Month: May 2014

Study: Obesity and Overweight Rates Climbing Worldwide

obese

A new study published in a British medical journal says obesity rates for both adults and children are climbing worldwide, with the greatest gain in weight in developing countries.

According to the report, the number of people carrying extra kilos climbed from 857 million globally in 1980 to more than 2 billion last year. Researchers report 62 percent of the world’s obese individuals live in developing countries.

The findings come from an analysis of data gathered from 188 countries published in the British medical journal The Lancet.

Investigators discovered the rates of overweight and obesity climbed 28 percent over the past 33 years with the biggest increase in children. Forty-seven percent of all youngsters and adolescents worldwide are now considered overweight or obese.

In developed countries, men have higher rates of obesity than women, although there’s evidence that the pace of weight gain in the United States and other Western nations has begun to slow over the past eight years.

“Nowadays, food is prepared for us. Remember, in the past, it used to take some time to cook a dish,” said Ali Mokdad, who teaches health metrics and evaluation at the University of Washington and co-authored the study. “Now a seven- or 10-year-old child could pop something in a microwave. It’s safe and readily available,” he said.

The authors found some of the highest rates of obesity in China, India, Russia, Egypt, Pakistan and Indonesia. Places with the highest percentage of overweight people include the island nation of Tonga, where 50 percent of the population has a weight problem, along with Libya, Qatar, Micronesia and Samoa, where more than 50 percent of women carry excess weight.

The health care costs of obesity, particularly to developing countries, are enormous, according to Mokdad.

“It has a toll on our disability, our diseases. And with an aging population living longer, no country in the world can afford to spend all its money on treatment. We should find a balance between treatment and prevention,” he said.

Without targeted interventions, obesity control programs and the sustained efforts of national governments, experts say it is unlikely countries will meet the United Nations’ goal of halting the rise in obesity rates by 2025.

Source: voa news

Silent virus a rare, dangerous risk for the unborn

rare virus

It’s a common, usually harmless virus. But in a rare, unlucky set of circumstances, it can be devastating for infants whose mothers become infected during pregnancy.

Brain damage, deafness and other birth defects are among potential problems when women inadvertently transmit the virus in the womb. Because those complications are so rare, most people have never heard of CMV — shorthand for cytomegalovirus.

Infectious disease specialists, parents of affected children and, now, some legislators, are trying to spread awareness about the virus.

Erica Steadman learned about CMV when her daughter Evelyn was born with a small head and probable brain damage last year. The baby is deaf and potentially faces developmental problems.

“It’s pretty devastating to us. I did everything I was supposed to do when I was pregnant to make sure she was healthy and I didn’t know about this one thing,” said Steadman, who lives in Crete, Illinois, outside Chicago. “We have to face the consequences of that.”

CMV is related to germs that cause genital herpes, cold sores, and chickenpox. It spreads by exposure to body fluids from an infected person. Infections are usually silent but can also cause sore throats and fatigue.

However, the virus can be serious for people with weakened immune systems, including HIV-infected patients and organ transplant recipients. It can also interfere with prenatal brain growth.

The chances of getting infected while pregnant are small, and the chances of passing along the virus in utero are even smaller. Of about 4 million annual U.S. births, about 30,000 babies — less than 1 percent — are born with a CMV infection. About 5,000 of those babies will have CMV-related permanent problems.

The first law in the nation mandating a CMV awareness campaign took effect last July in Utah. It requires urine or saliva tests in newborns who fail already required hearing tests. Studies suggest early treatment with anti-viral medicine may limit hearing loss and may benefit the child’s development, too.

Lawmakers in Illinois and Connecticut introduced similar measures this year. These efforts signal “a very exciting potential shift” in thinking about congenital CMV, said Dr. Gail Demmler-Harrison, a CMV specialist at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. She’s involved in trying to get similar legislation drafted in Texas.

Evidence indicates doctors don’t often mention CMV to pregnant patients; that gap led to Utah’s law. It was sponsored by state Rep. Ronda Menlove, whose 3-year-old granddaughter has CMV-caused deafness. The law has led to a new state health department Web page and pamphlets for doctors’ offices.

About 50 Utah newborns have had CMV tests so far; nine tested positive, said Stephanie McVicar, director of newborn hearing screening for Utah’s health department.

Farah Armstrong of Katy, Texas, joined advocates for Connecticut’s proposed law after her 2-week-old daughter Maddie died from severe CMV complications in February.

“This is something that no mother should ever have to face,” Armstrong wrote in testimony supporting that measure, which didn’t get approved before the legislative session ended this month.

The Illinois measure stalled earlier this year because of funding problems and opposition from the Illinois State Medical Society, which called proposed newborn CMV testing an attempt to legislate doctors’ jobs. But state Rep. Elaine Nekritz, the bill’s sponsor, declared partial victory because “we got the word out.”

All U.S. newborns get blood tests to screen for at least 30 rare but serious diseases and undergo hearing tests before leaving the hospital. Most experts don’t recommend routine CMV testing in newborns, partly because congenital CMV is uncommon and usually causes no problems. Also, CMV screening would subject newborns to a separate test, since blood tests aren’t ideal for detecting the virus, Demmler-Harrison said.

Pregnant women who contract the virus often get it from young children, who tend to be more contagious than adults, Demmler-Harrison said.

The CDC recommends hygiene measures that may reduce the chances of getting infected. These include not sharing food, utensils or toothbrushes used by young children; and thorough hand-washing after changing diapers, handling children’s toys or wiping their noses.

Research suggests a drug used for preventing CMV infection from organ transplants might reduce the chances of infected pregnant women passing the virus to their fetuses. A government study is underway to test that idea.

Efforts to develop a CMV vaccine for adults or children have proved challenging, but studies are ongoing and “we’re hopeful,” said Dr. Ken Alexander, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Chicago.

Source: yahoo news

Dads who do housework have more ambitious daughters

housework have more ambitious daughters

Maybe you’ve told your daughter she can grow up to be an engineer or CEO if she wants to, but she may not really believe it if her dad doesn’t cook or clean, a new study suggests.

A group of psychologists at the University of British Columbia found that when a father performs a greater share of traditionally female household chores such as cooking, cleaning and childcare, his school-aged daughter is less likely to say she wants to pursue a stereotypical female career such as nursing, teaching or staying at home with the kids, and more likely to aspire to more gender-neutral (and often higher-paying) careers, such as becoming a doctor or lawyer.

A mother’s stated views on gender equality were linked to her children’s views. However, a father’s share of housework made a difference even if both he and the girl’s mother explicitly endorse gender equality, reported the study that will be published in the journal Psychological Science this week.

Boys tended to choose gender-stereotyped careers regardless of their father’s role at home.

“What this is suggesting is that when girls, specifically, are seeing their parents enacting a traditional division of labour at home, it may be limiting their own ambition,” said Alyssa Croft, a PhD candidate who was the lead author of the study, in an interview with CBC News.

“It may just be restricting what they see themselves as capable of doing.… You may not realize how much kids are watching and observing and taking in beyond just what we’re telling them.”

Croft acknowledged that researchers don’t know how the career aspirations of the children will be linked to what they end up doing when they grow up. However, she said they are a good indication of how children see themselves in the context of gender roles.

Actions speak louder than words

She said the effects seen in the study of 326 children aged seven to 13 and their parents were “definitely very significant, meaningful effects.”

She advised parents to be aware of how they’re dividing their labour at home, if they say they believe in gender equality and really do believe in it.

Croft said she undertook the study because most previous studies about children’s gender stereotypes look mainly at the role of their parents’ jobs. She thought what parents do around the house might be more important, since children were more likely to see that.

To find out, she ran a series of tests on children recruited at Science World in Vancouver, along with at least one of their parents. For example, some part of the tests included descriptions of two people — one with more gender stereotypical characteristics and one with less — and asked the participant which one he or she was more like.

In a video interview produced by UBC, Croft said she thinks the findings of the study are important because “despite our best efforts to try and create gender egalitarian workplaces, women are still underrepresented in leadership and management positions.” She added that the study suggests equality at home may inspire girls to pursue careers that they have traditionally been excluded from.

According to Statistics Canada’s 2010 General Social Survey on Time Use, Canadian women at the time of survey spent, on average, four hours and 38 minutes on unpaid work per day — one hour and 13 minutes more than men. The unpaid work included household work, child care, and civic and voluntary activities. The difference was particularly big for child care, where women spent more than twice as much time as men, regardless of the child’s age. For example, women spent an average of six hours and 33 minutes a day on children under the age of four, while men spent just three hours and seven minutes.

Source: cbc news

Could melatonin help strength bone density?

elatonin help strength bone density

New insight into the relationship between circadian rhythms and bone degeneration could mean that hope for osteoporosis prevention may lie in an unlikely source: melatonin.

A study led by Faleh Tamimi, a professor at McGill’s School of Dentistry, found that supplemental doses of the naturally occurring hormone increased bone strength in elderly rats.
Well known to regulate circadian rhythms, melatonin may inhibit the activity of osteoclasts, nocturnal bone cells that spur the breakdown process.

“As we age, we sleep less well, which means that the osteoclasts are more active,” said Tamimi. “This tends to speed up the process of bone breakdown.”

In the study, 20 male rats that were 22 months old were given melatonin supplements diluted in their drinking water.

After 10 weeks – equivalent to approximately six human years — bone density and bone strength tests revealed increased volume and density in the test group and little difference in the control group.
Despite positive results, Tamimi said more testing is necessary to determine whether supplemental doses of the sleep hormone are preventing bone breakdown or reversing it.

“Until there is more research as well as clinical trials to determine how exactly the melatonin is working, we can’t recommend that people with osteoporosis go ahead and simply take melatonin supplements,” said Tamimi.

Melatonin is produced by the endocrine gland in the brain. Upon passage to receptor cells, it provokes sleep by lowering the body temperature. Considered a natural sleep aid, melatonin is available over-the-counter in North America, by means of prescription in several European countries and not at all in others.

Tamimi said she has applied for more funding to pursue the research.

Source: ctv news

Lower IQ in kids linked to mom’s exposure to flame retardants in pregnancy

Lower IQ in kids linked to mom's exposure to flame retardants in pregnancy

Debates over the toxicity of chemicals like lead and mercury have long been extinguished, but mounting research into flame retardant has ignited a deeper probe of man-made chemicals.

Learning deficits and decreased IQ in children has been linked to synthetic chemicals once commonly used in household items to prevent fire, according to a new study out of British Columbia’s Simon Fraser University.

The study, published online Wednesday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found a 4.5 drop in IQ and greater hyperactivity in five-year-olds was associated with their mother’s exposure to flame retardants during early pregnancy and after the babies were born.
The research joins five other international studies highlighting the potential dangers of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, known as PDBEs, which were once widely used in products like couches, carpets and car seats.

“Now we’ve seen this pattern of toxicity with low level environmental chemicals — lead, mercury, now fire retardants — let’s not do it again,” said SFU health sciences Prof. Bruce Lanphear, one of the study’s authors.

“Let’s set a regulatory framework in place to make sure these products, these chemicals, are safe before they’re marketed to children and pregnant women.”

The study started 10 years ago as realization donned that chemical compounds throughout the consumer market had little research answering questions about their safety. The researchers tested blood, urine and hair samples of 309 women and their children in Cincinnati, Ohio, starting from 16 weeks of pregnancy and until their children were five.

In 2004, manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada began voluntarily withdrawing PBDEs from their formulas, while further concerns over harmful effects on wildlife and mammals prompted a United Nations body to ban two of three commercial PBDEs in 2009.

Two problems, however, still persist. Many household goods produced over the past three decades remain in homes and offices with potential to leach toxins, while the industry is replacing the old synthetics with new without accompanying research.

“It’s not simply about the flame retardants,” Lanphear said. “If we replace them with a chemical that hasn’t been sufficiently studied and it turns out to be toxic, have we really solved the problem?”

But as the trend away from chemicals continues to grow in popularity, especially on the West Coast, the industry points out that safety was the original intention behind their inclusion in manufactured products.

“Flame retardants currently in commerce help save lives and provide an important layer of fire protection to families,” said Bryan Goodman, with the North American Flame Retardant Alliance, based in Washington, D.C.
He said in a statement that flame retardants, like all chemicals, are subject to review by the Environment Protection Agency and other regulatory agencies in the United States and around the world.

“It is still important to view the study with caution and consider the limitations of the research conducted when evaluating its conclusions,” he added.

Precaution is warranted, Lanphear said. Policy-makers should start by assuming chemicals have the potential to be toxic, and move to implement a system that scientifically examines their potential for consequence before manufacturer’s clearance, he advised.

In the short-term, expectant mothers and parents would be prudent to toss old furniture and tear up carpets in favour of wood surfaces that can easily be cleaned, he said. At least one new chemical is currently being used in the market to safeguard against flames, he noted.

The federal government has regulations in place aimed at insulating the country’s environment from risks associated with PBDEs, preventing their manufacture and restricting their use in Canada.

“These actions … will contribute to ensuring that the Canadian environment is protected and that Canadians’ exposure to these substances is minimized,” reads a statement on Environment Canada’s website.

Source: Ctv news

Raise your confidence and reduce anxiety in 2 minutes

depression

If you are nervous or anxious before important events,under a lot of stress or fearful, agitated etc… you probably have a problem with you’re levels of testosterone and cortisol. These two hormones are essential for your feelings and actions in stressful situations.

Testosterone has a strong anti-aging effect . He turns fat into muscle , keeps skin taut , increases bone density , gives us a positive mood , and enhances the ability to handle stress.

Testosterone is known as personality hormone. He gives us motivation , a sense of power, confidence, and heightened sexual energy. When we have a sufficient amount of testosterone in the blood we are ready to risk more and live our lives without delays.

On the other side,cortisol hormone has opposite effects and its secreted during physical and mental stress and greatly provokes anxiety in people making them impossible to operate efficiently.

When you have an important event usually testosterone level decreases and cortisol levels increase as a result of stress or pressure.It may be a first date,speech in front of many people, exam or any other important yet stressful event for you .

Imagine that you have a way to change this situation to your advantage and gain important confidence by lifting the level of testosterone and simultaneously reduce cortisol levels and in two minutes.

Source: Secretly healthy

Almond Milk

Almond Milk

Vegetable milk – healthy alternative to animal milk

Plant milks are becoming more prevalent in today’s diet, not just for people who are only using raw or vegan food, but for all the others who want a healthier alternative for normal milk.

Alternative milk is made from a variety of nuts, seeds and grains: almonds, hazelnuts, cashew nut, hemp, oats, coconut, etc.. The process is simple and almost the same for all of them.

Ingredients for almond milk:

– 0.2 pounds of almonds (not roasted and salt-free)
– optional sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave syrup or 4-5 date palms)
– 3 pounds of water

*Almonds should stay in water at least 6 hours or overnight to soften, just enough to relieve their enzyme inhibitors to make them more easily digestible .

*Water should be changed several times to be fresh and that water should not be consumed.

Almond Milk 2

*After that peel the almonds (this takes about 30 minutes , so plan accordingly if you want the drink to be ready at a certain time) .

*Place the peeled almonds along with sweetener of your choice in blender and add 10 oz of water . Blend until you get creamy

mass.

*Then add the rest of the water and blend it a few minutes … and the milk is ready – enjoy !

Almond milk can be refrigerated in a glass bottle or jar , approximately 3 days .

* Enough for 6-8 cups

Source: secretly healthy

Immunotherapy for prostate cancer coming soon

immunotherapy-testicular-bw

A new treatment called Ipilumumab may soon be approved for people with advanced prostate cancer, according to an international study.

Previous research has shown that prostate cancer patients who are resistant to conventional treatments such as hormones and chemotherapy may benefit from the immunotherapeutic agent Ipilumumab. In the new study, scientists from the MedUni Vienna, examined whether the immunotherapeutic agent could treat prostate cancer in its advanced stages.

The results of the study, published in the journal The Lancet Oncology, were successful in that the Ipilumumab antibodies essentially disabled “inhibitors” and helped boost the body’s immune system. However, the researchers also noted that Ipilumumab will be a suitable treatment only for people with advanced prostate cancer who are in good general health. They explained that since the newly-boosted immune system can also attack the body’s own tissues, people who are in poor health overall may experience negative side effects.

Researchers are now conducting a follow-up study on patients with advanced prostate cancer who are in good overall health, which they expect to be completed in 2015.

Source: health central

Stress in relationships may raise risk of death

stressed relation

Worries, conflicts and demands in relationships with friends, family and neighbors may contribute to an earlier death suggests a new Danish study.

“Conflicts, especially, were associated with higher mortality risk regardless of whom was the source of the conflict,” the authors write. “Worries and demands were only associated with mortality risk if they were related to partner or children.”

Men and people without jobs seemed to be the most vulnerable, Rikke Lund, a public health researcher at the University of Copenhagen, and her colleagues found.

The health-protecting effects of support from a social network and close connections with family and friends are widely recognized, Lund’s team writes in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

“Less is known about the health consequences of stressful aspects of social relations, such as conflicts, worries and demands,” they write.

To examine the influence of relationship stress on all causes of death, the researchers looked at data from a long-term study in Denmark. They included 9,870 adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s when the study began and tracked their health from 2000 to the end of 2011.

The researchers measured stressful social relations by comparing answers to questions about who – including partners, children, relatives, friends and neighbors – caused worry and conflicts in the participants’ lives.

They also looked at answers to questions about emotional support and symptoms of depression.

During the study period, 4 percent of the women and 6 percent of the men died. Almost half the deaths were from cancer; other causes included cardiovascular disease, liver disease, accidents and suicide.

About one in every 10 participants said that their partner or children were always or often a source of demands and worries. Six percent said they always or often experienced conflicts with other members of their families and 2 percent reported always or often having conflicts with friends.

The researchers also found that 6 percent of participants had frequent arguments with their partner or children, 2 percent with other relatives and 1 percent with friends or neighbors.

Source: Standard media

Mental Illness Can Shorten Life Span as Much as Smoking

depressed-woman-400x400

Serious mental illness can take between seven and 24 years off a person’s life, which is similar to or worse than the impact of heavy smoking, researchers report.

“We found that many mental health diagnoses are associated with a drop in life expectancy as great as that associated with smoking 20 or more cigarettes a day,” Dr. Seena Fazel, of the department of psychiatry, at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, said in a university news release.

“There are likely to be many reasons for this. High-risk behaviors are common in psychiatric patients, especially drug and alcohol abuse, and they are more likely to die by suicide,” Fazel noted. “The stigma surrounding mental health may mean people aren’t treated as well for physical health problems when they do see a doctor.”

Fazel’s team examined 20 studies that looked at the link between mental illness and death rates. The studies included more than 1.7 million people, and 250,000 deaths.

The researchers found that major mental disorders can greatly shorten people’s lives. For example, the average life expectancy was 10 to 20 years shorter than normal for people with schizophrenia, 9 to 20 years shorter for those with bipolar disorder, 7 to 11 years shorter for those with recurrent depression, and 9 to 24 years shorter for people with drug and alcohol abuse.

By contrast, heavy smoking shortens life by an average of 8 to 10 years, the study authors noted.

Although this study found an association between mental illness and an increased risk of premature death, it did not prove that mental illness causes early death.

While mental illness appears to greatly increase the risk of premature death, it’s not a major public health priority, the researchers noted. One of the reasons is the tendency to separate mental and physical health.

“Many causes of mental health problems also have physical consequences, and mental illness worsens the prognosis of a range of physical illnesses, especially heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Unfortunately, people with serious mental illnesses may not access health care effectively,” Fazel said in the news release.

He and his colleagues said their findings should push governments and health officials to place a much higher priority on mental health.

Source: health