One-Third of U.S. Homeless Population Is Obese: Study

HealthDay – Fri, May 18, 2012 FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- One-third of homeless people in the United States are obese, about the same rate as the general population, a new study finds.

It might seem that hunger and lack of food would put homeless people at risk for weighing too little, according to the researchers at Harvard Medical School in Boston and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

But, the high rate of obesity among homeless people may be due to their reliance on cheap foods that contain high levels of fat and sugar. Another possible explanation could be physiological -- chronic food shortages cause the body to adapt by storing fat reserves.

Other factors may include little physical activity, sleep deprivation and stress.

The researchers examined the body-mass index (a measure of body fat based on height and weight) in more than 5,600 homeless men and women in Boston and found that 32 percent were obese, just less than 6 percent were morbidly obese and just less than 2 percent were underweight.

The overall obesity rate among homeless people was almost as high as among the general population (about 34 percent). Homeless women, however, were much more likely to be obese than non-homeless women -- 43 percent vs. 35 percent.

The findings, which will appear in the Journal of Urban Health, suggest that obesity may have replaced underweight as the new malnutrition of the homeless, the researchers concluded.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study to rigorously evaluate whether obesity is a problem among the homeless in the U.S., as very little research has been done in this area," study co-author Paul Montgomery, a professor of psycho-social interventions at the University of Oxford, said in a journal news release.

"This study highlights the importance of the quality, as well as the quantity, of food that the homeless are consuming," Montgomery said. "Interventions aimed at reducing obesity in the homeless, such as improving nutritional standards in shelters or educational efforts at clinical sites, should be considered in light of these findings."

More information

National Health Care for the Homeless Council has more about homelessness and health.

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Melanoma a Big Threat to Older Men

HealthDay – Fri, May 18, 2012 FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Older men have an increased risk of developing melanoma, but most are careless about sun protection and do not know how to properly check themselves for signs of skin cancer, a new survey reveals.

This is particularly worrisome because nearly 132,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in 2012, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, which conducted the online poll.

"This survey demonstrates that many men do not protect themselves from the sun when outdoors and that some still believe that sun exposure is good for their health. This is a very troubling combination in light of the fact that the major risk factor for melanoma is exposure to ultraviolet light," dermatologist Dr. Thomas Rohrer, a clinical associate professor of dermatology at Brown University School of Medicine, said in an academy news release.

Just 29 percent of men report always protecting their skin outside, the national survey showed. Meanwhile, 43 percent of women take the necessary precautions.

Moreover, 39 percent of men said they preferred to simply enjoy the sun and not worry about how to protect themselves from its harmful rays, compared with 28 percent of women.

Although 59 percent of women said they know how to examine their own skin for signs of cancer, the study also showed that just 46 percent of the men surveyed knew how this should be done.

"Men need to examine their skin and see a dermatologist if they spot anything changing, bleeding or growing," Rohrer said.

Fortunately, the researchers noted, the five-year survival rate for people whose melanoma is diagnosed and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 98 percent.

"The survey results should serve as a wake-up call to men to be vigilant about protecting their skin from sun exposure and examining their skin regularly for skin cancer," Rohrer concluded. "Loved ones can assist by examining their partners' skin and noting anything suspicious. These exams are vital since the early detection of skin cancer helps save lives."

The academy is distributing public service announcements to television, cable and radio stations nationwide to help raise awareness on how people can protect themselves from skin cancer.

More information

The American Cancer Society has more about skin cancer.

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Fees Lead Some Kids to Skip After-School Sports: Survey

HealthDay – Fri, May 18, 2012 FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Schools that charge kids to participate in sports may be benching some children, a new survey finds.

One in five parents with an annual household income under $60,000 said sports-related fees have forced their middle- and high school-aged children to reduce their involvement in school sports, according to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

Budget cuts have led school districts across the United States to scale back athletic funding and implement fees to cover the cost of school sports, according to the investigators.

The survey found that 61 percent of children playing middle or high school sports were charged a pay-to-play fee. The average cost was $93, but the fee was $150 or more for 21 percent of the children.

The poll also found that when equipment, uniforms and additional team fees were added, the average cost for a child's participation in a school sport was $381.

Twelve percent of parents said the cost of school sports led to a drop in participation by at least one of their children, but that varied substantially based on household income. About 19 percent of families earning less than $60,000 a year said costs led to a decrease in their children's participation in school sports, compared with 5 percent of parents in families earning more than $60,000 per year.

Only 6 percent of students received a waiver of pay-to-play fees, the poll found.

The findings suggest that schools should re-examine their waiver policies and consider options such as partial waivers, installment payments, or other means to provide flexibility for families, said Sarah Clark, associate director of the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit at the University of Michigan and associate director of the National Poll on Children's Health.

"We know that participating in school sports offers many benefits to children and teens: higher school achievement, lower dropout rates, improved health, reduced obesity and the development of skills like teamwork and problem-solving," Clark said in a University of Michigan Health System news release.

"There's not an athletic director, school administrator or coach out there who doesn't want every kid to have a chance to participate. But there are no easy answers, especially because budgets are expected to get tighter and tighter," she added.

More information

The Nemours Foundation has more about children and sports.

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'Bad' Fat May Hurt Brain Function Over Time

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Health Tip: Log Migraine Details in a Diary

HealthDay – Fri, May 18, 2012 (HealthDay News) -- Tracking your migraines can better prepare you to prevent or treat these often-debilitating headaches.

The Womenshealth.gov website suggests what to log in a headache diary:

The date, time and duration of your migraine.What you were doing and where you were when the migraine began.Anything you drank or ate within 24 hours of the migraine.If you are a woman, the duration of your menstrual period.

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Healthy Dieting in Pregnancy May Be Helpful

HealthDay – Fri, May 18, 2012 FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Eating a healthy, calorie-controlled diet during pregnancy can help prevent excessive weight gain and cut the risk of obstetric complications, researchers report.

In Europe and the United States, up to 40 percent of women gain more than the recommended weight during pregnancy and this excess weight is associated with a number of major health problems, according to background information in the study published online May 17 in the BMJ.

In the report, an international team of researchers reviewed the findings of 44 studies that included more than 7,200 women and found that dietary intervention resulted in an average reduction in weight gain during pregnancy of nearly 8.8 pounds, compared with 1.5 pounds for exercise, and 2.2 pounds for exercise and diet combined.

Dietary intervention alone also provided the most benefit in preventing serious pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia (a sudden spike in the mother's blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy), diabetes and premature birth, according to lead researcher Dr. Shakila Thangaratinam from Queen Mary, University of London, and colleagues.

The study authors concluded that dietary and lifestyle interventions in pregnancy improve outcomes for both mother and baby.

However, an accompanying editorial suggested that there is not enough evidence to support dietary or any other type of intervention.

"At a time when more than half the women of reproductive age in the United Kingdom are overweight or obese, any analysis of weight management interventions in pregnancy is timely and welcome," Lucilla Poston and Lucy Chappell of St. Thomas' Hospital in London wrote in the editorial. But, they noted, the study does not provide the evidence needed to reassess guidelines for weight management in pregnancy.

The editorialists added that several ongoing studies may provide more insight into effective ways to prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy.

More information

The March of Dimes has more about weight gain during pregnancy.

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Health Tip: Keep Cloth Grocery Totes Clean

HealthDay – Fri, May 18, 2012 (HealthDay News) -- Reusable grocery totes may be friendly for the environment, but they can also befriend harmful bacteria.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests how to keep grocery totes clean:

Regularly wash grocery totes either by hand (use hot, soapy water) or in the washing machine.Bag separately in plastic any fish, poultry or meat before placing them in a tote. Be sure to separate these products from prepared or packaged foods.Carefully clean any kitchen areas (such as a counter) where you place totes while unpacking.Don't leave totes in the trunk of your car; store them in a cool, dry place.

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From One Generation to the Next, Dental Care Changes

HealthDay – Fri, May 18, 2012 FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Stephanie Crowe, a mother of three from Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., still remembers dreading a visit to the dentist as a young girl. It was often a painful experience, and her family's dentist showed little empathy to his smallest patients.

When Crowe had her first child, she brought her to the dentist that she and her husband were seeing at the time, and was surprised that the dentist suggested she take her young daughter to a pediatric dentist instead.

"He actually said, 'I don't think I can work with her.' It was like he didn't want to deal with kids," Crowe recalled. "But I'm glad because it got us to a dentist the kids liked better. It was more like going to a pediatrician's office."

It also was a bit fortuitous because her third child, son Justin, ended up needing a lot of dental work.

"He was just 2 or 3 when he needed his first root canal," Crowe said. "I was shocked when I was brushing his teeth and I saw a hole in his tooth. He's just much more prone to cavities than my other two children."

Some of the treatments now offered by her kids' dentist weren't available when Crowe was young. She said all of her children had dental sealants on their back teeth to help prevent decay. They also all get fluoride treatments whenever they get their teeth cleaned.

Like other parents, Crowe said, she brushed her kids' teeth for them when they were young, and once they were old enough to take care of their own teeth, she continued to remind them to brush. Her two oldest are 18 and 22, so they're on their own as far as their oral hygiene is concerned, but Crowe said she still has to remind her 13-year-old to brush his teeth.

All three children have had braces, and her oldest had her wisdom teeth removed recently.

"They weren't causing problems yet, but the dentist told me that if they came in more, it could cause her teeth to shift and ruin what had been done by her braces," she explained. For the same reason, she expects that her second son will probably have his wisdom teeth out soon.

Overall, Crowe said, her experiences with her children's dental health professionals have been much more positive than what she experienced as a child. And, she's glad her children don't have a lingering sense of trepidation about going to the dentist like she had.

More information

A companion article offers more on what's new in pediatric dentistry.

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Military Marriages Stay Strong in Face of Challenges: Study

HealthDay – Fri, May 18, 2012 FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Despite being tested by long hours and frequent relocations and separations, military marriages are no more likely to end in divorce than civilian marriages, a new study shows.

Even with the increase in long-term overseas deployments since military operations began in Afghanistan and Iraq, the likelihood of divorce for service members has not risen significantly.

Benjamin Karney, a professor of social psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues compared marriage and divorce rates of military personnel and civilians in the three years before and after the conflicts began in Afghanistan and Iraq. They examined U.S. Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System records from 1998 to 2005, and compared them to civilian data for the same time period from the Current Populations Surveys.

After taking into account differences in age, race, education and employment, the study revealed that despite a surge in overseas deployment from 2002 to 2005, divorce rates did not increase for military service members. Military divorce rates were not higher than that of civilians and, as members of the military got older, they were less likely to be divorced.

The study appeared online recently in the Journal of Family Issues.

"A possible explanation for this pattern is that time spent in military service enhances the stability of military marriages," the researchers wrote in a journal news release.

The authors suggested that benefits provided to married military members, including housing supplements, cost-of-living bonuses, the ability to live off-base with their families and full spousal health care coverage, could play a role in the stability of military marriages.

More information

Military OneSource, a service of the U.S. Department of Defense, provides information on how to strengthen military families.

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Chronic Heartburn May Boost Risk for Esophageal Cancer

HealthDay – Fri, May 18, 2012 FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Inflammation caused by chronic heartburn may increase the risk of esophageal cancer, a new study finds.

The condition -- formally known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) -- occurs when a muscle at the end of the esophagus doesn't close properly, allowing stomach contents to leak back into the esophagus and irritate it.

GERD can lead to changes in the tissue lining the esophagus, a condition called Barrett's esophagus, often a precursor to esophageal cancer.

In the study, researchers looked at nearly 34,000 GERD patients in Denmark and found that 77 percent had inflammation of the lining of the esophagus, a condition called erosive reflux disease. During an average follow-up time of 7.4 years, 0.11 percent of patients developed esophageal cancer.

The incidence of esophageal cancer among GERD patients with erosive disease was much higher than that of the general population, the team noted.

In contrast, esophageal cancer was diagnosed in only 0.01 percent of GERD patients without erosive disease after 4.5 years of follow-up.

The study appears in the May issue of the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

"Our research shows that damage to the esophageal lining ... is important in the progression from normal cells to cancer, and Barrett's esophagus is likely to be an intermediate step," lead author Dr. Rune Erichsen, of Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, said in a journal news release.

The incidence of esophageal cancer in the United States and Europe has increased dramatically in the past three decades. About 10,000 new cases of esophageal cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States.

Although the study identified an association between inflammation caused by GERD and increased incidence of esophageal cancer, it could not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more about GERD.

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Tiny Tots in the Dentist's Chair Among Changes in Pediatric Dentistry

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Health Highlights: May 18, 2012

HealthDay – Fri, May 18, 2012 Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Psychiatrist Apologizes for Study Supporting Therapy to 'Cure' Gays

A man considered by some to be the father of modern psychiatry has apologized for his 2001 study that supported the use of so-called reparative therapy to "cure" gay people who were strongly motivated to change their sexual orientation.

Dr. Robert L. Spitzer's apology appears in a short letter to be published this month in Archives of Sexual Behavior, the journal that published the original study, The New York Times reported.

"I believe I owe the gay community an apology," his letter concludes.

Reparative therapy, also called sexual reorientation or conversion therapy is a theory promoted by social conservatives, who used Spitzer's study to push the idea that homosexuality is a choice and can be cured.

That idea is rejected by psychiatric experts, and a World Health Organization report calls the therapy "a serious threat to the health and well-being -- even the lives -- of affected people," The Times reported.

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U.S. Panel Mulls Bioterrorism Protection for Children

The question of whether the anthrax vaccine and other treatments being stockpiled in case of a bioterror attack should be tested on children is being considered by the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.

"We can't just assume that what we have for adults works for children," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told the commission Thursday, the Associated Press reported.

The panel began discussing the issue Thursday and its recommendations are expected by the end of the year.

"There are serious ethical issues around the development of medical countermeasures for children in general," Sebelius said, the AP reported.

While it is important to develop ways to protect children from bioterror attacks, it must be done in a way that puts "our children's safety as our highest priority," she noted.

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Stem Cell-Based Drug Approved in Canada

The first manufactured drug based on stem cells has been approved by Canadian regulators.

The drug Prochymal was approved to treat children suffering from graft-versusu-host disease, a potentially deadly complication of bone marrow transplantation. The drug is made by Osiris Therapeutics of Columbia, Md., The New York Times reported.

The approval is seen as a boost for the field of regenerative medicine.

"It's really a good day for the concept and the hope behind stem cell therapies becoming a reality," C. Randal Mills, the chief executive of Osiris, told The Times.

The company plans to apply later this year for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the drug.

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Consumers Should Avoid South Korean Shellfish: FDA

U.S. federal and state officials are warning consumers against eating shellfish from South Korea and say that retailers should stop selling it.

A Food and Drug Administration analysis of the South Korean shellfish program found unacceptable water pollution levels in shellfish-growing areas and periodic presence of norovirus, which can cause gastroenteritis (stomach flu), the Washington Post reported.

On May 1, the FDA removed firms that transports South Korean shellfish off its list of approves shippers and said it may launch a recall of South Korean shellfish, specifically fresh, frozen or processed oysters, clams, mussels and scallops.

The FDA advisory does not affect South Korean crab or shrimp, or any shellfish grown and produced in the U.S., the Post reported.

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