Sugary Drinks Tied to Preschoolers' Extra Pounds

Study found those who drank more of them were more likely to be obese at age 5
By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Preschool children who regularly have sugary drinks tend to pack on more pounds than other youngsters, a large study of U.S. children suggests.
Researchers found that among the 2- to 5-year-olds they followed, those who routinely had sugar-sweetened drinks at age 5 were 43 percent more likely to be obese than their peers who rarely had those drinks.
In addition, 2-year-olds who downed at least one sugary drink a day gained more weight over the next few years than their peers.
The results, reported online Aug. 5 and in the September print issue of the journal Pediatrics, add to evidence tying sugar-laden drinks to excess pounds in older kids. And although the study cannot prove it's the beverages causing the added weight, experts said parents should opt for water and milk to quench preschoolers' thirst.
"We can't say for sure that cutting out sugar-sweetened beverages would prevent excess weight gain," said lead researcher Dr. Mark DeBoer, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
"[But] there are healthy sources of calories, and there are less healthy sources," he said. "Sugar-sweetened beverages don't have other nutritional benefits."
Water, on the hand, is a sugar-free way for kids to hydrate. "And milk," DeBoer said, "has vitamin D, protein and calcium." Plus, he added, the protein and fat in milk make young children feel full, so they may eat less than they do when their diets are filled with sugary -- but less satisfying -- drinks.
Plenty of factors influence childhood obesity, including genes, overall diet and physical activity, said Dr. Anisha Patel, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco.
"[But] sugar-sweetened beverages stand out as one of the main contributors to obesity," she said.
They're tasty, cheap and well-advertised, said Patel, who co-wrote an editorial on the study with Lorrene Ritchie, a registered dietitian at the University of California, Berkeley.
Patel said that, based on federal government research, U.S. kids would slash 235 daily calories from their diets if they swapped sugary drinks or 100 percent fruit juice for water.
"That is about the equivalent of walking for an hour," Patel said.
The current findings are based on 9,600 kids taking part in a government-sponsored study. DeBoer's team looked at the relationship between kids' sugary drink intake -- as reported by their moms -- and their weight changes.
Overall, about 15 percent of the children were overweight at any age, and a similar number were obese. At age 5, children who downed at least one sugary drink per day were 43 percent more likely to be obese than those who rarely had sweetened drinks.
That was with certain other factors, such as family income and TV viewing, taken into account.
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1 in 3 Young U.S. Women Uses 'Withdrawal' for Birth Control

But new study confirms that it's not good for preventing pregnancy

By Mary Brophy Marcus

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Withdrawal is an old-fashioned, unreliable form of birth control, but one-third of young women still use it anyway, new research indicates.

"Our study showed that use of withdrawal for contraception is very common, but it doesn't work as well as other methods," said study author Dr. Annie Dude, a resident in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University Medical Center, in Durham, N.C.

Dude and her colleagues analyzed 2006-2008 data from a national survey of U.S. women, focusing on 2,220 participants between the ages of 15 and 24. Their aim was to see how commonplace it was for young, sexually active women to use withdrawal as a way to avoid pregnancy.

The findings will be published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The investigators found that 31 percent of the women used withdrawal as a form of birth control at least once. Of those who used it, about 21 percent became pregnant unintentionally compared with only 13 percent of women who used other types of contraceptives.

Withdrawal users were also 7.5 percent more likely to have used emergency contraception (such as Plan B or Next Choice).

Women who relied on the withdrawal method, which depends upon a man "pulling out" (hopefully) before ejaculating, as their only form of birth control, tended to be less likely to get pregnant than women who used withdrawal along with other forms of birth control over the course of the study, but Dude said this finding was not statistically significant.

She said the research shows that health care providers who care for sexually active young women need to recognize that one reason couples may use withdrawal as a method of birth control is that they haven't planned ahead, and that providers need to take the time to discuss more effective birth control methods with their patients.

"My overall take is that doctors think this is such an antiquated method of birth control that they don't really think to address it with their patients," Dude said.

One expert who wasn't involved with the study said the reasons that might lead a woman to choose the withdrawal method over something more reliable are complicated.

"Many contraceptives are short-acting and require a lot of action on the part of a woman. Using a condom, having a condom, going to the store or pharmacy to get one. Refilling the pill, taking it every day, getting a prescription refilled. Travel and moving. So many issues make these contraceptive methods difficult to use or to be consistent about," said Dr. Kari Braaten, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston.

Another expert called the study "nicely done" and said it had important findings.

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Walking to Work Tied to Lower Diabetes Risk

Are you a one-upper, comfort seeker or 'happy hedonist' shopper?

By Kathleen Doheny

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Those who love to shop are often painted as lonely souls, trying to fill a void by buying -- and becoming even more isolated in the process.

Not always so, according to new Dutch research. The relationship of shopping and loneliness can go both ways -- and the direction seems to have a lot to do with why you shop, according to researcher Rik Pieters, a professor of marketing at Tilburg University in the Netherlands.

Shoppers who could be described as "happy hedonists" may become less lonely, he found.

"It is not a good idea to shop to become happy or to own more than others, but shopping for the fun of shopping might actually be not a bad idea after all," he said.

Pieters collected data from more than 2,500 Dutch consumers for six years, interviewing them to evaluate their levels of loneliness and materialism. He obtained information on why they shopped and then studied how everything interacted.

Loneliness can foster materialism, he found, but materialism of the right type can reduce loneliness.

"Overall, materialism led to a small, but significant, increase in loneliness over time," he said. But he found the type of materialism was important in the effect on loneliness.

People who bought things to raise their social status -- "You have more blue jeans than I do, but my house has more square feet'' -- tended to get more lonely. Those who used stuff as medicine or panaceas -- "When I finally own my own 1,200cc motorbike, I will enjoy life and be truly happy" -- got even more lonely than the one-uppers, he explained.

However, those who bought for sheer enjoyment -- as part of a ''lifestyle of happy hedonism'' -- did best. "It turns out this latter type of materialism actually reduces loneliness, most likely because the enjoyment spreads to other people," Pieters said. "There is no bragging, comparison, or envy involved."

Of course, people may switch back and forth between types of materialism, he said.

The study was published online July 11 in the Journal of Consumer Research and will appear in the December print issue.

Focusing on why people buy is valuable, according to Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist at Golden Gate University in San Francisco, who reviewed the findings.

"Part of the misunderstanding we have about this subject has to do with the lack of a consistent definition of 'materialism,'" she said. "One researcher might be talking about someone that lavishly overspends and is overly devoted to shopping, another might be referring to any sort of appreciation for material goods."

Materialism is on a continuum, she said. And, as Pieters' study shows, motivations differ.

"I think there is a tendency to want to demonize shopping and the appreciation of products in our lives," Yarrow said. "In fact, shopping and products have been part of human life since caveman days. They can be a great source of connection and pleasure, and they can also be misused."

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Self-Monitoring Blood Pressure Appears to Improve Results, Study Finds

Patients engaged in their health care do better, expert says

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Tracking your own blood pressure at home can help you control hypertension, a new research review finds.

And if you have a clinician's help in monitoring your blood pressure, you'll likely do even better, at least in the short term, according to the study, which was published Aug. 6 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

"For adults with hypertension who are willing and able to monitor their blood pressure at home in conjunction with their health care center, self-monitored blood pressure can be a useful tool to lower blood pressure, and possibly lower the risk of cardiovascular events, at least for the short term," said lead researcher Dr. Ethan Balk, from the Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

Whether the benefits extend beyond one year needs further research, said Balk, whose team looked at more than 50 studies on the effectiveness of home blood pressure monitoring.

Self-monitoring includes keeping a record of the readings so a physician can determine if your blood pressure medicine is working effectively or needs tweaking. Left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can lead to stroke, eye and kidney damage, heart disease and disability.

Exactly how home monitoring keeps blood pressure levels low isn't clear, Balk said. "Likely reasons are improved monitoring and tailored treatment of blood pressure by both the clinician or nursing staff and the patient, and increased incentives to control one's diet and increase physical activity," he said. "But these explanations are purely conjectural."

Also, it isn't clear to what degree additional support enhances the benefits or which methods of additional support are best, Balk said.

"An important caveat is that the evidence refers to self-monitored blood pressure used in conjunction with clinicians and/or nurses who are using and monitoring the information," he said.

The results don't apply to people who decide on their own to measure their blood pressure at home without consulting medical professionals, he said.

The findings support current health care guidelines, said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a spokesman for the American Heart Association.

"National and international guidelines, including those from the American Heart Association, recommend that patients with hypertension measure and monitor their blood pressure in the home setting, and a number of studies have shown this can result in better blood pressure control," he said.

"These findings ... highlight the importance of actively engaging patients in the measuring, monitoring, goal achievement and goal maintenance of their blood pressure," he said.

Blood-pressure-monitoring devices available in drugstores and other shops range in price from $30 to more than $100.

When choosing a device, the American Heart Association recommends an automatic, cuff-style, upper-arm monitor. Wrist and finger monitors are not recommended because they yield less reliable readings. Monitors for the elderly or pregnant women should be validated specifically for those purposes.

For the current report, Balk's team reviewed 52 published studies in which patients monitored their blood pressure with and without assistance. Such help ranged from educational materials to contact with a nurse or pharmacist or counseling over the telephone.

They found some evidence that monitoring blood pressure at home improved control at six months, but not at 12 months.

When patients got help, either through educational material or direct contact with medical professionals, home monitoring improved blood pressure control at both six and 12 months.

From this data, Balk's group concluded that home blood pressure monitoring is effective in the short term.

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New Health Insurance Site for Business Owners

On Thursday, the Obama administration launched a "one-stop" web site intended to help business owners explore and understand their health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act.

The new “wizard tool” is for businesses of all sizes. It brings together information from the Health and Human Services Department, the Small Business Administration, and the Treasury Department.

The site, Business.USA.gov/healthcare, allows users to enter their location, size of business, and future insurance plans, and create a menu of information options. It also connects employers to information about tax credits and other aspects of the Affordable Care Act.

Along with individuals and families, businesses with 50 or more employees will be required to either carry health insurance for their employees or face a penalty for failing to do so. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, but the start date for the business requirement has been moved from Jan. 1, 2014, to Jan. 1, 2015. Smaller businesses (those with fewer than 50 employees) may qualify for tax credits if they choose to offer health insurance.

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Health Insurance Waiting Game for Minnesotans

Health Insurance Waiting Game for MinnesotansMore than 1 million Minnesotans are expected to buy health insurance in the state's health Marketplace, MNSure. But they may not know what plans are available and what their premiums might be until enrollment begins on Oct. 1. http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/article_thumbnails/news/2013/07_2013/minn_rate_infor_held_until_oct_xml/69x75_minn_rate_infor_held_until_oct_xml.jpgWebMD Health News

Aug. 2, 2013 -- More than 1 million Minnesotans are expected to buy health insurance on the state’s health insurance Marketplace, MNSure. But they may not know what plans are available and what their premiums might be until enrollment begins on Oct. 1.

Most of the Affordable Care Act goes into effect Jan. 1, 2014. That's when coverage for a health plan purchased in the fall will take effect. 

Other states have posted the rates insurance carriers will charge for individuals, families, and groups. But Minnesota law prevents the state from disclosing rates and the names of the carriers that will participate in MNSure. The Department of Commerce says nine companies have applied, and they include Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, HealthPartners, Medica, PreferredOne, and UCare.

In late July, state insurance regulators asked the companies to release rates voluntarily on Sept. 6 to give people time to understand their choices.

Insurance companies say the law protects them from unfair competition.

Under the Affordable Care Act, signed into law in 2010, each state must have a health insurance Marketplace by Oct. 1. Most Americans will be required to have health insurance starting Jan. 1, 2014. Minnesota is one of 17 states, along with Washington, D.C., that will run its own Marketplace.

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Test your knowledge of the new law.

A guide to what's changing under the new law.

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Former President Bush Home After Heart Surgery

Stent procedure was successful after artery blockage found during his annual physical

By HealthDay staff

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Former President George W. Bush returned home Wednesday after successfully undergoing heart surgery for a blocked artery Tuesday morning in Dallas.

Spokesman Freddy Ford said Bush was discharged from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Wednesday morning and "is doing great," according to a report by the Associated Press.

Bush, 67, had a stent placed in an artery during the Tuesday procedure, which was done after an artery blockage was found during his annual physical Monday.

The blockage was discovered at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas and, following a recommendation by his doctors, Bush agreed to go ahead with the procedure.

The 43rd president, known to be an avid outdoor enthusiast, is expected to resume his normal schedule Thursday, a statement from his office said.

"He is grateful to the skilled medical professionals who have cared for him. He thanks his family, friends, and fellow citizens for their prayers and well wishes. And he encourages us all to get our regular check-ups," the statement added.

CNN reported that Bush's annual exam in 2006 showed that he had no signs of hypertension or stroke, and had a "low" to "very low" coronary artery disease risk profile with an absence of modifiable risk factors.

The 2006 report also said he had "minimal/mild" coronary artery calcification, a common sign of early artery disease in which the lining of aortic wall becomes inflamed and plaque starts to build up over time, CNN added.

Tuesday's statement from Bush's office offered no details on the artery blockage that was discovered.

Heart experts were quick to echo Bush's reminder on getting regular check-ups.

Dr. Lawrence Phillips, an assistant professor in the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said, "Heart disease can attack anyone. We know that by decreasing an individual's risk factors, we can significantly decrease the risk of developing coronary artery disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that bring blood to the heart muscle. Risk factors that can be modified include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and stopping smoking."

He added, "Sometimes we are fooled to think that heart disease only impacts people who are overweight, eat unhealthy and have multiple medical problems. That is just not true. Our job in the medical community is to educate people to know their own risk factors, how to modify them, and when you need to have more of an evaluation."

Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, spokeswoman for the American Heart Association and a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said that Bush "underwent a stent implantation of his coronary artery due to an abnormal stress test."

She added, "Blockages of the artery, or atherosclerosis, develop from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, stress, sedentary lifestyle and family history. His job now will be to modify those risk factors to keep all of them in check."

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Traveling with OAB

The thought of traveling to an exotic destination might sound enticing, but not when you know you'll be taking your overactive bladder along with you. Just the thought of frantically searching for a bathroom in an unfamiliar city can fill you with dread. When the urge to urinate strikes suddenly -- or frequently -- sometimes it’s better to just stay at home.

Too often, overactive bladder causes people to drop activities they once enjoyed and become isolated, says Nancy Muller, executive director of the National Association for Continence in Charleston, S.C. Yet with proper management and trip preparations, you can travel with less fear of toileting accidents. "Control your bladder. Don’t let your bladder control you," she says.

Oops, I Leaked: Tales of Incontinence

"I'm more sensitive now to women when they say they've 'gotta go,'" says 51-year-old professional speaker, author, and prostate cancer survivor Chuck Gallagher. The Greenville, S.C., resident experienced mild incontinence for six weeks following his laparoscopic surgery. "Guys don't want to talk about it; it's embarrassing. They think they have to suck it up and deal with it." And men aren't the only ones who don't want to talk about their little leaks or mild incontinence. According to the...

Read the Oops, I Leaked: Tales of Incontinence article > >

If you’re planning to travel with overactive bladder, here are some tips to help make your trip more successful.

Bladder training

If possible, try training your bladder several weeks before you travel. Bladder training encompasses multiple techniques, but here are a few useful ones:

Timed voiding
This means urinating on a set schedule, "by the clock, rather than by what your bladder tells you," says Tomas L. Griebling, MD, MPH, professor and vice chair of the department of urology at the University of Kansas and a faculty associate in the Landon Center of Aging.

Use a restroom whenever you have the chance, whether or not your bladder feels full, Muller says.

Kegels or pelvic floor exercises
Strengthening your pelvic muscles with Kegel exercises can help prevent urine leakage. "They work in both men and women," Griebling says. 

You can do Kegel exercises while sitting at your desk, in your car, or in front of the TV. To do Kegels, tightly squeeze the muscles you use to start and stop urine flow for about 3 seconds, then relax them for 3 seconds. Try to do three sets of 10 Kegels per day.   

Freeze and squeeze
"One of the symptoms of overactive bladder is that sudden sensation that you have to urinate very quickly. The natural tendency is for people to get up and rush to the toilet," Griebling says. During such an episode, the bladder may be contracting involuntarily, causing urine to leak.  

Instead of rushing, try a "freeze and squeeze" technique, Griebling says. "They should stop and focus on what they’re feeling in their bladder and do two or three pelvic floor contractions. Often, they will have less urgency. It will help them to have more time to get to the toilet."

Medications

To help control urinary urgency, doctors can prescribe anticholinergic drugs such as oxybutynin (Ditropan, Ditropan XL), solifenacin (Vesicare), and tolterodine (Detrol, Detrol LA), which Griebling describes as "bladder relaxant medications."

"All of them can work quite well, but they can have side effects, mostly dry mouth and constipation. In some older people, they can cause visual problems or confusion," he says. And like all medications they can interact with other medications you take so be sure to let your doctor know all your medications.

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Malaria Drug Gets Stronger Warning Label

Strengthened and updated warnings about the serious psychiatric and neurologic side effects that can be caused by the malaria drug mefloquine hydrochloride have been added to the drug's label, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.

The neurologic side effects can include dizziness, loss of balance or ringing in the ears. Psychiatric side effects can include feeling anxious, mistrustful, depressed or having hallucinations.

The neurologic side effects can occur at any time while taking the drug and can last for months to years after patients have stopped taking the drug, or can even be permanent, the FDA said.

The drug now carries a boxed warning, the most serious kind of caution. In addition, the medication guide and wallet card for the drug have been updated to include the new information.

Mefloquine hydrochloride is prescribed for mild to moderate acute malaria transmitted by certain types of mosquitoes and for the prevention of malaria infections caused by those mosquitoes. The drug was previously marketed under the brand name Lariam, but it is no longer marketed in the United States. However generic versions are available in the U.S.

Patients, caregivers and health care providers should watch for these side effects, the FDA said. If a patient develops neurologic or psychiatric symptoms, treatment with mefloquine hydrochloride should be stopped and another medicine should be used. Patients should not stop using the drug before consulting with a health care provider.

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Could Hot Cocoa Improve Brainpower in Seniors?

Small early study hints it might help, but author says it's too soon to recommend nightly cup

By Randy Dotinga

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- A preliminary new study links two cups of hot cocoa per day to improved memory skills in seniors who had low levels of blood flow in their brains.

So, should you start stocking up on Swiss Miss? Not necessarily.

The research is too limited to prove that cocoa directly boosted the brainpower of those with lower blood flow in the brain, and the findings don't say anything about long-term effects. In addition, drinking two cups of a sweet drink each day could cause or worsen obesity, which is linked to declines in brain function.

"Before we recommend cocoa, it's important to go back and figure out what's in it that's doing this and make sure it's sustainable," said study author Dr. Farzaneh Sorond, an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. "I'd prefer people wait until we figure out how to get the benefit without the calories, sugar and fat that comes in cocoa."

Still, the research is allowing scientists to get a better handle on a somewhat mysterious topic -- the flow of blood in the brain. The brain cells known as neurons need fuel to do their job, and blood provides it.

"The brain is a greedy organ, with just 2 percent of body mass and 20 percent of energy requirements," explained Andrew Scholey, director of the Center for Human Psychopharmacology at Swinburne University in Australia. "It requires a constant supply of blood to deliver the metabolic fuels of glucose and oxygen. Blood flow to the brain reduces with aging, and this correlates with cognitive [mental] decline."

Previous research has linked cocoa, which is found in chocolate, to health benefits. In the new study, researchers wanted to find out if it would affect blood flow in the brain, and brainpower itself.

The researchers recruited 60 people with an average age of 73 and assigned them to 30 days of either drinking cocoa rich in flavanol -- which is linked to improved blood flow -- or drinking cocoa low in flavanol. The special cocoa was provided by Mars Inc., but the company didn't have any other role in the study.

Eighteen people had impaired blood flow in the brain when the study began. Almost all of the 60 participants had high blood pressure and half had a form of diabetes. Almost all -- 85 percent -- were white.

Brain blood flow improved by an average of 8 percent by the end of the study in those participants whose levels were low at the beginning. There was no effect among the others who had normal blood flow.

Those with lower blood flow also performed better on memory tests, improving the time they needed to complete tasks (dropping from an average of 167 seconds to 116 seconds), but it's not clear what this would mean in day-to-day life. Again, those with regular blood flow levels didn't improve.

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Channel Blockers for Blood Pressure Linked to Breast Cancer Risk, Study Finds

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Lymphoma Risk Varies for Celiac Disease Patients

Blood cancer more common for those with continuing intestinal damage, study found

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Celiac disease patients with ongoing intestinal damage have a higher risk for lymphoma than those with healed intestines, a new study finds.

The intestinal damage in people with celiac disease is caused by a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. After diagnosis, many patients switch to a gluten-free diet. Patients often are followed up on to assess the effects that dietary changes and treatment have on intestinal healing.

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that begins in the lymph system, and can eventually spread to other parts of the body.

This study included more than 7,600 people with celiac disease who had follow-up intestinal biopsies six months to five years after their diagnosis, and were then followed for roughly nine years.

At the time of their follow-up biopsy, 57 percent of the patients had healed intestines while 43 percent had ongoing intestinal damage, according to the study, which was published in the Aug. 6 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

Overall, the patients with celiac disease had an annual lymphoma risk of about 68 of 100,000 people, which is nearly three times higher than the general population's risk rate of about 24 of 100,000.

Meanwhile, the annual risk for patients with ongoing intestinal damage was about 102 of 100,000 people, compared with 31.5 of 100,000 for those with healed intestines.

It's not clear why intestinal healing occurs in some patients with celiac disease but not in others, the Columbia University Medical Center researchers said.

"We know from prior studies that healing is more likely among patients who report strict adherence to the gluten-free diet, compared with those who admit to less-than-strict dietary habits," study first author Dr. Benjamin Lebwohl, an assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health, said in a medical center news release.

Ongoing intestinal damage, however, was seen even in patients who strictly adhered to a gluten-free diet. This suggests that other unidentified factors also affect intestinal healing.

"Our findings linking the follow-up biopsy result to lymphoma risk will lead us to redouble our efforts to better understand intestinal healing and how to achieve it," said Lebwohl, a member of the Celiac Disease Center.

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Could Dietary Tweaks Ease Type 1 Diabetes?

Foods rich in amino and fatty acids may help preserve insulin production, study suggests

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Eating foods that contain certain nutrients may help people with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes continue producing some insulin for as long as two years, a new study finds.

Although eating such foods doesn't alter the need to take insulin injections to treat type 1 diabetes, foods with leucine -- an amino acid -- and with omega-3 fatty acids may mean that less insulin is needed, according to the new research.

"After the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, a branch-chain amino acid and long-chain fatty acid were related to C-peptide levels, which are important because they've been shown to improve control of glucose, and maybe help prevent complications," said Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, the study's lead author.

This is "very early work," however, and parents of children with type 1 diabetes need to continue to follow their child's doctor's orders with regard to insulin and any other medications, said Mayer-Davis, professor of nutrition and medicine and interim chairwoman of the department of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Foods containing leucine include dairy products, meat, soy products, eggs, nuts and whole wheat. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish, especially salmon.

At least one expert wasn't convinced that these foods could make a difference in insulin production in patients with type 1 diabetes.

"Nutrition in type 1 diabetes is very difficult to evaluate," said Dr. Joel Zonszein, director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. "It's possible that nutrition has a small effect, but people have been trying to connect nutrition to type 1 [diabetes] for more than 30 years. This study will not change my practice."

Type 1 diabetes is believed to be an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and eventually destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

Insulin is a hormone that's necessary to metabolize the carbohydrates in food. When carbohydrates are processed into glucose, insulin helps that glucose get into the body's cells to be used as fuel for the body and brain. Without insulin, glucose can't enter the cells and it builds up in the blood.

People with type 1 diabetes often continue making some insulin, though not enough to nourish their bodies properly, for months or even years after diagnosis, according to background information included in the study. The more beta cells that are preserved and still making insulin, the less the chance of serious complications, according to the study.

To see if nutritional factors might contribute to the preservation of beta cells, Mayer-Davis and her colleagues reviewed data on more than 1,300 young people up to 20 years old who had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Their average duration of diabetes was nearly 10 months.

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Former President George W. Bush Gets Heart Stent

Procedure successful after artery blockage found during his annual physical

By HealthDay staff

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Former President George W. Bush underwent heart surgery Tuesday morning after an artery blockage was discovered during his annual physical.

Bush had a stent placed in an artery during the procedure, which was done at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. The procedure was successfully completed "without complications" and Bush was "in high spirits," according to a statement released by his office.

The blockage was discovered at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas on Monday and, following a recommendation by his doctors, Bush agreed to go ahead with the procedure.

The 67-year-old former president, known to be an avid outdoor enthusiast, is "eager to return home tomorrow and resume his normal schedule on Thursday," his office statement said.

"He is grateful to the skilled medical professionals who have cared for him. He thanks his family, friends, and fellow citizens for their prayers and well wishes. And he encourages us all to get our regular check-ups," the statement added.

CNN reported that Bush's annual exam in 2006 showed that he had no signs of hypertension or stroke, and had a "low" to "very low" coronary artery disease risk profile with an absence of modifiable risk factors.

The 2006 report also said he had "minimal/mild" coronary artery calcification, a common sign of early artery disease in which the lining of aortic wall becomes inflamed and plaque starts to build up over time, CNN added.

Tuesday's statement from Bush's office offered no details on the artery blockage that was discovered.

Heart experts were quick to echo Bush's reminder on getting regular check-ups.

Dr. Lawrence Phillips, an assistant professor in the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said, "Heart disease can attack anyone. We know that by decreasing an individual's risk factors, we can significantly decrease the risk of developing coronary artery disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that bring blood to the heart muscle. Risk factors that can be modified include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and stopping smoking."

He added, "Sometimes we are fooled to think that heart disease only impacts people who are overweight, eat unhealthy and have multiple medical problems. That is just not true. Our job in the medical community is to educate people to know their own risk factors, how to modify them, and when you need to have more of an evaluation."

Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, spokeswoman for the American Heart Association and a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said that Bush "underwent a stent implantation of his coronary artery due to an abnormal stress test."

She added, "Blockages of the artery, or atherosclerosis, develop from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, stress, sedentary lifestyle and family history. His job now will be to modify those risk factors to keep all of them in check."

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400 Now Sickened in Stomach Bug Outbreak

Health officials in Iowa, Nebraska point to salad mix as culprit, but CDC has not confirmed a source

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- The ongoing outbreak of infection with the foodborne cyclospora parasite has now reached 400 cases and spread to 16 states and New York City, according to the latest U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report issued Friday.

The source or sources of the nationwide outbreak has not yet been located, although health officials at two of the hardest-hit states, Iowa and Nebraska, say they have traced local outbreaks to an as-yet-unnamed salad mix.

In a posting on its website, the CDC said that it "will continue to work with federal, state and local partners in the investigation to determine whether this conclusion applies to the increase in cases of cyclosporiasis in other states. It is not yet clear whether the cases from all of the states are part of the same outbreak."

Prior outbreaks of cyclospora infection have typically been caused by tainted produce, the agency noted.

While no one has died from cyclosporiasis, "at least 22 persons reportedly have been hospitalized in five states," the CDC said. Most people got sick between mid-June through early July.

One expert said that while cyclospora can make people very ill, it is not usually life-threatening.

"On the infectious disease scale, this ranks well below the more notorious and dangerous ailments like E. coli and salmonella," said Dr. Lewis Marshall Jr., chairman of the outpatient services at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, New York City.

"It is unlikely to be fatal, but certainly can make one's life miserable," he said. "Symptoms include crampy abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, bloating, nausea, fatigue, fever, headache and body aches."

According to the CDC, cases have now been reported from Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York City, New York State, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin.

Cases of cyclosporiasis, which is caused by a single-celled parasite and can trigger diarrhea and stomach cramps, have been mounting through the month of July, said Dr. Monica Parise, chief of the parasitic diseases branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The cyclospora parasite cannot be spread from person to person; it has to be ingested via contaminated water or foods such as fruit and vegetables.

"It can be pretty miserable, because it can give diarrhea that can last for days," Parise said.

The first reported cases occurred in Iowa, which has been hardest hit with 146 people falling ill so far. The first cases came in late June, with more infections reported through July.

Other states reporting large numbers of infections are Nebraska, with 81 cases, and Texas, with 113 cases.

It takes about a week for people who are infected to become sick.

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OAB and Talking with Your Doctor

If your daily schedule is dictated by frequent and sudden urinary urges that leave you scrambling for the nearest bathroom, and you haven't already been to see your doctor -- it's time to make an appointment to get your overactive bladder treated.

Whether you see a primary care doctor, internal medicine practitioner, urologist, or gynecologist doesn't matter. What does matter is that you get help for symptoms such as urinary urgency, frequent urination, waking up often during the night to urinate, and urge incontinence (abnormal bladder contractions that cause uncontrolled leakage of urine).

At Events With Incontinence

A lecture hall, the theater, a ballgame: if the setting is crowded, incontinence is a hassle. Many people avoid those events. Others get crafty in devising their exit plans. "People can be very strategic," says Roger Dmochowski, MD, a urologist and director of the Vanderbilt Continence Center in Nashville, Tenn. "It's amazing how good some people are at estimating their bladder problem. They have a fairly good idea of the time frame they're working with. They try to make it through the challenging...

Read the At Events With Incontinence article > >

Treatment is important because an overactive bladder can seriously interfere with activities, says Donna Y. Deng, MD, MS, a urologist and associate professor at the University of California-San Francisco who also serves on the board of directors at the National Association for Continence.

People may need to pull off the freeway immediately to find a restroom, or map out every public bathroom before they run errands. Some people are afraid to leave their homes and become isolated. “People really redefine themselves,” Deng says. “They really plan their lives around the bathroom. It’s definitely a great detriment to quality of life.”

In some cases, the urge is so strong that it overrides the urethral muscles that help control leakage from the bladder, and people can’t reach a toilet in time. “There’s very little warning time,” Deng says.

Talking about such personal issues can be uncomfortable, but worthwhile, experts say. “Patients often don’t volunteer information,” says Tomas L. Griebling, MD, MPH, professor and vice chair of the department of urology at the University of Kansas and a faculty associate in the Landon Center on Aging.

Tell your doctor about overactive bladder problems, he says. “There are usually things that we can do to try to help people.”

When you start treatment for OAB, your doctor might ask you to keep a voiding diary. The diary can help your doctor see what symptoms you're having, and evaluate how well your treatment is working. In your diary, record when you urinate each time, how much urine you pass, whether you leak and how much leakage you have, what you were doing when the leakage occurred, and what/how much you drink and eat each day.

Your doctor will ask several questions to determine the cause of your bladder problems and find the right treatment.

How often do you urinate each day?How much liquid do you drink each day (with meals and between meals)?Do you leak urine? Do you leak urine when you sneeze, cough, or exercise?Do you feel an urge when you have to urinate or have a sudden urge to urinate at inappropriate times? Do you have to rush to the toilet and sometimes not make it?How many times do you get up at night to use the toilet?Does it ever hurt or burn when you urinate? Does your urine have a bad odor, contain blood, or appear dark yellow or concentrated?If you wear pads, are there a few drops of urine in the pad or a bladder-full?Does your incontinence prevent you from participating in work or social activities?How often do you have a bowel movement? What’s the consistency of your stools? Are they easy or hard to pass?

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Consumers Can Take First Step To Enrolling In New Insurance Options Today

Consumers Can Take First Step To Enrolling In New Insurance Options TodayConsumers Can Take First Step To Enrolling In New Insurance Options TodayWebMD News from Kaiser Health News

By Phil Galewitz

Consumers in most states can start the process of enrolling in Obamacare today — but they won’t be able to compare health insurance prices or buy coverage in the new federally run insurance online marketplaces until Oct. 1, administration officials said Monday.

People in the 34 states relying on a federal insurance exchange can go to healthcare.gov starting today to open a personal account — the first step to buying coverage that would take effect Jan. 1. (Sixteen states and the District of Columbia are setting up their own online marketplaces, and several have already released pricing information although enrollment does not begin until Oct. 1.)

To set up the personal account, users enter some basic information such as state of residence, age and whether they are eligible for coverage through their employer.

The administration is hoping to draw more interest in the new insurance options by letting people begin the enrollment process now.

“We are on target and ready to flip the switch on Oct. 1,” Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said during a telephone briefing with reporters.

Sebelius said reports from several states that premiums will soar “are not accurate.” She did not name the states but insurance commissioners in Florida and Ohio have said average rates will increase at least 30 percent to 40 percent next year and blamed the federal health law, which requires insurers to sell to everyone and prohibits plans from charging more to those with pre-existing medical conditions.

States were required to submit their insurance rates to HHS for final review by July 31. HHS plans to sign contracts with insurers in the federally fun marketplace by early September.

Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan health policy research and communications organization not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

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Test your knowledge of the new law.

A guide to what's changing under the new law.

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Sense of Smell Determined by Genes, Study Says

Ability to detect certain scents is highly individual, research suggests

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic differences appear to explain why some people can smell certain odors and others can't, researchers say.

Using 10 different odors, the researchers tested nearly 200 people for their smell sensitivity and then analyzed the participants' DNA. For four of the odors tested, there was a link between smell sensitivity and certain genetic variants.

The four odors are malt, apple, blue cheese and violets, according to the findings, published online Aug. 1 in the journal Current Biology.

"We were surprised how many odors had genes associated with them. If this extends to other odors, then we might expect everyone to have their own unique set of smells that they are sensitive to," research team co-leader Jeremy McRae, of Plant and Food Research in New Zealand, said in a journal news release.

"These smells are found in foods and drinks that people encounter every day, such as tomatoes and apples. This might mean that when people sit down to eat a meal, they each experience it in their own personalized way," McRae said.

He and his colleagues also found that people's ability to smell these four odors was the same worldwide. That means that someone in Asia is just as likely to be able to smell one of the odors as someone in Africa or Europe.

The ability to smell one of these odors doesn't predict the ability to smell the others, the study also found. So if someone is good at smelling blue cheese, it doesn't mean they'll be good at smelling an apple next to it.

The genetic variants that affect the ability to smell these four odors are in or near genes that encode odorant receptors. The researchers explained that odor receptor molecules sit on the surface of sensory nerve cells in the nose. When certain chemical compounds float in the air, the nerve cells send a signal to the brain and give you the perception of a smell.

Richard Newcomb, co-leader of the project, said that knowing the compounds that people can sense in foods, as well as other products, will influence the development of future products. "Companies may wish to design foods that better target people based on their sensitivity, essentially developing foods and other products personalized for their taste and smell," he said in the news release.

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Metformin May Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer Death, Researchers Say

Diabetic men using the drug had higher survival rates in cancer study

By Kathleen Doheny

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Metformin, a widely used diabetes drug, may reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer, according to new research.

A study of nearly 4,000 diabetic men found that those taking metformin when diagnosed with prostate cancer were less likely to die of the cancer or other causes compared to men using other diabetes drugs.

"We demonstrated that metformin is associated with improved survival among diabetic patients with prostate cancer," said Dr. David Margel, a uro-oncologist at Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, Israel, who conducted the research while at the University of Toronto.

"It's associated in a dose-response manner," he said. "The longer you were on metformin, the less likely you were to die of prostate cancer and of all causes."

But whether metformin can prevent prostate cancer progression in people without diabetes remains to be seen, experts say.

Diabetes and prostate cancer are common in the United States. This year, about 239,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed, and more than 29,000 men will die from it, according to the American Cancer Society.

Type 2 diabetes is rampant, and metformin is the drug most commonly prescribed to treat it. More than 61 million metformin prescriptions were filled in the United States last year. Brand names include Glucophage and Glumetza. The drug, in its generic forms and certain brand names, is relatively inexpensive.

Previous research has focused on whether metformin might reduce the risk of getting prostate cancer, but most studies were negative. Some experts believe the drug instead works to improve survival once the cancer occurs.

In the new study, published online Aug. 5 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Margel looked at more than 3,800 diabetic men aged 67 or older who lived in Ontario. About one-third were taking metformin at the study's start. Others were using different diabetes drugs.

The men took the metformin for a median of 19 months (half longer than that, half shorter) before the cancer was diagnosed and nearly nine months after.

During roughly four years of follow-up, Margel found those who took metformin had a 24 percent reduction in risk from prostate cancer death for every additional six months of use after their cancer diagnosis. The risk reduction of death from other causes was initially the same but declined over time.

In both instances, although an association was found between metformin and survival, a direct cause-and-effect relationship was not established.

No reduction in death risk was seen for patients taking any other diabetes drug.

Although other diabetes drugs work by increasing the body's insulin production, metformin is an "insulin sensitizer" that works by making the body more sensitive to the insulin already produced. Insulin is needed to move glucose into cells for energy.

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FDA Warns of Rare Acetaminophen Risk

Aug. 5, 2013 -- Anyone who develops a rash, blister, or some other skin reaction while taking acetaminophen should stop using the drug and seek medical care immediately. The painkiller poses the risk for three rare but potentially fatal skin disorders, the FDA announced.

The three serious, bad reactions that patients and doctors should watch out for are Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis.

The FDA said its warning is based on a review of medical studies and problems reported to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. The agency recently put all products containing acetaminophen on its list of drugs to monitor after it received reports of severe skin reactions through FAERS in the last 3 months of 2012.

Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in many prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. It also appears in combination drug products to treat conditions ranging from allergies to sleeplessness.

The FDA advises health care professionals to tell patients using acetaminophen or any other pain reliever to look for signs of serious skin reactions and remind them that acetaminophen is an ingredient in a wide variety of prescription and OTC products.

More information about today's safety announcement is available on the FDA Web site.

To report problems with drugs containing acetaminophen, contact MedWatch, the FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting program, by telephone at 1-800-FDA-1088; by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178; online; with postage-paid FDA form 3500, available here; or by mail to MedWatch, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20852-9787.

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Childhood Obesity Rates Drop Slightly: CDC

U.S. government report finds good news in a critical fight

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- There was a small but sure sign Tuesday that the fight against childhood obesity may yet be won: A new government report found that obesity rates among low-income preschoolers had declined slightly in at least 19 states.

After decades of increases, the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, South Dakota, and the U.S. Virgin Islands saw at least a 1 percent decrease in their rate of obesity from 2008 through 2011. Rates in 20 states and Puerto Rico held steady, while rates increased slightly in three other states: Colorado, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

"For the first time in a generation, we are seeing obesity go in the right direction in 2- to 4-year-olds, and we are seeing it happen across the country," CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden said during a noon press conference.

"It's encouraging, but we have a lot further to go," he added. "We hope this is the start of a trend getting us back into balance."

Frieden credited the trend to such efforts as First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" program and better policies in the government's Women, Infants and Children's (WIC) program, as well as increases in breast-feeding, recognition that children need to be active and eating a more healthful diet by reducing things like juices and increasing consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, and also decreasing time in front of the TV or computer.

"Today's announcement reaffirms my belief that together, we are making a real difference in helping kids across the country get a healthier start to life," Michelle Obama said in a CDC news release.

She added, "We know how essential it is to set our youngest children on a path towards a lifetime of healthy eating and physical activity, and more than 10,000 child-care programs participating in the 'Let's Move! Child Care' initiative are doing vitally important work on this front. Yet, while this announcement reflects important progress, we also know that there is tremendous work still to be done to support healthy futures for all our children."

Earlier research found that about one in eight preschoolers is obese, Frieden said. In addition, children are "five times more likely to be overweight or obese as an adult if they are overweight or obese between the ages of 3 and 5 years," he noted.

For the report, which covered 40 states (but not Texas), the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, CDC researchers looked at weight and height for nearly 12 million children aged 2 to 4 who took part in federally funded maternal and child nutrition programs.

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FDA Defines 'Gluten-Free' for Food Labels

Rule will benefit millions of Americans with celiac disease

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- That loaf of bread or can of soup may be labeled "gluten-free," but is it really? To help the nearly 3 million Americans who have celiac disease and must avoid gluten, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday said that it is issuing new rules for marketing such food products.

"Adherence to a gluten-free diet is the key to treating celiac disease, which can be very disruptive to everyday life," FDA commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said in an FDA statement.

"The FDA's new 'gluten-free' definition will help people with this condition make food choices with confidence and allow them to better manage their health," she said.

Gluten refers to proteins occurring naturally in wheat, rye, barley and cross-bred hybrids of these grains. It is widely used to make baked goods light and flaky. But for people with celiac disease, gluten causes the production of antibodies, which attack and damage the lining of the small intestine. This limits their ability to absorb nutrients and puts them at risk of serious health problems, including osteoporosis, infertility and intestinal cancers.

As the notion of eating "gluten-free" spread among mainstream consumers, food manufacturers began using the term loosely as a marketing technique. But only people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity benefit from a diet devoid of gluten.

The FDA-approved definition "is a tool that has been desperately needed," said Andrea Levario, executive director of the American Celiac Disease Alliance.

Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, has no cure, and the only way to manage it is by not eating gluten, Levario said. Without a legal definition of "gluten-free," consumers can't be sure if their body will tolerate a food with that label, she added.

The new rule "keeps food safe for this population, gives them the tools they need to manage their health, and obviously has long-term benefits for them," Levario noted.

By this time next year, a food labeled "gluten-free" must meet all of the requirements of the definition. For example, the food must have less than 20 parts per million of gluten.

"This level is consistent with those set by other countries and international bodies that set food safety standards," the FDA said.

In addition, foods that claim "no gluten," "free of gluten" and "without gluten" must meet the definition for "gluten-free," or the FDA will consider them noncompliant with the rule.

Many foods now labeled "gluten-free" may already meet the new standard, the agency pointed out.

"We encourage the food industry to come into compliance with the new definition as soon as possible and help us make it as easy as possible for people with celiac disease to identify foods that meet the federal definition of 'gluten-free,'" Michael Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, said in a statement.

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Taking Care of Your Baby's Fever

By Renee Bacher
WebMD Feature

Young kids often get fevers. They're a normal part of childhood and usually aren't serious. In most cases, they go away on their own. Fever is the body's way of killing off infections by raising the heat on germs. It can be caused by bacteria, like strep throat, or a virus, like the flu. The key is learning how and when to treat them so you can keep your child comfortable until she's feeling better.

When should I treat fever?

You can treat a fever when your child seems uncomfortable. It won't make his infection go away, but it can help him feel better. Sometimes a fever can make your child sleepy. If you don't treat a low fever, your child may be able to get more rest.

How should I treat fever?

Give him a child's dosage of ibuprofen or acetaminophen to safely bring his fever down.You can use ibuprofen for kids 6 months and older or acetaminophen for children 2 years and up. Ask your doctor for the correct dose if your child is under 2.

How can I keep my child comfortable when she has a fever?

A 15-minute bath in lukewarm water may help bring your child’s fever down. Make sure the water doesn't get cold, and take her out if she starts to shiver.Dress your child lightly. Use a sheet instead of a blanket to cover her in bed.  Breastfeed or give your baby formula often. You may want to consider an oral rehydration drink like Pedialyte for babies. If your child is weaned, encourage him to drink extra water. Skip soda and caffeinated drinks, which can be dehydrating.

What’s the best kind of thermometer for children?

Digital thermometers are inexpensive, fast, and accurate. Depending on the model, they can be used to take temperature by mouth, under the arm, or in the bottom. There’s a temperature sensor at one end and a digital display at the other. Clear the screen before inserting the thermometer and remove it when it beeps. Clean the thermometer according to directions before storing it.

Electronic ear thermometers are fast and easy to use in children 12 weeks and older, but they're expensive and aren’t as accurate for newborns and infants.

Plastic strip thermometers that are pressed against the forehead and pacifier thermometers are convenient, but they're not very accurate either -- especially for infants. Don't use glass mercury thermometers. There's a risk of being exposed to mercury, which is toxic.

When should I call the doctor?

Call your doctor right away if you have a baby 12 weeks of age or younger with a temperature above 100.3. For a child of any age, call your doctor right away if his temperature rises above 104, if he won't stop crying, or has any of the following:

Stiff neckSevere headacheSevere sore throatEar painRepeated vomiting or diarrheaA seizureRash

You should also call your doctor if the fever has dropped but your child is still acting sick or if he seems to be getting worse. Call if the fever lasts more than 24 hours in a child younger than 2, or more than three days in a child 2 and up.

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Childhood Abuse Linked to Later Thyroid Problems for Women

Stress hormone in 'fight-or-flight' reaction may be involved, researcher suggests

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Women who suffered physical abuse during childhood are at increased risk for thyroid problems, according to a new study.

"We found a significant association with thyroid disorders for women who were abused during childhood," lead author Esme Fuller Thomson, professor and chair at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Social Work, said in a university news release.

"We originally thought the link would be explained by factors such as daily stress, smoking or alcohol abuse -- characteristics associated with both childhood physical abuse and thyroid disorders -- but even after adjusting for 14 potential explanatory factors, women who had been physically abused in childhood had 40 percent higher odds of thyroid disorders than their non-abused peers," Fuller Thomson said.

Researchers analyzed data from about 13,000 Canadian adults. More than 1,000 of the women reported being physically abused before they turned 18 and about 900 said they had been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder.

The study was published online July 29 in the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma.

Long-term effects of childhood physical abuse on the thyroid "may be due to the way early traumas change the way an individual reacts to stress throughout life," study co-author Loriena Yancura, an associate professor in the family and consumer sciences department at the University of Hawaii, said in the news release.

"One important avenue for future research is to investigate potential dysfunctions in the production of the 'fight-or-flight' hormone, cortisol, among survivors of abuse," she added.

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Mother's Asthma During Pregnancy May Raise Child's Health Risks

Large study of Danish women followed their children up to age 6

By Alan Mozes

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- A large new study of Danish women has tied a mother's asthma during pregnancy to a higher risk for developing a wide range of childhood diseases among her offspring.

The finding does not broadly concern all mothers who have a history of asthma, but rather those who actually experience an asthma attack while pregnant.

The observation could lead to heightened scrutiny of asthma status during pregnancy, and increased efforts to better control the condition, the researchers suggested. It may also encourage more vigilant monitoring of children who are born to mothers whose pregnancy included asthma flare-ups.

"There were previous indications that maternal asthma during pregnancy is linked to fetal development and some selected diseases in the offspring," said study co-author Gunther Meinlschmidt. "However, we were surprised that maternal asthma during pregnancy appears to be related to such a broad range of different diseases in the offspring."

Diseases with increased risk included infection and parasitic illness, nervous and respiratory system complications, and diseases of the ear and skin.

"Potentially" increased risks for offspring -- which were not confirmed in a follow-up analysis -- included digestive diseases, endocrine and metabolic disorders, and malformations.

Meinlschmidt, with the division of clinical psychology and epidemiology in the department of psychology at the University of Basel, in Switzerland, and colleagues report their observations in the September issue of Pediatrics.

To explore the impact of asthma in the context of pregnancy, the authors crunched data collected by a nationwide Danish study concerning slightly fewer than 67,000 mothers who gave birth between 1996 and 2002.

About one-quarter were smokers, most were in generally good health, and most were middle class or relatively well off.

Overall, just over 6 percent of women had struggled with an asthmatic event during their pregnancy, a figure gleaned from maternal interviews conducted three times during and six months after the pregnancy.

In turn, all the children were tracked -- using statistics from the Danish National Hospital Register -- for the onset of a variety of medical problems up to an average age of 6.

The result: Maternal asthma was associated with a higher risk for developing a wide array of childhood diseases among newborns. However, while the study found this association, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

So what are concerned mothers to do?

"There are different types, causes and treatments of asthma," Meinlschmidt said, "so mothers should discuss individual strategies to reduce their asthma risk with their GPs or other health care providers, considering benefits and risks of asthma treatment for mother and offspring."

Dr. Alan Baptist, an assistant professor and director of the University of Michigan's asthma program in Ann Arbor, Mich., said that he was "not completely surprised" by the study findings.

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High Blood Sugar Levels Tied to Small Increases in Dementia Risk

Elevated blood glucose may harm the brain, even in people without diabetes, researchers say

By Brenda Goodman

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Elevated blood sugar levels, even among people who don't have diabetes, are associated with an increased risk for dementia, a new study shows.

The effect was very subtle, however, suggesting that higher blood sugar levels may be more of a nudge toward memory loss than a shove.

"If I had diabetes and I read this study, my reaction would be relief," said Dr. Richard O'Brien, chair of neurology at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, who was not involved in the research. "The effect was small."

The risk increases tied to rising blood sugar (or blood glucose) levels ranged from 10 percent to 40 percent. O'Brien pointed out that other risks appear to have much greater impacts. Having a parent with dementia, for example, roughly doubles or triples a person's risk for developing the disease.

O'Brien recently conducted a different study that looked at a similar, but slightly different question: whether or not blood glucose levels were linked to brain changes of Alzheimer's disease. That study, published online July 29 in JAMA Neurology, concluded there was no connection.

But O'Brien's study had fewer participants than the current investigation, which means it may not have been large enough to detect the slight differences between people who did and did not have signs of Alzheimer's. And because his study was solely focused on Alzheimer's disease, it couldn't rule out the possibility that higher blood sugar levels might be contributing to other kinds of dementia, particularly when it's caused by damage to the small blood vessels of the brain.

"The studies are completely compatible with each other," he said.

The U.S. obesity epidemic has led to soaring rates of type 2 diabetes, which is characterized by higher than normal blood sugar. As the baby boom generation ages, Alzheimer's disease is also on the rise, and experts are trying to determine whether a connection exists between the two.

For the new study, published Aug. 8 in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers followed more than 2,000 adults enrolled in the Group Health Cooperative, a nonprofit managed care collective in Washington State.

All study participants were aged 65 and older and free of dementia at the start of the study. Everyone had had at least five blood sugar checks in the two years prior to study enrollment.

At the start of the study, 232 people had diabetes, while 1,835 did not.

Through detailed health records kept on each participant, the researchers were able to estimate each person's average glucose levels.

Over the next seven years, on average, one-quarter of the participants developed dementia, including 450 who did not have diabetes and 74 with diabetes. About 20 percent of them had probable Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, while roughly 3 percent had dementia from vascular disease and slightly more than 3 percent were deemed to have dementia from other causes.

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