Americans are still getting fatter
Obesity rates increased in 28 states, report finds
by MARY CLARE JALONICK
updated 6/29/2010 11:24:21 AM ET
Share Print Font: +-WASHINGTON — Just when you thought Americans couldn't get any fatter — we did.
A study released Tuesday by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that obesity rates increased in 28 states last year. Mississippi continued its six-year reign as the country's fattest state in the study's yearly rankings, along with the highest rates of physical inactivity and hypertension. The state also has the second highest rate of diabetes.
And while most parents think childhood obesity is a problem, they don't believe it affects their own children.
The annual obesity report by two public health groups includes a new survey of parental attitudes about the issue. The survey shows an increasing awareness of obesity and its threat to public health.
"This report shows that the country has taken bold steps to address the obesity crisis in recent years, but the nation's response has yet to fully match the magnitude of the problem," said Jeffrey Levi, executive director of the Trust for America's Health, which writes the annual report with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The new survey finds that 84 percent of parents believe their children are at a healthy weight , even though nearly a third of children and teens are considered obese or overweight. Still, 80 percent of those polled by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and American Viewpoint said childhood obesity is a significant and growing problem.
Obesity in adults is defined as a body mass index of 30 or more, while overweight is a body mass index between 25 and 30.
Last year, four states — Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and West Virginia — had obesity rates of over 30 percent. This year, four more states have that distinction, bringing the total to eight states with rates over 30 percent. Those states were Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
The District of Columbia was the only area to see a decline in adult obesity rates.
The rise in obesity rates has been sharp in the last 20 years. More than two-thirds of states now have adult obesity rates above 25 percent. In 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent.
The report also details racial disparities in obesity, showing that obesity rates for blacks and Latinos were higher than for whites in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37996593/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/
2010年6月30日星期三
2010年6月24日星期四
walking is good for you
日行三十分鐘 助穩定血壓
(星島)2010年6月24日 星期四 06:30(綜合報道)
(星島日報 報道)最近有外國研究報告指，血壓時高時低，有機會較高血壓者更危險，中風 機會更高。中外專家均建議，患者每天步行三十分鐘，能有效穩定血壓水平，減低患上嚴重心血管疾病的風險。
過於起伏增中風機會
原來波幅過大的血壓，特別是收縮壓時高時低，中風危機會更加高。綜合有關的最新研究結果發現，部分血壓穩定的高血壓患者，其中風機會為4.5%，至於嚴重不穩定的上壓患者則為13.7%，顯示若血壓持續不穩定，中風的機會一般會較高。
過往傳統的指引，要求醫生不可盡信個別不正常的血壓讀數，若反覆再量度後發現血壓不是持續偏高，便毋須治療。但最新的研究結果卻推翻以往的理論，心臟科專科醫生郭妙芳說：「現時英國 中風協會已要求修改治療指引，呼籲醫生對血壓起伏大的病人，應及早用藥，以降低及穩定血壓。而病人亦應協助醫生，定時檢查血壓，將早晚的血壓記錄留作醫生分析，以便準確判斷病情。」
多作散步防控心臟病
除藥物外，運動對於控制血壓亦相當重要。建議每周只要散步三次、每次三十分鐘，甚至一天內將散步分散為三次、每次十分鐘進行，均能有效降低五度的收縮壓、2.6厘米的腰圍，以及2.4厘米的臀圍，而這些稍微下降的數字，已足以降低由心臟病引發的死亡風險。文：Ann 圖：星島圖片庫
■步行及緩步跑，屬安全且創傷性低的運動。
(健新 知)
2010年6月23日星期三
33% overweight & 12-15% obese (PRESCHOOLERS)
Don't need to read the whole article, just look at the figures highlighted in red. Imagine what would be like when these babies grow up to be like if nothing been done. This is only for preschoolers only, not counting those already started school, no wonder the first lady is doing so much to help!!!
Also don't think this only happen in the western countries...we are catching up quick here.
Parents lowball heavy tots’ weight
Most think their child is a healthy weight, study says
By Rachael Rettner
updated 8:18 a.m. ET June 22, 2010
Most parents don't realize if their preschool-age child is overweight or obese, a new study suggests.
The results show 71 percent of participating parents with overweight or obese toddlers misperceived their child's weight, identifying it as either a healthy weight or lighter than healthy weight.
The parents were more likely to underestimate their child's weight if a pediatrician had never discussed the issue with them. In fact, fewer than 8 percent of parents reported hearing from a pediatrician that their child was overweight or gaining weight too fast.
"Pediatricians have to really embrace this idea that talking to families about toddlers' weight is important," said study researcher Dr. Raquel Hernandez, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of South Florida. Although doctors might find it difficult to bring up toddlers' weight issues , "it does pay off, because families who have the provider talk about it are much less likely to misperceive their child, and therefore much more likely to make healthy behavioral changes," she said.
While making a fuss over baby fat might seem a little extreme, obesity at a young age does matter, Hernandez said.
"We shouldn't neglect the very young kids just because they're cute and chubby and no one wants to do anything," Hernandez said, adding that toddler-hood is a critical time when good habits can be set so kids have a better chance of being healthy throughout life.
Predictor of later obesity
A number of studies have found that being overweight at a young age, even as young as 2, can increase a child's risk for obesity in school age and adolescence up to five-fold, Hernandez said.
"The concept that kids outgrow their weight at some point or another, may have been true maybe 10 or 15 years ago, but more and more we're seeing that once the kid falls into that category, it really tends to be predictive long term," she said. Modern-day tendencies toward less exercise and an overabundance of food might be the culprit behind this shift, she said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that doctors start screening for overweight and obesity at age 2. Body mass index, or BMI, (an indicator of body fatness calculated from height and weight) is used to assess each individual. Children are considered overweight if they fall in the 85th to 94th percentiles of the BMI growth charts and obese if they are in the 95th percentile or higher.
Currently, about 33 percent of preschoolers in the United States are overweight, and 12 to 15 percent are obese, Hernandez said.
Parents' misperceptions
Hernandez and her colleagues interviewed 150 parents with children between the ages of 2 and 5. The parents were asked "Do you feel your child is..."(very underweight, a little underweight, about the right weight, a little overweight or very overweight).
They were also ask asked to view sketches of children with various body sizes and circle the image that most closely matched their own child's size. Such sketches are considered a better way to gauge parents' perceptions of their child's weight because parents are often hesitant to identify their child in a negative way.
"It's much easier for a parent to circle a bigger picture than to actually say that their child is overweight or obese," Hernandez said.
Among the findings:
About a third of preschoolers in the study were overweight or obese. 83 percent of all parents reported their children as "about the right weight," and 55 percent of parents with obese children said their child was "about the right weight." Using the sketches, parents of overweight preschoolers were much more likely to underestimate their children's weight than parents of obese children (89.6 percent vs. 45.5 percent). 20 percent of parents with overweight or obese kids actually chose an image that was smaller than the healthy weight image to indicate their own child's size.
Hernandez finds the last result particularly disturbing.
"Imagine the risk that those kids are at, where their parents think that they're too thin and they're already overweight or obese," she said. "Those are the kids that are going to get more portions; they're going to get more high-calorie, dense foods. And then you're really tipping the scales at that point with those kids."
Big toddler isn't always a healthy toddler
It's understandable that parents would not realize their young child has a weight issue, Hernandez said. They can't be expected to calculate BMI at home, and there tends to be a perception in society that a big toddler is a healthy toddler, she said.
Pediatricians might be reluctant to measure BMI and discuss weight issues both because they are afraid of offending the parents and because there are relatively few guidelines for how to go about modifying a young child's diet and exercise habits, Hernandez said.
Nevertheless, such discussions are important if parents are to take action early on, she said.
"With no one commenting, then certainly parents aren't going to have any idea if they're not hearing anything from the person who would theoretically know the most about the child's weight," she said.
The results were published this month in the journal Clinical Pediatrics.
© 2010 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37838149/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/
Also don't think this only happen in the western countries...we are catching up quick here.
Parents lowball heavy tots’ weight
Most think their child is a healthy weight, study says
By Rachael Rettner
updated 8:18 a.m. ET June 22, 2010
Most parents don't realize if their preschool-age child is overweight or obese, a new study suggests.
The results show 71 percent of participating parents with overweight or obese toddlers misperceived their child's weight, identifying it as either a healthy weight or lighter than healthy weight.
The parents were more likely to underestimate their child's weight if a pediatrician had never discussed the issue with them. In fact, fewer than 8 percent of parents reported hearing from a pediatrician that their child was overweight or gaining weight too fast.
"Pediatricians have to really embrace this idea that talking to families about toddlers' weight is important," said study researcher Dr. Raquel Hernandez, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of South Florida. Although doctors might find it difficult to bring up toddlers' weight issues , "it does pay off, because families who have the provider talk about it are much less likely to misperceive their child, and therefore much more likely to make healthy behavioral changes," she said.
While making a fuss over baby fat might seem a little extreme, obesity at a young age does matter, Hernandez said.
"We shouldn't neglect the very young kids just because they're cute and chubby and no one wants to do anything," Hernandez said, adding that toddler-hood is a critical time when good habits can be set so kids have a better chance of being healthy throughout life.
Predictor of later obesity
A number of studies have found that being overweight at a young age, even as young as 2, can increase a child's risk for obesity in school age and adolescence up to five-fold, Hernandez said.
"The concept that kids outgrow their weight at some point or another, may have been true maybe 10 or 15 years ago, but more and more we're seeing that once the kid falls into that category, it really tends to be predictive long term," she said. Modern-day tendencies toward less exercise and an overabundance of food might be the culprit behind this shift, she said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that doctors start screening for overweight and obesity at age 2. Body mass index, or BMI, (an indicator of body fatness calculated from height and weight) is used to assess each individual. Children are considered overweight if they fall in the 85th to 94th percentiles of the BMI growth charts and obese if they are in the 95th percentile or higher.
Currently, about 33 percent of preschoolers in the United States are overweight, and 12 to 15 percent are obese, Hernandez said.
Parents' misperceptions
Hernandez and her colleagues interviewed 150 parents with children between the ages of 2 and 5. The parents were asked "Do you feel your child is..."(very underweight, a little underweight, about the right weight, a little overweight or very overweight).
They were also ask asked to view sketches of children with various body sizes and circle the image that most closely matched their own child's size. Such sketches are considered a better way to gauge parents' perceptions of their child's weight because parents are often hesitant to identify their child in a negative way.
"It's much easier for a parent to circle a bigger picture than to actually say that their child is overweight or obese," Hernandez said.
Among the findings:
About a third of preschoolers in the study were overweight or obese. 83 percent of all parents reported their children as "about the right weight," and 55 percent of parents with obese children said their child was "about the right weight." Using the sketches, parents of overweight preschoolers were much more likely to underestimate their children's weight than parents of obese children (89.6 percent vs. 45.5 percent). 20 percent of parents with overweight or obese kids actually chose an image that was smaller than the healthy weight image to indicate their own child's size.
Hernandez finds the last result particularly disturbing.
"Imagine the risk that those kids are at, where their parents think that they're too thin and they're already overweight or obese," she said. "Those are the kids that are going to get more portions; they're going to get more high-calorie, dense foods. And then you're really tipping the scales at that point with those kids."
Big toddler isn't always a healthy toddler
It's understandable that parents would not realize their young child has a weight issue, Hernandez said. They can't be expected to calculate BMI at home, and there tends to be a perception in society that a big toddler is a healthy toddler, she said.
Pediatricians might be reluctant to measure BMI and discuss weight issues both because they are afraid of offending the parents and because there are relatively few guidelines for how to go about modifying a young child's diet and exercise habits, Hernandez said.
Nevertheless, such discussions are important if parents are to take action early on, she said.
"With no one commenting, then certainly parents aren't going to have any idea if they're not hearing anything from the person who would theoretically know the most about the child's weight," she said.
The results were published this month in the journal Clinical Pediatrics.
© 2010 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37838149/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/
2010年6月21日星期一
Spare Tire
Tip: Spare Tire
There’s nothing jolly about a big gut. In fact, the fat around your waist could be a sign of more serious issues.
http://video.healthination.com/wrongdiagnosis/tips-men/spare-tire.html
2010年6月20日星期日
2010年6月19日星期六
中風個案三分一因血壓高
中風個案三分一因血壓高
中風離不開高血壓及肥胖等因素，一項全球最大型的研究找出引致中風十大原因，頭號是高血壓，三分一的中風個案是由血壓高引發，血壓高人士中風機率較常人高 2.5倍；煙民中風危險也高非煙民 1倍，每 5人中風就有 1人與吸煙有關。
倡健康飲食做運動
這項大型研究由加拿大學者領導，於 22個國家 6,000人進行研究，包括 3,000名急性中風患者與同樣數目沒有中風的人士，研究由 07年至今年 4月進行，全部人均接受電腦掃描檢查。結果得出，高血壓、吸煙、中央肥胖、飲食習慣、運動、脂肪、糖尿、飲酒、壓力及心臟功能是十大中風危險因素。
研究員建議各國推動市民改善血壓、戒煙、食得健康及多做運動。本港每年有逾兩萬人中風，中風者趨年輕化。 
2010年6月17日星期四
醫療資訊：體內多B6減患肺癌
2010年6月16日星期三
UPDATE 1-US food guidelines should focus on fat, panel says
UPDATE 1-US food guidelines should focus on fat, panel says
(Updates throughout with details from report)
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - New U.S. nutritional guidelines should focus on keeping Americans from getting even fatter, experts said on Tuesday, with an emphasis not only on healthy foods but on finding ways to help Americans eat better and exercise more.
With two-thirds of U.S. adults overweight or obese, the aim is to help people cut calories while getting the right nutrients, Rear Admiral Penelope Slade-Sawyer of the Health and Human Services Department told reporters in a telephone briefing.
"This report is unprecedented in addressing the obesity epidemic ... and the obesity epidemic is the single biggest threat to public health," Slade-Sawyer said.
This is especially true for children, among whom obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years.
"Americans of all ages consume too few vegetables, fruits, high-fiber whole grains, low-fat milk and milk products, and seafood and they eat too much added sugars, solid fats, refined grains, and sodium," the report said.
The report from more than a dozen experts of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, was released here for a 30-day public comment period.
HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will then draw up new guidelines, as required by Congress every five years.
The guidelines set standards for U.S. school breakfasts and lunches and other federal programs. The administration of President Barack Obama has launched an effort to fight childhood obesity with better eating and more exercise.
PLANT-BASED DIET
The committee's recommendations emphasize a plant-based diet with plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables and moderate amounts of lean meat, poultry and eggs.
They also suggest decreasing sodium from the current level of less than 2,300 milligrams a day to less than 1,500 and said Americans need to phase out processed grains like white flour.
"There is a call for drinking fewer sugar-sweetened beverages. There is a call to decrease saturated fat from 10 percent to 7 percent of daily calories. It is sort of a graduated approach to decrease the caloric intake of the American public," Slade-Sawyer said.
And it veered into public policy, something avoided in past reports.
"The daunting public health challenge is to accomplish population-wide adoption of healthful dietary patterns within the context of powerful influences that currently promote unhealthy consumer choices, behaviors, and lifestyles," the report said.
"Primary prevention of obesity must begin in childhood. This is the single most powerful public health approach to combating and reversing America's obesity epidemic over the long term."
Families need to learn how to cook healthier food, and kids need recess, it said.
"For all Americans, especially those with low income, create greater financial incentives to purchase, prepare, and consume vegetables and fruit, whole grains, seafood, fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products, lean meats, and other healthy foods," the report added.
It suggested development of fish farms to help people afford fish.
It also noted there are no short-cuts to good nutrition. "A daily multivitamin/mineral supplement does not offer health benefits to healthy Americans," the report said.
(Editing by Julie Steenhuysen and Vicki Allen)
2010年6月15日星期二
2010年6月14日星期一
近三成幼童屬過重 大半家長誤當標準
2010-06-14 頭條日報
不少家長喜見子女肥肥白白，但教院調查發現，近兩成九受訪四至六歲幼童身形肥胖甚至過重，但約八成照顧這類幼童的人士均認為幼童體形正常。負責調查學者指，調查反映相當數量的家長對幼童應有身形存有誤解，幼稚園與母嬰健康院應及早主動找出過肥兒童個案，與家長研究及早減磅，改善健康。
教院以問卷調查約五百名日常要照顧四至六歲幼童的人士，並依「量度體重指數」(BMI)計算受訪者所照顧幼童的體重，結果只得約六成半幼童體重正常，另百分之十二點五屬「肥胖」，百分之十四點三更屬「過重」，另百分之八屬「過輕」。
應及早查出相關個案
調查發現，近七成七照顧超重幼童及近九成八照顧肥胖幼童的受訪人士，均低估他們所照顧幼童的體重，認為兒童體重屬正常。近八成八照顧過輕幼童的受訪者則高估所照顧幼童的體重，認為他們體形標準。其中近四成照顧過輕幼童的受訪者，在港逗留少於五年，但近八成照顧過重幼童，及近六成二照顧肥胖幼童的受訪者，在港卻超過十年。
教院心理研究學系助理教授陳美嫦指，調查反映相當部份照顧幼童的人士，錯誤評估幼童應有的體形及體重，或與這類人士過往成長經歷，或對幼童應有體形有成見有關。
她提醒市民，幼童早年體重若不正常，成年後健康或更易出問題，呼籲幼稚園與母嬰健康院應及早查出相關個案，與照顧人士合作解決問題。
不少家長喜見子女肥肥白白，但教院調查發現，近兩成九受訪四至六歲幼童身形肥胖甚至過重，但約八成照顧這類幼童的人士均認為幼童體形正常。負責調查學者指，調查反映相當數量的家長對幼童應有身形存有誤解，幼稚園與母嬰健康院應及早主動找出過肥兒童個案，與家長研究及早減磅，改善健康。
教院以問卷調查約五百名日常要照顧四至六歲幼童的人士，並依「量度體重指數」(BMI)計算受訪者所照顧幼童的體重，結果只得約六成半幼童體重正常，另百分之十二點五屬「肥胖」，百分之十四點三更屬「過重」，另百分之八屬「過輕」。
應及早查出相關個案
調查發現，近七成七照顧超重幼童及近九成八照顧肥胖幼童的受訪人士，均低估他們所照顧幼童的體重，認為兒童體重屬正常。近八成八照顧過輕幼童的受訪者則高估所照顧幼童的體重，認為他們體形標準。其中近四成照顧過輕幼童的受訪者，在港逗留少於五年，但近八成照顧過重幼童，及近六成二照顧肥胖幼童的受訪者，在港卻超過十年。
教院心理研究學系助理教授陳美嫦指，調查反映相當部份照顧幼童的人士，錯誤評估幼童應有的體形及體重，或與這類人士過往成長經歷，或對幼童應有體形有成見有關。
她提醒市民，幼童早年體重若不正常，成年後健康或更易出問題，呼籲幼稚園與母嬰健康院應及早查出相關個案，與照顧人士合作解決問題。
2010年6月9日星期三
體重超標童父母多肥胖
Another nation with 1/4 kids over weight problem.
醫療短波
芬蘭的家族肥胖問題日趨嚴重，當地約一半體重超標的兒童，父或母是肥胖一族，其中約三分一人更是父母也肥胖。芬蘭國民健康與福利研究中心分析 10個城市， 07至 09年的兒童健康檢查數據，發現每四名兒童就有一人體重超標，肥胖兒童的家人普遍也有超重問題，相信與不良生活與飲食習慣有關。研究又顯示，兒童肥胖問題已成為近年越來越多青少年患糖尿病的元凶。
醫療短波
體重超標童父母多肥胖
芬蘭的家族肥胖問題日趨嚴重，當地約一半體重超標的兒童，父或母是肥胖一族，其中約三分一人更是父母也肥胖。芬蘭國民健康與福利研究中心分析 10個城市， 07至 09年的兒童健康檢查數據，發現每四名兒童就有一人體重超標，肥胖兒童的家人普遍也有超重問題，相信與不良生活與飲食習慣有關。研究又顯示，兒童肥胖問題已成為近年越來越多青少年患糖尿病的元凶。
2010年6月8日星期二
New Stats from AU 肥胖致病成主要殺手
Hi Guys, new stats from the land down under....
醫療短波
肥胖致病成主要殺手
2010年06月07日
醫療短波
肥胖致病成主要殺手
2010年06月07日澳洲衞生部門警告，與肥胖有關的疾病已成為國內主要疾病殺手；最新的健康數據顯示，心臟病已成為導致最多人死亡的疾病，其次是中風，癌症則排行男士第三位，女士排第四位。數據顯示，生活及飲食習慣與個人健康關係密切，例如 73%澳洲人處於運動量太低的水平，癡肥比率則由 95年的 19%增至近年的 25%，每四名兒童及青少年中更有一人過重，大大提高患慢性病風險。
2010年6月4日星期五
孩子愛吃漢堡 小心氣喘上身
孩子愛吃漢堡 小心氣喘上身
(法新社)2010年6月3日 星期四 10:20（法新社巴黎 3日電） 根據今天發表的研究，灑滿醬汁和佐料的漢堡 不只會造成動脈阻塞，還可能提高罹患氣喘和哮喘 的風險，特別是兒童。
研究報導，相反地，所謂地中海型飲食（Mediterranean diet）─多吃蔬果和魚類等脂肪較少的食物，則有助於降低氣喘等呼吸問題的風險。這份研究發表於「英國 醫學期刊」（British Medical Journal）。
氣喘是兒童最常見的慢性疾病。通常是因灰塵和過敏引發，會使得空氣進出肺部的呼吸道發炎。
這種疾病的症狀包括哮喘、胸痛和呼吸收縮。根據世界衛生組織 （WHO），全球有3億多人飽受氣喘所苦，並且每年約有25萬人因此喪命。
因為某些不明原因，過去25年來氣喘病患不斷增加，尤
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