   
Diabetes May Be In Your GenesIt is clear that Type 2 diabetes often develops in adulthood, and is often related to obesity. However, doctors are still not sure why some people develop the disease and some people do not. A new study suggests that the answers may be found in DNA. The study was conducted at the Whitehead Institute's Center for Genome Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is published in the September issue of Nature Genetics. Researchers studied the DNA from 4,000 adults who had diabetes, were related to people with diabetes, or lived in the same region. The scientists started out with sixteen variants, and eventually narrowed to one gene, called the PPAR gamma gene. This gene contains a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Doctors found that those people who did have the SNP had a 25% greater risk for developing Type 2 diabetes than those who did not. The study authors hope that their findings will promote further research into SNP's, as understanding the genetics behind the disease may lead to a cure.
Low Blood Pressure Important With DiabetesPeople living with diabetes are usually aware of the possibility of dangerous complications associated with the disease. When that disease is combined with high blood pressure, the risks become even greater. In response to the health problems found in people with both diabetes and high blood pressure, the National Kidney Foundation has issued new guidelines for doctors who treat people with these medical conditions. Their first recommendation is for people's ideal blood pressure to be set at 130/80. This is an improvement over the previous standard of 130/85. The National Kidney Foundation has also made recommendations for drug therapy to treat high blood pressure in people with diabetes. The Foundation recommends that doctors begin by prescribing ACE inhibitors, which act to prevent blood vessels from contracting. If the ACE inhibitor doesn't work by itself, the next step would be to add diuretics, which act by eliminating excess water and salt, or calcium channel blockers, which slow the heart rate and relax blood vessels. Like most preventative treatments, the National Kidney Foundation also recommends that people with high blood pressure and diabetes eat well, don't smoke, and exercise. For more information, visit the NKF website, or call 800-622-9010.
In-Home Testing For Microalbumin & CreatinineOne of the deadliest complications of diabetes is that of kidney failure. However, this is also one of the easiest complications to detect early on, and is therefore often preventable. One company hopes to further prevention by allowing people to test for problems in the comfort of their own homes. The company, FlexSite Diagnostics, Inc., has just received FDA approval to market its newest product. This product is called the UriSite Urine Collection Kit for Microalbumin/ Creatinine Testing. It allows people to produce a urine sample at home, and then mail the sample (in a dried state) to a laboratory which will analyze it for microalbumin. This is a protein whose presence is an early indicator of kidney problems. For more information, visit the website, or call 1-877-212-8378.
Body Fat Percentage Outweighs BMI In Gauging HealthDoctors no longer believe that stepping on a scale can give an accurate indication of whether or not a person has a healthy body size. A new study shows that body mass index is no longer accurate either. Scientists now believe that calculating a person's body fat percentage is now the most accurate way to determine healthy weight. Body fat percentage is deemed more accurate that BMI because it can distinguish between fat and muscle. Using body fat percentage to determine healthy body weight is being promoted by Shape Up America!, which is an initiative founded by former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop in order to fight obesity. Visit the group's website to find out healthy ranges for body fat percentages, as well as information about obesity and the health risks associated with it.
A Little Exercise Goes A Long WaySome people feel that there is simply not enough time in the day to exercise. However, a new study shows that exercising for only a short amount of time a couple of times a day can promote a healthier heart. The study involved 7,300 male participants, and is published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association (volume 102, August 29, 2000). Doctors at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston found that the healthiest exercise regimens were those that burned the most calories, and weren't necessarily the ones that lasted the longest. The researchers found that those who burned 4,400 calories per week were almost 40% less likely to develop heart disease than those who burned 1,100 calories per week. Factors such as exercise type and duration were irrelevant. The study shows that any exercise is good exercise, and can be beneficial even if it doesn't last long. This is one easy way that people can take control of their health, and should give hope to those who simply cannot exercise for long periods of time.
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