Lifestyle

Sugar sweetened sodas and drinks claim 180000 lives worldwide

Sugar-sweetened beverages may be linked to about 180,000 deaths in the world each year — American Heart Association Meeting Report – Sugar-sweetened sodas, sports drinks and fruit drinks may be associated with about 180000 deaths around the world each year. Sugar-sweetened beverages are consumed throughout the world, and contribute to excess body weight, which increases the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.

Nutrition Facts Label helps to make heart healthy choices

The Nutrition Facts Label: Helping Americans Make Heart-Healthy Choices – February is American Heart Month, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a tool to help you achieve a heart-healthy lifestyle. It?s called the Nutrition Facts Label, and it can be found on all packaged foods and beverages.

Stroke becoming more common in young people

Study: Stroke becoming more common in young people – Stroke may be affecting people at a younger age, revealed by researchers. “The reasons for this trend could be a rise in risk factors such as diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol,” said study author Brett Kissela, MD, MS, with the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

Exercise improves memory and thinking after stroke

Exercise improves memory, thinking after stroke, study finds – Just six months of exercise can improve memory, language, thinking and judgment problems by almost 50 per cent. Toronto researchers found that the proportion of stroke patients with at least mild cognitive impairment dropped from 66 per cent to 37 per cent during a research study on the impact of exercise on the brain.

RYGB gastric bypass surgery improves heart risk factors

Over long-term, gastric bypass surgery associated with higher rate of diabetes remission — Improvement in cardiovascular risk factors – Severely obese patients who had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery had significant weight loss that was sustained for an average of 6 years after the surgery and also experienced frequent remission and lower incidence of diabetes, hypertension, and abnormal cholesterol levels, compared to participants who did not have the surgery.

Asthma children are more likely to be bullied

Study explores why children with asthma are more likely to be bullied – There is a pertinent question – why children with asthma are at an increased risk of being bullied. A new study highlights the need for doctors to talk to children with asthma about bullying, as well as the impact the disease could be having in other areas of their life.

Obesity may lead to impaired brain function

Obesity and metabolic syndrome associated with impaired brain function in adolescents – Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with cognitive and brain impairments in adolescents and calls for pediatricians to take this into account when considering the early treatment of childhood obesity. As childhood obesity has increased in the U.S., so has the prevalence of metabolic syndrome ? a constellation of three or more of five defined health problems, including abdominal obesity, low HDL (good cholesterol), high triglycerides, high blood pressure and pre-diabetic insulin resistance.

Chronic stress raises stroke risk

Chronic stress linked to high risk of stroke — ‘Type A’ personality and life stressors boost risk independently of lifestyle factors – Chronic stress, prompted by major life stressors and type A personality traits, is linked to a high risk of stroke. Chronic stress, manifested as physical and/or mental symptoms in response to stressors lasting longer than 6 months has been linked to a heightened risk of heart disease. But its impact on the risk of stroke has not been clear.

Qsymia approved for chronic weight management

U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Qsymia (phentermine and topiramate extended-release) as an addition to a reduced-calorie diet and exercise for chronic weight management – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Qsymia (phentermine and topiramate extended-release) as an addition to a reduced-calorie diet and exercise for chronic weight management.

Belviq lorcaserin approved to treat overweight or obese adults

FDA approves Belviq to treat some overweight or obese adults – Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride) is approved as an addition to a reduced-calorie diet and exercise, for chronic weight management. This obesity drug is approved by US FDA for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater (obese), or adults with a BMI of 27 or greater (overweight) and who have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure (hypertension), type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol (dyslipidemia).