January 2003 Articles

January 2003 News Article Index

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• FDA Seeks to Speed New Drug Development (01/31/03) Worried about a serious slowdown in the creation of novel drugs, the government is taking steps it hopes will speed medical innovation, largely by making clearer how companies can prove a new product works before they waste time researching the wrong thing.

• Diseases Linked to Obesity and Insulin Resistance (01/30/03) The diseases linked to obesity and insulin resistance now make up 4 of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States. Obesity and being overweight are directly related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers, asthma, and mortality. The USDA food pyramid was another disastrous attempt by the federal government to tell us how we should be eating. The USDA food pyramid has too much emphasis on grains and almost no emphasis placed on the nutritional values of various types of foods.

• Obesity Is Epidemic, But Fat Isn't The Only Culprit (01/30/03) Fat isn't all bad. The simplistic message to lower dietary fat ignores an important fact: Fat is essential for the body to function correctly. If not eaten to excess, fat can actually help you diet because it makes food taste better and helps you feel full longer.

• Reducing Complications from Diabetes (01/30/03) A new study out of Denmark shows patients with type 2 diabetes are more likely to avoid cardiovascular and other complications of diabetes if they receive intensive treatment for the condition.

• Steroid Injection for Diabetic Eye Problem (01/30/03) A new study finds an injection of a corticosteroid may be beneficial for diabetics with macular edema. Diabetic macular edema is one of the main reasons for vision problems in diabetics.

• Clinical Relevance of Homocysteine Monitoring in the Diabetic Patient (01/29/03) Diabetic patients, especially with type 2 diabetes, are prone to cardiovascular disease which is the leading cause of death in this population. The measurement of plasma homocysteine contributes to the identification, among the diabetic population, of patients at high cardio-vascular risk, with the aim of improving their global management. Moreover the addition of group B vitamins provides an easy and low-cost treatment to lower hyperhomocysteinemia. 

• Exchange, Not Reduction, of Fats Improve Cholesterol Levels (01/29/03) It is more important to change the proportions of dietary fatty acids than to cut the percentage of total or saturated fat when trying to improve the ratio of low and high density lipoproteins.

• Clogging of Leg Arteries Overlooked by Primary-Care Doctors (01/29/03) Diabetes and high blood pressure are key risk factors for peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a form of atherosclerosis that affects arteries leading to the legs and feet. Aggressive treatment to lower blood pressure in diabetics with clogged leg arteries significantly reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes, researchers say.

• Soy Comparable to Some Diabetes Drugs (01/29/03) Soy products lowered the women's blood sugar as much as some prescription diabetes drugs. The researchers' findings are significant for women past menopause because these women don't produce their own estrogen, and for this reason they are more vulnerable to heart disease, stroke, and other blood vessel diseases. People with diabetes are also generally more vulnerable to these often fatal diseases.

• Diabetic Ulcers Linked to Foot Structure Abnormalities (01/29/03) Diabetic patients with neuropathy, a common complication of the disease which causes loss of sensation in the feet, should be screened for certain biomechanical problems, such as limited ankle and big-toe mobility. Identifying and monitoring diabetes patients with pre-existing foot problems early in the course of the disease could improve the success of treatment for foot ulcers and lower the incidence of recurrence, infection and amputation.

• Fat Mass, Not Caloric Intake Linked to Longevity (01/29/03) While caloric restriction has been shown to increase lifespan, findings from a new animal study suggest that it is fat mass rather than caloric intake per se that determines longevity.

• Moderate Exercise Cuts Risk of Disease Even Without Weight Loss (01/29/03) Having an abundance of fat surrounding the organs has been linked to a greater incidence of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. A new study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association shows how  a group of women who worked out for a year lost an average of only three pounds more than a group that didn't, the ones who exercised made sharp reductions in the fat in their midsections, where it appears to be most dangerous.

• One Injection Could Result In Cure For Diabetes (01/29/03) Diabetes occurs when the pancreas contains defective cells that do not produce sufficient quantities of the hormone insulin. A shortage of insulin means cells do not absorb enough glucose to provide fuel and leaves excessive amounts of glucose in the bloodstream. This can be treated with changes to diet and increasing exercise, and in more serious cases insulin injections - although many diabetics suffer long-term complications. The experiments offer the potential of an alternative treatment, using just one injection, which could overcome these complications.

• Diabetes Bites the Big Apple (01/29/03) New York City is facing an epidemic of diabetes, new figures showing that nearly 8 percent of adults in the city have the disease, double the rate of eight years ago. n the city, 12.2 percent of Hispanics have diabetes, as do 10.8 percent of non-Hispanic blacks. The Bronx leads the city in diabetics, with 11.5 percent of residents having the illness. Dr. Frieden said that the city would take aggressive steps to educate city doctors and hospital workers about diabetes management.

• New Drug: Eat As Much As You Like and Stay Slim (01/29/03) New research raises the possibility that drugs might be developed to make human fat cells less sensitive to insulin, allowing people to eat as much as they like and still stay slim.

• Diabetics Benefit From Fatty Acid In Diet: Study (01/28/03) A new study has revealed that diabetics, who added an essential fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to their diets, had lower body mass as well as lower blood sugar levels, according to reports in the Journal of Nutrition.

• Following Simple Rules Can Help Your Pets Live Long, Happy Lives (01/28/03) The veterinarian can address many of the diseases and problems associated with aging. Diet should be stable; nowadays there are senior dog foods that are designed for the twilight years. As the dog becomes a senior citizen, make him or her a little more comfortable, but continue the dog's customary routines until the quality of life and the physical signs tell you the dog is becoming geriatric.

• Black and Hispanic Kids More Likely To Be Insulin-Resistant (01/27/03) Black and Hispanic children face higher risk than white children for insulin resistance-a stepping-stone to type 2 diabetes - regardless of whether they are heavy or thin. The study focuses renewed attention on the role that genetics, in concert with environmental factors such as diet and exercise, plays in the development of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is twice as common in Hispanics and blacks as in non-Hispanic whites. About 1.2 million Mexican-Americans, or 10.6% of this population, and 2.8 million blacks, or 13% of this population, have the disease.

• Bill Would Outlaw Lawsuits Blaming Restaurants For Obesity (01/27/03) U.S. Rep. Ric Keller, R-Fla., said he intended to file the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act on Monday in Washington. The bill wouldn't stop lawsuits in cases where restaurants or food manufacturers failed to comply with regulatory requirements and caused illnesses such E. coli.

• Alcohol Intake and Diabetes Risk (01/27/03) A new study shows moderate alcohol consumption among healthy men is associated with a reduced risk for the development of type 2 diabetes.

• Depression among Diabetics (01/27/03) According to a new study, certain factors link diabetes and depression. Researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston, conducted a study to determine if independent factors could be associated with depression in diabetics. This study has identified independent factors that are associated with major depressive disorder in individuals with diabetes.

• Saturated Fat May Lead To Diabetes (01/27/03) Biochemists have identified a saturated fat byproduct as a potential contributor to the development of type 2 diabetes. Research results show a saturated fat metabolite called ceramide contributes to the development of insulin resistance in cultured cell experiments. These findings suggest that medication aimed to prevent ceramide accumulation in body tissue might lessen or even prevent insulin resistance and lead to breakthroughs in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

• Fat Isn't McDonald's Fault, Suit Tossed Out (01/23/03) Saying the law is not intended to protect people from their own excesses, a federal judge threw out a class-action lawsuit Wednesday that blamed McDonald's food for obesity, diabetes and other health problems in children.

• Nell Carter Dies Of Diabetes (01/23/03) Nell Carter, who played the sassy, matronly housekeeper on the 1980s sitcom "Gimme a Break!" and received a Tony Award in 1978 for her performance in the Broadway musical "Ain't Misbehavin'," died Thursday. She was 54. Carter had suffered from diabetes for years.

• Obesity Is America's Greatest Threat, Surgeon General Says (01/23/03) Excessively fat people are walking time bombs who often end up with life-threatening maladies such as hypertension, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. "Type 2 diabetes, unheard of in young people just 20 years ago, is trickling into our schools and, left unchecked, it leads to serious illness and possible death," he said.

• Syndrome X Boosts Insulin, Pushes Patients Into Obesity (01/23/03) For about one-fourth of the overweight and obese, losing weight is essentially a losing battle, because they're fighting the wrong enemy. The enemy is their own bodies, which unknown to them are producing far too much insulin, sending the wrong messages to their brains. It's a condition called Syndrome X and it affects almost 70 million (one in four) Americans.

• Noninvasive Blood Glucose Monitor Getting Closer to Introduction (01/22/03) A group of investigators evaluated an advanced prototype of a blood glucose monitor. The monitor is a handheld, noninvasive device that uses principles of thermal emission spectroscopy. This noninvasive blood glucose monitor measures concentrations of serum glucose with clinically acceptable accuracy and avoids individual daily calibration.

• Tadalafil Safe and Effective in Impotent Diabetic Men (01/22/03) 64% of men reported improved erections. 75% of diabetic men may experience erectile dysfunction at some point. The risk has been estimated to be almost twice that of the general population.

• Type 1 Diabetes Increases Stroke and Heart Disease Risk (01/22/03) The risk of cardiovascular death for persons with Type I diabetes was more than fivefold higher in men and sevenfold higher in women than in the general population. This study was the first to determine that type 1 diabetes is also a risk factor.

• Less Frequent Eye Exams May Be Indicated for Some Diabetics (01/22/03) Results from the study, which involved more than 7500 patients with type 2 diabetes, suggest that many type 2 diabetics with no signs of retinopathy on one exam could go up to 3 years before needing another exam. Worldwide, there is no consensus on how often people with diabetes should be screened for retinopathy. In the US, experts recommend screening be conducted at least annually.

• New Survey Shows 8% of Americans Have Diabetes ( 01/22/03) The telephone survey of over 195, 000 adults, the largest conducted to date in the United States, found a continued increase of obesity and diabetes among men and women of all ages, races and educational levels from 2000 to 2001, an eight percent increase from 2000. During this time, obesity affected some 21 percent of Americans, a six percent increase from the previous year. Based on they survey findings, researchers estimate that over 21 million men and 23 million women are obese in the United States, a 74 percent increase since 1991. The survey found that people whose BMIs were 40 or higher were more than seven times as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes.

• Bypass Surgery More Dangerous for Diabetic Patients (01/22/03) Diabetic patients who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) had a 30-day mortality rate similar to that of non-diabetic patients, but midterm mortality and morbidity were significantly greater.

• Moderate Physical Activity Is Critical For Reducing The Risk Of Chronic Disease In Older Women posted (01/22/03) Exercise melts intra-abdominal fat, a hidden risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes. Getting regular, moderate-intensity exercise may be critically important for postmenopausal women. Reducing intra-abdominal, or visceral, fat is important because in addition to increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, among other conditions, such fat can raise insulin levels, which promotes the growth of cancer cells.

• UT (University of Texas) Southwestern Researchers Develop New Model for Understanding Obesity, Diabetes (01/22/03) Through the study of fat storage in nematode worms, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have formulated a new model for understanding the mechanisms of obesity and diabetes in humans. The worms provide a platform to rapidly identify key proteins that regulate formation of fat, some of which might be targets for new therapies to treat obesity or diabetes.

• Early Diagnosis Of Childhood Diabetes (01/22/03) Scientists have long sought a means to predict the onset of diabetes through routine blood tests of destructive white blood cells so that high-risk individuals could be treated before all their beta cells are destroyed and they become diabetic. Researchers reveal a method for directly measuring the level of these self-destructive cells in the blood of mice and demonstrate that these levels reliably distinguish mice that go on to develop diabetes from those that do not.

• Nutrition Gets Higher Profile At Med School (01/20/03) Ironically, in a society where a McDonald's or a Burger King can be found on nearly every corner, few U.S. medical schools include nutrition education in their curriculum. In response, UT Southwestern began teaching nutrition classes to fourth-year medical students in 1999. A study recently found that the students were more likely to address nutrition issues with patients after receiving the training.

• Veterinarian Bill Warning Over Obesity (01/20/03) More than 2.5 million cats and dogs are overweight and could cost their owners over £1bn in vet bills. Obesity can cause heart and joint problems as well as other long-term illnesses including diabetes.

• Obesity Means Higher Medical Costs (01/20/03) Overweight and obese people incur up to $1,500 more in annual medical bills than healthy-weight people.

• Home Hemoglobin Test for Diabetics OK'd (01/20/03) The FDA has approved Metrika's A1c Now test for monitoring glucose control. This is the first test for glycated hemoglobin to be available over the counter. The device measures the levels of glycated hemoglobin -- or A1c -- in the blood of diabetics.

• Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy (01/20/03) British researchers believe they’ve come up with a good plan to screen diabetics for the eye disease retinopathy. Investigators studied 7,600 patients who took part in a trial screening program in England, which used non-stereoscopic photographs to determine optimal screening intervals. According to the investigators, this plan would assure, with 95-percent certainty, that no cases of sight-threatening retinopathy would be missed.

• Income Level Impacts Diabetic Care (01/20/03) Canadian researchers have found a strong link between income levels and potentially avoidable hospitalizations among people with diabetes. Results show people in the lowest income group were 44 percent more likely than those in the highest group to go to the emergency room or be hospitalized for diabetic complications such as hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) which could easily have been prevented by good outpatient care.

• Stroke Among African-Americans (01/20/03) A new study shows African-Americans with a history of heart disease or stroke can benefit from a better understanding of stroke and the associated risk factors. Previous studies show African-Americans are at a greater risk of stroke and heart disease because the likelihood of diabetes and high blood pressure are greater for blacks than other groups.

• Doctors Ignore Simple Way To Help Diabetes Patients (01/15/03) Making patients with diabetes recite doctor instructions could help them remember what their physicians say during visits. However, the San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center study of 38 physicians and 74 patients found in only 20 percent of visits did doctors use an interactive technique.

• Inflammation Marker More Likely to Predict Diabetes in Women (01/15/03) C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammation marker that has been implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes in Caucasians. However, a new study has found that, among Mexicans, CRP is likely to predict type 2 diabetes in women but not in men.

• High Blood Pressure In Kids Predicts Insulin Resistance (01/15/03) f your teenager has high blood pressure, researchers in the Czech Republic suggest taking steps to ward off insulin resistance. Treatment protocols may include exercise to lower insulin resistance.  Supplements that aid in lowering homocysteine include vitamins B-6 and B-12 and folic acid. 

• Diabetes Preventive Measures Improving, But Still Not Good Enough (01/15/03)  Although more people with diabetes are taking measures to prevent or delay diabetes-related complications, the number still falls short of recommended national health objectives, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Patients Less Likely to Heed Advice of Obese Physician (01/15/03) Patients are less likely to follow the treatment recommendations of obese rather than non-obese physicians, according to the results of a new study

• Type 1 Epidemic in Philadelphia Possibly Triggered by Measles (01/15/03) A jump in the incidence of type 1 (32 cases) occurred between January and June 1993, approxi­mately two years after a measles epidemic in 1991. The study contends that the cases of type 1 may have developed when the measles virus triggered an autoimmune attack on the insulin-producing beta cells of ill children.

• Criteria for Diagnosing Pre-Diabetes (01/15/03) Measuring body mass index and setting cutoff values for fasting glucose levels and A1cs may be enough to determine whether an individual has pre-diabetes without having to administer an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

• New Research Suggests Virus May Not Cause Diabetes (01/15/03) A virus generally believed to be a cause of diabetes might actually help protect people against the disorder. Researchers found two- to tenfold decreases in type 1 diabetes among those mice over a 10-month period when compared with mice that had not been injected with the virus.

• 10 Reasons Why Adults With Diabetes Should Exercise (01/15/03) For physical, emotional and social reasons exercise is especially important for adults with diabetes.

• Experts Not Yet Sweet On Low-Blood-Sugar Diet (01/13/03) As diets go, an approach that aims to minimize blood sugar spikes - promoted in such popular books as "The Zone" and "Sugar Busters!" - seems to defy nutritional common sense. The approach, known as the low-glycemic-index diet, places carrots near the top of the do-not-eat list. Right behind carrots are other foods usually thought of as healthful: potatoes and brown rice. Experts' reaction: While some studies have linked the diet to better health, many nutrition experts say more research is needed. Experts caution that a food's effect on blood sugar is only one factor in nutrition.

• Beth Israel Lands Research Deal (01/10/03) Takeda Chemical Industries Ltd. of Japan will pay $13.7 million over three years to fund research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center looking at the molecular causes of metabolic diseases including diabetes and obesity.

• Assessing Your Risk Of Diabetes (01/10/03) Doctors at the Mayo Clinic point out that the main risk factors for diabetes are now well known - and there is plenty that can be done about them. Your doctor can determine your fasting blood glucose level. If it is between 110 and 125 mg per decilitre, then you are at risk of diabetes. Your chance of developing diabetes is also higher if you have a close relative, such as a sibling or parent, with the condition. Also, for unknown reasons, blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians have high rates of diabetes.

• Meet Mr. Diabetes^® (01/09/03) Andy Mandell, the executive director of Defeat Diabetes Foundation, Inc., walked through Lompoc Thursday on his Wake Up and Walk^® Tour, sharing his message. "We need to take a preventative approach to diabetes rather than a curative approach. The reality is it's 75 percent preventable," Mandell said.

• Obesity Research Surprising (01/09/03) Most people who are obese as teenagers or young adults can expect to lose two to 12 years off their lives, according to a new study. But the big anomaly is overweight black women, who for some reason live about a year longer than skinnier black women, the study in today's edition of Journal of the American Medical Association shows.

• Obesity In Kids Next On Hit List (01/09/03) On the Bloomberg administration's public-health enemies list, cigarette smoke is getting company. The city hospital system is quietly crafting a new program targeting obesity in children.

• Fat Epidemic More Complex, Experts Say (01/09/03) Childhood obesity has emerged as the nation's modern-day epidemic often leading to diseases such as diabetes, asthma, as well as heart and liver disease. The disease disproportionately affects children in poor communities, where obesity rates are high, and access to fresh fruits and vegetables and a safe environment to play are limited.

• National Diabetes Plan Launched (United Kingdom) (01/09/03) The government today unveiled a new 10-year strategy to tackle diabetes, which includes a promise that by 2007 all diabetics will have eye screening to prevent complications that can lead to blindness. The framework says that by 2006 every person with diabetes, or at risk of developing it, will be offered regular check ups and appropriate treatment by doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to ensure complications are spotted early.

• Study Says Obesity Cuts Life Span For Young Adults, Too (01/09/03) Being obese at age 20 can cut up to 20 years off a person's life, with the biggest impact on black men, according to yet another study that underscores the long-term dangers of being overweight.

• Protein may Reduce Diabetic Complications (01/09/03) A protein once thought to be worthless is showing an increasing amount of success in reducing complications associated with diabetes. In early animal studies, researchers found the protein C-Peptide can reduce the development of kidney disease in type 1 diabetics.

• ACE Inhibitor Therapy Does Not Slow Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy (01/09/03) Previous reports have suggested that ACE inhibitor therapy delays the progression of early diabetic retinopathy. ACE inhibitors do not appear to stop retinopathy from progressing from moderate to severe in type 2 diabetics, according to a recent report. However, it was unclear if such therapy would also be useful in retarding the progression of more advanced forms of diabetic retinopathy.

• Effect of Vitamin C on Blood Pressure Unclear (01/09/03) A paper in the December issue of Hypertension reports that long-term vitamin C supplementation has no effect on blood pressure, while another paper in the same journal reports that vitamin C does lower blood pressure after 1 month in type 2 diabetics.

• Researchers Reveal Molecule Linked to Diabetes, Heart Disease (01/09/03) Researchers discover that a blood-borne molecule known to make human serum also makes fat cells. It holds promise for improved drug treatments in Type 2 diabetes patients and increasing the understanding of heart disease in its earliest clinical stages.

• Study Shows Value of Kidney Transplant Over Dialysis (01/09/03) The longer patients on dialysis wait for kidney transplants once they develop "end-stage" kidney failure, the poorer their outcomes. The findings by researchers at the University of Florida reinforce the value of transplants over dialysis for these patients and show the importance of placing them on transplant lists as early as possible. The Florida report found that patients on dialysis who await a transplant for two years have a three times greater chance of losing their new kidneys than those who wait less than six months.

• Obesity and Diabetes Rates Continue to Rise in US (01/09/03) According to a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, from 2000 to 2001, the prevalence of diabetes rose from 7.3% to 7.9%, an increase of 8.2%. Concurrently, the prevalence of obesity among US adults increased from 19.8% to 20.9%, a relative increase of 5.6%. The findings indicate that more than 21 million men and 23 million women living in the US are obese. The prevalence of obesity among US adults has increased by 74% since 1991.

• Bedtime Snacks Only For Diabetics with Low Nocturnal Glucose Levels (01/09/03) Bedtime glucose levels should determine whether a bedtime snack is necessary for adults with insulin-dependent diabetes say Canadian researchers.

• First Major New Treatment For Heart Failure In Five Years (01/09/03) More people are surviving heart attacks but, more and more people are also developing heart failure. Heart failure is not a sudden event. Instead, it is the slow, steady weakening of the heart muscle until it no longer pumps blood effectively and allows fluid to seep into the lungs. Heart failure typically develops after the heart is damaged by a heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes or other factors. Diovan is the first major new type of treatment the FDA has approved for heart failure in five years.

• Hormone Replacement Therapy Reduces Diabetes Rates In Some Women (01/07/03) Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can reduce diabetes by 35 percent in women with coronary disease, according to a study of more than 2000 women. The authors do not recommend the use of hormones for disease prevention, but instead encourage further study of the effects of estrogen and progestin hormone therapy on metabolic complications.

• Scots Warned Of Obesity Epidemic (01/07/03) Scots were today warned that their country faces US levels of obesity and falling life expectancy over the next 20 years unless they change their traditional fatty diet and eat more healthily.

• Set Positive Lifestyle Examples For Children, Teens (01/07/03) The number of overweight and obese adults in America has risen 61 percent in the past decade. The time is now to make positive changes in our lives and set positive examples for children and teens. First, exercise often. Next, burn calories. Eat all foods in moderation. Don’t totally eliminate fat. Set realistic goals. Seek support groups.

• Fat At 40 'Slashes Life Expectancy (01/07/03) People who are obese at 40 can lose up to seven years off their life, research has found. The findings mean that being fat in middle-age increases the risk of dying early as much as smoking. If a woman is obese and a smoker at 40, she risks dying 13.3 years sooner than a slim non-smoker. An obese male smoker was found to lose 6.7 years from their life expectancy.

• Obesity 'A Threat' To U.S. Security (01/07/03) An overweight America is killing itself with excess, and all that can save it is a major cultural transformation led by individuals and families, the U.S. surgeon general said Monday.

• University of South Carolina Will Study Diabetes In Youth (01/07/03) The University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health has received almost $5 million in federal grant money for research on diabetes in young people. USC researchers will continue to participate in a general study of diabetes called SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth. It also will begin new research on the causes of diabetes in youth, and on the link between diabetes and depression in youth.

• HRT “Could Cut Diabetes Rates” (01/07/03) Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can reduce diabetes by more than a third in women with heart disease, according to a new US study. However, the researchers, from the University of California, are not recommending using hormones to prevent the disease, and are calling for further studies.

• Canadian Science Headed For Orbit (01/07/03) Later this month, space shuttle Columbia will launch into orbit with several Canadian experiments that could help researchers learn more about various diseases and possible treatments. Protein crystals will be studied with the aim of producing diabetes inhibitors, treating breast and prostate cancers, protecting crops against disease, preventing antibiotic resistance and helping better understand bacteria such as E. coli.

• New Non-Invasive Technologies (01/07/03) Instead of dreaded, painful finger sticks done several times a day, people with diabetes may someday be able to accurately monitor their blood sugar levels as easily as taking their temperature. They may employ infrared light waves and computers instead of needles and blood glucose meters by means of cutting-edge technology that uses the same principals of ultrasound but with better resolution.

• Controlling Morning Blood Pressure May Help (01/07/03) People with type 2 diabetes who consistently have elevated blood pressure in the morning may be more likely to suffer complications such as kidney disease, eye disease, heart disease and stroke, new study findings suggest.

• Diabetic Father Impacts Baby (01/07/03) According to a study in this week's British Medical Journal, diabetic men father lower birthweight babies. However, researchers say they were surprised to find that diabetes in the mother increased the birth weight of her children.

• Food Combo as Good as Cholesterol Drugs (01/07/03) A combination of cholesterol-busting foods offers as much heart protection as cholesterol-lowering drugs, a Canadian study finds.

• Vitamin E and Diabetes (01/03/03) A new study shows vitamin E from foods may be protective for diabetes, but extra vitamin intake offers no more protection.

• Drug Reduces Heart Attack Risk in Diabetics (01/02/03) Diabetics are at a two- to four-fold higher risk for a heart attack, stroke, or death from cardiovascular disease. A new study finds treatment with the drug, gemfibrozil, can reduce this risk in men with diabetes.

• Noninvasive Glucose Test (01/02/03) There may soon be another option for diabetics to test their blood sugar levels without pricking their fingers. Researchers studied the use of a noninvasive test using optical coherence tomography. Optical Coherence Tomography uses advanced photonics and fiber optics to obtain images of tissues.

• Heart Complications May Start Early in Diabetics (01/02/03) Researchers in Canada have found changes in vascular health begin before patients with type 1 diabetes even show signs of the diabetic complications.

• Mississippi - A Real Heavyweight (01/02/03) For the first time in U.S. history, there is a state that has at least 25 percent of its population classified as obese. Mississippi's figure is 25.9 percent, compared to Colorado, which at 14.4 percent is the lowest. West Virginia is on the second rung at 24.6 percent and Kentucky is a close third.

• Houston Again Tops Fattest City List (01/02/03) Pity poor Houston — dubbed the fattest city in the country for the third year in a row by Men's Fitness magazine. On the other end of the spectrum, Honolulu tops the list of fittest cities.

• Study On Health Cost Of Diabetes (01/02/03) Australian diabetes researchers have begun the world's first national study of the health burden and cost of diabetes and obesity. Diabetes and associated illnesses cost Australia more than $3 billion annually.

• Big Gut With Diabetes Can Kill (01/02/03) It's long been known that having a potbelly and high blood pressure increases your risk of heart attack or stroke, but a medical study out last week has estimated that people with those risks and others are two to three times more likely to die prematurely. Experts say about one-third of middle-aged men and women in the USA have the same cluster of risk factors, called metabolic syndrome.

• Black and Hispanic Kids Heavy or Thin are More Likely To be Insulin-Resistant (01/02/03) Black and Hispanic children face higher risk than white children for insulin resistance-a stepping-stone to type 2 diabetes-regardless of whether they are heavy or thin.

• Cost Effectiveness Options for Treating Type 2 Diabetes (01/02/03) Three alternative interventions targeting type 2 diabetes are as cost effective as traditional management. Intensive glycemic control reduced the cumulative rate of complications from nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy. Reduction in serum cholesterol reduced complications relating to coronary heart disease and stroke, but these reductions were outweighed by increased complication costs for neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy due to extended life expectancy.

• Eating Fish Just Once a Month Cuts Stroke by 40 Percent (01/02/03) Many studies over the last two decades have found that eating fish reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack. What is surprising about this one is that it shows how little fish — one to three meals a month of virtually any fish or shellfish, like salmon, sushi, tuna on rye, broiled lobster or McDonald's Filet-O-Fish — appears to produce the maximum benefit.

• HIGH-DOSE Statins Benefit Patients with Type 2 Diabetes (01/02/03) Known as CRP, C reactive protein is a substance produced by the liver in response to inflammation. It has become a useful 'marker' for predicting such conditions as coronary artery disease and stroke. High blood pressure and diabetes, which are considered independent risk factors for heart disease, may also cause an increase in CRP.

• Diabetes Increases Likelihood Of Eating Disorders And Vice-Versa (01/02/03) Statistical analysis showed that diabetes was associated with a doubled likelihood of eating disorders. This effect was specific to diabetes, the researchers noted. After adjustment for demographic characteristics and co-morbid mental and physical disorders, eating disorder was the only mental disorder associated with a significantly increased risk of diabetes.

• FDA Revises Rules on Promotion of Health Benefits of Foods (01/02/03) New ruling could affect choice for those with diabetes. Food manufacturers will for the first time be allowed to tout the health benefits of their products even if there is no scientific consensus as to the foods' benefit. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials also announced that they would step up enforcement against several categories of dietary supplements where misleading claims about health benefits are rampant.

• Glyburide Safe for Diabetic Pregnancies (01/02/03) But those on other oral agents should be switched to insulin before pregnancy or as soon as possible after conception.

• What You Need to Know About Fiber! (01/02/03) Fiber keeps the digestive tract in tune -- preventing constipation and maintaining regularity. A diet rich in this complex carbohydrate can help fight obesity, heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

• Fortune 500 Employers Set to Launch Aventis-Funded Diabetes Pharmacist Pilot  (01/02/03) Five nationally known companies will roll out a diabetes program in 2003 modeled after a successful initiative in Asheville, North Carolina, where specially trained pharmacists have played an instrumental role in helping the city avoid millions in disease-related costs.

• Gene Therapy Seen Hopeful for Patients with Diabetes (01/02/03) New study using a genetic growth factor to repair diabetes-damaged nerves begins. The idea is that the DNA in the growth factor will be picked up by cells in the nerves and produce tiny new blood vessels to nourish and restore the damaged nerves.

• Drug Benefits Diabetics (01/02/03) A drug used in type 2 diabetics may be beneficial to type 1 diabetics. The drug metformin is believed to improve glycemic control by enhancing insulin sensitivity in the liver and muscles.

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