Study: Banning fast-food TV ads could dent obesity

news.yahoo.com — A little less "I'm Lovin' It" could put a significant dent in the problem of childhood obesity, suggests a new study that attempts to measure the effect of TV fast-food ads. A ban on such commercials would reduce the number of obese young children by 18 percent, and the number of obese older kids by 14 percent, researchers found. They also suggested that ending an advertising expense tax deduction for fast-food restaurants could mean a slight reduction in childhood obesity. Some experts say it's the first national study to show fast-food TV commercials have such a large effect on childhood obesity. A 2006 Institute of Medicine report suggested a link, but concluded proof was lacking. read more...

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W. Virginia town shrugs at poorest health ranking

news.yahoo.com — As a portly woman plodded ahead of him on the sidewalk, the obese mayor of America's fattest and unhealthiest city explained why health is not a big local issue. "It doesn't come up," said David Felinton, 5-foot-9 and 233 pounds, as he walked toward City Hall one recent morning. "We've got a lot of economic challenges here in Huntington. That's usually the focus." Huntington's economy has withered, its poverty rate is worse than the national average, and vagrants haunt a downtown riverfront park. But this city's financial woes are not nearly as bad as its health. Nearly half the adults in Huntington's five-county metropolitan area are obese — an astounding percentage, far bigger than the national average in a country with a well-known weight problem. Huntington leads in a half-dozen other illness measures, too, including heart disease and diabetes. It's even tops in the percentage of elderly people who have lost all their teeth (half of them have). read more...

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Gov't seizes more contaminated heparin

news.yahoo.com — Federal agents Thursday seized quantities of a contaminated blood thinner made in China from a small manufacturer in Cincinnati, officials said. The blood thinner heparin, given to patients undergoing heart surgery and kidney dialysis, was the focus of a major recall earlier this year after crude drug material from China was found to be contaminated. Hundreds of frail patients suffered severe allergic reactions. The government received reports of nearly 250 deaths. The FDA had inspected the Cincinnati company, Celsus Laboratories, Inc., in April and at the time found contaminated heparin in two different kinds of products, officials said. A little over 2 pounds of the blood thinner was intended for use directly with patients, and another 31 pounds was to be utilized in diagnostic test kits and medical devices. The FDA seized the heparin after informing the company that its efforts to notify customers of the contamination problem were unsatisfactory, the agency said in a statement. Drug seizures are a rare penalty for the FDA, since regulators prefer to negotiate with manufacturers to resolve disputes. A representative who answered the phone at Celsus said the company would have no comment. read more...

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Bottled Water No Purer Than Tap Water

medicalnewstoday.com — A study by an environmental group of 10 leading brands of bottled water sold in the United States found they contained many of the same chemical and biological impurities as tap water, but an industry body said their bottled water was within regulation standards. The two-year study was conducted by the non profit, Washington-based, Environmental Working Group (EWG) and was released on their website on Wednesday 15th October. read more...

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Asia still finding tainted Chinese milk powder

news.yahoo.com — A Thai dairy company said Thursday it will return 122 tons of milk powder imported from China over contamination fears, as some Asian countries tried to respond carefully to the widening scandal involving a major trading partner. Thailand's Dutch Mill Group made the announcement even though the country's food inspection authorities said they had not found dangerous amounts of the industrial chemical melamine in any foods tested. Taiwan and Laos, meanwhile, announced measures to stop the sale of some milk products, after tests in the two countries found melamine in several brands of milk powder originating from China. read more...

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The Doctor’s Hands Are Germ-Free. The Scrubs Too?

nytimes.com — Many hospitals have stepped up efforts to encourage regular hand washing by doctors. But what about their clothes? Amid growing concerns about hospital infections and a rise in drug-resistant bacteria, the attire of doctors, nurses and other health care workers — worn both inside and outside the hospital — is getting more attention. While infection control experts have published extensive research on the benefits of hand washing and equipment sterilization in hospitals, little is known about the role that ties, white coats, long sleeves and soiled scrubs play in the spread of bacteria. read more...

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China's tainted formula shows risks of dairy boom

news.yahoo.com — A generation ago, when today's new Chinese parents were infants, milk powder was so scarce that it was one of the top items requested from travelers visiting from overseas. A wide array of dairy products now lines supermarket shelves, and analysts say the boom has overwhelmed regulators. The discovery this week of an industrial chemical in baby formula and milk is just one symptom, they say, of unbridled growth in the dairy industry, where poor hygiene reigns and safety standards often go unenforced. read more...

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9/11's Psychological Scars Slowly Healing

health.msn.com — New Yorkers may be starting to heal psychologically -- as much as it is possible to heal at all -- from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001, experts now say. "There is a thing called natural recovery and, for some people, it happens quickly, and for others, it takes a long time. What's happened over the past seven years is we're seeing more and more people reaching natural recovery," said Katherine L. Muller, director of psychology training and director of the Cognitive Behavior Therapy Program at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. read more...

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