Burgers And Fries Linked To Diabetes Risk
In a fast-paced society that doesn't slow down to eat healthily, it is no wonder that Type 2 diabetes is on the rise. Now a new study shows a strong link between the high-fat, low-nutrition meals common in a "western" diet and the development of Type 2.
This study was conducted by researchers at Harvard University and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands. In the study, the eating habits of 42,504 predominantly white American men between the ages of 40 and 75 were studied for 12 years.
Results of the study showed that men who ate "western" diets, consisting mostly of beef, processed meat, refined grains, French fries, and sugary drinks and desserts, were at a much greater risk of developing Type 2 than men who ate diets of whole grains, produce, legumes, fish, and poultry. During the study, 1,300 men developed Type 2 diabetes. Those who ate a healthier diet were 16% less likely than men who ate a western diet to be diagnosed with the disease.
The researchers also note that the diets that appeared to be associated with an increased risk of diabetes were high in hydrogenated fats. These normally-safer plant oils have been chemically altered to change their texture and melting point. They are found at high levels in fried and baked foods, margarinies, crackers, other refined grains, and sweets.
This study can be found in the Annals of Internal Medicine (volume 136; pages 201-209; February 5, 2002). The authors emphasize that daily diet choices appear to affect a person's risk of diabetes regardless of their weight, exercise habits, or family history.
  
Fast Infant Growth Indicates Later Obesity
Numerous studies have shown that a baby's health in the first few months of life may determine that child's health as an adult. One such recent study shows that if a baby gains weight too rapidly in the first four months of life, he/she is at a greater risk for becoming obese late in childhood and as an adult.
Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia atudied 19,397 children born between 1959 and 1965 in 12 U.S. cities. The babies were measured at birth, four months of age, and seven years of age. The researchers found that babies who gained the most weight within the first four months of life had the greatest risk of being overweight at age seven. For every extra 100g increase in weight per month, the risk of being overweight later in life increased by 30 percent.
The study authors believe that the best way to combat a rapid gain in weight is by following the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendation of exclusively breastfeeding babies for the first six months of life. At this point, babies can be introduced slowly to solid food, but they should be breastfed up to one year of age. This study has been published in the journal Pediatrics (volume 109, number 2, pages 194-199, February 2002).
Obesity Drug Appears Effective In Mice
The sky-rocketing rates of obesity and its related health problems in America have prompted researchers to seek ways of treatment that would be effective and easy for every one. One of the treatments that is most sought after is an anti-obesity drug.
A new study conducted by doctors at Merck Research Laboratories in Rahway, New Jersey shows that an anti-obesity drug may be possible in the future. The researchers used mice to test compounds that act similarly to insulin. Prior research had shown that insulin injected directly into the brain caused mice to eat less and lose weight. However, insulin given orally had the opposite effect.
The researchers divided mice into two groups. Some were given an insulin-like compound, and the rest were not. All were given a high-fat diet. The researchers found that the mice who were given the compound gained weight very slowly compared to the other mice. In addition, the mice in the group given the new drug had lower blood sugar levels and a decrease in insulin resistance. There did not appear to be any side effects to the treatment.
This study can be found in the journal Nature Medicine (volume 8, pages 179-183, February 2002). The researchers note that this is only the first step toward developing an anti-obesity drug for humans, and that much more research is needed. Although the drug prevented obesity in mice, it is not yet known if it will reverse obesity.
Weight Loss Lowers CRP & Heartt Disease
Obesity has been linked to many health problems, including heart disease and diabetes. A new study shows that losing weight may decrease the risk for illness and death from heart disease by reducing the levels of a particular protein.
Twenty-five women participated in the study, all of whom were white, obese, and postmenopausal. Led by researchers at the University in Vermont in Burlington, the women participated in a weight-loss program and lost an average of 33 pounds, which was about 25% of their fat mass. After losing the excess weight, the women's blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) declined by nearly one-third, dropping proportionally to the decreases in body weight and fat mass.
C-reactive protein is an inflammatory particle that is released when the body has an infection or is injured. It attracts cells to the site of inflammation, and is also believed to contribute to the formation of cholesterol deposits in arteries. This increases the risk of illness and death from heart disease, and increases the likelihood that the deposits will rupture and cause a heart attack.
The researchers, who have published their findings in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association (volume 5; February 5, 2002), also note that the women's levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol increased as they lost weight, and they were able to use their insulin more efficiently. Both the drop in C-reative protein and the rise in HDL lessen the risk for diabetes and heart disease.
Heart Attack Victims Undertreated
Although there are two major emergency treatments indicated for people who have had a heart attack, a recent study shows that doctors may be reticent to perform these treatments.
According to statistics gathered by researchers from University Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, many heart attack victims did not receive reperfusion therapy to restore blood flow to the heart. Reperfusion therapy usually consisting of clot-busting drugs or artery-clearing angioplasty--a procedure in which a balloon-tipped catheter is used to clear fatty plaques from coronary arteries. The researchers gathered data from over 9,000 people at 94 hospitals in 14 countries.
About 1,700 people arrived at a hospital within twelve hours of having symptoms of a heart attack, and had electrocardiogram (ECG) results that indicated a heart attack. However, clot-dissolving drugs were given to only 31% of heart attack patients in the US, and 67% of patients in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The other major treatment, angioplasty, was performed on only 1% of patients in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and 18% of patients in the US. Only 18% of patients in the US received a combination of these two treatments.
The researchers are not sure why so few people who had had a heart attack received emergency treatment. They postulate that doctors are concerned about the risks of the treatment, especially in the elderly and in people who demonstrate unusual symptoms. They published their findings in the Lancet (volume 359; pages 373-377; February 2, 2002). The researchers recommend that people admitted to the hospital with chest pain be given an ECG to determine if they are having a heart attack so that proper treatment can commence.
Guidelines For Treating Kidney Disease
Because millions of Americans are living with or at high risk for kidney disease, the National Kidney Foundation has published a new set of guidelines for the early detection and treatment of this disease.
One of the best ways of successfully treating kidney disease is through early detection of it, especially for people who are at the greatest risk for the disease because they have diabetes, high blood pressure, family history of kidney disease, or are elderly. People with these risk factors should be tested regularly for kidney disease.
There are two ways of testing for kidney disease. A urine test for the protein albumin (a urine microalbumin test is the best early indicator for kidney disease caused by diabetes) can indicate kidney problems, as people with kidney disease have high levels of this protein in their urine. Another test measures a person's glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which indicates how well the kidneys are filtering waste from the bloodstream. This is done by drawing blood in order to measure the levels of creatinine, which is a metabolite that indicates GFR.
Once kidney disease has been diagnosed, it is important to begin treatment immediately. A drug therapy using angiotensin II receptor blockers can delay kidney failure by about two years in people who are in advanced stages of the disease. These drugs work by relaxing blood vessels in the kidneys. People with the disease should also strictly control their blood pressure and blood sugar levels in order to protect their kidneys. Some studies have also indicated that low-protein diets are effective in delaying kidney disease.
The National Kidney Foundation recommends that people with the disease have blood and urine tests once per year, and more often if their GFR drops below 60. This is an indication of serious organ damage.
New Insulin Pump Delivery Set Approved
SpectRx Inc., which manufactures many medical products, has received FDA approval to market a new insulin infusion kit. This set works with insulin pumps to deliver insulin via five microneedles, which are much less than half the size of current insulin pump needles. The company believes the new nearly pain-free infusion patch set will be on the market in 2003.
Information provided by The Diabetes Mall @ http://www.diabetesnet.com
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