Public Health Legislation, Research Indicates.

reports that research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine indicates “Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have given millions of dollars to nearly 100 prominent health groups in recent years, while simultaneously spending millions to defeat public health legislation that would reduce Americans’ soda intake.” http://time.com/4522940/soda-pepsi-coke-health-obesity/

Children In Daycare No More Likely To Gain Excess Weight Than Youngsters Who Stay Home With A Parent, Study Suggests.

reports, “A child placed in day care is no more likely to gain too much weight than a child who stays home with a parent,” researchers found after examining “data from about 10,700 U.S. children from diverse social, economic and ethnic backgrounds.” The findings were published online in Pediatrics. https://consumer.healthday.com/caregiving-information-6/infant-and-child-care-health-news-410/day-care-doesn-t-encourage-weight-gain-in-kids-study-finds-715647.html

Inpatient Risk For C. Difficile May Rise If Prior Bed Occupant Received Antibiotics, Study Finds.

“If the previous occupant of a hospital bed received antibiotics, the next patient who uses that bed may be at higher risk for a severe form” of Clostridium difficile, researchers concluded after studying “more than 100,000 pairs of patients who sequentially occupied a given hospital bed in four institutions between 2010 and 2015.” Excluded from the study were patients who had had “recent C. diff infection or whose prior bed occupant was in the bed for less than 24 hours.”“It’s not easy to sterilize the room/bed between patients because C. diff spores are extremely hardy. To be killed, they need to be soaked in a bleach-containing cleaning agent for an adequate amount of time.” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-infections-hospital-beds-idUSKCN12A1VY

Healthcare Providers Screening Patients To Cut Out Unnecessary, Ineffective Medications.

reports more healthcare providers are adopting a de-prescribing approach to help adults reduce excessive use of prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements. Physicians use screening programs to find possible side effects and interactions and then wean patients off medications that are not necessary or have risk that outweigh benefits. http://www.wsj.com/articles/when-patients-take-too-many-pills-doctors-deprescribe-1476122784

Research Suggests There May Be A Limit To Human Life Span.

points out that “starting in the late 19th century, average life expectancy started to rise because fewer children were dying.” Meanwhile, “in recent decades, adults have also enjoyed better health.” On its website, NBC News (10/5, Fox) reports that the researchers wrote, “We show that improvements in survival with age tend to decline after age 100, and that the age at death of the world’s oldest person has not increased since the 1990s.” They added, “Our results strongly suggest that the maximum lifespan of humans is fixed and subject to natural constraints.” CBS News (10/5, Welch) reports on its website that although senior author Jan Vijg, PhD, “expects medical advancements to continue to keep more people healthier for a longer amount of time – thus increasing average life expectancy – he believes those advancements will not increase the maximum age of the longest-lived people.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/06/science/maximum-life-span-study.html

Copper Equipment May Reduce Infections In Hospitals, Study Suggests.

reports copper equipment may reduce infections in hospitals, according to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control. Researchers installed “copper faucet handles, toilet flush levers, door handles, light switches and other commonly touched equipment” in “nine rooms in a small rural hospital” and found that there was less bacteria in those rooms compared to other rooms with “traditional plastic, porcelain and metal surfaces.” Curious how /why. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/04/well/copper-sinks-and-faucets-may-stem-hospital-infections.html?_r=0

J&J Warns Insulin Pump At Risk For Hacking.

reports that Johnson & Johnson “issued a warning about a possible cybersecurity issue with its Animas OneTouch Ping Insulin Infusion Pump.” Rapid 7, a cybersecurity firm, “discovered that it might be possible to take control of the pump via its an unencrypted radio frequency communication system that allows it to send commands and information via a wireless remote control.” J&J said there have been no cases of the device being hacked thus far. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-04/j-j-warns-diabetic-patients-about-hacking-risks-of-insulin-pumps

Range of Brain Injuries in Zika Microcephaly But overall pattern of brain atrophy suggests interference in neuronal migration

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/60591?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-05&eun=g721819d0r&pos=3

Risk For Developing Diabetes May Be Modestly Increased In Adults With Job Insecurity, Study Finds

“The risk for developing diabetes is modestly increased in adults with job insecurity,” researchers found after evaluating “data from previously published studies including 140,825 adults (mean age, 42.2 years) to determine the role of job insecurity on the risk for incident diabetes.” The findings were published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Endocrine Today (10/3, Cox) also covers the study. https://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/type-ii-diabetes-news-183/workers-worried-about-job-loss-more-at-risk-of-diabetes-study-715361.html

No Wheat or Barley on the Label? Be Careful, There Could Still Be Gluten But specific 'gluten-free' labeling is generally trustworthy

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/60558?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-10-03&eun=g721819d0r&pos=2

Superbugs Cause Infections In At Least Two Million People In The US Annually, And Kill 23,000, CDC Data Suggest

reported that “many thousands of Californians are dying every year from infections they caught while in hospitals,” but one would not know by looking at “their death certificates,” as “California does not track deaths from hospital-acquired infections.” The Times pointed out that “University of Michigan researchers reported in a 2014 study that infections – both those acquired inside and outside hospitals – would replace heart disease and cancer as the leading causes of death in hospitals if the count was performed by looking at patients’ medical billing records...rather than death certificates.” http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-torrance-memorial-infections-20161002-snap-story.html