Researcher calls for global action on pandemic of physical inactivity

ScienceDaily (July 18, 2012) — The high prevalence and consequences of physical inactivity should be recognized as a global pandemic, according to a new publication by Harold W. Kohl, III, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health, part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

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“Physical inactivity continues to be undervalued among people who can make a difference despite evidence of its health benefits and the evident cost burden posed by present levels of physical inactivity globally,” said Kohl, who is also with the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living at the UT School of Public Health.

The paper is the fifth and final paper in The Lancet “Series on Physical Activity” published this week and outlines key strategies and resources needed to make physical activity a global public health priority. “This series emphasizes the need to focus on population physical activity levels as an outcome, not just decreasing obesity,” said Kohl, professor of kinesiology at The University of Texas at Austin.

The health burden of physical inactivity is substantial, according to Kohl. “Although regular physical activity is critical for weight control, it is equally or more important for lowering risk of many different chronic diseases such as heart disease, some cancers, osteoporosis and diabetes.”

According to Kohl, research on physical activity needs to be its own priority within public health research of non-communicable diseases.

Globally nearly one-third of persons 15 and over were insufficiently active in 2008 and approximately 3.2 million deaths each year are attributable to insufficient physical activity, according to the World Health Organization. In 2008, the prevalence of insufficient physical activity was highest in the Americas and Eastern Mediterranean regions.

In the paper, the researchers argue for increased prioritizing of physical activity across multiple sectors of influence including health, transportation, sports, education and business. “This issue is of particular importance in countries with low-to-middle incomes, where rapid economic and social changes are likely to reduce the domestic, work and transport-related physical activity demands of daily life,” said Kohl. “Improved understanding of what works best in these nations will be key to developing national policies and action plans.

Kohl recommends a multi-sector and systems-wide approach to physical activity promotion to increase population levels of activity worldwide rather than efforts focused on individual health. “Traditional approaches, where responsibility for change has resided with the health sector, will not be sufficient,” said Kohl. “Improvements must happen at every level including planning and policy, leadership and advocacy and workforce training.”

In 2008, 25.4 percent of U.S. adults reported no leisure time physical activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). County estimates of leisure-time physical inactivity range from 10.1 percent to 43 percent in the United States. These rates reflect adults who report no physical activity or exercise other than at their regular job.

“The response to physical inactivity has been incomplete, unfocused, understaffed and underfunded compared with other risk factors for non-communicable diseases,” said Kohl. “This has put physical activity in reverse gear compared with population trends and advances in tobacco and alcohol control and diet.”

Kohl said Texas is one of a few states that have a plan to promote physical activity, Active Texas 2020. He led the development of the plan with the Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness. The Active Texas plan includes strategies and ideas that can be used by communities throughout the state.

“Physical education in schools is still one of the most effective means promoting physical activity, particularly among children,” said Kohl. Texas Education Code requires elementary school students to receive at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity and 225 minutes of physical activity per two weeks for four of six semesters for middle school students.

Kohl was recently appointed to lead the Institute of Medicine’s committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment. He is on the President’s Council of Fitness, Sports & Nutrition Science Board. Kohl also led development of the 2008 U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines.

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US hosts AIDS conference amid calls for action

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Report Calls for Counseling Guidelines for Treating Transgender People

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Vatican calls for free AIDS treatment across Africa

"A top Vatican official called Friday on the international community to provide "free and efficient treatment" for AIDS in Africa, starting with pregnant women, mothers and their babies. (AFP Photo/Alexander Joe)" title

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Task Force Calls Routine Prostate Cancer Tests Unnecessary

This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.Do you have a story to tell? Become a Yahoo! contributor

When it comes to middle age, routine prostate cancer screening tests are to men what mammograms are to women. However, a federal task force believes administering the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test on a routine basis to healthy middle-aged men is a waste of time.

According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the PSA test might cause more harm than good. The task force is an independent group authorized by Congress in 1984 and supported by the U.S. Department of Human Services. Its 16 volunteer members represent various medical fields. Its job: improving the health of Americans by making recommendations about clinical preventive services like screenings, medications, and counseling.

The task force says that prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer in U.S. men. The lifetime risk of a diagnosis is an estimated 15.9 percent. The likelihood of actually dying of this type of cancer is less than 3 percent, and the disease is rare before age 50. Around 70 percent of the deaths attributed to it occur in men older than 75.

The USPSTF findings suggest that routine PSA testing would help save the life of just one man out of 1,000. According to the Washington Post, the recommendation concludes that for every patient saved by a PSA test, one will develop a serious blood clot, and two will experience heart attacks. Another 40 will experience impotence or incontinence after unnecessary treatment. However, patients with urinary symptoms such as pain or trouble urinating might benefit from the screening, the USPSTF concluded. Urologists expressed a very negative reaction to the recommendations.

A PSA test doesn't actually detect cancer. It finds a protein manufactured by the prostate. A number of benign prostate problems can cause elevated numbers of protein. This might mean a false positive leading to biopsies and other testing.

Most doctors don't rely solely on a PSA test when a patient has symptoms that might point to prostate cancer. A man who has reached his forties might also experience a digital rectal exam, ultrasound, and/or a transrectal biopsy of the prostate, says the Mayo Clinic.

Results of a PSA test with elevated numbers struck home last year. A family member with a history of low numbers went in for another routine screening. The PSA numbers had increased significantly but were still within normal range. Told to return in six months, he showed up, non-symptomatic, for the second blood test on schedule. The numbers were a bit higher but still within normal range.

Two weeks later, he underwent outpatient biopsies. He likened the procedure to a dozen cookie cutters powered by a pneumatic drill. He bled for days and experienced pain for weeks. There was no cancer. He has no plans to undergo additional routine prostate cancer screening.

Vonda J. Sines has published thousands of print and online articles. She specializes in health and medical topics, with a particular interest in diseases and other conditions that affect quality of life.

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FDA Calls on Tobacco Companies to List Harmful Ingredients

HealthDay – 1 hr 46 mins ago FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) --The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it will require the tobacco industry to report on a range of toxic chemical ingredients, and to also back up any claims for "safer" tobacco products.

Both actions are preliminary at this point, and subject to a period of public comment.

While there are more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco and tobacco smoke, the FDA has a working list of 93 chemicals that cause or may cause harm to smokers or non-smokers. These include formaldehyde, nicotine, arsenic, cadmium, ammonia and carbon monoxide. Tobacco companies will be required to list quantities of 20 different ingredients associated with cancer, lung disease and other health problems on consumer-friendly packaging by April 2013.

"For the first time, all tobacco manufacturers will be required to report quantities of potential harmful compounds in every regulated tobacco product they sell in the U.S.," said Dr. Lawrence Deyton, director of FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, during a media briefing. "Tobacco itself contains many chemical compounds, many of which are harmful in raw state but also when smoked."

Exactly how and where this information will be conveyed to the public is not yet known. "We are doing research on how to best communicate that information in a consumer-friendly way to the public," he said.

The second FDA action announced that tobacco companies must back up any claims they make if they want to market a tobacco product as "less risky" to health.

"Products can't be marketed as reducing risks unless that claim is supported by science," Deyton said. At this time, this primarily refers to roll-your-own and smokeless tobacco products.

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) gives the FDA the power to regulate certain aspects of tobacco marketing and manufacturing. The preliminary rules are open for public comments until June 4, 2012.

More information

Learn more about the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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