U.S. Adult Obesity Rate Levels Off

There is finally (semi) good news relating to U.S. obesity rates----obesity among adults seems to be leveling off. At a time when over a third of adults are obese, or more than 35 pounds above ideal body weight, any change is welcome. In 2012, 78 million adults were obese, and according to the National Center for Health Statistics, over 50 million were white. There has not been a significant change in the percentage of obese adults in the U.S. since 2004, when the adult obesity rate was 32%; in 2012, it was reported to be 34.9%. This new analysis is based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is a survey of people whose weight and height are actually measured rather than being self-reported, making it more reliable. Some other statistics of interest include that there was no significant change in obesity in men or women, and that the obesity rate among Asians was the lowest out of all the demographics. While it is promising to hear that the adult obesity rate is leveling off and not increasing as it has in past years, we should not be too quick to celebrate. Over one third of all adults are still obese, and obesity is a harmful epidemic that can cause a multitude of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems. We need to concentrate on publicizing the downfalls of an unhealthy lifestyle and promote healthy eating and physical activity. Additionally, the U.S. needs to consider lowering the costs of organic foods and specialty items and placing a tax on unhealthy food, just as Canada and countries in the United Kingdom have. This would definitely eliminate part of the problem. 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/17/obesity-rate-levels-off/2895759/

South Asian Cholera Strain Spreading

A South Asian strain of Cholera was discovered in Haiti and the Domincan Republic three years ago, now it is not isolated in the Caribbean Islands. It was discovered in Mexico on September 9th. Cholera, once present in the water - especially in areas with poor sanitation, is very hard get rid of. Haiti and the Domincan Republic's case of this strain of Cholera was most likely from UN peacekeeping troops from Nepal, who were positioned long term, in a camp, which had very poor sanitary facilities/untreated water. 
Mexico has been the fourth country in the Western Hemisphere to experience this outbreak. Mexico's case was first found in through normal surveillance of hospital cases of severe diarrhea. Since September, there has been 171 reported cases found in Mexico, and one person who has died.
 It was not that long ago either since the last major cholera epidemic. 22 years ago, a cholera outbreak spread all the way up the South American continent, until stopping at the US- Mexico border, because of the US modern sanitation facilities. It sickened more than 1 million people and killing around 10,000. Officials are extremely worried a similar situation could play out with this South Asian Cholera strain. It took Mexico more than 10 years to bring the last cholera epidemic under control.
The World health Organization has a stockpile of oral cholera vaccines, costing $ 1.85 and requires two doses, however Mexico is not considering using them right now. The vaccine is mainly to use for epidemics (which this could turn into). But Mexico authorities are focused on monitoring the population and fast treatment of affected people.

If this turns into an epidemic, the public health implications would be huge. It won't just a regional impact, but a global health impact. Infectious diseases have away of bringing developing nations backward in time. It's not just having people sick - it's having people unable to go to work, to school, unable to live their lives. Public health officials agree that the only real solution is to have clean water and better sewage treatment to communities. In the article is states that Cholera is one of the few diseases that makes people listen. So hopefully this strain of Cholera will make people take action (as in provide funding to bring clean water and sewage treatment).
 In class we learned about the leading causes of death has changed (in the US), from infectious diseases and things that are from crowded spaces, poor water treatment, etc in the early 20th century, to chronic diseases in the 21st century. Thus the things public health has been focused on and targets has changed. I think this contributes to the idea that, for Americans, their is a view that Cholera was something that happened in the past, and it won't affect us now. Clean water and sewage treatment is such a basic human need, that it's hard to imagine not having that available - and that this is still a problem, and it's not just in far away places, it's in a place that the US share's a border with.



http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/10/23/239803890/haitian-cholera-strain-spreads-to-mainland-with-mexico-outbreak

No Time for Toxins, Just Sleep.

According to BBC, Recent research suggests that lack of sleep could lead to deteriorative mental health issues later in life. For many years, evolutionary biologists have wondered why, in a predator-prey food chain environment, animals maintain sleep above other functions when it so clearly exposes them to harm. Now there is evidence that it is due to the restorative processes occurring during sleep. These studies are centered on the function of the glymphatic system of mice while they sleep, including the shrinking of the glial cells, which enables the interstitial space to open and fluid to wash away toxic chemicals that build up during the day.

This has led the way for studies to track the mental health of those running daily on little to no sleep. Included in this sleep-deprived population are students ranging from middle school through college-aged, whose ration of homework each night keeps them from getting the sleep they require. This has serious implications for those in secondary education, during the critical formative years for brain and neuronal development, who are staying up until the early hours doing homework and playing video games. The grade-driven and technologically consumed culture has become over-bearing and stressful for younger generations and in several decades, could lead to an older population plagued with neurodegenerative disorders.

The article did not clarify the interstitial fluid composition nor did it qualify what toxins were building up in the brain, so I would be curious to know the biochemical pathways associated with this process.  If cleaning mechanisms or lipid metabolics are influenced/inhibited by these toxins, then the possibility for causation of neurodegenerative disorders is more than likely true. And if that is the case, then there most definitely needs to be a stronger campaign for youth to spend less time stressing about schoolwork, and more time resting, meaning classes and teachers may have to reevaluate their techniques to maximize time in the classroom to reduce time spent outside the classroom. Schools should spend more time teaching students how to study and work, rather than piling on lectures and expecting the students to process the information on their own.  It has always been said that sleep is critical to good mental health, but now those words may be truer than ever.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24567412 

Chronic Kidney Disease

According to this article, kidney disease in America is actually the cause for more deaths (90,000) than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined annually. Obviously, great strides have been made in cancer research but to almost abandon funding and research for kidney disease and prevention presents a huge public health issue. Kidney disease is very preventable and with the correct diet and treatment can be very manageable.  Limiting the soft drink, red meat and fast food consumption could have a very large effect on the number of deaths resulting each year from kidney disease. If people can take such proactive measures to do research for cancer and make an effort to limit the contributing factors to the disease, then  why can't they focus on doing the same for kidney diseases? Because this is such a preventable disease it just makes sense to stop it before it's too late as opposed to waiting until you already have it. By that time, type 1 or 2 diabetes could have set in leaving you to pay for treatment that most of the time exceeds the average Medicare pay out by nearly 5 times for patients 65 and older.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/15/kidney-disease-an-underestimated-killer/?_r=0

Fat and Thin Find Common Ground

There has been a lot of controversy in regards to diagnosing patients with eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia and obesity. There are a lot of factors to consider, so although the symptoms of the patients exhibit the disorder, their image might say otherwise. Both were always considered two distinct problems, but with the number of people dealing with binge eating disorder increasing, this disorder seems to be a way to bridge the gap between the two health problems. Those who suffer from binge eating disorder or any other eating disorder are usually seen as thin, but according to the National Co-Morbidity Survey Replication, about 39.8% of respondents were obese.This goes to show that there are many mistakes being made in diagnoses and proper treatments because differences in physical characteristics and symptoms are not being seen. In a pediatric study back in September, it was found that almost half of all adolescents with a eating disorder had a history of obesity, but because their weight was so high from their past, their symptoms were not recognized as eating disorder symptoms and were often unrecognized and untreated as well.

The stigma and pressure that society and the media places on what the ideal figure should be creates such a big divide between the two and overall the both against the rest of society that is considered the "norm". Obesity is often a disorder more associated with the medical side of things and eating disorders are more often associated with psychology. What needs to be understood is that both medical and psychological means need to be addressed for both obesity and eating disorders and that the two actually have a lot of similarities and should use those similarities as a basis to work together for effective treatment. The focus needs to made on treating those who are obese or suffer from a eating disorder, and then shift that towards changing their behavior instead of worrying about the number on their scale. The two communities can be one powerful political force to the public to enforce education about making better and healthier food options and implementing messages about how to get access to these foods and that it is never to to late to get healthy to the public.


http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/10/can-the-fat-and-thin-just-get-along/

Lunar Cycle Disrupts Sleep

According to a new study, a full moon could cause people to lose an average of twenty minutes of sleep compared to a new one. This study ran sleeping trials on 33 healthy volunteers, whose ages fell between 20 and 74. They limited their view of the moon by monitoring the patients inside of a laboratory with no windows. The trials lasted three and a half days for each participant. The researchers also controlled humidity and temperature inside the lab. At the time of the study, the participants and the researchers were unaware of the link to the moon. Along with the twenty minute loss of sleep during a full moon, researchers also found it takes around five minutes longer for a person to fall asleep and deep sleep was decreased by around thirty percent during a full moon. The participants sleeping in the lab also showed lower levels of melatonin, the hormone that helps the body determine day and night.

However, there are some limitations to this study. For example, the sample size was extremely small and individuals environments before entering the study were not controlled.  In order to find more proof in this study, each participant would need to spend a full lunar cycle to get the most accurate results possible which would become extremely expensive.

This study represents another instance of the importance of data in public health. While this study may not have the medical significance of other studies such as Framingham, interpreting data on the sleep patterns could have their own health effect. This article also briefly touches on the issues of funding such study. In order to do a complete study, it would cost too much money. During a time in which government cannot work together to decide on funding, deciding which studies need federal assistance could become a major issue in the near future.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/26/full-moon-may-disrupt-sleep-study-says/

Minnesota boasts of low coverage costs under Obamacare

On Friday, Minnesota insurance officials said that it will offer some of the lowest health insurance rates in the country on the state health exchange it will launch this fall to satisfy the passing of Obamacare.  Under this new law, insurers will not be allowed to turn down customers with pre-existing conditions. Maternity along with mental health services will also be covered.  Young, healthy citizens of Minnesota will be able to receive low-level coverage for about $90 per month.  Seniors can receive coverage from $244-$407, and these numbers do not take into account government subsidies that may even further reduce these prices for some.  Officials pitch that these numbers are proof that many people will gain access to health care coverage for the first time.  However, many Republicans look to studies that show for some states, premiums will actually RISE under Obamacare.   Analysts say that even though these low prices are attractive, there could be an unintended consequence of tempting consumers to purchase low-cost health insurances plans that don’t provide them with the coverage they need, which could leave people with bigger bills if they do end up needing significant care.

Overall, this is obliviously a positive sign that we are moving in the right direction toward lowering health care costs.  In turn, people will be more likely to receive basic care.  From this article we see a bright future for Minnesota implementing Obamacare, but the Republicans argue that some states will actually suffer with the new law and people may actually be unprotected from major, expensive treatments.  It’s important that we work toward finding a method that everyone will benefit from (if possible), which could be different on a state-to-state basis.  The implications of Obamacare will be huge, affecting all parts of our economy and changing public health in our country.  As we move forward in lowering health care costs, we must work to implement policy that works to limit negative effects/consequences and assure that the American people will be made better off.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/6/minnesota-boasts-low-coverage-costs-under-obamacar/

Decrease in cancer deaths within the married population

Studies show that being married could significantly reduce the likelihood of dying of cancer. The journal of clinical oncology recently published a study of 700,000 subjects who were diagnosed with the worst and deadliest types of cancer in the world. The research found that there was a 20% decrease indeaths amongst the group of patients who were married as opposed to patients who were unmarried. A direct link was never found to prove that being married reduces the likelihood of cancer deaths, but an association was made between marital status and cancer survival rates. This may be due to the social support a person receives from his or her spouse. If a wife is constantly prodding her husband about going to get a colonoscopy, chances are, he will. In turn, if the husband gets annoyed with her nagging and starts bothering her about getting a mammogram, she will probably end up getting her screening done as well. 17% of patients who lived by themselves were more likely to have their cancer spread beyond its original state and 53% were more likely to receive inadequate treatment. It’s also beneficial to have a partner present during the appointments to keep track of what the oncologist is saying since many patients tend to become overwhelmed with the information. On top of medical care and help with the appointments, a person with a spouse is more likely to be loved, encouraged and taken care of at home, and that may be one of the best things that can be done in this situation.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/23/marriage-may-improve-cancer-survival-odds/