Preventable Chronic Disease on the Rise; Obesity, Diabetes Undermining Country’s Overall Health

From the American Public Health Association 2011 Press Release

America’s Health Rankings Finds Preventable Chronic Disease on the Rise; Obesity, Diabetes Undermining Country’s Overall Health

• Nation made no progress in improving health in 2011 after three years of gains
• Modest decreases in smoking and preventable hospitalizations
• Dramatic increases in obesity and diabetes, combined with still-too-high levels of tobacco use, are putting more people at risk for preventable illness and higher health expenditures
• The Rankings indicates that every person that quit smoking in 2011 was offset by a person becoming obese
• 2011 is the first year no state had an obesity prevalence under 20 percent
• United Health Foundation launches “Take Action for Change” Facebook campaign to incent healthy behavior

Washington, D.C., Dec. 6, 2011 – United Health Foundation’s 2011 America’s Heath Rankings® finds that troubling increases in obesity, diabetes and children in poverty are offsetting improvements in smoking cessation, preventable hospitalizations and cardiovascular deaths. The report finds that the country’s overall health did not improve between 2010 and 2011 – a drop from the 0.5 percent average annual rate of improvement between 2000 and 2010 and the 1.6 percent average annual rate of improvement seen in the 1990s…..

Related articles

• United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings (bespacific.com)
• New Ways Calories Can Add Up to Weight Gain(wsj.com) “t isn’t so much what you eat, the study suggests, but how much you eat that counts when it comes to accumulating body fat.”
• Glimmer of Hope in U.S. Obesity Picture(Medical News Today)

• iOverweight people have a weight thermostat that is turned up too high (KevinMD.com)
• Prevalence of Obesity in the United States, 2009–2010 (full text reports)
  Key findings 
  + More than one-third of adults and almost 17% of youth were obese in 2009–2010.
  + There was no change in the prevalence of obesity among adults or children from 2007–2008 to 2009–2010.
  + Obesity prevalence did not differ between men and women.
  + Adults aged 60 and over were more likely to be obese than younger adults.
• Vermont keeps title of healthiest state, report shows – Reuters (reuters.com)
• America’s Health Rankings 2011: Which state scored worst? (cbsnews.com)
• Obesity And Diabetes Undermining America’s Overall Health (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Cough-cough, puff-puff. Oklahoma looks a little sick (newsok.com)
• Tennessee moves up 3 slots in U.S. health ranking (knoxnews.com)
• America’s Health Report Card: Needs Improvement (webmd.com)
• Report: America’s Health Deteriorated In 2011 (thinkprogress.org)
• America’s Health Rankings 2011 Released (aa47.wordpress.com)

Bad science hunters

From the article Bad science hunters at the blog  Health Services Authors

I discover on the web many of those bad science hunters whose ultimate goal is to spread the knowledge of scientist’s misconducts, false statements and false results, methods or contents.

In their blogs they point the responsibilities of bad authors.

Retraction watch unmasks the articles retracted for a wide range of reasons.

Embargo watch describe the cases where authors had already published their data without telling it to the editor.

Abnormal science blog is a German blog (in English) dedicated to bad behaviour in science.

Rédaction Médicale et Scientifique is a French blog describing the bad habits of the medical scientific writing.

The Gary Schwitzer’s blog reveals the marketing and advertising hidden behind the appearance of science and tackles the disease mongering.

I respect highly all those persons involved for the best interest of science in a daily battle against bad science. Their disinterested independence is a shield in a world of egoism, financial and political greed and protect us against those who misrepresent scientific facts for political or financial gain.

Related articles

• Correcting Bad Science (andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com)

Pocket Body iPhone app

From the 12 December 2011 Science Roll blog item by Dr. Bertalan Meskó

 remember when I had to study all the details of human anatomy from textbooks and some old books with many pictures, but I didn’t have a chance to see things in 3D (which would have made it much easier to understand, learn and memorize). After medical school, I started to discover new apps and solutions for this problem.

I’ve been using the Biodigital app on Google Chrome, it’s free but a bit hard to use.

And recently, I’ve received a letter from the makers of the Pocket Body iPhone app which is just great, although fairly expensive.

Award winning Pocket Body features a fully anatomically accurate human character with nine layers of musculoskeletal, neurovascular, and internal organ visual content…plus over 30,000 words of learning material.

I hope you check it out and let me know what you think!

Related articles

• The 13 Most Popular Free iPhone Apps Of The Year (huffingtonpost.com)
• TED’s iPhone app (boingboing.net)
• BBC launches iPhone iPlayer app in the UK, adds 3G streaming to its mobile site (engadget.com)

The Durban Platform on Climate Control

Source below ***

Excerpt from the Brookings Institute article by Nathan Hultman

After extending negotiations nearly two days beyond their originally scheduled deadline, negotiators at the climate change meeting in Durban have agreed on a set of agreements, including a high-profile deal called the “Durban Platform for Enhanced Action.” As discussed in my earlier post, the agenda at Durban was unusually complex, as it encompassed both relatively narrow discussions about how to implement earlier decisions as well as broad discussions about the future climate regime under complementary (and some might say competing) visions for international action. There were essentially three big questions at Durban, and all have been addressed, although not all in a meaningful manner.

The first question concerned the future of the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period ends in 2012, and some supporters argued that without a second commitment period, the agreement would cease to be relevant. As such, some countries—particularly developing countries—expressed their hopes that developed countries would agree to targets under a second commitment period. While many important developed countries did not sign up for second commitment periods (Japan, Russia, Canada) or were never part of the agreement (United States), the European Union did agree to implement its own targets for emissions reduction under the aegis of the Kyoto Protocol. This was a concession for some of the more vocal developing country parties and was tied to an understanding that there would likely not be a third commitment period. Thus, the Protocol was granted an extension, but it is also clear ­even to its supporters­ that its days are now limited. This decision was clearly linked to discussions on the second major question. …

…

The outcome of these protracted and contentious discussions was the Durban Platform, a compact, two-page document that sets out a motivation and process for reaching a new agreement by 2015.

This Platform contains three important elements. First, it notes a goal of keeping global temperature increases to “1.5 or 2.0 degrees C” above preindustrial levels—repeating targets from earlier agreements in Copenhagen and Cancun—and notes that current commitments are insufficient to reach that goal. This statement reinforces the developing norm that 1.5 or 2 degree warming is the appropriate target to balance risks versus costs in addressing climate change. Second, the Platform asserts that countries should “launch a process to develop a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change applicable to all Parties.” ….

…

Third, it states that this agreement should be finished by 2015 and that any resulting reductions should begin by 2020. The 2015 deadline is relatively quick by international negotiations standards, putting pressure on parties to conclude a deal within the next few years. …

…

There were some other conclusions as well – for example, delegates agreed on procedures to incorporate carbon capture and sequestration projects into the Clean Development Mechanism and to guide projects that seek to reduce deforestation. Most of the attention, however, has focused on the Durban Platform. Unfortunately, the Platform itself is little more than an agreement to discuss a treaty. ..

RELATED CONTENT

The Durban Climate Talks: Making the Technology Mechanism Useful

Nathan Hultman
The Brookings Institution
December 09, 2011

“Low-Emissions Development” and the New Sustainability

Nathan Hultman
The Brookings Institution
December 06, 2011

The Durban Climate Talks: Sidestepping the Fall of Kyoto

Nathan Hultman
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***http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annex_I_Parties_who_have_ratified_the_Kyoto_Protocol_and_are_committed_to_emission_limitations_over_the_years_2008-2012._Progress_for_the_year_2005_(greyscale).png

Related Resources

• Climate Change Resources (Library Guide at Santa Clara University)
• Climate Change-What’s the Issue? (Library Guide by Lavonne Jacobsen at the San Francisco State University)
• Climate Change (Library Guide by Ed Weilant at Bowling Green State University)
• Global Climate Change (Library Guide by Kristen Lindquist at the University of Wisconsin- Superior)
• Climate Change and Global Warming  (Library Guide by Eric Kallas at the University of St. Thomas)

Related articles/blog items

• Durban Platform deal postpones necessary global climate action to uncertain future (3eintelligence.wordpress.com)
• India lost the plot at Durban (thehindu.com)
• Major Outcome Of Durban Climate Talks (chimalaya.org)
• You: Durban climate conference agrees deal to do a deal – now comes the hard part (guardian.co.uk)
• Canada: First out of a sinking Kyoto ship? (cnn.com)
• Climate Talks End with Small Steps Forward (livescience.com)
• Durban climate deal: the verdict (guardian.co.uk)
• Durban Summit (hameso.wordpress.com)
• What happened in Durban? (blogs.berkeley.edu)
• Forest Carbon And The Durban Climate Conference (chimalaya.org)

Chronic Diseases – How To Overcome Genetic And Lifestyle Factors

From the 12 December 2011 Medical News Today article

Concerns are being raised as to how modern lifestyles may cause physiological defense mechanisms in light of the dramatic increase of people suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases, such as allergies,asthma and irritable bowel syndrome.

Researchers have conducted a perspective foresight study along the lines of the European Science Foundation’s (ESF) predictions, evaluating the challenges linked to chronic inflammatory diseases. Their findings, published in a supplement to The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology(JACI), the official journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), report details of 10 key areas with the highest priority for research. …

…Determining the factors responsible for the development of chronic inflammatory diseases remains challenging. Even though epidemiological evidence clearly indicates environmental influence as being responsible, not everyone within these environments develops diseases; and despite the fact that susceptibility to chronic inflammatory disease evidently play an important role, genetics alone may not be the only determining factor, as susceptibility to disease in later life can be influenced by prenatal exposures. Another influencing factor that determines the likelihood of a person developing diseases like asthma and allergies in later life is whether or not a person is breastfed and exposed to microorganisms after birth. …

…

The supplement called “Gene-Environment Interaction in Chronic Disease – An ESF Forward Look,” by H. Renz, I.B. Autenrieth, P. Brandtzaeg, W.O. Cookson, S. Holgate, E. von Mutius, R. Valenta, and D. Haller appears as The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Volume 128, Supplement (December 2011) published by Elsevier. It is freely available via the JACI website.

Read the entire article

 

Related articles

• Scientists identify strategies to conquer lifestyle and genetic factors related to chronic diseases (medicalxpress.com)
• Scientists identify strategies to conquer lifestyle and genetic factors related to chronic diseases (eurekalert.org)
• Scientists Identify Strategies To Conquer Lifestyle And Genetic Factors Related To Chronic Diseases (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Few Allergies In Unstressed Babies (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Personalized Treatment For Crohn’s Disease A Step Closer Following Gene Mapping (medicalnewstoday.com)
• The Asthma-Thrush Link (everydayhealth.com)
• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of suffering allergy (fidest.wordpress.com)
• World Allergy Congress Presents Scientific Advancements in Allergy, Asthma, and Clinical Immunology (prweb.com)

An annual checkup on the Affordable Care Act

An annual checkup on the Affordable Care Act

An excerpt from the article by by DAVID NASH, MD, MBA at  the December 2011 issue of KevinMD.com

As we approach the end of what has been another roller-coaster year for our country, it seems an appropriate time for an “annual checkup” on healthcare reform in the U.S.

Like many of my colleagues, I have followed the implementation of the monumental Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) with great interest, mild trepidation, and a small measure of optimism.

It’s hard to believe that almost two years have flown by since the passage of this historic, game-changing legislation that will influence how healthcare is delivered and reimbursed in the U.S. for decades to come.

Although debates will continue to rage about the law and its sweeping array of mandates, the ACA and the overwhelming majority of its provisions are likely here to stay.

The popular media tends to focus on the “chief complaints” — a few hot-button issues such as “death panels” and the significant number of state-sponsored challenges to the legality and “constitutionality” of some of the law’s provisions.

However, in the course of a comprehensive “annual physical” exam, it is clear that a surprisingly large number of the law’s provisions have already gone into effect — smoothly and as planned across the entire industry.

Here are just a few …..

Read the entire article

Related articles

• Affordable Care Act Videos Educate Consumers (thielst.typepad.com)
• Morning CheckUp: December 6, 2011 (thinkprogress.org)
• Important to Implement Affordable Care Act (burkeassociatesmyblog.wordpress.com)

How Bikes Can Save Us – An Infographic by Jenica Rhee

Original source —>healthcaremanagementdegree.com

Jennica Rhee is a graduate of the University of Washington with degrees in Political Science and Communication.
She may be found at LinkedIn and Twitter.

Related Resources

• Bicycle Commuting (Library Guide by Librarian Michael Unsworth at Michigan State Univerity)
• Urban Design and Planning – Bicycle Commuting (Library Guide by Librarian Alan Michelson at the University of Washington)
• National Report Ranks Cities and States for Bicycling and Walking (2012 Benchmarking Report reveals new information on levels, safety, funding)

“The report compiles persuasive evidence that bicycle and pedestrian projects create more jobs than highway projects, and provide at least three dollars of benefit for every dollar invested. The report also highlights the health benefits of active transportation, showing that states with the highest rates of bicycling and walking are also among those with the lowest rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. “The data points to one conclusion: Investing in biking and walking projects creates jobs, leads to more people biking and walking, and improves safety and public health,” Miller says.”

Related Articles/Blog Items

•  Bicyclists, cars, pedestrians are an uneasy mix (Medill Reports- Chicago) Includes videos.  
• Seattle in the Saddle (by Amy Croan, MPH at To Your Health)
•  Bicyclists urged to brave winter weather- Year-round cycling benefits riders, city, bike culture (Coloradoan.com)
• Number of Bicyclists Keeps Climbing, City Says (New York Times)
• Are urban bicyclists just elite snobs? (Salon)
• Bicycling in Fort Worth offers freedom of more than just transportation (Forth Worth Times

• All Major US Cities beating Dallas for on-street bike infrastructure (bikefriendlyoc.wordpress.com)
• Lo, and the Bicyclist Shall Talk with the Car Driver (timesunion.com)