More Americans Have at Least 2 Chronic Health Issues: CDC

HealthDay – 1 hr 50 mins ago TUESDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- The number of Americans aged 45 and older with two or more chronic conditions has grown over the past decade, new research estimates, with seniors especially vulnerable to a rising risk of both diabetes and high blood pressure.

Between 1999-2000 and 2009-2010, the percentage of Americans in the 45- to 64-year age group with two or more of the conditions grew from 16 percent to 21 percent, according to survey results. For adults 65 and older, the percentage increased from 37 percent to 45 percent. The survey was compiled by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Released Tuesday, the report from Virginia Freid and colleagues looked at nine chronic conditions: hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, current asthma and kidney disease.

The percentage of Americans aged 65 and older who had both diabetes and high blood pressure grew from 9 percent to 15 percent, the investigators found.

The report also revealed that 23 percent of adults aged 45 to 64 with at least two chronic conditions -- out of the list of nine -- either didn't receive necessary medical care or delayed it because of cost. That's up from 17 percent a decade earlier.

The percentage of people in that group who didn't get necessary prescription drugs due to cost grew from 14 percent to 22 percent over the decade.

Among individual conditions in people aged 45 or older, the prevalence of high blood pressure grew from 35 percent to 41 percent, diabetes from 10 percent to 15 percent, and cancer from 9 percent to 11 percent.

The rise in the number of people with more than one chronic condition "presents a complex challenge to the U.S. health care system, both in terms of quality of life and expenditures for an aging population," the report stated.

The findings are published in the July edition of the NCHS Data Brief.

More information

For more about coping with chronic illness, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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Americans gaining more weight than they say

ScienceDaily (Aug. 1, 2012) — Despite the increasing awareness of the problem of obesity in the United States, most Americans don't know whether they are gaining or losing weight, according to new research from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.

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Obesity increased in the US between 2008 and 2009, but in response to the questions about year-to-year changes in weight that were included in the most widespread public health survey in the country, on average, people said that they lost weight. Men did a worse job estimating their own weight changes than women. And older adults were less attuned to their weight changes than young adults. The findings are being published in the article "In denial: misperceptions of weight change among adults in the United States" in the August edition of Preventive Medicine.

"If people aren't in touch with their weight and changes in their weight over time, they might not be motivated to lose weight," said Dr. Catherine Wetmore, the lead author on the paper. "Misreporting of weight gains and losses also has policy implications. If we had relied on the reported data about weight change between 2008 and 2009, we would have undercounted approximately 4.4 million obese adults in the US."

A range of public health campaigns in recent years have urged Americans to lose weight to lower their chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. To understand whether people in the US are heeding this advice, Dr. Wetmore, a former Post-Graduate Fellow at IHME and now a biostatistician at Children's National Medical Center, and IHME Professor Dr. Ali Mokdad compared self-reported changes in body weight between 2008 and 2009.

They used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a yearly cross-sectional survey of adults in the US designed to monitor leading risk factors for morbidity and mortality nationwide. More than 775,000 people were surveyed in the years analyzed, and they were asked multiple questions about their weight, including how much they weighed on the day of their interview and how much they weighed one year prior to their interview.

The researchers found that, on average, American adults gained weight over the study period -- because the reported weights increased between the 2008 and 2009 surveys -- but the 2009 study participants told surveyors that they had lost weight during the previous year. Based on the weights they reported, the prevalence of obesity in the US would have declined from 2008 to 2009. Instead, the prevalence of obesity inched upward from 26% to 26.5%, and average weight increased by about one pound per person between 2008 and 2009.

"We all know on some level that people can be dishonest about their weight," Dr. Mokdad said. "But now we know that they can be misreporting annual changes in their weight, to the extent of more than two pounds per year among adults over the age of 50, or more than four pounds per year among those with diabetes. On average, American adults were off by about a pound, which, over time, can really add up and have a significant health impact."

Not everyone reported losing weight. The researchers found that reports of unintentional weight gain were more common in specific groups:

men and women under the age of 40 those identifying as black, Native American, or Hispanic current and former smokers those consuming less than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day those reporting no physical activity those with diagnosed chronic diseases, frequent poor mental health, and insufficient sleep those lacking health care coverage

"It's very popular right now to talk about the underlying environmental causes of obesity, whether it's too much fast food or not enough parks," Dr. Wetmore said. "While we know that the environment definitely plays a role, these results show that we need to do a better job helping people to be aware of what's going on with their own bodies."

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Many Americans in Denial Over Weight Gain: Study

HealthDay – 2 mins 13 secs ago WEDNESDAY, Aug. 1 (HealthDay News) -- If you've ever stepped on the scales and been shocked at the number you see, you're not alone: A large new study finds that Americans routinely underestimate the amount of extra pounds they pack on.

The finding, from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, could have real implications for the U.S. obesity epidemic, the researchers said.

"If people aren't in touch with their weight and changes in their weight over time, they might not be motivated to lose weight," the study's lead author, Catherine Wetmore, said in an institute news release. The study was based on national survey data involving 775,000 American adults from 2008 and 2009

Wetmore's team note that many adults thought they had actually lost weight when they hadn't. That's important to note, Wetmore said, because data that underestimate the growing obesity epidemic could have serious public health consequences.

For example, she said, "if we had relied on the reported data about weight change between 2008 and 2009, we would have undercounted approximately 4.4 million obese adults in the U.S."

A nutritionist familiar with the findings said she wasn't surprised.

"I see this in clinic every single day; people think they are a certain weight, and they are totally wrong. There is a disconnect between perception and reality when it comes to weight," said Karen Congro, nutritionist and director of the Wellness for Life Program at the Brooklyn Hospital Center, New York City.

"When it comes to weight, there is a lot of magical thinking going on," she said.

In the surveys used in the study, participants were asked about their weight at the time of the survey, as well as how much they weighed one year ago.

The researchers report that, on average, American adults gained weight in 2008. However, even though the average reported weights rose between the two surveys, Americans polled typically thought they had lost weight in the past year.

Since the prevalence of obesity actually increased slightly between 2008 and 2009 (from 26 to 26.5 percent) and the average weight increased by about 1 pound, the researchers concluded that those surveyed were unclear about the change in their weight over the course of the year.

"We all know on some level that people can be dishonest about their weight," IHME professor Ali Mokdad said in the news release. "But now we know that they can be misreporting annual changes in their weight, to the extent of more than 2 pounds per year among adults over the age of 50, or more than 4 pounds per year among those with diabetes. On average, American adults were off by about a pound, which, over time, can really add up and have a significant health impact."

The researchers noted that women seemed more aware of fluctuations in their weight than men. Younger people were also better at judging fluctuations in their weight compared to older Americans.

The study's authors pointed out that not all participants thought they lost weight. They added that certain groups were more likely to report unintentional weight gain, including people under 40 years of age, smokers, minorities, and people with sedentary lifestyles and/or less-than-ideal diets.

Another nutritionist said Americans underestimate the amount of calories they take in, as well.

"We live in a toxic environment with a plethora of food choices that are high in simple sugars and carbohydrates," said Sharon Zarabi, nutritionist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City."The average person usually underestimates their caloric intake due to the fact that our super size portions have become acceptable. Want to grab a 32-ounce soda at the movie theater with you medium-sized popcorn? Right there you just added almost 900 empty calories."

She added that, "many people are in denial about their weight and as obesity rates rise, larger body frames are becoming more socially acceptable. Citizens are taking less personal responsibility and use the excuse of work hours, stress, and food availability as obstacles to managing their health."

Wetmore agreed that Americans have to get more in tune with what they actually weigh.

"It's very popular right now to talk about the underlying environmental causes of obesity, whether it's too much fast food or not enough parks," said Wetmore, who is a former postgraduate fellow at IHME and now a biostatistician at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. "While we know that the environment definitely plays a role, these results show that we need to do a better job helping people to be aware of what's going on with their own bodies."

The study was published in the August issue of Preventive Medicine.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides statistics on adult obesity.

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Only 1 in 4 Americans With HIV Have Virus Under Control: CDC

HealthDay – Fri, Jul 27, 2012 FRIDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Among the 1.1 million Americans living with HIV, just one in four has the virus under control, U.S. health researchers say.

In a report presented Friday at the International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C., researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the problem applies to patients of all ages, races and ethnic groups, but especially to young people and blacks.

"This is the first time that we have ever looked at the outcome of continuum of care across all patient groups," said CDC epidemiologist Irene Hall. "And what we found is that, overall, too few people with HIV have viral suppression." People with viral load suppression are healthy and less likely to transmit the virus to others.

"Only if we get everyone under regular care for HIV/AIDS can we recognize the full benefits of treatment and prevention," said Hall, chief of the HIV incidence and case surveillance branch in the CDC division of HIV/AIDS prevention.

For the report, Hall and her colleagues pored through 2009 data collected by the CDC, which included rates of HIV testing, patient participation in the health care system, continuity of care for HIV, treatment prescribed, and the patient's viral load status in terms of suppression.

Overall, about 82 percent of all those infected with HIV know their status, meaning that more than 200,000 Americans now infected with HIV are not aware of their condition.

Two-thirds of the nation's HIV patients do have some relationship with a care provider, the report indicates, and more than one-third (37 percent) receive continuous HIV care, while one-third are treated with antiretroviral therapy.

But just over one-third of black patients were found to have ongoing care, compared with 37 percent to 38 percent of Latinos and whites. Similarly, just a little over one in five black patients was found to have viral load suppression, compared with 26 percent of Latinos and 30 percent of whites.

Blacks infected with HIV were the least likely to find out they were infected in the first place and the least likely to get any care for HIV, Hall added.

Younger HIV patients were also much less likely than older patients to know their HIV status and to obtain routine care, Hall said.

Suppression rates were also poorer among younger patients, with just 15 percent of those aged 25 to 34 having their virus under control compared with 36 percent among those aged 55 to 64.

No significant differences were seen between males and females in terms of diagnosis, treatment or disease control.

For now, the report authors can only theorize about what lies behind these differences in HIV care.

"Our study did not look at the reasons for why people are not in care, or are not prescribed

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Only 1 in 4 Americans With HIV Has Virus Under Control: CDC

HealthDay – Sat, Jul 28, 2012 FRIDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Among the 1.1 million Americans living with HIV, just one in four has the virus under control, U.S. health researchers say.

In a report presented Friday at the International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C., researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the problem applies to patients of all ages, races and ethnic groups, but especially to young people and blacks.

"This is the first time that we have ever looked at the outcome of continuum of care across all patient groups," said CDC epidemiologist Irene Hall. "And what we found is that, overall, too few people with HIV have viral suppression." People with viral load suppression are healthy and less likely to transmit the virus to others.

"Only if we get everyone under regular care for HIV/AIDS can we recognize the full benefits of treatment and prevention," said Hall, chief of the HIV incidence and case surveillance branch in the CDC division of HIV/AIDS prevention.

For the report, Hall and her colleagues pored through 2009 data collected by the CDC, which included rates of HIV testing, patient participation in the health care system, continuity of care for HIV, treatment prescribed, and the patient's viral load status in terms of suppression.

Overall, about 82 percent of all those infected with HIV know their status, meaning that more than 200,000 Americans now infected with HIV are not aware of their condition.

Two-thirds of the nation's HIV patients do have some relationship with a care provider, the report indicates, and more than one-third (37 percent) receive continuous HIV care, while one-third are treated with antiretroviral therapy.

But just over one-third of black patients were found to have ongoing care, compared with 37 percent to 38 percent of Latinos and whites. Similarly, just a little over one in five black patients was found to have viral load suppression, compared with 26 percent of Latinos and 30 percent of whites.

Blacks infected with HIV were the least likely to find out they were infected in the first place and the least likely to get any care for HIV, Hall added.

Younger HIV patients were also much less likely than older patients to know their HIV status and to obtain routine care, Hall said.

Suppression rates were also poorer among younger patients, with just 15 percent of those aged 25 to 34 having their virus under control compared with 36 percent among those aged 55 to 64.

No significant differences were seen between males and females in terms of diagnosis, treatment or disease control.

For now, the report authors can only theorize about what lies behind these differences in HIV care.

"Our study did not look at the reasons for why people are not in care, or are not prescribed

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Many Americans Not Prepared for Disasters: Poll

HealthDay – Fri, Jul 20, 2012 FRIDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- A new national survey shows that Americans have not learned their lessons from recent disasters.

The Adelphi University Center for Health Innovation poll revealed that 44 percent of U.S. adults don't have first-aid kits and 48 percent lack emergency supplies for use in the event of catastrophes. The researchers said that people have a responsibility to boost their emergency preparedness, to make difficult or life-threatening situations safer.

The findings suggested that Americans have a false sense of security. Although the researchers found that more than 53 percent of Americans do not have a three-day supply of nonperishable food and water in their home, those surveyed believe they can survive in their homes for an average of 16 days in the event of a disaster.

The poll also revealed that 55 percent of Americans think they can rely on local authorities to come to their rescue when disaster strikes.

Parents, in particular, are not ready for a disaster, the investigators found. Although 80 percent of the parents polled said they were well prepared for such an event, 52 percent have not designated a family meeting place where they can find each other if they are separated during an emergency.

Moreover, the study revealed that 42 percent of Americans do not know the phone numbers of all of their immediate family members.

The researchers pointed out that disaster could strike while people are at work, yet 21 percent of working Americans don't know if their workplace has an emergency preparedness plan, the poll showed.

Meanwhile, only 18 percent of those surveyed reported receiving information on health care preparedness from the media. Although keeping a list of current medications on hand is key, only 63 percent of adults have actually made a list of the drugs they are taking. Crucial health insurance documents should also be copied in case of a disaster, but 52 percent of Americans have not taken this precaution.

More information

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency provides more information on emergency preparedness.

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Older Americans See Better Today, Study Finds

HealthDay – 1 hr 23 mins ago FRIDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Older Americans see better than their parents did in old age, according to a new study that finds visual impairment among the U.S. elderly has declined 58 percent since the 1980s.

Improved techniques in cataract surgery and lower rates of macular degeneration may be two of the main reasons for the trend, say researchers from Northwestern University.

"From 1984 until 2010, the decrease in visual impairment in those 65 and older was highly statistically significant," said the study's first author, Dr. Angelo Tanna, vice chairman of ophthalmology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and an attending physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

"The findings are exciting, because they suggest that currently used diagnostic and screening tools and therapeutic interventions for various ophthalmic diseases are helping to prolong the vision of elderly Americans," said Tanna in a university news release.

After analyzing national survey data collected from 1984 to 2010, the researchers found that in 1984, poor eyesight caused 23 percent of older adults to have trouble reading or seeing newspaper print. By 2010, however, only 9.7 percent of seniors reported the problem. The researchers also saw a significant drop in eyesight problems that limited the ability of older people to perform normal daily activities, such as dressing and bathing.

Little change in visual impairment was detected among adults younger than 65.

Although the study did not identify the cause of the lower rate of vision problems among older adults, the researchers suggested three likely reasons:

Better techniques in cataract surgeryA decline in smoking, which resulted in reduced rates of macular degenerationImproved treatments for diabetic eye diseases

The study authors said more research is needed to determine which treatment strategies help prevent vision loss in older adults so they can be made more accessible.

The study was recently published online in the journal Ophthalmology.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians provides more information on common causes of vision loss in older people.

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Americans react to historic health care decision

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Americans find doing their own taxes simpler than improving diet and health

ScienceDaily (May 23, 2012) — Most Americans (52 percent) have concluded that figuring out their income taxes is easier than knowing what they should and shouldn't eat to be healthier, according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation's 2012 Food & Health Survey.

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The Survey found that people think a great deal about the healthfulness of their diets and want to make improvements. Yet, 76 percent agree that ever-changing nutritional guidance makes it hard to know what to believe. And when it comes to making decisions about food, consumers today rely most often on their own research rather than third-party experts. Six out of 10 Americans have given a lot of thought to the foods and beverages they consume (58 percent) and the amount of physical activity they get (61 percent). Yet, only 20 percent say their diet is very healthful and 23 percent describe their diet as extremely or very unhealthful; less than 20 percent meet the national Physical Activity Guidelines.

"This year's Survey was designed to reveal consumer behavior, not just thoughts and desires. Clearly, there is a disconnect for many Americans," said Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RD, LD, FADA, Senior Vice President, Nutrition and Food Safety, IFIC Foundation. "Some questions also reveal clear differences based on gender and age. For example, men feel it is harder to eat a healthful diet than to find time to exercise, while women feel just the opposite. The percentage of older respondents who say their diet is very or extremely healthful is about twice the rate of younger people. These are important distinctions for health professionals and others who are trying to help individuals and families improve their diet and health."

The IFIC Foundation's 2012 Food & Health Survey found that 90 percent of Americans have given at least a little thought to the ingredients in their food and beverages. Consumers say they are trying to eat more whole grains, fiber and protein, while cutting calories, sugar, solid fats and salt. However, taste (87 percent) remains the most significant determinant of food and beverage choices, followed by price, which dropped significantly as a factor compared to 2011, and healthfulness. In terms of trying to lead healthier lives, nearly 60 percent of Americans believe that online and mobile tools are helpful.

The Survey was fielded by Mathew Greenwald & Associates of Washington, D.C. between April 3 and 13, 2012 and involved 1,057 Americans ages 18 to 80. Results were weighted to match the U.S. Census based on age, education, gender, race/ethnicity, and region to be nationally representative.

Additional Findings from the IFIC Foundation's 2012 Food & Health Survey

• Overall, 55 percent of Americans are trying to lose weight. However, 23 percent of obese consumers and 44 percent of overweight consumers say they are not trying to lose weight.

• Fewer than one in 10 Americans correctly estimate the number of calories they need to maintain their weight and only three in 10 believe that all sources of calories play an equal role in weight gain. Calories from sugar, carbohydrates and fats are believed more likely to cause weight gain.

• During the past year, 66 percent of Americans have given some thought to the sustainability of their foods and beverages, with about 40 percent regularly purchasing locally sourced or recyclable food and beverage products.

• Only 17 percent of Americans say they have stopped buying a specific brand or type of food due to safety concerns and more than half of all consumers (57 percent) believe that the chances are extremely low that they will contract a serious foodborne illness. About half (48 percent) believe foods produced in foreign countries are less safe than foods grown in the U.S.

• The expiration date surpassed the food package Nutrition Facts panel in terms of the information consumers looked for in making food or beverage purchases, although the importance of statements about nutrition and health benefits both rose significantly.

• Six in 10 Americans believe the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates how food additives may be used but only 36 percent realized the FDA approves or sets daily intake limits for food additives. About half (46 percent) of Americans believe that food colors must be reviewed and approved by the U.S. government before being added to foods.

• Eighty-seven percent of parents believe that it is good for their health to sit down and eat meals with their family and 69 percent of parents worry about the healthfulness of their children's diets more than their own.

• The United States Department of Agriculture's MyPlate graphic was readily recognized by consumers and received high marks for communicating about healthful eating.

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Fewer Young Americans Smoking, Survey Finds

HealthDay – 45 mins ago THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking rates among American teens and young adults fell between 2004 and 2010, but too many of them still light up, a new federal government report reveals.

The rate of current cigarette use among U.S. teens decreased from nearly 12 percent in 2004 to about 8 percent in 2010, and dropped from nearly 40 percent to about 34 percent among young adults, according to the analysis from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health released Thursday.

The percentage of daily smokers among teens fell from just over 3 percent to under 2 percent, and decreased from about 20 percent to nearly 16 percent among young adults during the study period, the survey found.

Among young adults who were daily smokers, the percentage who smoked 26 or more cigarettes a day (about 1

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Most Americans back gun lobby, right to use deadly force

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Young Americans Need to Cut Calorie Intake: Study

HealthDay – 1 hr 22 mins ago TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- American youngsters have a long way to go to reach new goals for a lower childhood obesity rate, a new study shows.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has set a goal of reducing the childhood obesity rate to 14.6 percent by 2020, and to do so children aged 2 to 19 would need to eliminate an average of 64 calories a day.

Without this reduction in calorie intake, the average child or teen would be nearly 4 pounds heavier in 2020 than a child of the same age in 2007. In addition, more than 20 percent of youth would be obese, up from 16.9 percent currently.

The last time the childhood obesity rate in the United States was 14.6 percent was in 2002.

"Sixty-four calories may not sound like much individually, but it's quite a consequential number at the population level, and children at greatest risk for obesity face an even larger barrier," study author Dr. Y. Claire Wang, an assistant professor of health policy and management at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, said in a university news release.

"Closing this gap between how many calories young people are consuming and how many they are expending will take substantial, comprehensive efforts," Wang added.

The new goal could be achieved by reducing calorie intake, increasing physical activity or both. But, although 64 calories is the overall average reduction required to meet the 2020 goal, certain groups of young people may need higher or lower calorie reductions.

White youngsters would need an average reduction of 46 calories, compared with 91 calories for Mexican-Americans and 138 calories for black children, who have higher rates of obesity. Children and teens in low-income communities also have higher rates of obesity and would require greater calorie reductions than those in higher-income areas.

The researchers suggested many policy strategies that could help American youngsters reduce calories:

Replacing all sugar-sweetened beverages in school with water and preventing children from drinking additional sugary beverages outside of school could eliminate an average of 12 calories per day.Having children aged 9 to 11 take part in a comprehensive physical-education program could eliminate an average of 19 calories per day.After-school activity programs for children in kindergarten to fifth grade could eliminate an average of 25 calories per day.

The study was published this week in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines how parents can help their children maintain a healthy weight.

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