May 2004 Articles
May 2004 News Article Index
To read the entire article, click on the title
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Obesity Poll Method (05/29/04) The Associated Press-Ipsos poll on attitudes about diet and obesity is based on telephone interviews with 1,000 randomly selected adults from all states except Alaska and Hawaii. The interviews were conducted May 17-19 by Ipsos-Public Affairs. Results were weighted to represent the population by demographic factors such as age, sex, religion and education. |
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Half of Edmonton Protocol Patients Insulin-Free (05/29/04) Half of the 36 patients with type 1 diabetes who have received islet cell transplants under the Edmonton Protocol are insulin-free. For those still taking insulin, there has been a decrease from 36 units at baseline to an average 21 units per day now. For patients who are insulin-free, glucose control has been excellent, with fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c levels within the normal range. |
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Destined for Diabetes? (05/29/04) People with type 2 diabetes are often surprised by their diagnosis. But the truth is that this kind of diabetes tends to develop gradually. It starts with a condition known as pre-diabetes. According to a new estimate from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 41 million Americans are living with pre-diabetes, which is about 20 million more people than previous thought. |
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Legislation Introduced To Compensate Diabetes Educators (05/29/04) U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison this week introduced legislation that would make Certified Diabetes Educators — trained health care professionals like nurses, pharmacists or dietitians — certified Medicare providers. These educators teach people with diabetes how to live with their disease through a daily regimen of diet, exercise, meal planning, medication and blood sugar monitoring. |
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Childhood Obesity A Major Problem And Is Getting Worse (05/29/04) If an answer to this obesity epidemic is not found soon, for the first time this century, the present generation of children will not live as long as their parents." This trend shows us our children are becoming more obese at a younger age and if we don't address this problem, the health consequence for obesity include premature death from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, breathing problems and arthritis." |
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Britain Opens World's First Stem Cell Bank (05/29/04) The world's first embryonic stem cell bank opened in Britain, breaking new ground in one of the most controversial areas of medical research. The bank aims to store and supply stem cell lines for research and ultimately for treatment of conditions like diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Its store of stem cells is expected to number tens of thousands. |
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Study: Texas Kids Among Fattest in U.S. (05/29/04) Texas children are among the fattest in the nation, with black and Hispanic kids exhibiting the highest risk for being overweight, a study shows. Texas fourth-graders were overweight at a rate 46 percent higher than children of similar age elsewhere in the country. |
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Panel Recommends Changes to Fight Obesity (05/29/04) Food companies should use a "traffic light" system of red, orange and green symbols to help shoppers quickly determine how healthy their products are, a British parliamentary committee recommended. If companies fail to do so voluntarily, the government should require them to, the lawmakers said. |
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World Action On Obesity Agreed Upon (05/29/04) The plan recommends people limit intake of sugar, fat and salt. It also recommends tighter controls on food marketing to children. |
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New Caution On High-Dose Crestor (05/29/04) AstraZeneca Plc has warned British doctors to stick to the label and not start patients on high doses of new cholesterol drug Crestor following four cases of kidney damage. The company said on Monday it had told healthcare professionals in a letter that patients should not be started directly on the higher 40-mg dose but should be given 10 mg initially, with doses increasing to 20-40 mg as required. |
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Low Testosterone Levels in Men Predicts Metabolic Syndrome, Diabetes (05/29/04) Middle-age men with low levels of testosterone or sex hormone-binding globulin, or both, are at risk for the development of the metabolic syndrome and diabetes. |
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Coca-Cola Announces Plans for Low-Carb Cola (05/29/04) Coca-Cola announced plans for a new low-carbohydrate cola dubbed C2, aimed to capitalize on the latest diet craze. The company said the new drink has half the carbohydrates, calories and sugar of regular cola, and "all the great taste" of Coca-Cola. |
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New Degree Available Due To Increase in Diabetes Amputees (05/29/04) A new bachelor’s degree program in orthothics and prosthetics is being offered in 4 schools. The courses on devices supporting the spine or extremities and on artificial limbs often lead to highly paid jobs as baby boomers age. As baby boomers age, and more diabetes is being diagnosed, the need for artificial limbs is expected to increase, creating more of a demand for the degree. |
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How Sweet It Is: Monitoring Blood Sugar at Home (05/29/04) If you've got diabetes and you're leaving your home for the day, you may check your bag for more than your wallet, keys and cell phone. Chances are you also want to bring your glucose meter. There are more than 25 types of glucose meters on the market that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. |
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Weight Loss Surgery Has Hefty Benefits (05/29/04) Obese patients who undergo weight loss surgery not only shed unwanted pounds, but also reduce their risk of a number of obesity-related illnesses, including heartburn, high cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes, a new study shows. |
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Diabetes Linked to 65% Increased Risk of Alzheimer's (05/26/04) Findings from a new study indicate that patients with diabetes mellitus are 65 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than are people without diabetes. |
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National Employer Health & Fitness Day (05/19/04) Working Out at WorkToday, May 19, is National Employer Health & Fitness Day. Americans spend so many hours at work that it's often difficult to squeeze in time for exercise. Here are 10 ways to bring fitness to the workplace and help break up the monotony of the day. |
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Diabetics at Higher Risk of Pneumococcal Infection (05/19/04) Researchers estimate that 24 of 1000 hospital admissions for pneumococcal bacteremia may be attributed to diabetes. The finding supports the recommendation that diabetics benefit from pneumococcal vaccination, especially if they have chronic heart or lung disease. |
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New Anti-Obesity Device On Trial In Italy (05/19/04) Surgeons in Italy have started testing a novel way to combat the growing scourge of obesity -- a device implanted into patients that gives them the sensation of feeling full. |
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U.S. Is Third On List Of Maximum Number of Diabetes Cases (05/19/04) In the United States, third only to India and China in diabetes cases, the number will increase by 70 per cent, says a study by researchers with the World Health Organization and universities in Scotland, Australia and Denmark. Researchers estimate that 366 million people, or 4.4 per cent of the world's population, will be diabetic by 2030 -- up from 171 million, or 2.8 per cent of the population, in 2000. |
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Angioplasty Linked to Higher Death Risk in Diabetics (05/19/04) New research shows that diabetic patients who undergo angioplasty, a minimally invasive method of opening blocked heart vessels, are more likely to die in the years following treatment than their peers without diabetes. These findings suggest that angioplasty...may not be the best form of treatment for diabetics. Diabetics may require more intensive medical therapy or even bypass surgery to achieve the best long-term outcomes. |
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Advocates Fear Obesity Strategy Blockage (05/19/04) Anti-obesity advocates said Tuesday they fear that a bloc of developing countries, led by Brazil, could derail the adoption this week of a global strategy to fight obesity and other diet- or exercise-related diseases worldwide. Health ministers are scheduled to vote later this week on the adoption of the strategy, which sets out a range of global policy options for addressing obesity and its related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. |
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Across The Globe 1 in 10 School Children Are Overweight (05/19/04) One in ten of the world's schoolchildren is overweight, and about 45 million of them have an increased risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses before they leave their teens, according to the first global assessment of child obesity. |
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Medronic Recalls Insulin Infusion Sets (05/19/04) More than 160,000 insulin infusion sets are being recalled because of problems that the California manufacturer says may have led 200 diabetics to be hospitalized for elevated blood-sugar levels. |
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Eye Care (05/19/04) Uncontrolled diabetes can cause permanent damage to your eyes (retinopathy). Have annual eye exams and report any changes in your vision. Check your blood glucose regularly and keep it under control. Control your blood pressure and avoid smoking. If you have retinopathy, you may have activity limits. |
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Rosuvastatin May Provide More Effective Lipid Lowering (05/19/04) Rosuvastatin (Crestor) may be more effective than other statins in reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Switching to a more efficacious statin is an effective strategy to improve lipid goal achievement. |
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New Guidelines Recommend Statins For Type 2’s Without Elevated Lipids (05/19/04) To prevent or diminish microvascular and macrovascular complications associated with type 2 diabetes, particularly in premenopausal women, the American College of Physicians (ACP) has developed a set of recommendations on lipid control. Tailored to address the need for lipid control in 2 categories of patients -- diabetics without known coronary disease (primary prevention) and diabetics with established coronary disease (secondary prevention)-- there are 4 recommendations. |
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Studies Bolster Case for Atkins Diet (05/19/04) Two new studies seem to provide further evidence that a low-carbohydrate regimen is at least as effective as a low-fat diet in helping people drop excess weight without harming their cholesterol levels. In both studies, low-carb dieters lost more weight at the end of six months than people on a low-fat diet. They also had lower levels of triglycerides -- blood fats that can raise the risk of heart attack or stroke -- and improved levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the so-called "good" cholesterol. |
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Half of American Adults Have Elevated CRP (05/19/04) Almost half of the adults in the United States probably have elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and the rate is about 30% higher in women than men. |
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Glucose Tolerance Test & B12 Levels Best to Diagnose Sensory Neuropathy (05/19/04) Peripheral neuropathy is a common problem that often prompts a lengthy and expensive diagnostic evaluation. A rational, evidence-based diagnostic approach to peripheral neuropathy is desirable.... The goal was to develop a focused diagnostic algorithm that can be easily applied in a general medical setting. Patients with sensory neuropathy should be evaluated with a glucose tolerance test and vitamin B12 levels. |
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Platelets Are Now Suspects In Diabetes (05/19/04) Researchers believe the platelet is the pivotal link between inflammation, heart disease and stroke - and may even be a key cell in the body that promotes diabetic complications, the origin of which remains unknown. |
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The Lowdown on Low Carbs (05/19/04) Research giant ACNielsen found more than 17 percent of the 10,000 U.S. households surveyed reported that someone in their home is currently on a low-carb diet. Though there's a large need for effective weight loss plans, low-carb diets may not be best for particular groups. Low-carb regimes may trigger birth defects and childhood cancers. Researchers say complex carbs, such as potatoes, rice, whole grain breads, lentils, beans and pasta, are best for stabilizing mood. So if you are already prone to mood changes, a low-carb diet may make you cranky. The American Dietetic Association does not recommend low-carb diets for children at all. |
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Study Links Diabetes and Alzheimer's (05/18/04) Diabetes might significantly increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's, a study of 824 nuns, priests and Roman Catholic brothers found, bolstering the evidence linking the two diseases. The researchers calculated that diabetics faced a 65 percent increased risk of developing the mind-robbing disease. |
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Recent Findings Show How Obesity Kills (05/14/04) Research into the biology of fat is turning up some surprising new insights about how obesity kills. The weight of the evidence: It's the toxic mischief of the flesh itself. A series of recent discoveries suggests that all fat-storage cells churn out a stew of hormones and other chemical messengers that fine-tune the body's energy balance. But when spewed in vast amounts by cells swollen to capacity with fat, they assault many organs in ways that are bad for health. |
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New Onset Diabetes Increases Risk For Heart Attack 3 Fold (05/14/04) Compared with patients without diabetes, those with new diabetes were 2.9-times more likely to experience a heart attack or related event -- an elevated risk similar to the 3.6-fold risk seen in patients with long-standing diabetes. |
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Save Your Sight: Preventing Vision Loss from Diabetes (05/14/04) A study found that more than 4 million US adults aged 40 or older have diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness. Retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels in the retina, which is the tissue at the back of the eye. "The results of our study are important for public policy because they demonstrate that there's a large need for management and detection of eye disease in people with diabetes." |
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Targeted Diabetes Screening Cost-Effective (05/14/04) The most cost-effective strategy for diabetes screening is to target efforts to individuals between 55 and 75 old who have hypertension, results of a cost-effectiveness analysis indicate. For example, targeted screening of a 55-year-old hypertensive compared with no screening costs roughly $34,375 per quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) saved. |
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Adults Being Diagnosed With Juvenile Type 1 Diabetes (05/14/04) Doctors said late-onset of type one diabetes in adults can occur in people of normal weight who have no family history of the disease. When an adult is diagnosed with diabetes, it's assumed to be type two, but some adults may actually have type one diabetes instead, the type that's usually only diagnosed in kids. |
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Short Women Are At Greater Risk for Gestational Diabetes (05/14/04) A new study shows that women who develop gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) tend to be shorter than their glucose-tolerant counterparts. Going a step further, the new research from Australia shows specifically that women with GDM have shorter legs, or lower "leg-to-height percentage," than glucose-tolerant women. |
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Early Insulin May Help Diabetics Avoid It Later (05/14/04) A short course of insulin therapy may help people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes avoid this therapy later. Reducing blood glucose quickly pays off in long run. |
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Diabetes Common After Pregnancy-Related Diabetes (05/14/04) Diabetes that develops during pregnancy normally clears up after delivery. Nowadays, however, full-blown diabetes often develops in women with previous so-called gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), according to a new study. This appears to be the result of a substantial increase in body weight among women with GDM. |
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How To Impact Your Patients Lifestyles in 20 Minutes! Part 5 – How to get patients to change and improve their diets (05/14/04) During the 20 minutes we were able to talk briefly about food labels and counting carbohydrates. What is the most important item on the food label? They replied, of course, carbohydrates! I then explain the most important part of the food label is PORTION SIZE! I then go on to explain that there are other things that should also be aware of on the label Calories, Fats, and Salt. |
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Telecare Improves Glycemic Control (05/14/04) Telecare was associated with improving glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes that was inadequately controlled with intensive insulin treatment. |
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Gene Disruption Can Prevent Type I Diabetes (05/14/04) Disrupting a gene called Stat-4 suppresses the activation of white blood cells involved in the development of Type I diabetes. The researchers discovered it for the first time in a mouse model, revealing an important role for the Stat-4 gene in the pathogenesis of Type I, also known as auto-immune diabetes. It occurs when the body's immune system goes haywire and attacks the insulin-making beta cells of the pancreas. |
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VA Buys Drugs Cheaply, Many Veterans Benefit (05/05/04) The Department of Veterans Affairs throws the weight of federal buying power and a law mandating discounts on medicine into price negotiations with drug manufacturers. Medicare? Since the VA gets the best prices on medicines, the Bush administration is being urged to adopt a VA-style program for Medicare. |
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New Estimate of More Than Three Million Diabetes-Related Deaths Every Year (05/05/04) 3.2 million deaths can be attributed to diabetes each year according to a new publication released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) to mark the launch of their joint programme "Diabetes Action Now". Updated estimates suggest that six deaths can be attributed to diabetes or related conditions somewhere in the world every minute, a figure three times higher than previous calculations. |
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Diabetes Will Double By 2030 (05/05/04) The figures are based on a stable obesity rate, but the rate will go up even higher if, as expected, more and more people become overweight, eat a "Western diet" and stop exercising, the researchers said. |
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Companies Rush to Sell Low-Carb Products (05/05/04) Take a piece of pita bread, a little tuna, some olives and capers and — presto — it's a low-carb "sort of Mediterranean" pizza. The impact of the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet and other low-carbohydrate eating plans is everywhere at this year's food industry show of new products. |
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HHS Launches Diabetes Prevention Campaign (05/05/04) HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) launched the first national multicultural diabetes prevention campaign, Small Steps. Big Rewards. Prevent type 2 Diabetes, to take action against the growing diabetes epidemic. HHS' NDEP is taking the lead on delivering the type 2 diabetes prevention message to high risk audiences through its campaign targeted to multicultural and older adult audiences. |
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High Triglycerides Cause Us To Overeat (05/05/04) High triglycerides prevent leptin from reaching the brain and turning off our desire to eat and burn calories. "We figured out how obesity occurs," says William A. Banks, M.D. "The next step is coming up with the solution." |
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New Insulin Treatment For Canine Diabetes (05/05/04) The Food and Drug Administration has approved its first-ever canine diabetic treatment. Before today's announcement, veterinarians would treat diabetes in dogs using human insulin. But the F-D-A says human insulin isn't compatible with a dog's metabolic system. |
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Walking Is Hard To Beat As Low-Impact Exercise (05/05/04) After decades of being told that exercise requires a serious commitment of time and sweat, it may be hard to believe that something as simple as going for a walk could improve your health and help you lose weight. Other benefits include preferentially losing more fat and hanging onto more muscle. Additionally, walking helps you become more mindful of what you're eating so you can manage your weight better. |
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"Living Bandages" Heal Burns with Patients' Cells (05/05/04) British scientists have developed "living bandages," made from a patient's own cells, which speed healing of burns and for patients with diabetes. |
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What To Expect From an Eye Examination – Part II (05/05/04) All patients, diabetics included, should have their visual field checked by professional examination regularly, as visual field loss can be very subtle until severe damage has occurred (as in glaucoma). At some point, the patient will be “refracted,” the process through which a new eyeglass prescription is determined (‘tell me which lens choice is better, choice #1 or choice #2’). All patients should have their eyes examined by a ‘slit lamp,’ a specialized microscope that gives the examiner a highly magnified view of the eyes. |
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Novo’s Inhaled Insulin Is Pulled From Further Research (05/05/04) Aradigm Corp., which is developing an inhaled form of insulin, said partner Novo Nordisk A/S is ending a study on the experimental treatment because it did not work as well as the injectable form. |
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Diabetes Breakthrough For Reversing Type 1 Diabetes (05/05/04) Children who are dependent on insulin injections could now be treated with tablets after researchers at Plymouth's Peninsula Medical School discovered a new, genetic cause of diabetes. |
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