A middle-aged woman with well-functioning lungs runs less risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. A new study carried out at the Sahlgrenska Academy in G?teborg, Sweden, shows a strong statistical correlation between lung capacity and dementia.
The findings are presented in the coming issue of the prestigious American journal Neurobiology of Aging.The study is based on the so-called Survey of Women in G?teborg, a population study that has been under way since 1968.
The study covers a total of 1,291 women. These women's lung capacity was first monitored in 1974 and then in 1980 when the women were in middle age. The monitoring was the repeated several times up to 2000. Of these women, 147 had developed dementia, 96 of them in the form of Alzheimer's disease.
The study shows that there is a clear statistical correlation between the functioning of their lungs and their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
"Our theory is that poor lung function leads to the brain receiving less oxygen, and this in turn increases the risk of dementia," says Xinxin Guo, a post-doctoral fellow at the Sahlgrenska Academy.
The better the lung function the women in the study had in middle age, the lower their risk of later developing Alzheimer's disease. For each 20% of better lung capacity, the risk of acquiring Alzheimer's declined by one quarter.
Dementia brings great suffering to its victims and their friends and relatives, and this health problem represents a huge cost to society. Some 200,000 Swedes have some form of dementia.
"This study underscores the importance of maintaining well-functioning lungs. If you exercise regularly and refrain from smoking, you can influence the risk of your contracting Alzheimer's," says Professor Ingmar Skoog.
Age and genetic heredity are the most important factors in the risk of developing dementia. Previous research has indicated that vascular disease and obesity increase the risk of dementia disorders, but this is the first report about a tie to the functioning of the lungs.
About The Swedish Research Council
The Swedish Research Council bears national responsibility for developing the country's basic research towards attainment of a strong international position. The Council has three main tasks: research funding, science communication and research policy. Research is the foundation for the development of knowledge in society, and the basis of high-quality education. Research is also crucial as a means of enhancing welfare through economic, social and cultural development.
stemcellforum/about_the_iscf/members/swedish_research_council.cfme
суббота, 25 июня 2011 г.
среда, 22 июня 2011 г.
Study Identifies Mechanism Which May Help Tamoxifen Work Better
The "crosstalk" between estrogen and a special protein responsible for cell development (Notch) helps breast cancer cells proliferate and spread, a new study shows.
"Breast cancer cells respond to loss of estrogen, which is caused by commonly used hormonal therapy, by increasing the Notch signal," said senior study investigator Dr. Lucio Miele, professor, departments of pathology, pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Ill. "This helps the cancer cells survive the loss of estrogen."
"Blocking the Notch pathway with a Notch inhibitor offers a new strategy to stopping breast cancer," said Miele, director, breast cancer basic science program, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Health System. He presented the findings here today at the 29th annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
Notch inhibitors are currently in early human clinical trials.
"Results of our study shows that in estrogen receptor positive cancers, a drug which inhibits the Notch protein should be used in combination with estrogen inhibitors," said Miele. "In estrogen receptor negative cancers, the Notch inhibitor can be used alone or with chemotherapy."
A significant number of people currently become resistant to the breast cancer drug tamoxifen. "For tamoxifen to work better, you need to inhibit the Notch pathway," said co-author Dr. Kathy S. Albain, professor, division of hematology/oncology, department of medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
"This can be done by using a novel drug to block the Notch pathway while simultaneously controlling estrogen signaling through the estrogen receptor," said Albain, director, thoracic oncology clinical research program; director, breast clinical research program; and co-director, multidisciplinary breast oncology center; Loyola University Health System, Maywood, Ill.
Albain also said this research suggests new therapeutic strategies for women with breast cancer.
Co-authors of the study are principal investigator Paola Rizzo, Ph.D., department of pathology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Ill.; Jieun Yun, department of biopharmaceutical sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago; Lu Hao, Oncology Institute, Loyola University Health System; Debra Tonetti, Ph.D., biopharmaceutical sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago; Albain; and Miele.
For more information on Loyola University Health System, log onto loyolamedicine
The 29th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium meeting at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Tex., runs through December 17, 2006.
Loyola University Health System, a wholly owned subsidiary of Loyola University Chicago (LUC), includes the private teaching hospital at Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC), 14 specialty and primary care centers in the western and southwestern suburbs, the Loyola Ambulatory Surgery Center at Oakbrook and the Loyola Oakbrook Terrace Imaging Center; and serves as co-owner-operator of RML Specialty Hospital, a long-term acute hospital specializing in ventilation weaning and other medically complex patients in suburban Hinsdale, Ill. Loyola is nationally recognized for its specialty care and groundbreaking research in cancer, neurological disorders, neonatology and the treatment of heart disease. The 61-acre medical center campus in Maywood, Ill., includes the 523-licensed bed Loyola University Hospital with a Level I trauma center, the region's largest burn unit, one of the Midwest's most comprehensive organ transplant programs, the Russo Surgical Pavilion and the Ronald McDonald® Children??Щs Hospital of LUMC. Also on campus are Loyola??Щs Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine, the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola Outpatient Center and LUC Stritch School of Medicine. The medical school includes the Cardiovascular Institute, Oncology Institute, Burn & Shock Trauma Institute, Neuroscience Institute and the Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy.
"Breast cancer cells respond to loss of estrogen, which is caused by commonly used hormonal therapy, by increasing the Notch signal," said senior study investigator Dr. Lucio Miele, professor, departments of pathology, pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Ill. "This helps the cancer cells survive the loss of estrogen."
"Blocking the Notch pathway with a Notch inhibitor offers a new strategy to stopping breast cancer," said Miele, director, breast cancer basic science program, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Health System. He presented the findings here today at the 29th annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
Notch inhibitors are currently in early human clinical trials.
"Results of our study shows that in estrogen receptor positive cancers, a drug which inhibits the Notch protein should be used in combination with estrogen inhibitors," said Miele. "In estrogen receptor negative cancers, the Notch inhibitor can be used alone or with chemotherapy."
A significant number of people currently become resistant to the breast cancer drug tamoxifen. "For tamoxifen to work better, you need to inhibit the Notch pathway," said co-author Dr. Kathy S. Albain, professor, division of hematology/oncology, department of medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
"This can be done by using a novel drug to block the Notch pathway while simultaneously controlling estrogen signaling through the estrogen receptor," said Albain, director, thoracic oncology clinical research program; director, breast clinical research program; and co-director, multidisciplinary breast oncology center; Loyola University Health System, Maywood, Ill.
Albain also said this research suggests new therapeutic strategies for women with breast cancer.
Co-authors of the study are principal investigator Paola Rizzo, Ph.D., department of pathology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Ill.; Jieun Yun, department of biopharmaceutical sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago; Lu Hao, Oncology Institute, Loyola University Health System; Debra Tonetti, Ph.D., biopharmaceutical sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago; Albain; and Miele.
For more information on Loyola University Health System, log onto loyolamedicine
The 29th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium meeting at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Tex., runs through December 17, 2006.
Loyola University Health System, a wholly owned subsidiary of Loyola University Chicago (LUC), includes the private teaching hospital at Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC), 14 specialty and primary care centers in the western and southwestern suburbs, the Loyola Ambulatory Surgery Center at Oakbrook and the Loyola Oakbrook Terrace Imaging Center; and serves as co-owner-operator of RML Specialty Hospital, a long-term acute hospital specializing in ventilation weaning and other medically complex patients in suburban Hinsdale, Ill. Loyola is nationally recognized for its specialty care and groundbreaking research in cancer, neurological disorders, neonatology and the treatment of heart disease. The 61-acre medical center campus in Maywood, Ill., includes the 523-licensed bed Loyola University Hospital with a Level I trauma center, the region's largest burn unit, one of the Midwest's most comprehensive organ transplant programs, the Russo Surgical Pavilion and the Ronald McDonald® Children??Щs Hospital of LUMC. Also on campus are Loyola??Щs Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine, the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola Outpatient Center and LUC Stritch School of Medicine. The medical school includes the Cardiovascular Institute, Oncology Institute, Burn & Shock Trauma Institute, Neuroscience Institute and the Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy.
вторник, 21 июня 2011 г.
Lawmakers From 103 Countries Vow Greater Support For Safe Motherhood, Family Planning And HIV Prevention
"Quality reproductive health care saves lives, and reduces poverty," lawmakers from 103 countries have agreed, pledging to step up efforts to ensure that everyone has access to family planning, services for safe pregnancy and childbirth, and the means to prevent sexually transmitted diseases including HIV.
The third global parliamentarians' conference on population and development reaffirmed that 10 per cent of national development budgets and development assistance should be devoted to sexual and reproductive health. Greater investment in this area is essential, participants agreed, if countries are to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for 2015, including sharp reductions in poverty, maternal deaths and HIV infections.
Some 180 legislators and ministers attended the two-day meeting, organized by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. Regional parliamentary groups from Africa, Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Americas took part, along with Parliamentarians for Global Action, a global organization with a focus on population.
The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Thai National Assembly hosted the gathering at the UN Conference Centre.
"As parliamentarians, you can transform the voices of the people into action by governments. You have the power to make a real difference," UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid told the assembly in the first day's plenary session.
The meeting reviewed progress towards universal access to reproductive health care, the goal for 2015 adopted by the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994. Lawmakers from the various regions shared experiences and developed action plans for increasing political and financial backing for this effort.
Participants unanimously adopted a Bangkok Statement of Commitment reaffirming their support of the ICPD Programme of Action and its "indispensable role" in achieving the MDGs.
The document notes that to gain greater policy, legislative and financial support, parliamentarians must convey simply the urgent need for action to reduce maternal deaths, meet unmet demand for contraception, and prevent sexually transmitted infection including HIV. Such action must be integrated into national development strategies, backed by laws that are fully implemented, and supported by coalitions that include legislators, officials and community groups.
In the opening session, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn welcomed the participants to Thailand. ESCAP Executive Secretary Kim Hak-su told them that Asian parliamentarians had helped change public perceptions about population and development, but much more needs to be done. AFPPD Chairman Yasuo Fukuda presided.
Gill Greer, Director-General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, detailed the terrible death toll due to inadequate maternal health care, unsafe abortion and a lack of HIV prevention services. "No one should die as a result of sex, denial of accurate information or the lack of a condom, or a simple birthing kit," she said.
The results of a survey of 322 parliamentarians from 104 countries were presented to the meeting. It found that many countries have adopted policies and laws on gender equality, reproductive rights and gender-based violence. At the same time, it showed that enacting HIV/AIDS-related legislation and ensuring funding for reproductive continue to be challenged.
The Third International Parliamentarians' Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action (IPCI/ICPD) was preceded by global conferences in Strasbourg in 2002 and Ottawa in 2004.
The United Nations Population Fund is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
Contact:
William A. Ryan
For more information please go to:
The United Nations Population Fund
The third global parliamentarians' conference on population and development reaffirmed that 10 per cent of national development budgets and development assistance should be devoted to sexual and reproductive health. Greater investment in this area is essential, participants agreed, if countries are to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for 2015, including sharp reductions in poverty, maternal deaths and HIV infections.
Some 180 legislators and ministers attended the two-day meeting, organized by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. Regional parliamentary groups from Africa, Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Americas took part, along with Parliamentarians for Global Action, a global organization with a focus on population.
The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Thai National Assembly hosted the gathering at the UN Conference Centre.
"As parliamentarians, you can transform the voices of the people into action by governments. You have the power to make a real difference," UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid told the assembly in the first day's plenary session.
The meeting reviewed progress towards universal access to reproductive health care, the goal for 2015 adopted by the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994. Lawmakers from the various regions shared experiences and developed action plans for increasing political and financial backing for this effort.
Participants unanimously adopted a Bangkok Statement of Commitment reaffirming their support of the ICPD Programme of Action and its "indispensable role" in achieving the MDGs.
The document notes that to gain greater policy, legislative and financial support, parliamentarians must convey simply the urgent need for action to reduce maternal deaths, meet unmet demand for contraception, and prevent sexually transmitted infection including HIV. Such action must be integrated into national development strategies, backed by laws that are fully implemented, and supported by coalitions that include legislators, officials and community groups.
In the opening session, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn welcomed the participants to Thailand. ESCAP Executive Secretary Kim Hak-su told them that Asian parliamentarians had helped change public perceptions about population and development, but much more needs to be done. AFPPD Chairman Yasuo Fukuda presided.
Gill Greer, Director-General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, detailed the terrible death toll due to inadequate maternal health care, unsafe abortion and a lack of HIV prevention services. "No one should die as a result of sex, denial of accurate information or the lack of a condom, or a simple birthing kit," she said.
The results of a survey of 322 parliamentarians from 104 countries were presented to the meeting. It found that many countries have adopted policies and laws on gender equality, reproductive rights and gender-based violence. At the same time, it showed that enacting HIV/AIDS-related legislation and ensuring funding for reproductive continue to be challenged.
The Third International Parliamentarians' Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action (IPCI/ICPD) was preceded by global conferences in Strasbourg in 2002 and Ottawa in 2004.
The United Nations Population Fund is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
Contact:
William A. Ryan
For more information please go to:
The United Nations Population Fund
Would boosting the oxytocin system lead to longer breast-feeding?
The benefits of breastfeeding infants over giving them formula are well-known. But a baby's slow weight gain and growth rate is a major reason many women stop. University of Utah researchers found that blocking central OT receptors in the pregnant females' brain reduced their offspring's growth from the third day after birth through their two-week experiment. They're now seeking ways to boost efficiency of the oxytocin system.
"Central oxytocin receptor blockade during gestation alters oxytocin release and pup development during lactation." Steven L. Bealer, William R. Crowley, David L. Lipschitz, University of Utah. Funded by U.S. Public Health Service grants.
The presentations above were given at the American Physiological Society's 2005 Conference, "Neurohypophyseal Hormones: From Genomics and Physiology to Disease," July 16-20 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
A detailed program, including abstracts, for the entire meeting is available to members of the mediaA detailed program, including abstracts, for the entire meeting is available to members of the media
Arrangements for interviews can be through APS from Mayer Resnick (cell: 301.332.4402; office 301.634.7209, or mresnickthe-aps).
Sponsorships. The American Physiological Society thanks the following sponsors for their generous support of the conference: Astellas Pharmaceuticals Inc., GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, NIH/NIDDK, Wyeth Research and Olympus America Inc.
Three APS Journals call for papers. In conjunction with the conference, three American Journal of Physiology (AJP) editions - AJP-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, AJP-Endocrinology and Metabolism, and AJP-Renal Physiology - have called for related papers for publication. The deadline for all editions is October 1, 2005.
The American Physiological Society was founded in 1887 to foster basic and applied bioscience. The Bethesda, Maryland-based society has more than 10,000 members and publishes 14 peer-reviewed journals containing almost 4,000 articles annually.
APS provides a wide range of research, educational and career support and programming to further the contributions of physiology to understanding the mechanisms of diseased and healthy states. In May 2004, APS received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM).
The full press releases are available on the APS Press Room conference website: the-aps/press/conference/index.htm
The American Physiological Society
the-aps
"Central oxytocin receptor blockade during gestation alters oxytocin release and pup development during lactation." Steven L. Bealer, William R. Crowley, David L. Lipschitz, University of Utah. Funded by U.S. Public Health Service grants.
The presentations above were given at the American Physiological Society's 2005 Conference, "Neurohypophyseal Hormones: From Genomics and Physiology to Disease," July 16-20 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
A detailed program, including abstracts, for the entire meeting is available to members of the mediaA detailed program, including abstracts, for the entire meeting is available to members of the media
Arrangements for interviews can be through APS from Mayer Resnick (cell: 301.332.4402; office 301.634.7209, or mresnickthe-aps).
Sponsorships. The American Physiological Society thanks the following sponsors for their generous support of the conference: Astellas Pharmaceuticals Inc., GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, NIH/NIDDK, Wyeth Research and Olympus America Inc.
Three APS Journals call for papers. In conjunction with the conference, three American Journal of Physiology (AJP) editions - AJP-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, AJP-Endocrinology and Metabolism, and AJP-Renal Physiology - have called for related papers for publication. The deadline for all editions is October 1, 2005.
The American Physiological Society was founded in 1887 to foster basic and applied bioscience. The Bethesda, Maryland-based society has more than 10,000 members and publishes 14 peer-reviewed journals containing almost 4,000 articles annually.
APS provides a wide range of research, educational and career support and programming to further the contributions of physiology to understanding the mechanisms of diseased and healthy states. In May 2004, APS received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM).
The full press releases are available on the APS Press Room conference website: the-aps/press/conference/index.htm
The American Physiological Society
the-aps
Evaluating Patient Learning After An Educational Program For Women With Incontinence And Pelvic Organ Prolapse
UroToday - Pelvic floor disorders such as incontinence and prolapse are common bothersome conditions that can be initially and successfully addressed with conservative patient-initiated methods such as pelvic floor muscle and bladder retraining exercises. Women need to be well informed regarding these treatment options. Unfortunately, previous research shows that many women do not have the necessary knowledge to initiate treatments for optimal pelvic floor health.
Our goal was to study an educational intervention enabling women to improve their pelvic floor health. We examined immediate and three-month impact on women's knowledge, behavioural changes and condition-specific quality of life.
Our 2.5-hour educational workshop is run by a nurse continence advisor and is advertised to the general public and to patients at our urogynecology clinic. Topics covered in the workshop include normal anatomy and physiology, incidence, prevalence and symptoms of common pelvic floor disorders and treatment options. Options discussed include the sustained practice of pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME), bladder training and urge control techniques, diet and fluid intake modification, smoking cessation and body weight control. Pessary use, medications and surgery are briefly mentioned as options if initial conservative methods fail.
One hundred twenty five women consented to participate, provided demographic data and completed a symptom and behaviour questionnaire, a focused knowledge questionnaire, the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire - Short Form 7 (PFIQ-7) and the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory - Short Form 20 (PFDI-20) prior to the workshop. Immediately after the workshop women again completed the focused knowledge questionnaire. The follow-up packages, mailed at three months following each workshop, included the same pre-workshop questionnaires without repeating demographic data.
Participant response rate for questionnaire completion at 3 months was 83% (104 women). All women who participated in the study had various pelvic floor symptoms. We showed significant improvement in knowledge scores immediately post-workshop (p
Our goal was to study an educational intervention enabling women to improve their pelvic floor health. We examined immediate and three-month impact on women's knowledge, behavioural changes and condition-specific quality of life.
Our 2.5-hour educational workshop is run by a nurse continence advisor and is advertised to the general public and to patients at our urogynecology clinic. Topics covered in the workshop include normal anatomy and physiology, incidence, prevalence and symptoms of common pelvic floor disorders and treatment options. Options discussed include the sustained practice of pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME), bladder training and urge control techniques, diet and fluid intake modification, smoking cessation and body weight control. Pessary use, medications and surgery are briefly mentioned as options if initial conservative methods fail.
One hundred twenty five women consented to participate, provided demographic data and completed a symptom and behaviour questionnaire, a focused knowledge questionnaire, the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire - Short Form 7 (PFIQ-7) and the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory - Short Form 20 (PFDI-20) prior to the workshop. Immediately after the workshop women again completed the focused knowledge questionnaire. The follow-up packages, mailed at three months following each workshop, included the same pre-workshop questionnaires without repeating demographic data.
Participant response rate for questionnaire completion at 3 months was 83% (104 women). All women who participated in the study had various pelvic floor symptoms. We showed significant improvement in knowledge scores immediately post-workshop (p
Drinking alcohol reduces breast milk supply in women, study
Scientific researchers have turned folklore on its head by showing that alcohol consumption by women who are breast
feeding reduces their milk supply, rather than boosting it. New evidence shows that alcohol consumption causes hormonal
disruption, decreased lactation performance and diminished milk supply. The findings were published today in the April issue
of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, one of the four journals of The Endocrine Society.
With April as Alcohol Awareness Month - an annual program designed to shed light on the importance of identifying alcoholism
and intervention - breastfeeding mothers are now armed with scientific data highlighting the health risks associated with
moderate alcohol consumption during lactation. For centuries, physicians and mid-wives around the world have claimed that
alcohol is a galactogenic (milk producing) substance and have recommended consumption to mothers in order to enhance the
quality and quantity of milk to infants.
The present study, led by Julie Mennella, Ph.D., at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, examined
levels of the hormones oxytocin, prolactin and cortisol, as well as the lactational performance of 17 nonsmoking, healthy
breastfeeding women. Breast stimulation was provided by an electric breast pump and the hormonal responses were measured
after they consumed a moderate dose of alcohol (0.4 g/kg).
The results showed a significant decrease in oxytocin level, which correlates with the decline of milk ejection and
production, dismissing the lore that alcohol is a galactagogue. Furthermore, the increased prolactin levels are directly
associated with the lactating mothers' perception of breast fullness explaining why the folklore may have persisted for
centuries.
"Since breast milk is a critical form of nutrients to infants," explains Dr. Mennella, "it is important that women remain as
healthy as possible during the breast-feeding stage. This means dismissing the age-old myth that alcohol assists in milk
supply."
JCE&M is one of four journals published by The Endocrine Society. Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's
oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones, and the clinical practice of endocrinology.
Endocrinologists are specially trained doctors who diagnose, treat and conduct basic and clinical research on complex
hormonal disorders such as diabetes, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, obesity, hypertension, cholesterol and reproductive
disorders. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 12,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and
students, in more than 80 countries. Together, these members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in
endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. To learn more about the Society, and the field of
endocrinology, visit the Society's web site at endo-society
Contact: Tadu Yimam
tyimamendo-society
301-941-0251
Endocrine Society
endo-society
feeding reduces their milk supply, rather than boosting it. New evidence shows that alcohol consumption causes hormonal
disruption, decreased lactation performance and diminished milk supply. The findings were published today in the April issue
of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, one of the four journals of The Endocrine Society.
With April as Alcohol Awareness Month - an annual program designed to shed light on the importance of identifying alcoholism
and intervention - breastfeeding mothers are now armed with scientific data highlighting the health risks associated with
moderate alcohol consumption during lactation. For centuries, physicians and mid-wives around the world have claimed that
alcohol is a galactogenic (milk producing) substance and have recommended consumption to mothers in order to enhance the
quality and quantity of milk to infants.
The present study, led by Julie Mennella, Ph.D., at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, examined
levels of the hormones oxytocin, prolactin and cortisol, as well as the lactational performance of 17 nonsmoking, healthy
breastfeeding women. Breast stimulation was provided by an electric breast pump and the hormonal responses were measured
after they consumed a moderate dose of alcohol (0.4 g/kg).
The results showed a significant decrease in oxytocin level, which correlates with the decline of milk ejection and
production, dismissing the lore that alcohol is a galactagogue. Furthermore, the increased prolactin levels are directly
associated with the lactating mothers' perception of breast fullness explaining why the folklore may have persisted for
centuries.
"Since breast milk is a critical form of nutrients to infants," explains Dr. Mennella, "it is important that women remain as
healthy as possible during the breast-feeding stage. This means dismissing the age-old myth that alcohol assists in milk
supply."
JCE&M is one of four journals published by The Endocrine Society. Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's
oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones, and the clinical practice of endocrinology.
Endocrinologists are specially trained doctors who diagnose, treat and conduct basic and clinical research on complex
hormonal disorders such as diabetes, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, obesity, hypertension, cholesterol and reproductive
disorders. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 12,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and
students, in more than 80 countries. Together, these members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in
endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. To learn more about the Society, and the field of
endocrinology, visit the Society's web site at endo-society
Contact: Tadu Yimam
tyimamendo-society
301-941-0251
Endocrine Society
endo-society
UNESCO's Draft Sex Education Guidelines Draw Criticism
The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization this week is scheduled to release draft international sex education guidelines, the New York Times reports. The guidelines -- which UNESCO, the World Health Organization and UNICEF have been working on for more than two years -- are designed to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, improve sexual health and reduce the number of illegal abortions through sex education. Once finalized, the guidelines will be internationally distributed to education ministries, school systems and teachers to help direct educators in teaching students about their bodies, sex, relationships and sexually transmitted infections. The guidelines cover four different age groups.
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
According to the Times, the United Nations Population Fund -- one of the key donor agencies involved with the sex education program -- has withdrawn support and asked that its name be removed from published materials because of pressure from conservative groups. A UNFPA official said that the organization wants to change the publication to make it "more effective and adaptable by countries, so it may better serve countries as guidelines for use in national educational systems." A September 5 press release from UNFPA reaffirmed its support for comprehensive sexuality education as an essential component of efforts to protect the health and rights of young people, and said the agency will continue to cooperate with UNESCO in further fine-tuning and finalizing the guidelines on sexuality education.
Conservative and religious groups, mostly from the U.S., have attacked a June draft of the guidelines for encouraging discussions on condom use, masturbation and the statement that sexual abstinence is "only one of a range of choices available to young people" to prevent STIs and unintended pregnancies. The groups also have criticized the guidelines' assertion that "legal abortion performed under sterile conditions by medically trained personnel is safe." The guidelines encourage discussing "access to safe abortion and post-abortion care" and the "use and misuse of emergency contraception" with students ages 12 to 15.
The onslaught of criticism from conservative groups prompted UNESCO to remove the draft guidelines from its Web site, according to the Times. Sue Williams, a UNESCO spokesperson, said, "Unfortunately, the way the guidelines have been presented by certain media has provoked some fairly aggressive reactions, mainly in the form of virulent comment on conservative American Web sites." UNESCO defended the guidelines in press releases as being "evidence-informed and rights-based." Mark Richmond, UNESCO's global coordinator for HIV and AIDS and the director for educational priorities, said, "The document is not a curriculum," adding that the "main effort is to try to empower young people with knowledge that could actually save their lives" and "give them the opportunity for more informed choices than currently exist" (Erlanger, New York Times, 9/3).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
Few Women Get Enough Exercise During Pregnancy
Fewer than 1 in 4 pregnant women meet physical activity guidelines set by doctors and health officials, according to a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study.
Guidelines set by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 2002 recommend pregnant women get 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily, or on most days, if they have no medical or obstetric complications. Similar guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2008 suggest pregnant women get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week.
"Physical activity during pregnancy has a number of health benefits," said Kelly Evenson, Ph.D., research associate professor of epidemiology in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and author of the new study. "It may help prevent gestational diabetes, support healthy gestational weight gain and improve mental health."
According to the study, women in their first trimester were more likely to meet the physical activity recommendations than those in more advanced stages of their pregnancy, Evenson said. Women with health insurance and non-Hispanic whites were more likely to meet the guidelines than others. Walking was the most common leisure time physical activity reported.
The findings were published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Preventive Medicine.
Evenson said the study would help health-care providers and policymakers better understand which women are getting the exercise they need during pregnancy, and what method of physical activity they are most likely to choose.
"These data could be used to set national objectives, such as with the Department of Health and Human Services' 'Healthy People' initiative," she said. "By having this data, we can monitor trends over time to determine if more women are getting exercise throughout their pregnancy."
"Healthy People" involves professionals, policymakers, researchers and the general public in putting together national health objectives to increase the quality and years of healthy life, and eliminate health disparities among people of all ages.
For the study, Evenson and Fang Wen, a programmer in the public health school's epidemiology department, used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected between 1999 and 2006. The data included interviews with 1,280 pregnant women aged 16 or older. The questionnaire defined moderate intensity activities as tasks that caused light sweating or a slight to moderate increase in breathing or heart rate, and vigorous intensity as activities that caused heavy sweating or large increases in breathing or heart rate.
The proportion of women who were active enough to meet the guidelines' recommendations was about 23 percent.
The national survey also showed 23 percent of women reported getting some activity going to and from work or school; 54 percent got moderate to vigorous household activity; and 57 percent reported moderate to vigorous leisure activity within a month before the interview. Moderate to vigorous leisure time activity was significantly greater among women in the first trimester compared to third trimester.
Source: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Guidelines set by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 2002 recommend pregnant women get 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily, or on most days, if they have no medical or obstetric complications. Similar guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2008 suggest pregnant women get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week.
"Physical activity during pregnancy has a number of health benefits," said Kelly Evenson, Ph.D., research associate professor of epidemiology in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and author of the new study. "It may help prevent gestational diabetes, support healthy gestational weight gain and improve mental health."
According to the study, women in their first trimester were more likely to meet the physical activity recommendations than those in more advanced stages of their pregnancy, Evenson said. Women with health insurance and non-Hispanic whites were more likely to meet the guidelines than others. Walking was the most common leisure time physical activity reported.
The findings were published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Preventive Medicine.
Evenson said the study would help health-care providers and policymakers better understand which women are getting the exercise they need during pregnancy, and what method of physical activity they are most likely to choose.
"These data could be used to set national objectives, such as with the Department of Health and Human Services' 'Healthy People' initiative," she said. "By having this data, we can monitor trends over time to determine if more women are getting exercise throughout their pregnancy."
"Healthy People" involves professionals, policymakers, researchers and the general public in putting together national health objectives to increase the quality and years of healthy life, and eliminate health disparities among people of all ages.
For the study, Evenson and Fang Wen, a programmer in the public health school's epidemiology department, used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected between 1999 and 2006. The data included interviews with 1,280 pregnant women aged 16 or older. The questionnaire defined moderate intensity activities as tasks that caused light sweating or a slight to moderate increase in breathing or heart rate, and vigorous intensity as activities that caused heavy sweating or large increases in breathing or heart rate.
The proportion of women who were active enough to meet the guidelines' recommendations was about 23 percent.
The national survey also showed 23 percent of women reported getting some activity going to and from work or school; 54 percent got moderate to vigorous household activity; and 57 percent reported moderate to vigorous leisure activity within a month before the interview. Moderate to vigorous leisure time activity was significantly greater among women in the first trimester compared to third trimester.
Source: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Nebraska Women Benefit From Efforts To Close Gaps In Cancer Screening
A decade-long Nebraska study that showed disparities in breast and cervical cancer screenings could have spurred changes that raised the percentage of women screened in the state.
"Disparities in screening between racial and ethnic groups, even in a homogeneous state such as Nebraska, are a problem and by digging into some of the differences we were able to have an impact on breast and cervical cancer screening," said lead study author Shingairai Feresu, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
The research team crunched the numbers of low-income, uninsured, and in some cases, less educated women screened by Pap smear, clinical breast exam and mammogram between 1993 and 2004.
Native American women were more likely than white women to have mammograms ordered, while African-American and Native American women were less likely than white women to have a clinical breast exam. African-American women were less likely than white women to have a Pap test, the researchers found.
Their findings appear in the August issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.
Melissa Leypoldt, R.N.,is the program director of Every Woman Matters in Nebraska, a health screening and awareness initiative with 67 programs nationwide. She called the study "a snapshot of the women served through the program and the services they received." Consequently, "we have used the data to direct program resources and manpower," she said.
In 2006, the state had its lowest rate of death from breast cancer since 1967, Leypoldt said.
"Programs such as EWM, together with other outreach efforts in the state might have helped to improve or increase preventive services such as screening for breast and cervical cancer to the point where Nebraska ranked 26th in screening for these conditions in 1990 and now ranks 16th nationwide," Feresu said.
Despite some changes in eligibility requirements for this program such as a midstream change in the age of women who could get a mammogram and the requirement that women re-qualify every year the number of women who had not had a Pap test in the state dropped from 20 percent in 1991 to 15 percent in 2002. In 1990, 45 percent of women had not gotten a mammogram; by 2002, that figure was 20 percent, according to Feresu.
For Native Americans, Every Woman Matters has been on the reservations since it began and mobile mammogram units may account for the superior access to mammograms in this group. Nebraska has recently experienced an influx of Hispanic immigrants, and EWM has now incorporated Hispanic women into its efforts.
Direct mailings have proved very effective in reaching women, Leypoldt said: "We look for eligible populations, then see who is not being screened, and target them."
The program is adding cardiovascular and diabetes screening to its services.
Feresu SA, et al. Breast and cervical cancer screening among low-income women in Nebraska: findings from the Every Woman Matters program, 1993-2004. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved 19(3), 2008.
Health Behavior News Service
Center for the Advancement of Health, 2000 Florida Ave. NW, Ste. 210
Washington, DC 20009
United States
hbns
"Disparities in screening between racial and ethnic groups, even in a homogeneous state such as Nebraska, are a problem and by digging into some of the differences we were able to have an impact on breast and cervical cancer screening," said lead study author Shingairai Feresu, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
The research team crunched the numbers of low-income, uninsured, and in some cases, less educated women screened by Pap smear, clinical breast exam and mammogram between 1993 and 2004.
Native American women were more likely than white women to have mammograms ordered, while African-American and Native American women were less likely than white women to have a clinical breast exam. African-American women were less likely than white women to have a Pap test, the researchers found.
Their findings appear in the August issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.
Melissa Leypoldt, R.N.,is the program director of Every Woman Matters in Nebraska, a health screening and awareness initiative with 67 programs nationwide. She called the study "a snapshot of the women served through the program and the services they received." Consequently, "we have used the data to direct program resources and manpower," she said.
In 2006, the state had its lowest rate of death from breast cancer since 1967, Leypoldt said.
"Programs such as EWM, together with other outreach efforts in the state might have helped to improve or increase preventive services such as screening for breast and cervical cancer to the point where Nebraska ranked 26th in screening for these conditions in 1990 and now ranks 16th nationwide," Feresu said.
Despite some changes in eligibility requirements for this program such as a midstream change in the age of women who could get a mammogram and the requirement that women re-qualify every year the number of women who had not had a Pap test in the state dropped from 20 percent in 1991 to 15 percent in 2002. In 1990, 45 percent of women had not gotten a mammogram; by 2002, that figure was 20 percent, according to Feresu.
For Native Americans, Every Woman Matters has been on the reservations since it began and mobile mammogram units may account for the superior access to mammograms in this group. Nebraska has recently experienced an influx of Hispanic immigrants, and EWM has now incorporated Hispanic women into its efforts.
Direct mailings have proved very effective in reaching women, Leypoldt said: "We look for eligible populations, then see who is not being screened, and target them."
The program is adding cardiovascular and diabetes screening to its services.
Feresu SA, et al. Breast and cervical cancer screening among low-income women in Nebraska: findings from the Every Woman Matters program, 1993-2004. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved 19(3), 2008.
Health Behavior News Service
Center for the Advancement of Health, 2000 Florida Ave. NW, Ste. 210
Washington, DC 20009
United States
hbns
Panel Discusses How Asian Migrant Women Are Vulnerable To HIV
Although Asian migrant women working in Arab countries generate significant economic benefits for both their home and host countries, many of them are at risk of HIV because of the unsafe conditions under which they migrate and live, according to a panel of experts organized by the United Nations Development Programme Regional Center in Colombo, Sri Lanka, The Hindu reports. According to the panelists -- which included senior government officials and representatives of civil society in Lebanon, the Philippines and Sri Lanka; representatives of key diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka; U.N. officials; and migrant welfare organizations -- it is critical that the HIV vulnerabilities of this demographic are addressed so that the economic gains of both home and host countries, as well as the health and rights of migrant women, are protected.
Ajay Chhibber, assistant secretary-general and director of UNDP's Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, said that women account for 43% of the 54 million people who at any given time are on the move within Asia and to destinations outside the region. "Women often migrate under unsafe conditions, live under very difficult circumstances, and can be targets of sexual exploitation and violence," Chhibber said, adding, "With little or no access to health services and social protection, these factors can make them highly vulnerable to HIV." He said that an increasing number of migrant workers from Asia who have contracted HIV in various host countries in recent years have been deported, which causes economic loss for the workers and their families. According to Chhibber, "There is a need for strategic national, regional and international action to ensure safe movement and access to HIV programs for migrants and mobile populations." In addition, Chhibber said that addressing the HIV vulnerabilities of migrants is key to achieving universal access to treatment and the U.N. Millennium Development Goals' aim of halting and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.
Ajay Chhibber, assistant secretary-general and director of UNDP's Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, said that women account for 43% of the 54 million people who at any given time are on the move within Asia and to destinations outside the region. "Women often migrate under unsafe conditions, live under very difficult circumstances, and can be targets of sexual exploitation and violence," Chhibber said, adding, "With little or no access to health services and social protection, these factors can make them highly vulnerable to HIV." He said that an increasing number of migrant workers from Asia who have contracted HIV in various host countries in recent years have been deported, which causes economic loss for the workers and their families. According to Chhibber, "There is a need for strategic national, regional and international action to ensure safe movement and access to HIV programs for migrants and mobile populations." In addition, Chhibber said that addressing the HIV vulnerabilities of migrants is key to achieving universal access to treatment and the U.N. Millennium Development Goals' aim of halting and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.
UNDP Releases Summary of HIV Vulnerabilities Among Migrant Women
During the round table, an executive summary of a UNDP study -- titled "HIV Vulnerabilities Faced by Women Migrants: From Asia to the Arab States" -- also was released. According to Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP's HIV/AIDS regional program coordinator and practice leader, although migrant women are among the most vulnerable to HIV, it is important to emphasize the fact that the conditions under which people migrate -- such as being separated from families and social support systems -- rather than the actual act of migration are what make women vulnerable to contracting the virus. Wiesen said, "Women, particularly domestic workers, are among the most vulnerable. They experience basic rights violations, in terms of pay and conditions of work. Many respondents reported physical violence, verbal and sexual abuse."
Malu Marin -- study coordinator and director of the nongovernmental organization ACHIEVE, which works for migrants' welfare in the Philippines -- said that restricting the movement of female migrants would force migration underground and increase women's risk of exploitation and HIV transmission. Marin added that in some cases, domestic workers are tested for HIV without consent and counseling and are deported if they are found to be HIV-positive. "This needs to change in favor of a migrant-friendly testing policy," Marin said.
According to The Hindu, the study recommends dialogue and coordination between ministries of health, labor, foreign affairs and social welfare in both countries of origin and destination to reduce vulnerabilities of HIV, as well as facilitation of multi-country negotiations between origin and host countries. The Hindu reports that the study examines HIV-susceptibility among female migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka to Bahrain, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates and explores ways to address their HIV risks without compromising their right to movement and livelihood. The study was based on research comprising more than 500 interviews over nine months using focus group discussions and key informant interviews with migrant workers; senior officials of the ministries of health, labor and foreign bureaus of employment; embassy officials; service providers; and recruitment agencies in both origin and host countries (The Hindu, 10/9).
The executive summary of the study is available online.
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation.? All rights reserved.
Connection Between A Mother's Mood And Her Baby's Sleep
If there's one thing that everyone knows about newborn babies, it's that they don't sleep through the night, and neither do their parents. But in fact, those first six months of life are crucial to developing the regular sleeping and waking patterns, known as circadian rhythms, that a child will need for a healthy future.
Some children may start life with the sleep odds stacked against them, though, say University of Michigan sleep experts who study the issue. They will present data from their study next week at the European Sleep Research Society meeting in Glasgow, Scotland.
Babies whose mothers experienced depression any time before they became pregnant, or developed mood problems while they were pregnant, are much more prone to having chaotic sleep patterns in the first half-year of life than babies born to non-depressed moms, the team has found.
For instance, infants born to depressed mothers nap more during the day, take much longer to settle down to sleep at night, and wake up more often during the night. It's a baby form of the insomnia that millions of adults know all too well.
Not only does this add to parents' sleepless nights, but it may help set these children up for their own depression later in life.
But this doesn't mean that babies born to depressed mothers are doomed to follow in their mothers' shoes, even though depression does tend to run in families, says Roseanne Armitage, Ph.D., the leader of the U-M Sleep & Chronophysiology Laboratory team at the U-M Depression Center.
Nor does it mean that parents who haven't suffered depression can ignore the importance of their babies' sleep.
Rather, it means that all parents -especially ones with a history of depression - must pay close attention to the conditions they create for their infant's sleep, from birth.
"Keeping a very regular sleep schedule is incredibly important," says Armitage. "We know that for both children and adults, and from this study we now know that for infants, the more stable the bedtime the less chaotic sleep is during the night."
Armitage and her team have devoted years to studying the links between sleep and depression, and the circadian rhythms, light-dark exposure, and other factors that appear to make a difference in sleep and mood. Over the past decade, they've shown that all are strongly linked.
Recently, their research in depressed adults, teenagers and pre-teens led them to wonder if the links were as strong among babies. Infants need a lot more sleep than grownups, but tend to get it in shorter chunks of time throughout the day and night, at least for the first months of life.
The research that Armitage and her colleagues will present next week, and also this fall at the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry annual meeting, is based on sleep studies involving two groups of new mothers and their babies. It's funded by the Cohen Sleep Research Fund and the Drs. Jack and Barbara Berman Depression Research Fund at the U-M Depression Center.
One group was made up of mothers who sought help for depression during pregnancy from the U-M Depression Center's Women's Mood Disorders Program. The other group was mothers who had no past or current depression. Each group agreed to wear wristwatch-like devices called actigraphs, which measure sleep time at night, light exposure and daytime activity/rest patterns.
The mothers began wearing the devices during the last trimester of pregnancy, and then after their babies were born the team fitted each child with a tiny actigraph at the age of two weeks. Then, the team downloaded the information from the devices every month until the babies were eight months old.
So far, the analysis of the data they collected show that babies born to depressed mothers had little or no evidence of an in-born 24-hour circadian rhythm soon after they were born - unlike the babies born to women who weren't depressed. This irregular pattern continued until the study ended in the babies' eighth month.
"We think we've identified one of the risk factors that may contribute to these infants' going on to develop depression later in life," says Armitage. "Not everybody who has poor sleep or weak circadian rhythms will develop depression, but if sleep stays consistently disrupted and circadian rhythms are weak, the risk is significantly elevated."
That's why, she says, it's so crucial to help all babies - and new parents - get the sleep they need.
Those first few months, in fact, are a kind of training camp for the baby's sleep in the future, Armitage says. Babies' bodies and brains need to be trained to understand that they should sleep when it's dark, and be awake when it's light - the basic circadian rhythm that governs sleep patterns for a person's entire life. This sets the baby's "body clock" right from the start.
Of course, infants and toddlers need to nap during the daytime to get all the sleep they need -11 to 18 hours for newborns in the first two months, 11 to 15 hours for the next ten months, and 12 to 14 hours from ages 1 to 3 years. And, newborns wake up in the night when they need food.
"But going to bed at the same time, getting up at the same time, establishing rituals around the bedtime helps infants begin to distinguish between night sleep and day sleep," says Armitage. "Put the baby in day clothes for naps, and in night clothes for night sleep - babies pick up these cues."
Parents can also make sure that babies are regularly around bright light during the day, which helps the body develop circadian rhythms linked to light cycles. Of course, the bright light shouldn't shine directly in babies' eyes, and they should be shielded from direct sunlight or wear sunscreen outside.
By four months of age, a baby's sleep schedule should have become regular, more focused on nighttime sleep, and their blocks of sleep more "consolidated" or longer - especially at night.
The main thing, she says, is to make sure babies and small children get enough sleep on an increasingly regular schedule - and that their moms do too.
The period immediately after giving birth is a high-risk time for depression, even in women who have never had depression before. Those who have had depression, or have relatives who have suffered depression, are most at risk. This "postpartum depression" as it is called can be worsened by lack of sleep - or perhaps even partly triggered by it.
"Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with an elevated risk for depression in everybody, at all stages of life, but in new moms, because of the hormonal changes and the need to recover from the pregnancy and birth, sleep deprivation can really be a problem," says Armitage, a professor of psychiatry at the U-M Medical School. "It can interfere with the social rhythms that are important for keeping the circadian clock in the brain in sync, it can minimize the amount of energy moms have to care for their infants, and it can contribute to the development of depression."
Find out more on the World Wide Web at:
Sleep and Chronophysiology Laboratory, University of Michigan Depression Center: depressioncenter/sleeplab/
U-M Health System: Sleep Patterns in Babies
med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_sleepbab_hhg.htm
Source: Kara Gavin
University of Michigan Health System
Some children may start life with the sleep odds stacked against them, though, say University of Michigan sleep experts who study the issue. They will present data from their study next week at the European Sleep Research Society meeting in Glasgow, Scotland.
Babies whose mothers experienced depression any time before they became pregnant, or developed mood problems while they were pregnant, are much more prone to having chaotic sleep patterns in the first half-year of life than babies born to non-depressed moms, the team has found.
For instance, infants born to depressed mothers nap more during the day, take much longer to settle down to sleep at night, and wake up more often during the night. It's a baby form of the insomnia that millions of adults know all too well.
Not only does this add to parents' sleepless nights, but it may help set these children up for their own depression later in life.
But this doesn't mean that babies born to depressed mothers are doomed to follow in their mothers' shoes, even though depression does tend to run in families, says Roseanne Armitage, Ph.D., the leader of the U-M Sleep & Chronophysiology Laboratory team at the U-M Depression Center.
Nor does it mean that parents who haven't suffered depression can ignore the importance of their babies' sleep.
Rather, it means that all parents -especially ones with a history of depression - must pay close attention to the conditions they create for their infant's sleep, from birth.
"Keeping a very regular sleep schedule is incredibly important," says Armitage. "We know that for both children and adults, and from this study we now know that for infants, the more stable the bedtime the less chaotic sleep is during the night."
Armitage and her team have devoted years to studying the links between sleep and depression, and the circadian rhythms, light-dark exposure, and other factors that appear to make a difference in sleep and mood. Over the past decade, they've shown that all are strongly linked.
Recently, their research in depressed adults, teenagers and pre-teens led them to wonder if the links were as strong among babies. Infants need a lot more sleep than grownups, but tend to get it in shorter chunks of time throughout the day and night, at least for the first months of life.
The research that Armitage and her colleagues will present next week, and also this fall at the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry annual meeting, is based on sleep studies involving two groups of new mothers and their babies. It's funded by the Cohen Sleep Research Fund and the Drs. Jack and Barbara Berman Depression Research Fund at the U-M Depression Center.
One group was made up of mothers who sought help for depression during pregnancy from the U-M Depression Center's Women's Mood Disorders Program. The other group was mothers who had no past or current depression. Each group agreed to wear wristwatch-like devices called actigraphs, which measure sleep time at night, light exposure and daytime activity/rest patterns.
The mothers began wearing the devices during the last trimester of pregnancy, and then after their babies were born the team fitted each child with a tiny actigraph at the age of two weeks. Then, the team downloaded the information from the devices every month until the babies were eight months old.
So far, the analysis of the data they collected show that babies born to depressed mothers had little or no evidence of an in-born 24-hour circadian rhythm soon after they were born - unlike the babies born to women who weren't depressed. This irregular pattern continued until the study ended in the babies' eighth month.
"We think we've identified one of the risk factors that may contribute to these infants' going on to develop depression later in life," says Armitage. "Not everybody who has poor sleep or weak circadian rhythms will develop depression, but if sleep stays consistently disrupted and circadian rhythms are weak, the risk is significantly elevated."
That's why, she says, it's so crucial to help all babies - and new parents - get the sleep they need.
Those first few months, in fact, are a kind of training camp for the baby's sleep in the future, Armitage says. Babies' bodies and brains need to be trained to understand that they should sleep when it's dark, and be awake when it's light - the basic circadian rhythm that governs sleep patterns for a person's entire life. This sets the baby's "body clock" right from the start.
Of course, infants and toddlers need to nap during the daytime to get all the sleep they need -11 to 18 hours for newborns in the first two months, 11 to 15 hours for the next ten months, and 12 to 14 hours from ages 1 to 3 years. And, newborns wake up in the night when they need food.
"But going to bed at the same time, getting up at the same time, establishing rituals around the bedtime helps infants begin to distinguish between night sleep and day sleep," says Armitage. "Put the baby in day clothes for naps, and in night clothes for night sleep - babies pick up these cues."
Parents can also make sure that babies are regularly around bright light during the day, which helps the body develop circadian rhythms linked to light cycles. Of course, the bright light shouldn't shine directly in babies' eyes, and they should be shielded from direct sunlight or wear sunscreen outside.
By four months of age, a baby's sleep schedule should have become regular, more focused on nighttime sleep, and their blocks of sleep more "consolidated" or longer - especially at night.
The main thing, she says, is to make sure babies and small children get enough sleep on an increasingly regular schedule - and that their moms do too.
The period immediately after giving birth is a high-risk time for depression, even in women who have never had depression before. Those who have had depression, or have relatives who have suffered depression, are most at risk. This "postpartum depression" as it is called can be worsened by lack of sleep - or perhaps even partly triggered by it.
"Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with an elevated risk for depression in everybody, at all stages of life, but in new moms, because of the hormonal changes and the need to recover from the pregnancy and birth, sleep deprivation can really be a problem," says Armitage, a professor of psychiatry at the U-M Medical School. "It can interfere with the social rhythms that are important for keeping the circadian clock in the brain in sync, it can minimize the amount of energy moms have to care for their infants, and it can contribute to the development of depression."
Find out more on the World Wide Web at:
Sleep and Chronophysiology Laboratory, University of Michigan Depression Center: depressioncenter/sleeplab/
U-M Health System: Sleep Patterns in Babies
med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_sleepbab_hhg.htm
Source: Kara Gavin
University of Michigan Health System
In Africa, Heart Disease And Its Risk Factors Are Expanding
Many
types of heart disease as well as some of its associated risk factors,
which are traditionally only associated with high-income countries, are
increasing in incidence in African people. This is worsening the threat
to these populations and only deepening the challenges governments and
doctors must face in these areas. These conclusions were published in
an article in The Lancet released on March 14,
2008.?
The
epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in developed countries has
been well documented, from its causes to its consequences. In
low-income and middle-income countries, where malnourishment and
infectious disease are also common, there are few data to describe
CVD's effects.
To explore this, the Heart of Soweto Study was
performed by Professor Simon Stewart, Cardiovascular Research Unit,
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, University of the Witwatersrand,
Johannesburg, South Africa, and Baker Heart Research Institute,
Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues. The study focused on the clinical
range of disorders related to CVD in patients presenting for the first
time to a cardiology unit in Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in one
year. Data was recorded for 4,162 patients with confirmed CVD, 1,593 of
whom were newly diagnosed and 2,569 of whom were previously diagnosed
and under treatment. Additionally, they established a registry for
newly diagnosed patients with relevant data.
Upon examination
it was found that, of the newly diagnosed study
population,? 85%
(1,359) were black Africans and 59% (939) were women. In the same
population, women had an average age of 53 years, while men were older
with a mean of 55 years. Approximately 25% of the patients were younger
than 40 years old.
The most common primary diagnosis was heart
failure, and this was present in 44% of the patients. Compared to the
rest of the population, black Africans were 46% more likely to be
diagnosed with heart failure, but only 10% as likely to be diagnosed
with coronary artery disease. In general, the presence of CVD risk
factors was very high: 56% of the patients had hypertension or high
blood pressure; 44% of the patients with hypertension were obese. 59%
(933) newly diagnosed patients showed several risk factors, while only
8% (209) of this population showed no identifiable risk factors.
This
study, according to the authors, will have important implications on
actions taken to prevent and treat heart disease, not just in Soweto,
but also for other urban communities in Africa that are presently
experiencing similar epidemiological changes in their disease profiles.
Presently, a broad range of advanced conditions are included in the
spectrum of Soweto's heart disease. This includes the infectious
diseases usually expected in African populations, such as rheumatic
valvular diseases, cardiomyopathies, tuberculosis linked pericardial
effusion and diseases exacerbated by HIV incidence. However, also
included are newer non-communicable diseases that are associated with
advanced clinical presentation, which usually are reported in
high-income countries, such as hypertensive heart disease and coronary
artery disease.
The authors point out in particular their
concern that the patients most likely to be obese in both this hospital
and in the general community were black African women, and that this
group represents a greater proportion of the whole than black African
men. "[This] is especially noteworthy in view of the typical male
dominance seen in cohorts from developed countries."They conclude,
highlighting the final implications of their new data: "The combination
of common preventable risk factors and late clinical
presentations - especially heart failure - represents a particular
challenge to improve primary and secondary prevention strategies to not
only reduce the number of new cases of cardiovascular disease but also
improve health outcomes for those with pre-established disease."
Dr
Harvey White, Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand, and Dr Anthony
Dalby, Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa, contributed an
accompanying Comment in which they point out the importance of
this study along with some challenges. They say: "The major challenge
is how to increase health resources. A recurring theme in Africa is the
lack of reliable statistics. This registry, from one of the largest
urban populations of black Africans, goes a long way to correcting that
deficit in Soweto."
Spectrum
of heart disease and risk factors in a black urban population in South
Africa (the Heart of Soweto Study): a cohort study
Karen Sliwa, David Wilkinson, Craig Hansen, Lucas Ntyintyane, Kemi
Tibazarwa, Anthony Becker, Simon Stewart
The Lancet - Vol. 371, Issue 9616, 15 March 2008,
Pages 915-922
DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60417-1
Click
Here For Abstract
Heart disease in Soweto: facing a triple threat
Harvey D White, Anthony J Dalby
The Lancet - Vol. 371, Issue 9616, 15 March 2008,
Pages 876-877
Click Here For Journal
Anna Sophia McKenney
types of heart disease as well as some of its associated risk factors,
which are traditionally only associated with high-income countries, are
increasing in incidence in African people. This is worsening the threat
to these populations and only deepening the challenges governments and
doctors must face in these areas. These conclusions were published in
an article in The Lancet released on March 14,
2008.?
The
epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in developed countries has
been well documented, from its causes to its consequences. In
low-income and middle-income countries, where malnourishment and
infectious disease are also common, there are few data to describe
CVD's effects.
To explore this, the Heart of Soweto Study was
performed by Professor Simon Stewart, Cardiovascular Research Unit,
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, University of the Witwatersrand,
Johannesburg, South Africa, and Baker Heart Research Institute,
Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues. The study focused on the clinical
range of disorders related to CVD in patients presenting for the first
time to a cardiology unit in Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in one
year. Data was recorded for 4,162 patients with confirmed CVD, 1,593 of
whom were newly diagnosed and 2,569 of whom were previously diagnosed
and under treatment. Additionally, they established a registry for
newly diagnosed patients with relevant data.
Upon examination
it was found that, of the newly diagnosed study
population,? 85%
(1,359) were black Africans and 59% (939) were women. In the same
population, women had an average age of 53 years, while men were older
with a mean of 55 years. Approximately 25% of the patients were younger
than 40 years old.
The most common primary diagnosis was heart
failure, and this was present in 44% of the patients. Compared to the
rest of the population, black Africans were 46% more likely to be
diagnosed with heart failure, but only 10% as likely to be diagnosed
with coronary artery disease. In general, the presence of CVD risk
factors was very high: 56% of the patients had hypertension or high
blood pressure; 44% of the patients with hypertension were obese. 59%
(933) newly diagnosed patients showed several risk factors, while only
8% (209) of this population showed no identifiable risk factors.
This
study, according to the authors, will have important implications on
actions taken to prevent and treat heart disease, not just in Soweto,
but also for other urban communities in Africa that are presently
experiencing similar epidemiological changes in their disease profiles.
Presently, a broad range of advanced conditions are included in the
spectrum of Soweto's heart disease. This includes the infectious
diseases usually expected in African populations, such as rheumatic
valvular diseases, cardiomyopathies, tuberculosis linked pericardial
effusion and diseases exacerbated by HIV incidence. However, also
included are newer non-communicable diseases that are associated with
advanced clinical presentation, which usually are reported in
high-income countries, such as hypertensive heart disease and coronary
artery disease.
The authors point out in particular their
concern that the patients most likely to be obese in both this hospital
and in the general community were black African women, and that this
group represents a greater proportion of the whole than black African
men. "[This] is especially noteworthy in view of the typical male
dominance seen in cohorts from developed countries."They conclude,
highlighting the final implications of their new data: "The combination
of common preventable risk factors and late clinical
presentations - especially heart failure - represents a particular
challenge to improve primary and secondary prevention strategies to not
only reduce the number of new cases of cardiovascular disease but also
improve health outcomes for those with pre-established disease."
Dr
Harvey White, Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand, and Dr Anthony
Dalby, Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa, contributed an
accompanying Comment in which they point out the importance of
this study along with some challenges. They say: "The major challenge
is how to increase health resources. A recurring theme in Africa is the
lack of reliable statistics. This registry, from one of the largest
urban populations of black Africans, goes a long way to correcting that
deficit in Soweto."
Spectrum
of heart disease and risk factors in a black urban population in South
Africa (the Heart of Soweto Study): a cohort study
Karen Sliwa, David Wilkinson, Craig Hansen, Lucas Ntyintyane, Kemi
Tibazarwa, Anthony Becker, Simon Stewart
The Lancet - Vol. 371, Issue 9616, 15 March 2008,
Pages 915-922
DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60417-1
Click
Here For Abstract
Heart disease in Soweto: facing a triple threat
Harvey D White, Anthony J Dalby
The Lancet - Vol. 371, Issue 9616, 15 March 2008,
Pages 876-877
Click Here For Journal
Anna Sophia McKenney
CSI Miami's Eva Larue Joins The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) To Break The Silence On Leading Women's Cancer Killer
The National Ovarian Cancer
Coalition (NOCC) today announced the premiere of its national television
and radio public service announcement (PSA) to educate women about the
signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, the number one killer among women's reproductive cancers. In addition, NOCC continues to "break the silence" through local educational events, a new partnership with hair care company, PureOlogy Serious Colour Care, and a window art display at New York's Rockefeller Center.
Eva LaRue, star of the hit television series CSI Miami and formerly of
All My Children, is featured in the PSA to encourage women to start talking
about ovarian cancer with their families, friends and doctors. Ms. LaRue
lost both her grandmother and great-grandmother to ovarian cancer, which
puts her at greater risk of the disease. The PSA will begin airing in
September, which is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, a designation that NOCC helped initiate in 1998.
"Ovarian cancer is taking a devastating toll on thousands of women each
year and too many are diagnosed too late. We need to start talking about
ovarian cancer now in order to change that trend," said LaRue. "I am
honored to help NOCC continue its public education efforts to 'break the
silence' in order to improve the odds for women with this disease today and
in the future."
Earlier this year NOCC launched "Break the Silence," a national
education program to facilitate greater awareness and dialogue about
ovarian cancer in response to alarming results from their national survey
that showed only 15 percent of women are familiar with the signs of the
disease, and 82 percent have never talked to their doctors about the
symptoms and risk factors. Yet, more than 20,000 women will be diagnosed
with ovarian cancer this year, and more than 15,000 will die from the
disease.
If caught in the early stages, the five-year survival rate for ovarian
cancer is 90 percent, but 75 percent of women are still diagnosed in the
advanced stages when the prognosis is poor.
"Break the Silence" has reached nearly 10 million people to date with
educational messages and tools for starting a dialogue about this
frightening disease. In September more than 80 NOCC divisions around the
country will continue spreading the word by conducting local "Break the
Silence" events for women in their communities.
"The statistics are alarming and NOCC is responding with education and
awareness-building programs. Because the symptoms of ovarian cancer are
subtle and there is no standard screening tool, a woman's best first-line
defense is her own awareness of the symptoms," said Julene Fabrizio,
national President of NOCC and an ovarian cancer survivor. "We are so
fortunate to have in Eva a woman who is both passionate about the cause and can effectively connect with viewers of all ages on this important topic.
With Eva's participation in the PSA campaign, we can continue to raise the
profile of a disease that deserves greater public attention."
"Through the PSA and our national education program, 'Break the
Silence,' as well as other equally important initiatives, we are fulfilling
NOCC's mission to ensure that as many women as possible have the
information they need to protect themselves and their loved ones," said
Jane Langridge, chief executive officer of NOCC.
Ovarian Cancer Art Now Showing at Rockefeller Center
In September the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition will be featured in
New York City's Rockefeller Center Plaza window display, imparting messages about ovarian cancer signs, symptoms, and risk factors to the more than 250,000 passersby each day. A sculpture entitled "Echo" created by artist John Magnan in honor of his late wife, Mary, whose seven-year battle with ovarian cancer ended this past February serves as the centerpiece of this traffic-stopping display. "Echo" is the final sculpture of "Body Image, Body Essence," a traveling art exhibit created by Magnan and sponsored by NOCC to raise awareness and pay tribute to all the courageous women who are battling or have lost their lives to ovarian cancer.
Corporate Partnership Extends NOCC's Education and Awareness Program Also in honor of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, NOCC is partnering with PureOlogy Serious Colour Care, a company that has made ovarian cancer education part of its mission and one of the few hair care companies to offer an entire carcinogen-free product line.
Through the partnership, NOCC will provide educational information to
10,000 PureOlogy salons nationwide during the months of September and
October. PureOlogy also will donate to NOCC a percentage of proceeds from
sales of their SuperStraight trio of products during these same months.
PureOlogy originally was founded when a close friend of the company's
founder and chief executive officer was battling ovarian cancer. She voiced
her need for carcinogen-free hair care products that she could use as she
underwent treatment and this inspired the creation of the company.
PureOlogy continues to make it its mission to educate and raise awareness
of this often hard-to-detect disease that affects so many women.
Ovarian Cancer Symptoms and Risk Factors
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are subtle and hard to pinpoint because
they often mimic more prevalent digestive and gastrointestinal disorders.
Common symptoms include persistent swelling, bloating, pressure or pain in
the abdomen, gastrointestinal upset and/or frequent urination in the
absence of an infection. Typically, two or more symptoms occur
simultaneously and increase in severity over time.
"Women experiencing at least two to three common ovarian cancer
symptoms clustered together that persist for two or more weeks should visit
a gynecologist and ask for a rectovaginal exam, transvaginal ultrasound and
CA-125 blood test," said Judith Wolf, gynecologic oncologist at M.D.
Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX and chair of the NOCC Medical
Advisory Board. "Because a family history of breast, colon and/or ovarian
cancer increases the risk of the disease, women should monitor for symptoms and consider visiting a gynecologic oncologist for regular screenings."
About NOCC
Since its inception in 1995, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
(NOCC) has been committed to raising awareness of ovarian cancer in
communities across the country through education and support. As the first
and only national ovarian cancer organization with a network of more than
80 Divisions throughout the United States, NOCC has established itself as
the leading advocate for patients and families struggling with ovarian
cancer. Committed volunteers work together to advance NOCC's mission
through a toll-free Help Line, comprehensive web site, peer support,
professional education, the promotion of research, publications and Break
the Silence, a national education program to facilitate greater awareness
and dialogue about ovarian cancer. For more information about the National
Ovarian Cancer Coalition, visit ovarian or call 1-888-OVARIAN.
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
ovarian
Coalition (NOCC) today announced the premiere of its national television
and radio public service announcement (PSA) to educate women about the
signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, the number one killer among women's reproductive cancers. In addition, NOCC continues to "break the silence" through local educational events, a new partnership with hair care company, PureOlogy Serious Colour Care, and a window art display at New York's Rockefeller Center.
Eva LaRue, star of the hit television series CSI Miami and formerly of
All My Children, is featured in the PSA to encourage women to start talking
about ovarian cancer with their families, friends and doctors. Ms. LaRue
lost both her grandmother and great-grandmother to ovarian cancer, which
puts her at greater risk of the disease. The PSA will begin airing in
September, which is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, a designation that NOCC helped initiate in 1998.
"Ovarian cancer is taking a devastating toll on thousands of women each
year and too many are diagnosed too late. We need to start talking about
ovarian cancer now in order to change that trend," said LaRue. "I am
honored to help NOCC continue its public education efforts to 'break the
silence' in order to improve the odds for women with this disease today and
in the future."
Earlier this year NOCC launched "Break the Silence," a national
education program to facilitate greater awareness and dialogue about
ovarian cancer in response to alarming results from their national survey
that showed only 15 percent of women are familiar with the signs of the
disease, and 82 percent have never talked to their doctors about the
symptoms and risk factors. Yet, more than 20,000 women will be diagnosed
with ovarian cancer this year, and more than 15,000 will die from the
disease.
If caught in the early stages, the five-year survival rate for ovarian
cancer is 90 percent, but 75 percent of women are still diagnosed in the
advanced stages when the prognosis is poor.
"Break the Silence" has reached nearly 10 million people to date with
educational messages and tools for starting a dialogue about this
frightening disease. In September more than 80 NOCC divisions around the
country will continue spreading the word by conducting local "Break the
Silence" events for women in their communities.
"The statistics are alarming and NOCC is responding with education and
awareness-building programs. Because the symptoms of ovarian cancer are
subtle and there is no standard screening tool, a woman's best first-line
defense is her own awareness of the symptoms," said Julene Fabrizio,
national President of NOCC and an ovarian cancer survivor. "We are so
fortunate to have in Eva a woman who is both passionate about the cause and can effectively connect with viewers of all ages on this important topic.
With Eva's participation in the PSA campaign, we can continue to raise the
profile of a disease that deserves greater public attention."
"Through the PSA and our national education program, 'Break the
Silence,' as well as other equally important initiatives, we are fulfilling
NOCC's mission to ensure that as many women as possible have the
information they need to protect themselves and their loved ones," said
Jane Langridge, chief executive officer of NOCC.
Ovarian Cancer Art Now Showing at Rockefeller Center
In September the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition will be featured in
New York City's Rockefeller Center Plaza window display, imparting messages about ovarian cancer signs, symptoms, and risk factors to the more than 250,000 passersby each day. A sculpture entitled "Echo" created by artist John Magnan in honor of his late wife, Mary, whose seven-year battle with ovarian cancer ended this past February serves as the centerpiece of this traffic-stopping display. "Echo" is the final sculpture of "Body Image, Body Essence," a traveling art exhibit created by Magnan and sponsored by NOCC to raise awareness and pay tribute to all the courageous women who are battling or have lost their lives to ovarian cancer.
Corporate Partnership Extends NOCC's Education and Awareness Program Also in honor of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, NOCC is partnering with PureOlogy Serious Colour Care, a company that has made ovarian cancer education part of its mission and one of the few hair care companies to offer an entire carcinogen-free product line.
Through the partnership, NOCC will provide educational information to
10,000 PureOlogy salons nationwide during the months of September and
October. PureOlogy also will donate to NOCC a percentage of proceeds from
sales of their SuperStraight trio of products during these same months.
PureOlogy originally was founded when a close friend of the company's
founder and chief executive officer was battling ovarian cancer. She voiced
her need for carcinogen-free hair care products that she could use as she
underwent treatment and this inspired the creation of the company.
PureOlogy continues to make it its mission to educate and raise awareness
of this often hard-to-detect disease that affects so many women.
Ovarian Cancer Symptoms and Risk Factors
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are subtle and hard to pinpoint because
they often mimic more prevalent digestive and gastrointestinal disorders.
Common symptoms include persistent swelling, bloating, pressure or pain in
the abdomen, gastrointestinal upset and/or frequent urination in the
absence of an infection. Typically, two or more symptoms occur
simultaneously and increase in severity over time.
"Women experiencing at least two to three common ovarian cancer
symptoms clustered together that persist for two or more weeks should visit
a gynecologist and ask for a rectovaginal exam, transvaginal ultrasound and
CA-125 blood test," said Judith Wolf, gynecologic oncologist at M.D.
Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX and chair of the NOCC Medical
Advisory Board. "Because a family history of breast, colon and/or ovarian
cancer increases the risk of the disease, women should monitor for symptoms and consider visiting a gynecologic oncologist for regular screenings."
About NOCC
Since its inception in 1995, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
(NOCC) has been committed to raising awareness of ovarian cancer in
communities across the country through education and support. As the first
and only national ovarian cancer organization with a network of more than
80 Divisions throughout the United States, NOCC has established itself as
the leading advocate for patients and families struggling with ovarian
cancer. Committed volunteers work together to advance NOCC's mission
through a toll-free Help Line, comprehensive web site, peer support,
professional education, the promotion of research, publications and Break
the Silence, a national education program to facilitate greater awareness
and dialogue about ovarian cancer. For more information about the National
Ovarian Cancer Coalition, visit ovarian or call 1-888-OVARIAN.
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
ovarian
Women Are Diagnosed With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder More Than Men, Says Research
Males experience more traumatic events on average than do females, yet females are more likely to meet diagnostic criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), according to a review of 25 years of research reported in the November issue of Psychological Bulletin, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
The authors reviewed 290 studies conducted between 1980 and 2005 to determine who is more at risk for potentially traumatic events (PTE) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - males or females? The results of the meta-analysis found that while males have a higher risk for traumatic events, women suffer from higher PTSD rates. PTSD is defined as an anxiety disorder precipitated by a traumatic event and characterized by symptoms of re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance and numbing and hyperarousal.
From the review, researchers David F. Tolin, PhD of the Institute of Living and Edna B. Foa, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that female study participants were more likely than male study participants to have experienced sexual assault and child sexual abuse, but less likely to have experienced accidents, nonsexual assaults, witness death or injury, disaster or fire and combat or war. Sexual trauma, the authors conclude, may cause more emotional suffering and are more likely to contribute to a PTSD diagnosis than other types of trauma.
Women's higher PTSD rates were not solely attributable to their higher risk for adult sexual assault and child sexual abuse, explained Tolin. PTSD rates were still higher for women even when both sexes were compared on the same type of trauma.
"PTSD may be diagnosed more in women in part because of the criteria used to define it. Cognitive and emotional responses to traumatic events make a diagnosis of PTSD more likely. So even though men may experience more traumas, they don't seem to have the same emotional responses to traumatic events," said Tolin and Foa.
Furthermore, according to the authors, those participants who experienced multiple traumas may be more vulnerable to re-experiencing old PTSD symptoms when confronted with a new trauma. For example, if one studies male and female survivors of a motor vehicle accident, typically the female accident victims report more PTSD symptoms than do the male accident victims. "However, the data suggest that the female victims will have brought to the table a much greater risk of abuse and sexual assault prior to the accident; this could place them at higher risk of developing PTSD after the accident even though the current accident may not have caused all the symptoms," said Tolin.
These findings were consistent regardless of the population and age examined and the type of study and assessment tool used.
A reason that men may not fit the current diagnosable criteria of PTSD, said Tolin, is that their symptoms may manifest themselves differently. The male participants examined in this review were less likely to report anxiety or depression, but were more likely to report behavior and drug problems. They were also more likely to become irritable, angry or violent after traumas.
Understanding that responses to trauma can vary from person to person will help better determine if a person has experienced a trauma, said Tolin. An example of how subjective trauma symptoms can be illustrated in research investigating the traumatic effects of 9/11 terrorist attacks. Quite a few studies showed that participants' distance from ground zero was directly related to the likelihood of experiencing severe PTSD symptoms. But, said Tolin, "People from all over the U.S. could technically have been classified in research as having 'experienced' a terrorist attack just by watching it on TV. This is a major problem for trauma research because it's hard to determine whether someone has really been traumatized or not."
"Simple checklists or short interviews are insufficient for assessing trauma and this is what is used most in these types of situations. More thorough assessments are needed to know if someone will suffer long-lasting symptoms from an accident, attack or disaster," said the authors.
Article: "Sex Differences in Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Quantitative Review of 25 Years of Research," David F. Tolin, PhD, Institute of Living and University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Edna B. Foa, PhD, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 132, No. 6.
The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.
Contact: Pam Willenz
American Psychological Association
The authors reviewed 290 studies conducted between 1980 and 2005 to determine who is more at risk for potentially traumatic events (PTE) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - males or females? The results of the meta-analysis found that while males have a higher risk for traumatic events, women suffer from higher PTSD rates. PTSD is defined as an anxiety disorder precipitated by a traumatic event and characterized by symptoms of re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance and numbing and hyperarousal.
From the review, researchers David F. Tolin, PhD of the Institute of Living and Edna B. Foa, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that female study participants were more likely than male study participants to have experienced sexual assault and child sexual abuse, but less likely to have experienced accidents, nonsexual assaults, witness death or injury, disaster or fire and combat or war. Sexual trauma, the authors conclude, may cause more emotional suffering and are more likely to contribute to a PTSD diagnosis than other types of trauma.
Women's higher PTSD rates were not solely attributable to their higher risk for adult sexual assault and child sexual abuse, explained Tolin. PTSD rates were still higher for women even when both sexes were compared on the same type of trauma.
"PTSD may be diagnosed more in women in part because of the criteria used to define it. Cognitive and emotional responses to traumatic events make a diagnosis of PTSD more likely. So even though men may experience more traumas, they don't seem to have the same emotional responses to traumatic events," said Tolin and Foa.
Furthermore, according to the authors, those participants who experienced multiple traumas may be more vulnerable to re-experiencing old PTSD symptoms when confronted with a new trauma. For example, if one studies male and female survivors of a motor vehicle accident, typically the female accident victims report more PTSD symptoms than do the male accident victims. "However, the data suggest that the female victims will have brought to the table a much greater risk of abuse and sexual assault prior to the accident; this could place them at higher risk of developing PTSD after the accident even though the current accident may not have caused all the symptoms," said Tolin.
These findings were consistent regardless of the population and age examined and the type of study and assessment tool used.
A reason that men may not fit the current diagnosable criteria of PTSD, said Tolin, is that their symptoms may manifest themselves differently. The male participants examined in this review were less likely to report anxiety or depression, but were more likely to report behavior and drug problems. They were also more likely to become irritable, angry or violent after traumas.
Understanding that responses to trauma can vary from person to person will help better determine if a person has experienced a trauma, said Tolin. An example of how subjective trauma symptoms can be illustrated in research investigating the traumatic effects of 9/11 terrorist attacks. Quite a few studies showed that participants' distance from ground zero was directly related to the likelihood of experiencing severe PTSD symptoms. But, said Tolin, "People from all over the U.S. could technically have been classified in research as having 'experienced' a terrorist attack just by watching it on TV. This is a major problem for trauma research because it's hard to determine whether someone has really been traumatized or not."
"Simple checklists or short interviews are insufficient for assessing trauma and this is what is used most in these types of situations. More thorough assessments are needed to know if someone will suffer long-lasting symptoms from an accident, attack or disaster," said the authors.
Article: "Sex Differences in Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Quantitative Review of 25 Years of Research," David F. Tolin, PhD, Institute of Living and University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Edna B. Foa, PhD, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 132, No. 6.
The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.
Contact: Pam Willenz
American Psychological Association
Turkish Health Workers Condone Wife Beating
Domestic violence is an inherent problem in Turkey, and healthcare workers are doing little to combat the prevalence of wife beating, according to research published in the online open access journal, BMC Public Health. A survey of medical personnel reveals that a lack of training and a cultural acceptance of domestic violence may prevent victims from obtaining the support they desperately require.
173 medical staff from the emergency department of a Turkish university hospital responded to a questionnaire about domestic violence. 69.0% of the female and 84.7% of the male respondents declared that they agreed or partially agreed to at least one reason to justify physical violence.
Accepted grounds for intimate domestic violence included lying to or criticising the male and failure to care for children. Moreover, about three-quarters of the nurses and male physicians and over half of female physicians agreed that deceiving the husband justified physical punishment Deceiving the husband is a taboo in Turkey and it is among the most important reasons for honour murders.
The vast majority of healthcare workers declared that they were aware of the clinical signs of domestic violence, yet more detailed questions highlighted significant gaps in their knowledge. Few staff knew the correct legal procedures for reporting cases of wife-beating.
"We found that there are no clear procedures to manage the victims of domestic violence in the emergency department in Turkey. However, informing the victims about their legal rights and starting the legal procedure right after the incident could be a life-saving intervention," noted the study's co-author H. Asli Davas Aksan.
There is little training on the issues of domestic violence for emergency department medical staff in Turkey. Nine out of ten people surveyed had not received any training at all, and of those that had, almost three quarters said it was inadequate.
Notes:
1. The Training Needs of Turkish Emergency Department Personnel Regarding Intimate Partner Violence
H. Asli Davas Aksan and Feride Aksu
BMC Public Health
2. BMC Public Health is an open access journal publishing original peer-reviewed research articles in all aspects of epidemiology and public health medicine. BMC Public Health (ISSN 1471-2458) is indexed/tracked/covered by PubMed, MEDLINE, CAS, Scopus, EMBASE, Thomson Scientific (ISI) and Google Scholar.
3. BioMed Central is an independent online publishing house committed to providing immediate access without charge to the peer-reviewed biological and medical research it publishes. This commitment is based on the view that open access to research is essential to the rapid and efficient communication of science.
biomedcentral
173 medical staff from the emergency department of a Turkish university hospital responded to a questionnaire about domestic violence. 69.0% of the female and 84.7% of the male respondents declared that they agreed or partially agreed to at least one reason to justify physical violence.
Accepted grounds for intimate domestic violence included lying to or criticising the male and failure to care for children. Moreover, about three-quarters of the nurses and male physicians and over half of female physicians agreed that deceiving the husband justified physical punishment Deceiving the husband is a taboo in Turkey and it is among the most important reasons for honour murders.
The vast majority of healthcare workers declared that they were aware of the clinical signs of domestic violence, yet more detailed questions highlighted significant gaps in their knowledge. Few staff knew the correct legal procedures for reporting cases of wife-beating.
"We found that there are no clear procedures to manage the victims of domestic violence in the emergency department in Turkey. However, informing the victims about their legal rights and starting the legal procedure right after the incident could be a life-saving intervention," noted the study's co-author H. Asli Davas Aksan.
There is little training on the issues of domestic violence for emergency department medical staff in Turkey. Nine out of ten people surveyed had not received any training at all, and of those that had, almost three quarters said it was inadequate.
Notes:
1. The Training Needs of Turkish Emergency Department Personnel Regarding Intimate Partner Violence
H. Asli Davas Aksan and Feride Aksu
BMC Public Health
2. BMC Public Health is an open access journal publishing original peer-reviewed research articles in all aspects of epidemiology and public health medicine. BMC Public Health (ISSN 1471-2458) is indexed/tracked/covered by PubMed, MEDLINE, CAS, Scopus, EMBASE, Thomson Scientific (ISI) and Google Scholar.
3. BioMed Central is an independent online publishing house committed to providing immediate access without charge to the peer-reviewed biological and medical research it publishes. This commitment is based on the view that open access to research is essential to the rapid and efficient communication of science.
biomedcentral
Florida Lawmakers Split Over Cutting $2M 'Crisis Counseling' Program That Discourages Abortion
A $2 million Florida "crisis counseling" program that aims to discourage women with unintended pregnancies from seeking abortion has become a contentious item in the state budget debate for the third time in the past two years, Health News Florida reports. The state's House version of the state budget maintains money for the program, but the Senate version eliminates the funding, which goes to the centers and billboard advertisements for a 24-hour, statewide hotline that provides information on alternatives to abortion. According to Health News Florida, Democratic legislators criticize the program as "political pork" and question why it should be spared from funding cuts even as lawmakers cut millions from health care programs in the last two years.
The program, which was put in place under former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), survived two attempted cuts this year, Health News Florida reports. In a special session in January, state lawmakers voted to reduce the program's funding by $574,528, but Gov. Charlie Crist (R) vetoed the measure. A House spending panel later targeted the program for a possible 10% to 15% cut, but state Rep. Juan Zapata (R) -- chair of the House budget panel that oversees Department of Health spending -- said on Tuesday that House Republican leaders ordered him to maintain the funding. Zapata said he understood the "logic" because Crist vetoed the original budget cut. However, state Rep. Kelly Skidmore (D) said the program "may be a valuable thing to have in a community, but it's not public health." She added that the program "is not something that government should be paying for" (Fineout, Health News Florida, 4/8).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
The program, which was put in place under former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), survived two attempted cuts this year, Health News Florida reports. In a special session in January, state lawmakers voted to reduce the program's funding by $574,528, but Gov. Charlie Crist (R) vetoed the measure. A House spending panel later targeted the program for a possible 10% to 15% cut, but state Rep. Juan Zapata (R) -- chair of the House budget panel that oversees Department of Health spending -- said on Tuesday that House Republican leaders ordered him to maintain the funding. Zapata said he understood the "logic" because Crist vetoed the original budget cut. However, state Rep. Kelly Skidmore (D) said the program "may be a valuable thing to have in a community, but it's not public health." She added that the program "is not something that government should be paying for" (Fineout, Health News Florida, 4/8).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
Cytori Begins Breast Reconstruction Study In Europe
Cytori (NASDAQ:CYTX) received approval to begin its European stem and regenerative cell-enhanced breast reconstruction study in breast cancer patients who have undergone partial mastectomy. This is a post-market study designated as RESTORE II. Currently, there is no generally accepted reconstructive technique for partial mastectomy patients despite the fact that breast conserving therapy is standard practice in the treatment of women with breast cancer worldwide.
In this study, tissue loss resulting from partial mastectomy will be reconstructed with the patients' own fat tissue (adipose), which will be enhanced with their adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells. This procedure is referred to as cell-enhanced reconstruction. The cells in RESTORE II will be made available at the time of surgery using Cytori's Celution® 800 System.
The primary goal is to obtain European reimbursement for cell-enhanced reconstruction using the Celution® 800 System by measuring key quality of life improvements in breast cancer patients desiring reconstruction. Up to 70 women will be enrolled at six clinical centers in the U.K., Italy, Spain, and France. Primary endpoints will be patient and physician satisfaction with functional and cosmetic outcomes at six and 12 months after surgery. Cytori's goal is to complete enrollment before the end of March 2009.
"RESTORE II is important for advancing reconstructive options for women with breast cancer," said Professor Emmanuel Delay, the study's principal investigator and Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at The Leon B?©rard Cancer Center in Lyon France. "A successful study should broaden availability of this therapy to partial mastectomy patients in Europe."
"Unfortunately fewer options are available to women desperate for reconstructive surgery following partial mastectomy due to the effects of the adjuvant radiotherapy," said Mrs. Eva Weiler-Mithoff, surgeon at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and lead investigator for the U.K. study site. "Adipose tissue enriched with stem and regenerative cells represents a new approach that we believe allows for predictable graft retention."
"My ongoing clinical experience using Cytori's Celution® 800 System in breast reconstruction has been very encouraging," said Professor Claudio Calabrese, Associate Professor of Surgery and lead investigator at University of Florence Hospital. "The preliminary results warrant further investigation as part of the broader, post-market RESTORE II study."
Secondary endpoints include six and 12-month assessments of breast volume and shape via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and improvement in skin pigmentation. The study will evaluate patients who have undergone their last breast treatment at least 12-months prior and are recurrence free.
"The Celution® 800 System is what makes this an effective, reproducible, bedside procedure," said Dr. Marc H. Hedrick, president of Cytori. "Cytori has customized this system to provide a cell output specific to breast reconstruction, to be easy to use for doctors and hospitals, and to be affordable. We believe this mix of attributes combined with our goal of reimbursement could fill a tremendous patient and market need."
Fat, known medically as adipose tissue, is the body's richest known source of regenerative cells. Adipose-derived regenerative cells include adult stem cells in addition to other important cell types that have been shown pre-clinically to improve tissue retention compared to non-cell-enhanced tissue transfers. These results have been confirmed in physician-initiated clinical studies.
About Cytori
Cytori's (NASDAQ:CYTX) goal is to be the global leader in regenerative medicine. The company is dedicated to providing patients with new options for reconstructive surgery, developing treatments for cardiovascular disease, and banking patients' adult stem and regenerative cells. The Celution® 800 System is being introduced in Europe into the reconstructive surgery market while the Celution® 900 System will be launched in Asia-Pacific for cryopreserving a patient's own stem and regenerative cells. Clinical trials are ongoing in cardiovascular disease and planned for spinal disc degeneration, gastrointestinal disorders, and other unmet medical needs. cytoritx
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding events, trends and business prospects, which may affect our future operating results and financial position. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial position to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties include our history of operating losses, the need for further financing, regulatory uncertainties regarding the collection and results of, clinical data, dependence on third party performance, and other risks and uncertainties described under the "Risk Factors" in Cytori's Securities and Exchange Commission Filings. We assume no responsibility to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events, trends or circumstances after the date they are made.
cytoritx
In this study, tissue loss resulting from partial mastectomy will be reconstructed with the patients' own fat tissue (adipose), which will be enhanced with their adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells. This procedure is referred to as cell-enhanced reconstruction. The cells in RESTORE II will be made available at the time of surgery using Cytori's Celution® 800 System.
The primary goal is to obtain European reimbursement for cell-enhanced reconstruction using the Celution® 800 System by measuring key quality of life improvements in breast cancer patients desiring reconstruction. Up to 70 women will be enrolled at six clinical centers in the U.K., Italy, Spain, and France. Primary endpoints will be patient and physician satisfaction with functional and cosmetic outcomes at six and 12 months after surgery. Cytori's goal is to complete enrollment before the end of March 2009.
"RESTORE II is important for advancing reconstructive options for women with breast cancer," said Professor Emmanuel Delay, the study's principal investigator and Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at The Leon B?©rard Cancer Center in Lyon France. "A successful study should broaden availability of this therapy to partial mastectomy patients in Europe."
"Unfortunately fewer options are available to women desperate for reconstructive surgery following partial mastectomy due to the effects of the adjuvant radiotherapy," said Mrs. Eva Weiler-Mithoff, surgeon at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and lead investigator for the U.K. study site. "Adipose tissue enriched with stem and regenerative cells represents a new approach that we believe allows for predictable graft retention."
"My ongoing clinical experience using Cytori's Celution® 800 System in breast reconstruction has been very encouraging," said Professor Claudio Calabrese, Associate Professor of Surgery and lead investigator at University of Florence Hospital. "The preliminary results warrant further investigation as part of the broader, post-market RESTORE II study."
Secondary endpoints include six and 12-month assessments of breast volume and shape via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and improvement in skin pigmentation. The study will evaluate patients who have undergone their last breast treatment at least 12-months prior and are recurrence free.
"The Celution® 800 System is what makes this an effective, reproducible, bedside procedure," said Dr. Marc H. Hedrick, president of Cytori. "Cytori has customized this system to provide a cell output specific to breast reconstruction, to be easy to use for doctors and hospitals, and to be affordable. We believe this mix of attributes combined with our goal of reimbursement could fill a tremendous patient and market need."
Fat, known medically as adipose tissue, is the body's richest known source of regenerative cells. Adipose-derived regenerative cells include adult stem cells in addition to other important cell types that have been shown pre-clinically to improve tissue retention compared to non-cell-enhanced tissue transfers. These results have been confirmed in physician-initiated clinical studies.
About Cytori
Cytori's (NASDAQ:CYTX) goal is to be the global leader in regenerative medicine. The company is dedicated to providing patients with new options for reconstructive surgery, developing treatments for cardiovascular disease, and banking patients' adult stem and regenerative cells. The Celution® 800 System is being introduced in Europe into the reconstructive surgery market while the Celution® 900 System will be launched in Asia-Pacific for cryopreserving a patient's own stem and regenerative cells. Clinical trials are ongoing in cardiovascular disease and planned for spinal disc degeneration, gastrointestinal disorders, and other unmet medical needs. cytoritx
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding events, trends and business prospects, which may affect our future operating results and financial position. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial position to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties include our history of operating losses, the need for further financing, regulatory uncertainties regarding the collection and results of, clinical data, dependence on third party performance, and other risks and uncertainties described under the "Risk Factors" in Cytori's Securities and Exchange Commission Filings. We assume no responsibility to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events, trends or circumstances after the date they are made.
cytoritx
Gender Differences In Heart Care Highlighted For International Women's Day
On International Women's Day (8th March), the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) is calling for action to reduce the gender disparities that are currently resulting in women receiving second rate cardiovascular (CV) care. Studies published online in the European Heart Journal (EHJ), ?? ?? the official journal of the ESC, show a persistent under-utilisation of guideline recommended treatments for heart disease in women compared to men.
"The ESC wants to raise awareness, among both cardiologists and the public, that women still are not receiving equal access to medical treatments and also are not being represented sufficiently in clinical trials," says Marco Stramba Badiale, an ESC spokesman on women's issues from IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano (Milan, Italy). "The problem is that despite female gender being associated with worse CV outcomes there are still major misconceptions among both health professionals and the public that cardiovascular disease (CVD) isn't as serious in women as men."
Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that CVD in Europe accounts for 55% of deaths in women compared to just 43% of deaths in men. While breast cancer - perhaps the most feared illnesses among women - is responsible for only 3% of female deaths. Moreover, recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) looking at tends in midlife coronary heart disease risk show over the past two decades the prevalence of myocardial infarction (MI) has increased in women aged 35 to 54 years, while declining in men of the same age.
"It's very important that physicians are aware that coronary artery disease (CAD) is a frequent disease among women, that gets more common as they get older," says Thomas L??scher, editor of the EHJ, who has brought together a special issue exploring CV issues facing women.
The studies published in the themed issue raise particular concerns that women are being prescribed fewer drugs than men. "We were shocked to find that even after infarction - the most dramatic cardiac situation we envisage - there's still a dramatic under-utilisation of drugs in women," says Prof. Thomas F. L??scher, from University Hospital Zurich (Switzerland). "These issues need to be urgently corrected to ensure that women get equal access to state of the art treatments as men."
In the first EHJ study ??, just published online, cardiologists from the University of Bologna (Bologna, Italy), and the University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), analysed the medical details of 4471 men and 2087 women who had experienced an acute coronary syndrome (heart attack) between 1999 and 2003. The details (which included 23 clinical variables) were recorded on the Canadian Registry of ACS I and I. Results show that women were less likely to:
Receive beta-blocker: 75.76 % of women received beta blockers in comparison to 79.24% of men (P
"The ESC wants to raise awareness, among both cardiologists and the public, that women still are not receiving equal access to medical treatments and also are not being represented sufficiently in clinical trials," says Marco Stramba Badiale, an ESC spokesman on women's issues from IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano (Milan, Italy). "The problem is that despite female gender being associated with worse CV outcomes there are still major misconceptions among both health professionals and the public that cardiovascular disease (CVD) isn't as serious in women as men."
Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that CVD in Europe accounts for 55% of deaths in women compared to just 43% of deaths in men. While breast cancer - perhaps the most feared illnesses among women - is responsible for only 3% of female deaths. Moreover, recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) looking at tends in midlife coronary heart disease risk show over the past two decades the prevalence of myocardial infarction (MI) has increased in women aged 35 to 54 years, while declining in men of the same age.
"It's very important that physicians are aware that coronary artery disease (CAD) is a frequent disease among women, that gets more common as they get older," says Thomas L??scher, editor of the EHJ, who has brought together a special issue exploring CV issues facing women.
The studies published in the themed issue raise particular concerns that women are being prescribed fewer drugs than men. "We were shocked to find that even after infarction - the most dramatic cardiac situation we envisage - there's still a dramatic under-utilisation of drugs in women," says Prof. Thomas F. L??scher, from University Hospital Zurich (Switzerland). "These issues need to be urgently corrected to ensure that women get equal access to state of the art treatments as men."
In the first EHJ study ??, just published online, cardiologists from the University of Bologna (Bologna, Italy), and the University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), analysed the medical details of 4471 men and 2087 women who had experienced an acute coronary syndrome (heart attack) between 1999 and 2003. The details (which included 23 clinical variables) were recorded on the Canadian Registry of ACS I and I. Results show that women were less likely to:
Receive beta-blocker: 75.76 % of women received beta blockers in comparison to 79.24% of men (P
Dems Court Women's Support For Health Reform As Female Sens. Tout Legislation In Floor Speeches
Top congressional Democrats and the Obama administration are increasingly targeting women in their push to gain support for health care reform, the AP/Boston Globe reports. Women are considered a critical group in the health care debate because they usually make the majority of a family's health care decisions, according to the AP/Globe. However, recent polls indicate that many female voters are skeptical of some proposals in Congress' health reform legislation. According to an AP/GfK poll, women are generally split over health reform legislation, and nearly one-third of women ages 55 and younger said they neither support nor oppose the legislation.
Efforts to sway women have included a September speech by first lady Michelle Obama and a rally at the Capitol on Tuesday hosted by the Feminist Majority Foundation and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) (Hirschfeld Davis, AP/Boston Globe, 10/9).
On Thursday, several female Democratic senators gave speeches on the chamber floor to emphasize the impact of health reform on women, who face higher costs and other discriminatory practices under the current health care system, according to the New York Times' "Prescriptions." Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) said, "We want to tell our colleagues and the American people that we want to join together as women of the Senate today and to talk about the compelling issues facing the American people in terms of the need for health care reform."
During her address, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said that the current health care system "is simply not meeting the needs of women," adding that it is "time to tend to the insurance discrimination that women face." Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) addressed the issue of insurance companies denying coverage to domestic violence survivors by classifying abuse as a pre-existing condition.
Two senators -- Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) -- focused on the lack of maternity coverage in many health insurance plans. Stabenow said that among insurance plans sold on the individual market, nearly 60% do not offer maternity coverage, adding, "For the women in these plans ... no amount of money can buy maternity care that they need." Stabenow's remarks on maternity care were a return to the issue for the senator, who challenged Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) on the matter in a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing. During a
debate on an amendment requiring insurers to cover maternity costs, Kyl said including the coverage would increase costs for people who do not need or want the coverage, adding, "I don't need maternity care." Stabenow countered Kyl's argument, saying, "I think your mom probably did" (Herszenhorn, "Prescriptions," New York Times, 10/8).
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) focused on health care costs, both for the government and individuals. "Health care reform is essential for several reasons, but one of the important reasons is to get costs under control, and begin to help balancing this federal budget, and getting us back on a surer financial footing," she said.
Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) noted that "in all but 12 states, insurance companies are allowed to charge women more than they charge men for coverage. The great irony here is that mothers, the people who care for us when we're sick, are penalized under our current system."
Sens. Take Message to "Larry King Live"
To continue the discussion, Sens. Boxer, Stabenow and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) appeared Thursday evening on CNN's "Larry King Live" to discuss women and health care reform. Boxer and Stabenow reiterated many of the arguments made during their Senate addresses, and Murray addressed the goals of health care reform for women. Murray said the senators "want to make sure that ... women get equal access to health care coverage." She said that women are "the ones who most often take care of our kids and our families, our parents," adding that "we want to make sure this insurance reform passes so that women aren't second-class citizens anymore" ("Larry King Live" transcript, 10/8).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
July 2008 Journal Of The American Dietetic Association Highlights
The July 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association contains articles and research studies you may find of interest. Below is a summary of some of this month's articles.
Eat Slowly to Help Lose Weight
People looking for ways to manage their weight are often advised to eat slowly, allowing a feeling of fullness to register before they eat too much. A study by researchers at the University of Rhode Island seems to support that weight-control method.
Thirty healthy women were studied on two test visits to compare slow and quick eating rates. The women rated their hunger, satiety (feeling of fullness), desire to eat, thirst and other factors. A slower rate of eating led to significant decreases in food consumption even though the meal duration was approximately 21 minutes longer. For the faster eaters, even though more food was consumed in a shorter period, their level of satiety was significantly lower than the slower eaters.
The researchers conclude that taking small bites, putting down your utensil and thoroughly chewing may work together to slow a person's eating pace and help to maximize satiation. "Thus, these techniques may be recommended to reduce energy intake within meals and therefore manage body weight," the researchers said.
Feeding Practices Predict Overall Parenting Style
The manner in which parents feed their young children predicts the general parenting style they will adopt as the child grows, according to researchers from Oklahoma State University.
In a study of 239 parents of first-grade children enrolled in rural public schools, the researchers found parenting styles could be determined by how their children are fed. Parents who placed restrictions and pressured their children to eat adopted an "authoritarian" child-raising style, while parents who displayed role modeling, monitoring and perceptions of responsibility were categorized as "authoritative." Low levels of role modeling led to "permissive" parenting styles.
The researchers conclude that, to be successful, dietary change or obesity programs for children implemented by food and nutrition professionals need to take into account complex approaches to behavioral change that include parenting styles and family dynamics. "Interventions that fail to address underlying parenting styles are not likely to be successful."
Additional research articles in the July Journal of the American Dietetic Association include:
Validation of a Short Questionnaire to Assess Mothers' Perception of Workplace Breastfeeding Support
Social Ecological Predictors of the Transition to Overweight in Youth: Results from the Teens Eating for Energy and Nutrition at Schools Study
The Content of Favorable and Unfavorable Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Found in Commonly Eaten Fish
The Journal of the American Dietetic Association is the official research publication of the American Dietetic Association and is the premier peer-reviewed journal in the field of nutrition and dietetics.
The American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.
To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association at eatright/.
Source: Jennifer Starkey
American Dietetic Association
Eat Slowly to Help Lose Weight
People looking for ways to manage their weight are often advised to eat slowly, allowing a feeling of fullness to register before they eat too much. A study by researchers at the University of Rhode Island seems to support that weight-control method.
Thirty healthy women were studied on two test visits to compare slow and quick eating rates. The women rated their hunger, satiety (feeling of fullness), desire to eat, thirst and other factors. A slower rate of eating led to significant decreases in food consumption even though the meal duration was approximately 21 minutes longer. For the faster eaters, even though more food was consumed in a shorter period, their level of satiety was significantly lower than the slower eaters.
The researchers conclude that taking small bites, putting down your utensil and thoroughly chewing may work together to slow a person's eating pace and help to maximize satiation. "Thus, these techniques may be recommended to reduce energy intake within meals and therefore manage body weight," the researchers said.
Feeding Practices Predict Overall Parenting Style
The manner in which parents feed their young children predicts the general parenting style they will adopt as the child grows, according to researchers from Oklahoma State University.
In a study of 239 parents of first-grade children enrolled in rural public schools, the researchers found parenting styles could be determined by how their children are fed. Parents who placed restrictions and pressured their children to eat adopted an "authoritarian" child-raising style, while parents who displayed role modeling, monitoring and perceptions of responsibility were categorized as "authoritative." Low levels of role modeling led to "permissive" parenting styles.
The researchers conclude that, to be successful, dietary change or obesity programs for children implemented by food and nutrition professionals need to take into account complex approaches to behavioral change that include parenting styles and family dynamics. "Interventions that fail to address underlying parenting styles are not likely to be successful."
Additional research articles in the July Journal of the American Dietetic Association include:
Validation of a Short Questionnaire to Assess Mothers' Perception of Workplace Breastfeeding Support
Social Ecological Predictors of the Transition to Overweight in Youth: Results from the Teens Eating for Energy and Nutrition at Schools Study
The Content of Favorable and Unfavorable Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Found in Commonly Eaten Fish
The Journal of the American Dietetic Association is the official research publication of the American Dietetic Association and is the premier peer-reviewed journal in the field of nutrition and dietetics.
The American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.
To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association at eatright/.
Source: Jennifer Starkey
American Dietetic Association
Colombia Starts Offering No-Cost Contraceptive Services
Women in one of Colombia's poorest neighborhoods last week began receiving no-cost contraceptives drugs and surgical procedures, after the country's Congress this fall passed a law guaranteeing access to the services as part of a push to prevent unintended pregnancies, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Colombia has constitutional guarantees of universal health care, but funding shortfalls from declining revenue threaten to bankrupt the country's health care system. Advocates of the contraception law -- including President Juan Manuel Santos -- argue it will save the health care system money by reducing unintended pregnancies and the high costs associated with maternal and neonatal care.
Under the law, Colombians can receive no-cost subcutaneous implants, which typically cost $75 and can protect against pregnancy for up to five years. The law also covers the cost of vasectomies and tubal ligations, which can range from $100 to $150. In addition, the Social Protection Ministry has opened 621 Friendly Health Services for Youths offices in hospitals and clinics all over Colombia that provide no-cost condoms, emergency contraception and other forms of contraception.
Advocates praise the law as a progressive step for reproductive rights in the predominately Catholic country, whose constitutional court also recently ruled that there could be no penalty for performing abortions. Psychologist Maribel Murillo said, "The law is a real accomplishment and is already creating a lot of demand." She added that it will "advance the sexual rights of women of little means, many of whom have several children."
Although the Colombian birthrate has dropped by nearly two-thirds since 1950, the birth rate among women younger than age 20 has risen recently to 21%, compared with 13% in 1990, according to Diva Moreno, an advisor to the SPM. Advocates argue that teenagers in Colombia's low-income areas tend to have the highest birth rates. Murillo said, "Teenage pregnancies only condemn these youths to more poverty and less education," adding, "We need to reach them so that they know they have options" (Kraul, Los Angeles Times, 12/12).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
© 2010 National Partnership for Women & Families. All rights reserved.
Women Faced With Gender Stereotypes Are Less Likely To Take Financial Risks
Last year Nicholas Kristof declared in his New York Times column what banks need to fix their problems: Not just a bailout, but also "women, women, and women." Women are generally thought to be less willing to take risks than men, so he speculated that the banks could balance out risky men by employing more women. Stereotypes like this about women actually influence how women make financial decisions, making them more wary of risk, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
Anecdotally, many people believe that women are more risk averse and loss averse than men - that women make safer and more cautious financial decisions. And some research has supported this, suggesting that the gender differences may be biologically rooted or evolutionarily programmed.
But Priyanka B. Carr of Stanford University and Claude M. Steele of Columbia University thought that these differences might be the result of negative stereotypes - stereotypes about women being irrational and illogical. So they designed experiments to study how women make financial decisions, when faced with negative stereotypes and when not. Past research has shown that being faced with negative stereotypes about one's group can hamper intellectual performance, and Carr and Steele reasoned it could also affect financial decision making.
In the experiments, they altered whether the participants were made to think about negative stereotypes about women or not. Some volunteers were told that they would be completing tasks to measure their mathematical, logical, and rational reasoning abilities. Since the stereotype is that women aren't talented at these things, this should raise the stereotype in the volunteer's mind.
To be very sure, these people were also asked to indicate their gender before doing the tasks. Other volunteers were told that they would be working on puzzles, and were not asked their gender first. Then, each person completed the same measures assessing their financial decision-making choices. For example, in one experiment, people decided whether to choose risky but lucrative options (e.g., a 20% chance of winning four dollars) over safer but less lucrative ones (e.g., an 80% chance of winning one dollar).
When the negative stereotype about women was not hinted at, there were no gender differences in financial decision making. Both men and women were moderately risk averse and loss averse. But when the negative stereotype was brought up, gender differences emerged.
Women made more cautious financial decisions: They were more likely to forgo lucrative opportunities so they could avoid risks and losses. Interestingly, when negative stereotypes about women (and therefore positive stereotypes about men) were relevant, men became more risk seeking. The stereotypical cues encouraged behavior that stuck to the stereotype. This suggests that earlier findings and anecdotes about differences in decision making between the sexes may actually be the result of gender stereotypes (and not the basis for them).
In the world of business and finance, risk taking (which can yield big rewards) is often valued, though it can also result in bad outcomes (as implied by the current economic crisis). Carr says that to create more temperate financial decision making there may be no need in banks and on Wall Street for a "battle of riskiness between the sexes." Reducing and removing negative stereotypes about women can leave both men and women free to make decisions they think are best. She says, "Our argument is that people's decision making and financial choices should not be burdened by stereotypes being placed on them."
Source:
Keri Chiodo
Association for Psychological Science
Anecdotally, many people believe that women are more risk averse and loss averse than men - that women make safer and more cautious financial decisions. And some research has supported this, suggesting that the gender differences may be biologically rooted or evolutionarily programmed.
But Priyanka B. Carr of Stanford University and Claude M. Steele of Columbia University thought that these differences might be the result of negative stereotypes - stereotypes about women being irrational and illogical. So they designed experiments to study how women make financial decisions, when faced with negative stereotypes and when not. Past research has shown that being faced with negative stereotypes about one's group can hamper intellectual performance, and Carr and Steele reasoned it could also affect financial decision making.
In the experiments, they altered whether the participants were made to think about negative stereotypes about women or not. Some volunteers were told that they would be completing tasks to measure their mathematical, logical, and rational reasoning abilities. Since the stereotype is that women aren't talented at these things, this should raise the stereotype in the volunteer's mind.
To be very sure, these people were also asked to indicate their gender before doing the tasks. Other volunteers were told that they would be working on puzzles, and were not asked their gender first. Then, each person completed the same measures assessing their financial decision-making choices. For example, in one experiment, people decided whether to choose risky but lucrative options (e.g., a 20% chance of winning four dollars) over safer but less lucrative ones (e.g., an 80% chance of winning one dollar).
When the negative stereotype about women was not hinted at, there were no gender differences in financial decision making. Both men and women were moderately risk averse and loss averse. But when the negative stereotype was brought up, gender differences emerged.
Women made more cautious financial decisions: They were more likely to forgo lucrative opportunities so they could avoid risks and losses. Interestingly, when negative stereotypes about women (and therefore positive stereotypes about men) were relevant, men became more risk seeking. The stereotypical cues encouraged behavior that stuck to the stereotype. This suggests that earlier findings and anecdotes about differences in decision making between the sexes may actually be the result of gender stereotypes (and not the basis for them).
In the world of business and finance, risk taking (which can yield big rewards) is often valued, though it can also result in bad outcomes (as implied by the current economic crisis). Carr says that to create more temperate financial decision making there may be no need in banks and on Wall Street for a "battle of riskiness between the sexes." Reducing and removing negative stereotypes about women can leave both men and women free to make decisions they think are best. She says, "Our argument is that people's decision making and financial choices should not be burdened by stereotypes being placed on them."
Source:
Keri Chiodo
Association for Psychological Science
Choline May Help Lower Risk Of Neural Tube Defects
Research published online in the journal Epidemiology found that higher levels of total blood choline are associated with a 2.5-fold reduction in risk for neural tube birth defects (NTDs).(1) NTDs are birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, and the two most common NTDs are spina bifida and anencephaly. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 3,000 pregnancies in the U.S. are affected by NTDs each year.(2,3) This study adds to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the important role of choline in fetal development.
Study Findings:
The Epidemiology study investigated blood samples from more than 180,000 pregnant women and found 80 cases of NTDs. Researchers compared the blood samples to samples from 409 controls without birth defects and examined the specimens for markers including choline, folate, homocysteine, methionine and betaine among others. The researchers observed:
a 2.5-fold reduction in risk for NTDs with the highest blood choline levels
no other significant differences between the two study groups for any of the other blood markers
In the research discussion, the investigators note that the cause of NTDs is very complex and that supplementation of the food supply with folic acid, though effective, is only part of the solution. "This study is exciting because it offers new clues for preventing serious birth defects like spina bifida," said Dr. Gary M. Shaw, co-author of the study and professor of pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. "This research should be repeated in other settings so we can learn more about the best nutrition advice to give pregnant women."
The Benefits of Choline:
Choline is an essential nutrient needed for many of life's most basic functions including brain and nerve function, liver metabolism, the transportation of nutrients and the normal functioning of every cell in the body. Adequate choline intake is especially important for pregnant and breastfeeding women because it has been shown to influence prenatal and infant brain and spinal cord development as well as lifelong memory and learning functions. There is a high rate of choline transfer from mother to fetus and breast milk is also rich in choline, so meeting maternal choline needs is very important.
Emerging research also shows that choline may have additional benefits in areas such as:
Memory function: Animal studies have demonstrated that age-associated memory decline seems to be delayed in offspring when mothers' diets are supplemented with choline during pregnancy.(4)
Breast cancer prevention: A study funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that the risk of developing breast cancer was 24 percent lower among women with the highest intake of choline compared to women with the lowest intake.(5)
Cardiovascular health: Choline has been shown to play an important role in reducing homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood that may be associated with an increased risk of chronic inflammation, which is considered a risk factor for heart disease.(6)
Closing the Choline Consumption Gap:
Despite its important role in the body, only one in 10 Americans is meeting the Adequate Intake (AI) guidelines for choline.(7) "Most people don't know how important choline is for their bodies, or how easy it is to get the choline you need from food," explains Elizabeth Ward, a registered dietitian in private practice and author of the new book "Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy." Ward, who is not affiliated with Stanford, also notes "One large egg can help meet roughly one-quarter of the recommended daily intake of choline for men, women and women who are pregnant or nursing."
For those looking to add more choline to their diet, Ward offers these additional tips:
Focus on Foods: Most prenatal and regular multivitamins provide far less than the AI for choline. The easiest way to get the choline you need is by eating a balanced diet rich in foods that contain choline such as eggs, lean beef, salmon, cauliflower, milk and peanut butter.
Don't Skip the Yolk: Choline is found exclusively in the egg yolk, and one yolk contains 125 milligrams of choline. The egg yolk also contains nearly half the protein in an egg, and the yolk is the only place you'll find the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin which are important antioxidants related to eye health. While eggs contain a small amount of lutein and zeaxanthin, research suggests that these nutrients may be more bioavailable from eggs than from richer sources.
Notes:
(1)Shaw, Gary M. et al. Choline and risk of neural tube defects in a folate-fortified population. Epidemiology; published online July 10, 2009. Paper to be published September 2009.
(2)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Folic Acid Data and Statistics (March 13, 2009). Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from cdc/ncbddd/folicacid/data.html.
(3)Mercereau, P., et al. Spina Bifida and Anencephaly Before and After Folic Acid Mandate-United States, 1995-1996 and 1999-2000. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, volume 53, number 17, May 7, 2004, pages 362-365.
(4)Zeisel SH. Choline: Needed for normal development of memory: JACN 2000; 19 (5); 528S-531S.
(5)Xu X. Choline metabolism and risk of breast cancer in a population-based study. FASEB 2008; 22:1-8.
(6)Cho E, et al. Dietary choline and betaine assessed by food-frequency questionnaire in relation to plasma total homocysteine concentration in the Framingham Offspring Study. AJCN 2006; 83: 905-11.
(7)Jensen HH, et al. Choline in the diets of the US population: NHANES, 2003-2004. Abstract presented at Experimental Biology 2007. Paper in publication.
Source:
Egg Nutrition News Bureau
Study Findings:
The Epidemiology study investigated blood samples from more than 180,000 pregnant women and found 80 cases of NTDs. Researchers compared the blood samples to samples from 409 controls without birth defects and examined the specimens for markers including choline, folate, homocysteine, methionine and betaine among others. The researchers observed:
a 2.5-fold reduction in risk for NTDs with the highest blood choline levels
no other significant differences between the two study groups for any of the other blood markers
In the research discussion, the investigators note that the cause of NTDs is very complex and that supplementation of the food supply with folic acid, though effective, is only part of the solution. "This study is exciting because it offers new clues for preventing serious birth defects like spina bifida," said Dr. Gary M. Shaw, co-author of the study and professor of pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. "This research should be repeated in other settings so we can learn more about the best nutrition advice to give pregnant women."
The Benefits of Choline:
Choline is an essential nutrient needed for many of life's most basic functions including brain and nerve function, liver metabolism, the transportation of nutrients and the normal functioning of every cell in the body. Adequate choline intake is especially important for pregnant and breastfeeding women because it has been shown to influence prenatal and infant brain and spinal cord development as well as lifelong memory and learning functions. There is a high rate of choline transfer from mother to fetus and breast milk is also rich in choline, so meeting maternal choline needs is very important.
Emerging research also shows that choline may have additional benefits in areas such as:
Memory function: Animal studies have demonstrated that age-associated memory decline seems to be delayed in offspring when mothers' diets are supplemented with choline during pregnancy.(4)
Breast cancer prevention: A study funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that the risk of developing breast cancer was 24 percent lower among women with the highest intake of choline compared to women with the lowest intake.(5)
Cardiovascular health: Choline has been shown to play an important role in reducing homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood that may be associated with an increased risk of chronic inflammation, which is considered a risk factor for heart disease.(6)
Closing the Choline Consumption Gap:
Despite its important role in the body, only one in 10 Americans is meeting the Adequate Intake (AI) guidelines for choline.(7) "Most people don't know how important choline is for their bodies, or how easy it is to get the choline you need from food," explains Elizabeth Ward, a registered dietitian in private practice and author of the new book "Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy." Ward, who is not affiliated with Stanford, also notes "One large egg can help meet roughly one-quarter of the recommended daily intake of choline for men, women and women who are pregnant or nursing."
For those looking to add more choline to their diet, Ward offers these additional tips:
Focus on Foods: Most prenatal and regular multivitamins provide far less than the AI for choline. The easiest way to get the choline you need is by eating a balanced diet rich in foods that contain choline such as eggs, lean beef, salmon, cauliflower, milk and peanut butter.
Don't Skip the Yolk: Choline is found exclusively in the egg yolk, and one yolk contains 125 milligrams of choline. The egg yolk also contains nearly half the protein in an egg, and the yolk is the only place you'll find the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin which are important antioxidants related to eye health. While eggs contain a small amount of lutein and zeaxanthin, research suggests that these nutrients may be more bioavailable from eggs than from richer sources.
Notes:
(1)Shaw, Gary M. et al. Choline and risk of neural tube defects in a folate-fortified population. Epidemiology; published online July 10, 2009. Paper to be published September 2009.
(2)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Folic Acid Data and Statistics (March 13, 2009). Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from cdc/ncbddd/folicacid/data.html.
(3)Mercereau, P., et al. Spina Bifida and Anencephaly Before and After Folic Acid Mandate-United States, 1995-1996 and 1999-2000. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, volume 53, number 17, May 7, 2004, pages 362-365.
(4)Zeisel SH. Choline: Needed for normal development of memory: JACN 2000; 19 (5); 528S-531S.
(5)Xu X. Choline metabolism and risk of breast cancer in a population-based study. FASEB 2008; 22:1-8.
(6)Cho E, et al. Dietary choline and betaine assessed by food-frequency questionnaire in relation to plasma total homocysteine concentration in the Framingham Offspring Study. AJCN 2006; 83: 905-11.
(7)Jensen HH, et al. Choline in the diets of the US population: NHANES, 2003-2004. Abstract presented at Experimental Biology 2007. Paper in publication.
Source:
Egg Nutrition News Bureau
Leading Cardiologist Offers Important Heart Health Tips For Women
Heart disease kills more women each year than any other disease. At the onset of American Heart Month which begins February 1st, the California Pistachio Commission and Dr. Susan Bennett, President of the Association of Women's Heart Programs and one of the country's leading women's heart specialists, teamed up to offer simple tips to help women improve their cardiovascular health and form stronger partnerships with their doctors.
No matter how young or old you are, talk with your doctor now about your heart and cardiovascular system and how to keep them healthy.
-- Talk with your doctor about the differences between men and women in how heart disease presents itself, including primary signs in women that may be different than the signs that signal heart disease in men.
-- Make sure your doctors all understand that heart disease kills more women at all ages than any other disease, and that it kills more women than all seven of the next diseases combined.
-- Ask your doctors what they know about prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in women. It's important to form a partnership with your physician to set goals for your blood pressure and cholesterol.
-- On your own, get moving and exercise. Give your heart a workout. Remember it's a muscle too. A strong heart pumps blood and nutrients more easily through your body.
-- Plan ahead. Keep heart-healthy snacks including fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts like pistachios on hand whenever you're on the go to keep you on track for healthy eating habits. Keep in mind that a one-ounce serving of pistachios is 49 nuts, more than any other snack nut.
-- Keep your weight down. Losing excess weight will help lower blood levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and prevent other risk factors.
-- Stop smoking. All research comes back to the same conclusion smoking is not good for your health or your heart. Women who smoke have up to six times greater risk of a heart attack or stroke.
-- Control the risk for diabetes. Because nuts including pistachios are low carbohydrate foods that contain predominantly monounsaturated fat, there may be a potential to help control diabetes.
-- Eat fiber-containing foods every day. Start with a goal of five servings of fruits and vegetables daily along with whole grains, nuts and legumes.
-- Don't put off regular checkups. See your doctor regularly and don't hesitate to speak up if you're not feeling "right."
For more information on living a heart healthy lifestyle, visit heartcareforwomen or pistachios. Both the California Pistachio Commission and The Association of Women's Heart Programs are proud supporters of The Heart Truth and its Red Dress, which was introduced as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 by the National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute. The Red Dress reminds women of the need to protect their heart health, and inspires them to take action.
The Association of Women's Heart Programs and the California Pistachio Commission
heartcareforwomen
No matter how young or old you are, talk with your doctor now about your heart and cardiovascular system and how to keep them healthy.
-- Talk with your doctor about the differences between men and women in how heart disease presents itself, including primary signs in women that may be different than the signs that signal heart disease in men.
-- Make sure your doctors all understand that heart disease kills more women at all ages than any other disease, and that it kills more women than all seven of the next diseases combined.
-- Ask your doctors what they know about prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in women. It's important to form a partnership with your physician to set goals for your blood pressure and cholesterol.
-- On your own, get moving and exercise. Give your heart a workout. Remember it's a muscle too. A strong heart pumps blood and nutrients more easily through your body.
-- Plan ahead. Keep heart-healthy snacks including fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts like pistachios on hand whenever you're on the go to keep you on track for healthy eating habits. Keep in mind that a one-ounce serving of pistachios is 49 nuts, more than any other snack nut.
-- Keep your weight down. Losing excess weight will help lower blood levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and prevent other risk factors.
-- Stop smoking. All research comes back to the same conclusion smoking is not good for your health or your heart. Women who smoke have up to six times greater risk of a heart attack or stroke.
-- Control the risk for diabetes. Because nuts including pistachios are low carbohydrate foods that contain predominantly monounsaturated fat, there may be a potential to help control diabetes.
-- Eat fiber-containing foods every day. Start with a goal of five servings of fruits and vegetables daily along with whole grains, nuts and legumes.
-- Don't put off regular checkups. See your doctor regularly and don't hesitate to speak up if you're not feeling "right."
For more information on living a heart healthy lifestyle, visit heartcareforwomen or pistachios. Both the California Pistachio Commission and The Association of Women's Heart Programs are proud supporters of The Heart Truth and its Red Dress, which was introduced as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 by the National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute. The Red Dress reminds women of the need to protect their heart health, and inspires them to take action.
The Association of Women's Heart Programs and the California Pistachio Commission
heartcareforwomen
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