When thinking of Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, many people may not think to look at their children as victims of such serious illnesses. The reality is that many children who are overweight can develop these and other serious conditions as a result of their weight, poor diet and lack of exercise. These diseases can even follow a child into adulthood. The good news is childhood obesity is preventable and treatable in many cases.
When managing a child’s diet, cooking with low fat methods, reducing the amounts of added sugary and salty snacks, and adding more fruits and vegetables is recommended. Utilize whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean meats whenever possible. Sweets and snacks can have their place in a healthy diet, but moderation is key. Try allowing the occasional sweet in small amounts.
Most experts recommend 1 hour of moderate physical activity per day, most days, if not every day of the week. However, many children are spending much of their days playing video games or glued to a computer or television screen. Limiting these activities and encouraging bike riding, walking or group games and sports are great ways to promote activity.
Diet and exercise are two great and easy ways to promote healthy weight in children. After all children are the future, and their health is imperative to that future.
An article published in May of 2008 suggests that the cause of Autism may be linked to more than the MMR vaccination alone. This controlled study was performed by Schultz ST and colleagues from the University of California. It indicated that the use of Tylenol in conjunction with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccination significantly increases the risk of developing an autistic disorder particularly in children five years of age and younger. Tylenol is thought to deplete a necessary substance called glutathione, which is used by the liver to eliminate toxins that are introduced to the body. In children that are susceptible to autism, the ingestion of Tylenol combined with the MMR vaccination significantly increases their risk.
While Tylenol and the MMR vaccination have shown to increase the risk of autism, they are not the only questionable contributors. There are a number of other factors that can also increase the risk of developing autism. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is just one of the other concerns. However, an obvious and significant increase in the occurrence of autism related to the MMR vaccination was seen when Tylenol replaced aspirin to decrease fever and pain. Following a report by the CDC stating that aspirin was related to the incidence of Reye’s syndrome, many parents were advised not to give their young children aspirin. To replace this medication, Tylenol was then given. As a result, a significant increase in autism was reported. In comparison, there proved to be no increased risk for an autistic disorder when ibuprofen was used in conjunction with the MMR vaccination.
Consuming just two sugary soft drinks per week can significantly increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Scientists linked a 14-year research study, conducted on more than 60,000 men and women in a Singapore Chinese Health Study, to a two-fold risk of developing cancer of the pancreas, directly related to drinking sweetened soft drinks.
University of Minnesota Researcher Mark Pereira said the pancreas can be overstimulated by a sudden burst of insulin by drinking sugary soft drinks. “They’re pretty much all sugar, stimulate a lot of blood glucose, blood sugar and then insulin,” Pereira said. “And, as we know, the consumption of soft drinks in our society is very common and the portion sizes are unfortunately very large; so lots of sugar, lots of insulin.”
Jennifer Sygo, a nutritionist with the Cleveland Clinic, suggests cutting sugar intake by half, or even one-third, by substituting sugary soft drinks with a cup of juice a day, then water or a Perrier if you need some carbonation. She also pointed out recommended guidelines by the American Heart Association:
* Women should not consume more than 25 grams of added sugar a day (6.5 teaspoons)
* Men should not consume more than 38 grams of added sugar a day (9.5 teaspoons)
Pancreatic cancer ranks fourth as the most leading cause of cancer death in the country, according to the American Cancer Society. Cancer of the pancreas kills more than 95 percent of people diagnosed with it — usually within six months of diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer usually produces no symptoms until the disease is in its advanced stage.
As reported on Monday, researchers based at the University of Cambridge have successfully created a device that functions as an artificial pancreas. This device can improve overnight blood sugar control, bringing new hope to those suffering from type 1 diabetes.
One problem that many type 1 diabetes sufferers face is not knowing exactly how much insulin to give themselves. If they use too much insulin, their blood sugar can drop very quickly, leading to hypoglycemia. Symptoms of hypoglycemia can include, but are not limited to, hunger, shakiness, nervousness, sweating, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, and anxiety. This can be very dangerous for the patient. This new artificial pancreas device can help to alleviate this problem. The device has a small monitor and pump with a tube that delivers the insulin to the body. The device can actually calculate the exact amount of insulin the body needs based on blood sugar readings accumulated by the device.
A study conducted by the researchers at the University of Cambridge showed that people using the device, aged 5 to 18, spent twice as much time at their appropriate glucose levels than they previously did without the device. This is great news for patients suffering from type 1 diabetes.
The results of a recent study were released Monday stating that consuming two or more soft drink every week almost doubles the risk of someone developing pancreatic cancer. This study followed 60, 524 women and men in Singapore for a period of 14 years. It was found that 140 of these people studied did developed pancreatic cancer. This was an 87 percent increased risk of developing this cancer for people who were drinking the two more soft drinks each week. People who were drinking mostly fruit juice and not the soda did not show the same risk.
Researchers also studied the risks that were connected with those people who drank carbonated drinks versus the people who did not consume these types of drinks. Sugar may be seen as the problem; the higher levels of sugar found in soft drinks may be resulting in the raised level of insulin the body, which is believed to contribute to the cell growth in pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer is a deadly form of cancer and only 5 percent of the patients who are diagnosed with it are known to live five years. This illness has been known to affect 230,000 people around the world.
Researchers at Columbia University Medical center have been investigating whether the drug LP533401 drug can be used to treat osteoporosis. LP533401 inhibits the production of Serotonin in the gut.
Healthy bones have a constant balance of bone resorption and bone formation. Bones suffering from osteoporosis no longer have this balance, creating weak, easily fractured bones. Most treatments available for osteoporosis merely stop bone reduction and strengthen existing bone. There is one treatment that does promote bone growth. However, it requires daily injections and is only used on very severe cases due to an increased chance of getting bone cancer.
Ninety-five percent of Serotonin, a chemical associated with mood stabilization in the brain, is found in the gut, and has been linked to the inability of bones to repair themselves. LP533401 testing on mice has proven that reducing the Serotonin levels in the gut, not only slows down bone loss but promotes new bone growth. The drug has been shown to have no affect on the Serotonin levels in the brain, allowing the chemical to still stabilize the mood.
This new treatment for osteoporosis has the potential to finally cure this debilitating disease and improve the lives of thousands of people.
The problem of childhood-obesity has long been a problem with today’s children. Health experts have worked to encourage parents to promote healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating nutritiously, watching less TV, exercising, and getting an adequate amount of sleep. Individually, all of these behaviors have been shown to have an impact on lowering obesity in children.
However, researchers at Ohio State University wanted to find out if putting all of these habits together would lower the risk of childhood obesity even further. To do this, the researchers, led by epidemiologist Sarah Anderson, analyzed data provided by 8,550 4-year-olds. The data from this study came from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort. The study focused on three behaviors: eating dinner with the family, reducing TV time, and getting an adequate amount of sleep. The findings showed that those children who practiced two healthy habits were slimmer than those who practiced only one. Likewise, children who practiced three healthy habits were slimmer than those who practiced less than three good habits. In fact, children who practiced three or more healthy habits were 40 percent less likely to suffer from obesity.
Overall, families who work to improve in the three areas mentioned above will do wonders to promote a healthy weight in their children.
These figures were released last week by Feeding America, the largest hunger-relief group in the nation. The results from the research conducted by this organization are astonishing. One in eight Americans received emergency food help sometime during the 2009 year. This number has increased more than 46 percent since 2005. Even more overwhelming is the fact that one in five of the people who received assistance were children.
Many Americans are receiving this emergency food help in the form of food stamps. In fact, over 33 millions Americans received food stamps in 2009. This is a record number of people receiving food stamp benefits.
On Monday, President Barack Obama proposed that 1 billions dollars be added to the budget annually. This money would be used to fund school-based food programs, helping to make sure every child receives at least one hot meal per day. This announcement comes after President Obama set a goal of ending childhood hunger by the year 2015.
These recent findings were based on interviews conducted with 61,000 people who were actively seeking food aid, as well as 37,000 surveys of programs affiliated with Feeding America food banks, such as food pantries, soup kitchens, and emergency shelters. The results of this research showed that many people had to choose between eating or paying other necessary items, such as rent and utility bills.
The H1N1 flu virus, or swine flu, is still killing people. For this reason, Federal health officials are urging Americans to get vaccinated today. Although the virus may seem to be on the decline, it’s important to stay vigilant and protect yourself from catching the H1N1 virus.
In the US, over 4000 deaths have been reported and many more worldwide. The virus is easily transmittable amongst young people because they have no immunity to the flu. It’s especially prevalent in schools and day care centers where children are in close contact with each other. Parents are being urged to take preventive measures and get their children vaccinated today. The vaccine is suitable for adults as well, and no one should overlook the potential threat of the H1N1 virus.
Finally, a survey from the CDC estimated that only 23.4 percent of Americans have gotten the vaccine. Many surveyed responded that they feel the H1N1 outbreak is over. The fact is that many people are still being hospitalized and are dying. Health officials stress that the vaccine is safe and should not be overlooked. There are still a few months left in the flu season and for now, the vaccine is the best way to ward off the virus.
Biogen Idec Inc.’s drug, Tysabri, is currently being used for patients with very aggressive multiple sclerosis. The company is now launching a study, designated Surpass, promoting the use of Tysabri at earlier stages of the disease.
Tysabri has been a controversial treatment of MS due to the risk of contracting Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare viral disease that damages the myelin covering of the white brain matter. In January 2010 the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency concluded that the benefit-risk ratio of Tysabri was weighted in the drugs favor. Biogen Idec Inc.’s executives hope to prove this to be true through the planned study.
This study has been planned at an opportune time, due to increased competition in the MS drug market. Drug companies Sereno and Novartis are currently testing oral MS drugs instead of the injectable drugs now available.
The purpose of Surpass is to get physicians to prescribe Tysabri when patients are non-responsive to their current therapy. Presently, physicians will merely switch to another mainstream therapy. The planned study will monitor around 1,800 patients for two years. As a result, the data will not be released until 2013 or 2014.