Idea #319 for January 3rd, 2010: App Appetite or Smartphones and Eating Disorders

Smartphone applications are providing people with easier ways to keep track of nutrition and caloric intake. While technology like that can be a great tool for people looking to lose weight, there is also potential down side. Some health professionals are worried about people with eating disorders possibly taking advantage of the apps. The danger is that having easy access to information like this could steer some teens towards obsession with their weight and caloric intake. This potential for abuse doesn’t mean we should try to restrict the use of dieting apps in general, but parents should at least be aware of the issue if they suspect their teenage kids are having food issues.

Read more about this story here.

Idea #313 for December 28th, 2009: Unpleasantly Plump or Obesity Is Always Dangerous

There’s a bit of an urban myth that some obese people are able to remain quite healthy despite their weight. But it appears to be just that — a myth. A report from cardiologists in Sweden found that overweight men were significantly more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, regardless of whether they showed symptoms of metabolic syndrome. In some circles, people who are obese yet don’t show signs of metabolic syndrome (i.e. high blood sugar, hypertension, high cholesterol) were believed to be healthy, but this report indicates otherwise.

Unlike previous studies on the matter, this one from Sweden followed patients over a thirty year period. The results underscore the notion that being overweight is always unhealthy. Having low cholesterol or good blood sugar levels will not change the fact that if you are obese, your risk of cardiovascular disease is significantly higher. Overweight individuals should not feel complacent about their health status even if their blood work looks healthy.

Read more about the study here.

Idea #283 for November 28th, 2009: Cloudy Future or The Ballooning Rates of Diabetes

If we think the rate of diabetes is bad now in the US, just wait 25 years and it will be unbelievably bad. By 2034 it’s predicted that twice as many people will have diabetes in America, making a total of 44 million people with the condition. And if you think that’s an exaggeration or inflated, then consider that past predictions have actually underestimated the number. For instance, in 1991 a study estimated that there would be 11 million people with diabetes by 2030. By 2009, we already doubled that number. So there is the potential that even more than 44 million will have diabetes in 25 years.

We can expect massive increases in costs associated with diabetes care to rise as well. The cost is predicted to triple to over $300 billion in 25 years. An aging and obese population is likely to lead to these levels of diabetes in the future. When we consider all the ways to fix our healthcare system in the US, a large part of the reform has to be changing our own lifestyles that are contributing to rising costs. A major contributor is obesity, so for any effort to reduce health spending to be successful, we’re going to have to tackle the obesity problem — and fast — because time is running out.

Read more about the diabetes predictions here.

Idea #276 for November 21st, 2009: You Are What You Eat or Updating Nutrition Labels

Those nutrition information labels you see on food packages have looked pretty much the same since they were instituted in the early ’90s. While they remain effective at summarizing the nutritional contents of food, some tweaks could really help consumers. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has made recommendations for a nutrition label redesign that they believe will make the information clearer and more accessible.

The structure of the label that the group is proposing is basically the same, but some important information is made more visible. For instance, the suggest printing the calorie data in larger type and making some fonts appear in red to indicate high levels of certain unhealthy components, like saturated fat. They also want the recommended daily intake of sodium to be lowered to to 1,500 mg and want allergy information to be displayed prominently. A slight adjustment to the ingredients section could make a big difference too — simply making them appear in lower-case and separating them with bullets makes it far easier to read.

These suggestions seem pretty straightforward and logical, so the FDA should at least consider them. It probably won’t make a huge difference in levels of obesity and such, but it will make the nutrition facts more accessible for a lot people. Even if we can just increase the awareness of what exactly it is we’re eating, it would be a step in the right direction.

Read more about this proposal here and here.

Idea #260 for November 5th, 2009: More Than Meets The Eye or Avoiding Cancer Cases By Targeting Obesity

When we think of the consequences obesity has on our nation’s health, we often link it to heart disease and other cardiovascular problems. The public sometimes overlooks the other problems that obesity leads to, including cancer. Researchers suggest that more than 100,000 cases of cancer each year are caused by obesity.

Certain cancers seem to be more closely tied to obesity than others. For instance, about half of all endometrial cancers are believed to be caused by obesity. For esophageal cancer cases, about 35% are obesity-related. More than a quarter of Americans are obese, so we definitely have room for improvement. Bringing those numbers down could mean avoiding tens-of-thousands of additional cases of cancer each year. It’s imperative that we fight the root causes of our obesity epidemic to prevent the myriad health problems that stem from it.

Read more about this research here.

Idea #255 for October 31st, 2009: Making The Change or Adapting Lifestyle Still Best Way to Avoid Diabetes

As great as it would be for us to be able to take a pill and make type 2 diabetes disappear, it’s not a reality yet. Until we get to that point, the best method of staving off diabetes is through lifestyle changes. About 24 million Americans have diabetes (mostly type 2) and another 57 million have elevated blood glucose levels. A study that began a decade ago has found that changing people’s lifestyles delayed the onset of diabetes significantly longer than the use of metformin, a diabetes medication.

The lifestyle changes that were adopted by subjects in this study were decreasing fat intake, exercising 30 minutes per day, and losing 5-7% of their body weight. Subjects who implemented those changes delayed the onset of diabetes by an average of 4 years, while subjects who were on metformin delayed onset by about 2 years. For people over 60, those lifestyle changes proved especially important. Subjects who made the changes were half as likely to develop diabetes in the next ten years. This long-term study shows that there is no easy way out of the descent towards diabetes, but making sensible changes to diet and level of physical activity is our best hope of avoiding the disease.

Read more about this in the LA Times.

Idea #226 for October 2nd, 2009: Point Of No Return or Timing Key In Weight-Loss Surgery In Teens

For morbidly obese teens, the most effective way to lose weight and avoid potential death may be gastric bypass surgery. But when the surgery is done is a major factor in its effectiveness. New research shows that surgical intervention for weight-loss is not nearly as successful if it’s delayed until a patient is too overweight.

Data from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital shows that obese teens should undergo bypass surgery when they are between 100% and 150% over their ideal weight. If surgery is put-off until the patient is 200% or more over their ideal weight, then the patient will likely remain morbidly obese. This research indicates there is a point of no return, and surgical intervention should occur before that point to ensure the best outcomes.

If children or teens are on track to becoming morbidly obese, doctors will still attempt to change the trend by instituting diet and exercise regimens. However, when other options fail, gastric bypass surgery is recommended. Now it seems that making that decision promptly is the deciding factor in the surgery’s success, at least in a young population.

Read more about this issue here.

Idea #213 for September 19th, 2009: Listen Up or Losing Weight With Podcasts

Many people listen to podcasts to be informed or entertained, but there is also a type of podcast that may just improve people’s health. Weight-loss podcasts are being produced to help listeners shed unwanted pounds. The act of listening alone won’t melt away the fat, but instead the podcasts offer suggestions and attempt to change the listener’s mindset. But not all of the lessons are equally effective. Selecting the correct type of weight-loss podcast is key to achieving dieting success, says new research.

In a study, researchers created a podcast based on social cognitive theory that included diet and excercise information, and compared the weight-loss results of their podcast listeners to those of an existing podcast. Three months later, the experimental group lost about six pounds, and a full point off their BMI while the control group did not show any major change.

The major difference between the two programs was the inclusion of social cognitive theory, which exposed listeners to the audio journals of users several weeks ahead of them in the program. The theory is that exposing listeners to the testimony of people ahead of them, they have definite goals to shoot for. The study shows that weight-loss podcasts can work, if the correct techniques are employed. This a good example of an inexpensive, easily accessible tool to help the millions of Americans who are overweight.

Read more about the study in the LA Times.

Idea #182 for August 19th, 2009: Cutting the Fat or Cost of Obesity Still Climbing

We all know that obesity and its related health ailments pose a threat to our nation’s health, but a new report highlights just how expensive the obesity crisis in this country is becoming. In 2006, the total health expenditures on obese adults was $303 billion — representing an 82% increase over the 2001 figure of $167 billion. To give some perspective on that enormous number, $300 billion represents a $1,000 contribution from every American citizen.

Obese Americans accounted for 35% of healthcare spending in 2006, up from 28% in 2001. The percentage of adults who are obese also grew in that time period, from 23% to 27%. Reeling in out-of-control healthcare spending must to some extent involve us lowering the rate of obesity in this country. Right now, the rate is climbing, which makes a gloomy healthcare future look even worse. The battle against obesity will have to be fought on several fronts, including changing the way we eat, exercise, and even changing the way our food system works in this country. Certain policies have led to the easy availability of cheap, unhealthy food. Reversing the obesity trend will be a neccessary fight in the next few decades, if we want to avoid a looming healthcare nightmare.

Read about the report from Reuters.

Idea #165 for August 2nd, 2009: Keeping Fit in the Golden Years or For Elderly Cancer Survivors, Fitness is Important

Out of the approximately 11 million cancer survivors in the US, about half are over age 65. Evidence shows that only a fraction of those elderly survivors are engaged in physical activity and diet habits that are considered healthful. A new study out of Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York looked at the habits of 750 overweight elderly cancer survivors and found that maintaining healthy habits resulted in significant improvements in their lives.

About half of the study group reported exercising only about 10 minutes per week, whereas the recommended amount for that population is 150 minutes per week. Further, only 7% of the group consumed a diet that is considered healthful. The minority of the group who were active and ate well had improved outcomes and quality of life. Physical activity is linked to increased survival and decreased recurrence rates in breast and colon cancers, but the role of diet is less understood. At any rate, maintaining physical fitness and proper diet is always a great idea, and especially, it seems, for elderly cancer survivors.

Read more about this study here and here.