Falling Cancer Death Rate Means 1.5 Million Lives Saved Over 20 Years

American Cancer Society report finds a 22 percent drop in deaths

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Progress in the war against cancer has triggered a 22 percent drop in U.S. deaths over the past two decades, translating to about 1.5 million lives saved, a new American Cancer Society report finds.

Even so, the annual report also predict that within a few years, cancer will overtake heart disease as the leading killer of Americans.

That's because "the decrease in mortality rates from heart disease has been much larger than the decrease in mortality from cancer," said Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, the cancer society's vice president of surveillance and health services research.

"Cancer is a collection of maybe 200 diseases," he explained. "It's not like heart disease, where you have maybe some variation but it is a single entity compared to cancer."

In 2011, the most recent year for which statistics are available, heart disease claimed the lives of more than 308,000 men and 288,000 women in the United States, while cancer killed more than 302,000 men and 274,000 women.

The cancer report estimates there will be more than 1,658,000 new cancer cases and over 589,000 cancer deaths in the United States in 2015 -- about 1,600 cancer-related deaths a day.

However, those numbers are still a significant improvement on the past: The report found that cancer death rates declined from about 215 per every 100,000 people in 1991 to about 169 per 100,000 in 2011.

Convincing Americans to quit smoking has been the major driver in reducing cancer deaths, Jemal said. The number of smokers has been cut in half, and now represents fewer than one of every five people in the United States.

As a result, the lung cancer death rates dropped 36 percent between 1990 and 2011 among males, and 11 percent between 2002 and 2011 among females.

Increased use of early detection tools -- such as mammography, colonoscopy and cervical exams -- has also had a tremendous impact on the war against cancer, Jemal said.

Gains for men slightly exceeded those for women. Between 2007 and 2011, the average annual decline in cancer death rates was larger for men (1.8 percent) than women (1.4 percent), the report found.

source : Falling Cancer Death Rate Means 1.5 Million Lives Saved Over 20 Years

Read more →

Q&A With Molly Sims

The model mom dishes on how she stays beautiful and balanced.

By Elizabeth B. Krieger
WebMD Magazine - Feature

Reviewed by Hansa D. Bhargava, MD

She may be girl-next-door gorgeous, but Molly Sims, 41, will be the first person to tell you just how much time and effort goes into getting camera-ready. And in her new book out this coming January, The Everyday Supermodel: My Beauty, Fashion, and Wellness Secrets Made Simple, she does just that.

This Kentucky-born actress and model, who has a 2-year-old son, Brooks, and another baby due next spring, bursts with clever makeup and fashion secrets, as well as details about her approach to health and wellness. A self-proclaimed girl's girl, Sims first rose to fame after appearing in many Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues, and later she starred for five seasons on NBC's Las Vegas.

Sims reveals how she stays beautiful and balanced while bringing up babies.

What changed most after you became a parent?

I was just talking with a friend about this, someone who is single, without kids. I said not only does she have freedom, but she has freedom without guilt! I celebrated my anniversary with Scott [film producer Scott Stuber] and left Brooks to go to Boston. That was so hard. I missed him. But I try to remember how important time for me, and time for us, really is.

What's the one piece of advice you'd give to every new mom?

I'd say that no matter what, you have to take care of yourself. My mom taught me this: Get out of your sweats. Find something to wear that you feel great in. That may be yoga pants, and if so, that's great. But more than that, it's about having a life -- and the more you maintain that, the better you will be as a wife, a mother, a person, and you will be the best "you" that you can be.

What kind of mom do you hope to be?

There are a hundred different ways to parent, but I think that my folks set a great example for me because they were first and foremost my parents, and definitely not my friends. Yes, my mom and I are best friends now, but as a teenager, I needed a mom.

source : Q&A With Molly Sims

Read more →

10 Questions With Marcia Gay Harden

The actor opens up about parenting, perfectionism, and her role in 'Fifty Shades of Grey.'

By Lauren Paige Kennedy
WebMD Magazine - Feature

Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

1. The world is about to see you in the film version of the best-selling book Fifty Shades of Grey. Were you nervous to appear in it?

No. The film raises questions about eroticism and pleasure and things we really don’t talk about. I’m glad we don’t! I don’t want to discuss every single aspect of sexuality over the breakfast table. Yet, there is this fascinating world of what happens in the bedroom when [a couple] takes their journey one step further. And for me, the core of that journey is trust.

Recommended Related to Women

Escape from the Worry Trap

By Diane Umansky When many of us are peacefully slumbering, Paula McClure, the owner of a spa in Dallas, is often jolted awake by what she refers to as her sleep committee. "The committee meets in my head at 3 a.m., and we run down a list of problems: all the things I didn't get done that day, people I didn't call back, decisions I'm worried about," she says. The dark-of-the-night fretting may follow McClure into the daytime hours, often making her feel emotionally paralyzed. "My...

Read the Escape from the Worry Trap article > >

2. You play Christian Grey’s mother. Is it a good role?

I represent an extremely important archetype in the film’s explorations of women. My character is the educated working mom, a doctor. I love the examples she sets. I’ve been sending out a series of naughty tweets [in character] addressed to Christian. One of them said: “Just remember that a woman’s greatest sexual organ is her brain. Love, Mama Grey.”

3. Why do you think the book was such a sensation?

This book is written in the style of all great romances. And it’s made furry handcuffs more acceptable.

4. Do you think Hollywood promotes a healthy or unhealthy notion of sex?

I don’t like to make blanket statements about the media. The media is a group of individuals. A bigger issue for me is that young boys are learning about sex from [violent] porn. Boys learn this, girls accept it -- that disturbs me far more than some erotic movie where an actor shows a boob or a butt.

5. You have three kids. What’s your greatest 21st-century parenting challenge?

I’m a single mother. Traditions of family dissipated in divorce. I try to build upon things that keep us connected to history and to stay embedded in great culture with my kids. Sometimes it scares me that those classic, rich tapestries of history -- music and opera and art -- will all be replaced by Tumblr.

6. Many women battle the need to be perfect. Do you?

source : 10 Questions With Marcia Gay Harden

Read more →

Binge Eating Disorder in Men

By Stephanie Watson
And Kelli Miller
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Joseph Goldberg, MD

Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder -- and many who have it are men.

If that surprises you, you're not alone. People often see eating disorders as a woman’s health concern. But guys get them too. About 40% of those with binge eating disorder are men.

“Men absolutely do struggle with eating, food, and body image. That’s often assumed to not be the case,” says Tom Wooldridge, PsyD. He's the co-executive director of The National Association of Males with Eating Disorders. He’s also clinical psychologist who helps treat men. 

“With increased awareness, more and more men will get a correct diagnosis -- and that diagnosis is the first step into treatment,” he says.

Binge Eating: Men vs. Women

People don’t discuss this disorder in men as openly as for women, so many guys with the condition don't know they have it. Or they think it can’t, or shouldn’t, happen to them. 

Only about 1 in 10 men with an eating disorder seek care from a mental health provider. Doctors say this means the number of men with eating disorders might be higher than they think.

If you have binge eating disorder, you’re likely to:

• Regularly eat a lot of food in a short period of time (under 2 hours)
• Keep eating, even when you're already full
• Eat very quickly
• Hide food and eat alone, in secret
• Feel out of control when you eat
• Eat at all times of the day, rather than at three regular meals
• Feel guilty or disgusted after you overeat

If you notice any of these signs, talk to your doctor or an eating disorders specialist. Treatment can help you learn why you binge and show you how to approach food in a healthier way.

Why Men Binge Eat

They do it for many of the same reasons that women do.

Poor body image is one common trigger. Like women, many men are unhappy with the way they look. 

Women usually want to get thinner, like celebrities and models they see on TV.

Men often want the toned, athletic body that society says is needed to make them more competitive in sports, work, and romantic relationships. This can drive some men to unhealthy eating habits, including binge eating.

Men might also binge eat because they:

• Want to be in control
• Can express feelings, through food, that they have a hard time talking about
• Want to numb emotions they can't control

source : Binge Eating Disorder in Men

Read more →

How to Avoid a Binge Eating Relapse

By Stephanie Watson
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Joseph Goldberg, MD

You can recover from binge eating disorder. It takes time to learn how to manage your eating, though.

You might start to get better and then have another binge. That’s called a relapse. Up to half of people with an eating disorder have one after starting treatment, especially when they're stressed.

If you have a relapse, you can get well again. You can use it as a chance to learn and become better prepared for the next time you face the things that make you want to binge.

Here are 11 ways to help you avoid a relapse.

Step 1: Be Willing to Take Time and Put in Effort

It probably took you a few months to stop binge eating. It can take even longer to stick with your new, healthy habits.

"Recovery requires work. Changing behavior is difficult and takes sustained effort, but it becomes easier with practice," says Angela Guarda, MD. She's the director of the eating disorders program at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Step 2: Know the Warning Signs

It’s important to look for clues that you're bingeing again. You might be slipping back into your old pattern if you:

• Feel overwhelmed with work, family, or life in general
• Think about your weight all the time, and often check the mirror and scale
• Feel ashamed or guilty about the way you eat
• Try to eat in secret
• Hide your eating from your treatment team

Step 3: Have a Plan

While you're still in treatment, ask your doctor what to do if you start to relapse. Together, you can come up with a healthy plan to face the things that trigger you to binge eat. This might include keeping a food journal, so you can track your eating.

Step 4: Don’t Let a Single Setback Get You Down

You might slip up and overeat once in a while. Many people do.

If you do, "the key is to get back to a normal eating pattern with the next meal instead of going into a full relapse," Guarda says. "Tell yourself, 'I had a slip. … Now I need to make sure I get back on track and eat three regular meals.'"

source : How to Avoid a Binge Eating Relapse

Read more →

Binge Eating: Guilt and Shame

By Joy Manning
And Suzanne Hayes
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Joseph Goldberg, MD

If you binge eat, you likely use food to try to manage negative emotions.

Drowning your feelings with food might make you feel good for the moment, but it’s often quickly followed by a lot of guilt and hurtful self-talk. Such shame leads to more bingeing and sets off a cycle that’s hard – but not impossible – to break.

You can end this cycle and start to recover. Here are some tips to get you started.

Don’t Criticize Yourself

Silence that nagging voice in your head. Don’t insult yourself constantly. Allow yourself to be sad every now and then.

Or, distract yourself with healthy things that make you happy -- a phone call with a friend, for example. That way, you don’t immediately turn to food for comfort.

Realize You're Not Alone

Other people have binge eating disorder, and they do get better. You can, too.

The shame and secrecy of binge eating sometimes keeps people from asking for support. Consider reaching out for professional help.

Have Your Toolbox Ready

You can take steps to fight off a binge or soothe yourself after a slip-up.

1. Write it out. “Writing your thoughts down helps you tune into what’s going on inside,” says Margo Maine, PhD. She's senior editor of Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention.

“You learn to put your feelings into words. When you binge, it’s often because you don’t have the words for your emotions.”

2. Hang with a friend. When you’re feeling guilty about a binge, being around others is one of the best things you can do. You don’t even need to talk about your problems -- just being in a social setting helps.

“When you’re alone, the negative self-talk, which can trigger a binge, gets magnified,” Maine says.

3. Get help. Visit the Binge Eating Disorder Association’s web site for hopeful stories of recovery. Anonymous online support groups are also helpful.

Maine recommends the book Crave: Why You Binge Eat and How to Stop by Cynthia M. Bulik.

You might also consider getting therapy. “Talking your feelings through with a professional is the best way to overcome that sense of worthlessness that really feeds your binge eating,” Maine says.

source : Binge Eating: Guilt and Shame

Read more →

Inpatient Care for Binge Eating

By Camille Noe Pagán
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Joseph Goldberg, MD

When you get inpatient treatment for binge eating disorder, you live, sleep, and get around-the-clock care at a hospital or eating disorders medical center. It’s pretty unusual for people with the condition to need this type of treatment, but some do.

It's rare partly because outpatient care, which involves getting treated somewhere without an overnight stay, “is pretty effective for most people with binge eating disorder,” says Jennifer J. Thomas, PhD. She's co-director of the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Inpatient treatment can be successful, though. Research shows that most people who receive it quit bingeing.

Who Needs Inpatient Treatment?

You might need it for binge eating if:

• You also have severe depression or anxiety, or you think about suicide. Most of the time, these issues -- not the binge eating disorder -- will be the main reason you’re admitted to a hospital or treatment center. But doctors will treat your binge eating disorder, too.

• Binge eating causes you serious medical problems, such as an unstable heart rate.

• Your eating disorder is severe and other treatments haven't worked.

What Inpatient Treatment Involves

The treatment will be tailored to your needs. Your health care team might include:

• A primary care doctor
• Nurses
• Psychiatrists
• Dietitians
• Social workers
• Psychologists
• Therapists

You might get:

• Regular checks by your medical team
• Fluids through a vein (IV fluids)
• Medications, such as antidepressants to improve your mood
• Regular therapy sessions
• Group therapy, family counseling, and nutritional counseling

How long you stay at a center depends on how severe your symptoms are, and your health insurance coverage. Inpatient treatment can be expensive and may not be covered.

Goals of Treatment

Your treatment team will help you:

Improve your health. Doctors will work to improve any issue or condition -- such as a heart problem or suicidal thoughts -- that puts you in danger.

Learn to recognize and change thoughts and actions that trigger bingeing. In most cases, psychologists or therapists use cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps you turn negative thoughts into healthier, more realistic ones.

Eat healthier. You’ll get three non-calorie-restricted meals and one to three snacks daily. Shedding pounds won’t be a focus, though.

source : Inpatient Care for Binge Eating

Read more →

Outpatient Care for Binge Eating: What to Expect

By Camille Noe Pagán
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Joseph Goldberg, MD

If you struggle with binge eating and want to stop, outpatient care is a good option. You'll regularly get treated at a health care center or clinic, but you won't have to stay overnight.

This form of treatment helps nearly 70% of people with binge eating disorder recover, research shows.

Your doctor may recommend outpatient care, or you can seek it yourself. You should first check if your health insurance provider requires a doctor’s referral.

Outpatient Care: Where to Find It

You can find this kind of care for binge eating at:

• A hospital or medical center that treats people with eating disorders
• An eating disorder treatment center
• The office of a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist

In most cases, treatment begins with weekly or biweekly care, “because people with binge eating disorder often respond really well to that,” says Jennifer J. Thomas, PhD. She’s the co-director of the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Types of Therapy

Outpatient therapy can last several months or longer. There are different types. Your type may depend on where you get treatment and what your insurance covers.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common and effective forms used to treat binge eating. It helps you turn negative thoughts into healthier, more realistic ones so you can change your behavior.

Say, for instance, you tend to ask yourself: “I have no control over my eating, so why should I try to quit?” With CBT, you'd learn to say something like: “There are things I can do to avoid a binge. I’ll try calling a friend to distract myself until the urge passes.”

Guided self-help is a form of CBT that involves using materials (such as a workbook) that teach you how to recognize things that trigger your binges, improve your body image, and prevent a relapse.

Interpersonal therapy focuses on your relationships with others and your life situation.

Additional individual or group therapy can provide extra support. "Hearing from someone else who changed their behavior can be more motivating than having an expert say, 'You can do this,'" says Angela Guarda, MD. She's the director of the Johns Hopkins Eating Disorders Program.

source : Outpatient Care for Binge Eating: What to Expect

Read more →

George H.W. Bush Released From Hospital

WebMD News from HealthDay

Dec. 30, 2014 -- President George H.W. Bush was released from a Houston-area hospital Tuesday, according to published reports.

The 90-year-old former president was hospitalized on Dec. 22 for breathing problems. A spokesperson for Bush said the hospital stay was just a precaution. By Monday, his breathing had returned to normal.

A statement from his office said:

"President Bush was released from the Houston Methodist Hospital today. He is now resting at home, grateful to the doctors and nurses for their superb care."

Bush is the oldest living former U.S. president.

source : George H.W. Bush Released From Hospital

Read more →

What Isn’t Your Loved One Telling You About MS?

By Camille Noe Pagán
WebMD Medical Reference

Reviewed by Neil Lava, MD

If you have a significant other, friend, or relative with multiple sclerosis (MS), you might know about some of the physical problems that can come with the disease. But chances are, that’s only part of what your loved one deals with. 

MS can cause invisible symptoms that can be tricky to talk about.

Recommended Related to Multiple Sclerosis

Neil Cavuto Deals With MS

When news anchor Neil Cavuto was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a decade ago -- after surviving stage IV Hodgkin's lymphoma in the late '80s -- he sought second opinions in New York, Atlanta, Minnesota, and London, in his attempt to refute the undeniable. Ten years later, Cavuto both accepts his MS and defies it. Doctors marvel at his MRI scans because they indicate a man unable to walk or talk. Yet while he sometimes has difficulty doing both, the Fox News anchor is remarkably fit, exercising...

Read the Neil Cavuto Deals With MS article > >

Here are five common problems that many people with MS face, though they might never tell you.

“I can’t stand it when people say, 'I’m tired, too.'"

For people with MS, fatigue is a regular part of life. Trouble is, “lots of people think that just means I’m tired,” says Ann Pietrangelo, a 55-year-old MS Foundation ambassador and writer who lives in Williamsburg, VA. “They’ll say, 'Oh, yeah, I know exactly what you mean -- I didn’t get enough sleep last night.' They don’t understand that a nap or good night’s sleep is not going to fix the exhaustion that comes with MS.”

While your loved one might feel fine sometimes, “it’s not uncommon for a person with MS to wake up and take a shower, and that’s about all they can do for the day,” says Karen Blitz-Shabbir, DO. She's the director of the North Shore/LIJ MS Care Center in Long Island, NY.

Even if their physical energy is up, “brain fog can cause mental fatigue, which makes it hard to get a lot done,” says Matthew McCoyd, MD. He's a neurologist at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois.

Be supportive by saying “I’m sorry” or “Can I help you?” rather than sharing how tired you’re feeling.

“I wish you’d ask my spouse if she needs help.”

Something people with MS hear a lot is, “Let me know if you need help.” While specific offers, like “I’m going to the grocery store. Is there anything I can pick up for you?” can be helpful, consider asking the person’s partner, too.

“My wife Laura helps in so many different ways. She gets food for me in buffet lines, carries all our luggage when we’re traveling, does the grocery shopping, and more,” says Dave Bexfield, 46, from Albuquerque, NM.

source : What Isn’t Your Loved One Telling You About MS?

Read more →

Middle-Aged Worse at Texting-While-Driving, Study Shows

But, experts stress that distracted driving is dangerous at any age

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Alan Mozes

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The risky mix of texting and driving may be more problematic for middle-aged drivers than it is for younger drivers, according to new research.

However, that doesn't mean texting and driving is OK for any age group, the study authors stressed.

"First and foremost we don't want to misrepresent this in any way that promotes texting and driving among young drivers," said study co-author Randall Commissaris, an associate professor in the department of pharmaceutical sciences at Wayne State University in Detroit. "But today more and more older people are texting, not just teens and those in their 20s and 30s. And a lot of these older people are doing it while driving," he added.

"So we systematically road-tested a range of drivers, from age 18 to 59," Commissaris explained. "And we found that while about 25 percent of the youngest drivers would go into an oncoming lane or onto the shoulder while texting, it was virtually 100 percent among the oldest drivers."

Results of the study are published in the January issue of Accident Analysis and Prevention.

To explore how texting affected drivers of different ages, the researchers ran 50 men and women through a series of computerized road tests.

Texting ability varied, according to the study. Seven described their texting ability as limited -- meaning they had to search for the keys and typed with one finger. Sixteen said their texting skills were good, though they described using two hands to text. Twenty-seven volunteers were in the "skilled" texter category, meaning they're able to handle sending texts with one hand, according to the study.

The researchers divided the volunteers into four age categories: 18 to 24; 25 to 34; 35 to 44; and 45 to 59. To test their driving skills, they were asked to "drive" a four-door fully outfitted driving simulator that created a virtual, but realistic, roadway experience. The driving simulator mimicked driving on a two-lane country road. There were no stop signs or stop lights. And, there were no oncoming cars in the opposite lane, the study reported.

source : Middle-Aged Worse at Texting-While-Driving, Study Shows

Read more →

Your Birth Year Could Influence Your Odds for Obesity, Study Suggests

'Fat gene' may be more active in people born after 1942, researchers say

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The year in which you're born might affect the activity of a gene that could raise your odds for obesity, a new study finds.

Members of families who share an obesity-prone mutation of the FTO gene are more likely to carry extra weight if they were born after 1942, the researchers found.

"You could have a family where your father might be born in 1920 and you were born after 1942, and you look exactly like him, and only on the basis of the food and environment around you, you will have a higher BMI than your father," said lead author Dr. James Niels Rosenquist, an instructor at Harvard Medical School and psychiatrist with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. BMI (body mass index) is a standard measurement of weight and height.

According to the researchers, prior studies have linked variations in the FTO gene to a propensity toward overweight and obesity. For example, federal researchers earlier this year reported that people with mutated FTO genes are more likely to eat high-calorie or fatty foods as they age, compared to people without the mutations.

While the study couldn't prove cause-and-effect, the findings suggest that changes in American culture may be boosting the obesity threat tied to the FTO gene mutation.

To take a multi-generational look at obesity risk, the researchers relied on the Framingham Heart Study, a decades-old study of more than 10,000 parents, children and even grandchildren hailing from the town of Framingham, Mass.

About two-thirds of the more than 5,100 children born to the original Framingham participants have had their DNA sequenced. This allowed the research team to determine which families carried the obesity-prone versions of the FTO gene.

The researchers compared people's genes to changes in BMI measurements taken over time, and then compared that to the years participants were born.

Rosenquist's team found no link between the FTO gene and obesity for people born prior to 1942. However, they found a very strong link between the gene and obesity in those born after 1942 -- a link twice as strong as reported in previous studies.

source : Your Birth Year Could Influence Your Odds for Obesity, Study Suggests

Read more →

Bats May Have Triggered Ebola Outbreak in West Africa, Study Says

Researchers rule out larger wildlife as the source of infection

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Mary Elizabeth Dallas

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The Ebola epidemic in West Africa may have started with virus-infected bats, a new study says.

Ebola epidemics are "zoonotic" in origin, spreading to humans through contact with bats or larger wildlife, according to the researchers in Germany.

But their investigation ruled out larger wildlife as the source of the 2014 outbreak, which began in the Guinean village of Meliandou.

"We monitored the large mammal populations close to the index village Meliandou in southeastern Guinea and found no evidence for a concurrent outbreak," said the study's leader, Fabian Leendertz, from the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, in an institute news release.

Bats, however, do have contact with humans in Meliandou. And one type of bat in particular -- free-tailed insectivorous bats -- may be a plausible source of transmission, the researchers determined.

So far the Ebola virus has killed about 7,700 people and sickened 20,000, mostly in the West African countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.

The study, published Dec. 30 in EMBO Molecular Medicine, was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers. Over a four-week field mission in Guinea last April, the researchers examined human exposure to bats. They also surveyed local wildlife and collected sample bats in Meliandou and nearby forests.

Interviews with local residents revealed that direct contact with fruit bats through hunting and eating meat is common in the affected regions of Africa. But the researchers determined that fruit bats are not the likely source of the outbreak.

The first case of infection in Meliandou was a 2-year-old boy. Food-related transmission would have affected adults before or at the same time as the boy, the researchers explained.

However, a large colony of free-tailed insectivorous bats lived in a hollow tree near the toddler's home. Villagers reported that children played in and around the tree, which could have led to significant exposure to bats, the study said.

source : Bats May Have Triggered Ebola Outbreak in West Africa, Study Says

Read more →

Your Birth Year Could Influence Your Odds for Obesity, Study Suggests

'Fat gene' may be more active in people born after 1942, researchers say

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The year in which you're born might affect the activity of a gene that could raise your odds for obesity, a new study finds.

Members of families who share an obesity-prone mutation of the FTO gene are more likely to carry extra weight if they were born after 1942, the researchers found.

"You could have a family where your father might be born in 1920 and you were born after 1942, and you look exactly like him, and only on the basis of the food and environment around you, you will have a higher BMI than your father," said lead author Dr. James Niels Rosenquist, an instructor at Harvard Medical School and psychiatrist with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. BMI (body mass index) is a standard measurement of weight and height.

According to the researchers, prior studies have linked variations in the FTO gene to a propensity toward overweight and obesity. For example, federal researchers earlier this year reported that people with mutated FTO genes are more likely to eat high-calorie or fatty foods as they age, compared to people without the mutations.

While the study couldn't prove cause-and-effect, the findings suggest that changes in American culture may be boosting the obesity threat tied to the FTO gene mutation.

To take a multi-generational look at obesity risk, the researchers relied on the Framingham Heart Study, a decades-old study of more than 10,000 parents, children and even grandchildren hailing from the town of Framingham, Mass.

About two-thirds of the more than 5,100 children born to the original Framingham participants have had their DNA sequenced. This allowed the research team to determine which families carried the obesity-prone versions of the FTO gene.

The researchers compared people's genes to changes in BMI measurements taken over time, and then compared that to the years participants were born.

Rosenquist's team found no link between the FTO gene and obesity for people born prior to 1942. However, they found a very strong link between the gene and obesity in those born after 1942 -- a link twice as strong as reported in previous studies.

source : Your Birth Year Could Influence Your Odds for Obesity, Study Suggests

Read more →

Ebola Patient Being Treated in London

By Peter Russell
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Dec. 30, 2014 -- A health care worker who recently returned to Glasgow, Scotland, from Sierra Leone in West Africa has been diagnosed with Ebola. She's been transferred to a specialized unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London for treatment.

The woman, who left Sierra Leone on Dec. 28, travelled to Glasgow via Casablanca, Morocco, and London’s Heathrow Airport.

'Low Public Risk'

Health authorities say the risk of infection to other passengers on the flights is extremely low. But Public Health England is arranging for those sitting near the affected passenger on the flight from Casablanca to London to be checked. Other passengers and the crew will be given information about symptoms of Ebola.

Health Protection Scotland is doing a similar exercise for those on board the woman's British Airways flight from London to Glasgow.

The affected health care worker had symptoms of Ebola after arriving in Glasgow. She was first treated there at Gartnavel Hospital's infectious disease unit. 

But in the U.K., anyone diagnosed with Ebola must be transferred to the high-level isolation unit in the Royal Free Hospital in London.

Earlier this year, British volunteer nurse William Pooley was successfully treated at the same unit after catching Ebola while working in Sierra Leone.

'A Proven Track Record'

In a statement, Professor Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer for England, says: "Our thoughts are with this individual who, along with other NHS [National Health Service] and public health colleagues, has been doing a fantastic job saving lives.

"The U.K. and Scottish governments and English and Scottish health authorities are working together to make sure that this individual receives the best possible care. U.K. hospitals have a proven track record of dealing with imported infectious diseases.

"It is important to be reassured that although a case has been identified, the overall the risk to the public continues to be low.

"We have robust, well-developed, and well-tested NHS systems for managing unusual infectious diseases when they arise, supported by a wide range of experts. The U.K. system was prepared, and reacted as planned, when this case of Ebola was identified."

source : Ebola Patient Being Treated in London

Read more →

Many Consumers Misled About Bogus Weight-Loss Supplements, Survey Says

Consumer Reports poll finds shoppers often mistakenly believe that FDA oversees these products

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Mary Elizabeth Dallas

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Think a pill you saw advertised on the Internet can miraculously help you shed unwanted pounds? You're not alone: A new Consumer Reports survey finds many Americans are misinformed about the quality and effectiveness of these supplements.

"The barrage of advertising leads us to think there's a magic way to melt away 10 pounds -- even when we have no evidence that supplements work," Dr. Pieter Cohen, a physician at Harvard Medical School who studies supplements, said in a Consumer Reports news release.

"The labels on weight loss supplements look like those on over-the-counter medications, and the supplement facts are organized like nutrition facts labels," he added. "There's no way for consumers to tell the difference."

So it's perhaps not surprising that the new survey of nearly 3,000 Americans found that about 20 percent of respondents were misinformed, believing, erroneously, that the U.S Food and Drug Administration guarantees the safety and effectiveness of weight-loss supplements.

All of that scientific-looking labeling "gives you the sense the products are being scrutinized by the FDA," Cohen said, even though the agency plays no such role when it comes to supplements.

More than a quarter of respondents to the survey said they had tried a weight-loss product in the past, and believed the product was safe and would help them lose more weight than other methods.

About 25 percent also believed the products have fewer side effects than over-the-counter or prescription medications. But the same survey suggests that's just not true: About half of those polled who said they had tried a weight-loss supplement said they also developed at least one symptom such as rapid heart rate, jitteriness, constipation/diarrhea, or dry mouth.

Cohen said, "of all dietary supplements, the ones for weight loss seem to cause the most harm -- sometimes liver failure and even death."

The survey showed that more than one-third of those taking weight-loss supplements were also taking a prescription medication for another condition. Many people taking weight-loss supplements don't inform their doctor, and that could raise the risk for drug-drug interactions and potentially serious complications.

source : Many Consumers Misled About Bogus Weight-Loss Supplements, Survey Says

Read more →

Many Consumers Misled About Bogus Weight-Loss Supplements, Survey Says

Consumer Reports poll finds shoppers often mistakenly believe that FDA oversees these products

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Mary Elizabeth Dallas

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Think a pill you saw advertised on the Internet can miraculously help you shed unwanted pounds? You're not alone: A new Consumer Reports survey finds many Americans are misinformed about the quality and effectiveness of these supplements.

"The barrage of advertising leads us to think there's a magic way to melt away 10 pounds -- even when we have no evidence that supplements work," Dr. Pieter Cohen, a physician at Harvard Medical School who studies supplements, said in a Consumer Reports news release.

"The labels on weight loss supplements look like those on over-the-counter medications, and the supplement facts are organized like nutrition facts labels," he added. "There's no way for consumers to tell the difference."

So it's perhaps not surprising that the new survey of nearly 3,000 Americans found that about 20 percent of respondents were misinformed, believing, erroneously, that the U.S Food and Drug Administration guarantees the safety and effectiveness of weight-loss supplements.

All of that scientific-looking labeling "gives you the sense the products are being scrutinized by the FDA," Cohen said, even though the agency plays no such role when it comes to supplements.

More than a quarter of respondents to the survey said they had tried a weight-loss product in the past, and believed the product was safe and would help them lose more weight than other methods.

About 25 percent also believed the products have fewer side effects than over-the-counter or prescription medications. But the same survey suggests that's just not true: About half of those polled who said they had tried a weight-loss supplement said they also developed at least one symptom such as rapid heart rate, jitteriness, constipation/diarrhea, or dry mouth.

Cohen said, "of all dietary supplements, the ones for weight loss seem to cause the most harm -- sometimes liver failure and even death."

The survey showed that more than one-third of those taking weight-loss supplements were also taking a prescription medication for another condition. Many people taking weight-loss supplements don't inform their doctor, and that could raise the risk for drug-drug interactions and potentially serious complications.

source : Many Consumers Misled About Bogus Weight-Loss Supplements, Survey Says

Read more →

@Ivann_hidayat tweeted: Project Team 4L sukses yeeay H B D N A T A L I A 😍😍 @Nat_JKT48 Keep kawaii and always Ganbatte!

Popular on Twitter KOLEV @Ivann_hidayat   Project Team 4L sukses yeeay H B D N A T A L I A 😍😍 @Nat_JKT48 Keep kawaii and always Ganbatte! pic.twitter.com/dbH51gMwGd View on Twitter khansa muthi'ah @muthi_greenleaf   Coffee paint of erebor @grahammctavish @WBPicturesID @TheHobbitMovie @RCArmitage @EvangelineLilly hope you like it. pic.twitter.com/6QDHSyf0M5 View on Twitter NET. @netmediatama   Now - @ArianaGrande & @BigSean - Best Mistake #GrammyChristmasOnNETtv pic.twitter.com/FU61K61aMY View on Twitter LFC Indonesia @LFCIndonesia   VIDEO #LFCIndonesia: Cuplikan 11 menit Burnley 0-1 #LFC indonesia.liverpoolfc.com/videos/cuplika… pic.twitter.com/ltPPethRo4 View on Twitter XL Axiata @XL123   Klik aja! guvera.com/playlists. Terus langganan deh, biar bisa dengerin playlist-nya ;) #4Goodness View on Twitter Putri Ayuningtyas @PutriGrimaldy   Breaking News Metro TV Air Asia SUB - SIN HILANG KONTAK Flight Number : QZ 8501 Schedule Time : 05.20 - 08.30 View on Twitter Not what you're looking for? Well there's more to see on Twitter! Click here to discover more interesting Tweets.   Explore   Email settings  | Opt-out | Help Twitter, Inc. 1355 Market Street, Suite 900 San Francisco, CA 94103

Read more →