Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

New findings in the Journal of Adolescent Health reveal teenagers who are overweight or perceive themselves as fat—even if they aren’t—are more likely to attempt suicide. The study involved 14,000 high school students and determined teens who think they’re overweight are more likely to attempt suicide than kids who do not, leading experts to recommend that youth health campaigns also include teenagers with distorted body images; ScienceDaily reports.

Teens have it rough! A previous study showed teenagers carrying around excess belly fat have a greater risk of developing heart problems and stressed out kids have increased blood levels of C-reactive protein, leading to inflammation and cardiovascular disease later in life.

In related news, a report showed people living in areas with extended periods of sunlight, such as Greenland, were at greater risk of suicide during seasons of continuous day.

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• Like George Carlin said, “There are people walking around with a kind of a neutral zone around their head.” Call them what you will, daydreamers, space cadets, whatever. But spacing out might be a good thing! A new study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals letting your mind wander actually helps activate the problem-solving area of the brain; via LiveScience.

• Okay, you can space out, just don’t pig out! Presented at the European Congress on Obesity, scientists blame overeating for the booming obesity in the United States. Saying food intake in the U.S. has increased, while physical activity declined. Between 1970 and 2000, adults are on average 18.9 pounds heavier, surprisingly lower than their prediction of 23.8 pounds; Reuters reports.

• Our new overstuffed, sluggish attitude has made us less productive at work. Published in the American Journal of Health Promotion experts surveyed 7,338 working adults about their sick days, reduced efficiency and difficulties doing daily activities, finding obese people with type-2 diabetes reported physical impairment during 20 to 34% of their day and missed 11 to 15% of work time; from HealthDay News.

• And eating Cheerios won’t give us a boost. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has slammed General Mills for harebrained proclamations that eating Cheerios can lower cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk. The FDA calls them "unauthorized health claims” and that Cheerios isn’t an approved drug, saying the product is misbranded; via Med Page Today.

• The National Boy Scouts of America is also drawing a hard line on health. If you plan on dressing up in short-shorts and traipsing around the wilderness, you better meet the weight requirement, or you can’t go. The Boy Scouts established weight regulations to ensure the health of their scouts and volunteers. A 6-foot, 2-inch, 370-pound man is not happy about it; CBS News explains.

• Being overweight is a common risk factor for sleep apnea, a condition causing abrupt pauses in respiration during sleep. And now, new search in Journal of Cardiac Failure, involving 218 heart failure patients with sleep apnea, found central sleep apnea was associated with atrial fibrillation, i.e. abnormal heart rhythm; ScienceDaily investigates.

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• According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America, highly educated people, ages 25 to 74, are healthier than adults who didn’t graduate high school of the same age. Non-graduates are 2.5 times less likely to be in very good health than college graduates; from HealthDay News.

• Writing in the journal Nutrition Reviews, researchers claim immigrant populations moving to European countries tend to replace their traditional healthy diets with the worst aspects of western diets, such as fast food. Ethnic groups with low incomes often can not afford healthier foods and face limited food availability; via EurekAlert!

• Americans are mental! Published in the journal Health Affairs, data shows more Americans are now on medications for mental issues. Compared to 1996, 73% more adults and 50% more children are using psychotropic drugs, medications include antidepressants, antipsychotics and Alzheimer's drugs; Reuters reports.

• United States senators Tom Harkin and Lisa Murkowski want a bill passed allowing the U.S. Agriculture Department to establish nutrition standards for snack food and beverages sold in school vending machines, which are often high in fat, sugar and calories. This sort of legislation may help kick junk foods out of schools; Reuters explains.

• Parents who teach their kids to stay focused and not worry about the small stuff, increase children’s chances of becoming healthier adults, especially girls. The study, in the journal Health Psychology, tracked 569 individuals finding participants with better attention spans and positives outlooks reported better health; from ScienceDaily.

• The Children's Food Campaign has determined many baby foods are worse than junk food. Saying some baby products contain as much sugar and saturated fat as chocolate cookies and cheeseburgers. For example, a brand of cheese biscuits has more saturated fat per gram than a McDonald’s quarter-pounder with cheese; via Reuters.

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Printed in the upcoming issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers claim Kentucky residents have the highest level of distress and prolonged mental health problems, but not surprisingly, people living in Hawaii were the least likely to experience mental health issues. Experts defined mental distress as 14 or more days of emotional discomfort and 14.4% of Kentuckians clocked in with difficulties. For the study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed 2.4 million adults; via National Geographic.

Not good news for Kentucky. Dr. Fuhrman insists a satisfying emotional environment is an important part of good health. For example, a stressful job can cause angina and heart-related chest pain, and eating comfort food, i.e. bad stuff, for emotional fulfillment may lead to weight gain and obesity, both aren’t doing your mood or health any favors.

In November, the CDC named Burlington, Vermont the healthiest city in the United States, with 95% of citizens in good or great health. So take your pick, Vermont or Hawaii.

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New findings in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition show high blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids result in less inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease. For the study, experts divided 124 adults into groups based on the amount of C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation linked to heart disease, in their blood and found an inverse relationship between fatty acids and C-reactive protein, greater levels of omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA helped reduce the risk of inflammation; Nutra Ingredients reports.

Walnuts a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. I eat some everyday. Actually, omega-3’s also help prevent stroke, lower the incidence of prostate cancer and reduce risk of type-1 diabetes in children. Dr. Fuhrman sells his own fatty acid supplement, DHA Purity.

In February, a study showed omega-3 fatty acids help protect the liver from damage caused by obesity, reducing inflammation and improving insulin tolerance.

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Appearing in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, scientists believe a positive association exists between obesity and allergies. Research involving 4,000 children, ages 2 to 19, revealed antibodies for specific allergens, such as indoor, outdoor and food allergens, were higher in overweight or obese children. Data revealed obese kids were 26% more likely to have some kind of allergy and the rate for food allergies was 59% higher among obese children; Reuters investigates.

The CDC now claims 3 million kids have food allergies. According to Dr. Fuhrman breastfeeding is major-preventer of allergies. Antibodies derived from mother’s milk help maximize immune system function. Now, allergies are bad enough, but overweight kids, even as young as 3 years old, can start showing signs of heart disease, for real!

In related news, a study of 3,000 children found kids spending two or more hours watching television per day, were twice as likely to develop asthma as kids watching less.

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• Paulie walnuts was onto something. Presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting, a new study in claims women eating a handful for walnuts each day have a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Experts link the walnuts omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols for slower cancer growth; Reuters reports.

• Speaking of breast cancer, upcoming research in the International Journal of Cancer suggests lifetime exercise reduces death risk from breast cancer. Data on over 1,200 women with breast cancer exercising 4 hours per week over 8.3 years were 44% less likely to die from breast cancer; from Reuters.

• Lifestyle is also being tied to diabetes. New research in the Archives of Internal Medicine reveals lifestyle factors such as physical activity, diet, smoking and alcohol consumption are independently linked with the incidence of diabetes. For the study, 4,883 men and women, ages 65 and older, eating a good diet and exercising had 46% less risk of diabetes and not smoking and drinking contributed to an 82% lower risk; HealthDay News explains.

• And earlier this year, a study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism claims stronger quadriceps, i.e. your thigh muscles, protects against cartilage loss in the knee, contributing to arthritis. The study involved 265 patients with knee osteoarthritis and those with the highest quadriceps strength had less knee pain and better physical function than people with weaker quads; Med Page Today reports.

• As for asthma, findings in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine show inadequate levels of vitamin D maybe associated with asthma severity and allergies. Scientists examined 616 children, ages 6 to 14 years, discovering sufficient vitamin D was inversely related to inflammation leading to asthma; via Booster Shots.

• Here’s an unsightly side effect of obesity. Discussed during the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association, experts link morbid obesity with higher risk of urinary tract infections (UTI). After evaluated nearly 100,000 insurance claims over a 5 year period, analysts learned greater BMI boasted the odds of being diagnosed with UTI; News Wise investigates.

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