Health News Tidbits

Health News Tidbits – July 2004

Dieting Makes Little Girls Fatter -
According to a study of 153 girls living in Central Pennsylvania, those starting to get too fat at age 5 are often experienced dieters by the age of 9 - but put on extra fat instead of taking it off. The children and parents are aware that they weigh too much, but they do not know the best ways to slim down. In particular, the research showed that when girls try to diet simply by eating too little, they gain more weight by binging.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association 6/29/04

Beware of Colloidal Silver Products -
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), colloidal silver products are not considered to be safe and effective for diseases and conditions. The FDA has taken action against a number of colloidal silver companies making drug-like claims about their products. Colloidal Silver can cause serious side-effects. One is argyria, a bluish-gray discoloration of the body. Argyria is not treatable or reversible.
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine 5/14/2004

Update on Food Allergy -
Every five years, the most prestigious journal for Allergists and Immunologists comes out with an update of current reviews concerning food allergy. While strides have been made in alternative testing, the gold standard for the diagnosis of food allergies remains the double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology 3/15/2004

Aftershocks From Ethical Misbehavior at NIH -
The federally funded National Institutes of Health, long known for impeccable science, is in tumult over disclosures that hundreds of government scientists have worked as consultants for drug and biotechnology companies or accepted cash prizes from universities that depend on the NIH to fund research. Disclosures of medical breaches have generated outraged calls for changes from members of Congress. "It is clear from the cases we have reviewed that some NIH scientists are either very close to the line or have crossed the line," said Rep. James Greenwood. "This has been a persistent problem at NIH for years, not because of confusion but because of a deliberate attitude." San Diego Union-Tribune 6/2/2004

Junk Foods Make Up Nearly One-Third of Calories in the U.S. -
Junk foods such as sugary sodas, chips, and pastries pile on more calories in the U.S. diet than anything else. These numbers further explain why the United States has such an obesity problem.
Journal of Food Chemistry and Analysis, June 2004

Oats Reduce Cholesterol -
Antioxidants found in oats can significantly reduce blood cholesterol levels by suppressing the adhesive molecules which make blood cells stick to artery walls. The oat antioxidants, called avenanthramides, can suppress plaque, in turn lessening the gradual constriction of vessels that leads to hardening of the arteries.
The Agricultural Research Service (US Dept Agriculture), June 2, 2004

Many School Children Weigh Too Much -
An alarming 40 percent of students from kindergarten through high school were overweight or at risk of becoming too heavy in a study of nearly 300,000 school children in Arkansas. This study eclipsed a much smaller government study suggesting about 30 percent of U.S. school children weighed too much.
Arkansas Center for Health Improvement 6/3/04

Antacid Overuse May Sicken Patients -
A recent study of 1,187 patients in Montreal hospitals showed that the overuse of popular antacids called protean pump inhibitors, were twice as likely to have clostridium, an organism that causes severe diarrhea. It also found that using antibiotics while taking the antacid added to the risk of contracting the organism. The belief is that the antacid lowers the stomach's acidity, allowing the organism to pass into the gut. The study concluded that the diarrhea had significant mortality and morbidity.
Canadian Medical Association Journal 6/4//2004

Probiotics for Mothers Boosts Infant Immunity -
Full results of the study are expected in the third quarter of 2005, but preliminary results show that mothers taking probiotics, or beneficial flora, have higher anti-inflammatory molecules in their breast milk, offering their babies better protection against allergy and other disease. The Lancet 6/7/2004

Calcium Supplementation Build Stronger Bones -
According to researchers, calcium supplementation in girls before puberty, along with vitamin D intake and exercise, may help prevent later osteoporosis. The decade old study showed that girls who received the calcium supplement had more bone mass by their first menstruation than girls who received the placebo.
International Osteoporosis Foundation Conference 6/8/2004

We Inherited Hunter-Gatherer Appetites -
According to an article in Time's Special Obesity Issue, our physiology has not changed in 50,000 years, but we have utterly transformed our environment and diet, causing high numbers of overweight and obese in the United States and many other developed countries. The article goes on to say that our ancestral appetite did not lead to obesity because: 1) the wild game our ancestors ate had about 4 percent fat, mostly healthy omega 3 fats from grass, as opposed to 36 percent grain-fed beef that we eat today. 2) the carbohydrates our ancestors ate were grain-free, coming from fruits, roots, vegetables, and nuts that all contain fiber and were not highly glycemic, unlike the highly processed grain-dominated carbohydrates we eat today. 3) the effort it took to hunt and gather expended much energy, unlike the latent society we live in today. Time Magazine, 6/7/2004

Soda May Increase Diabetes in Women -
Drinking more than one sugar-sweetened soft drink daily appears to increase a women's chances of developing type 2 diabetes by 85% than those who drank less, says Harvard researchers who studied 91,000 adult women over an eight year period.
American Diabetes Association's 64th Scientific Sessions

NSAID's Effect Bone Formation and Soft Tissue Healing -
According to researchers, further investigation is necessary to confirm that traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are preferable for the healing of collagenous tissue. It is well known that they diminish bone formation, healing, and remodeling. When fracture healing or spinal fusion occurs, NSAID's should not be used. J Am Acad Orthop Surg May/June 2004

Vioxx May Lead to Heart Risks -
Canadian researchers suggest that arthritis patients taking the drug Vioxx were 80 percent more likely to be put in the hospital for heart failure. The independent study looked at 45,000 elderly Ontarians taking Vioxx, Celebrex, or pain relievers such as ibuprofen, and 100,000 others taking no drugs. Following each group for a year, they found an 80 percent increase in the risk of heart failure for people taking Vioxx and a 40 percent increase for people taking traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, compared with people not taking drugs. Only Celebrex had a risk equal to that of not taking drugs.
The Lancet 6/16/2004

Glaxo Publishes Paxil Data -
Responding to public pressure and mounting lawsuits that the company withheld negative data about its drug, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, makers of the antidepressant Paxil, published results of nine trials showing the drug is broadly ineffective in children and adolescents and could increase risks of suicidal behavior. gsk.com

Statin Therapy Less Effective in People With Genetic Variant-
Statin therapy may be less effective in people who possess a specific genetic miscue, according to a study done on 1,500 patients. About 7 percent of the participants possessed the miscue, resulting in a 22 percent smaller drop in total cholesterol and a 19 percent smaller drop in LDL cholesterol. Scientists postulate that in the near future, there will be a test that can screen for this before starting a statin. Unfortunately, they believe progress is not being made quick enough. JAMA 6/16/04

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduces Body Fat In the Overweight-
A study to ascertain a one year effect of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) on the body composition in healthy overweight adults showed positive results. With no change in diet and exercise, subjects over a one year span showed a 9.1 percent reduction total body mass.
Am J Clin Nutr June 2004

Many Kids Deficient in Vitamin D -
Researchers found that among 11-18 year-olds living in Boston, nearly one-quarter were deficient in vitamin D, a nutrient that aids in calcium absorption and is vital for healthy bone development, among a multitude of other things. Even during the summer months, when kids are supposed to be outside, 12 to 17 percent were low in vitamin D. The lead researcher found these results "very concerning." Arch Ped & Adol Med June 2004

Omega 3's Appear to Protect Against Prostate Cancer-
A study done on 6,000 Swedish men revealed that those with the highest levels of EPA/DHA omega 3 fatty acids had the lowest total prostate cancer risk (11 percent less) and advanced prostate cancer risk( 26 percent less) compared to those with the lowest levels of EPA/DHA. The study also revealed that ALA, an omega 6 fatty acid, may raise the risk of advanced prostate cancer risk.
Am J Clin Nutr July 2004

Dieting Girls Short on Nutrients -
Many adolescent girls try to control their weight in ways that may leave them deficient in calcium, iron, and other essential nutrients. The study of over 4,100 students at Minnesota middle schools and high schools found that 57 percent of girls were using at least one unhealthy approach to weight loss, such as fasting, skipping meals, smoking, using diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics. The girls also ate fewer fruits, vegetables than those girls not trying to lose weight.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association 6/29/04

Best Antioxidants List-

Small red beans (dried).
Wild blueberries.
Red Kidney beans.
Pinto beans.
Blueberries (cultivated).
Cranberries.
Artichokes (cooked).
Blackberries.
Prunes.
Raspberries.
Strawberries.
Red Delicious apples.
Granny Smith apples.
Pecans.
Sweet cherries.
Black plums.
Russet potatoes (cooked).
Black beans (dried).
Plums.
Gala apples.

J Agric & Food Chem June, 2004

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