Chemicals found in plastic personal care products, kids’ toys, and food and drink packaging could be raising the risk of type 2 diabetes among women, new research suggests. To study the impact of these chemicals, known as phthalates, researchers followed just over 1,300 U.S. women for six years to see if exposure contributed to the incidence of diabetes. About 5% of the women developed diabetes during the study period. The researchers found that white women exposed to high levels of some phthalates had a 30% to 63% higher chance of developing diabetes. The harmful chemicals were not linked to diabetes risk in Black or Asian women. Exposure to these endocrine-disrupting chemicals has previously been associated with reduced fertility and other endocrine disorders. “Our research found phthalates may contribute to a higher incidence of diabetes in women, especially white women, over a six-year period,” said Sung Kyun Park, an associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, in Ann Arbor. “People are exposed to phthalates daily, increasing their risk of several metabolic diseases. It’s important that we address [endocrine-disrupting chemicals] now as they are harmful to human health,” Park said in a news release from the Endocrine Society. The study, which was published online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, received funding from…  read on >  read on >

There’s been plenty of scientific debate about whether vaping is safer than tobacco, and whether it may help some people stop smoking. According to a recent Cochrane Review analysis of 78 studies, electronic cigarettes show more success in helping people quit smoking than traditional nicotine-replacement therapies, such as nicotine patches and gums. “The most important finding from our recent review update is that for the first time there is high certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than traditional nicotine-replacement therapies, such as patches, gum or lozenges, in helping people to quit smoking,” said study co-author Ailsa Butler. She is a postdoctoral researcher from the University of Oxford’s Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, in the United Kingdom. But is vaping better than smoking? Let’s look at how vaping compares to smoking in terms of its safety and effects on your health. How vaping works Vapes, or e-cigarettes, are handheld devices that contain a reservoir for liquid, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. This liquid is vaporized upon heating. The heating element is usually powered by a battery. The liquid that goes into the reservoir or “pod” comes in both nicotine and nicotine-free forms. While the liquid may be free of harsh chemicals, it may contain carcinogens or other toxins that can be harmful to your health, according to the National Institute on Drug…  read on >  read on >

Primary care doctors are no longer just in the physical health business: Americans are increasingly turning to them for mental health care, too, a new study finds. Looking at Americans’ primary care visits between 2006 and 2018, researchers found a 50% increase in the proportion of visits that addressed mental health concerns. That figure rose from just under 11% of visits, to 16% by the end of the study period. The reasons are unclear, experts said, but it’s not just a matter of mental health conditions becoming more common: During the same period, other studies show, the national rate of mental health disorders rose by about 18%. Instead, it seems primary care doctors are shouldering more responsibility for diagnosing and in some cases treating, mental health conditions. “I think this study really underscores the importance of primary care in our country,” said lead researcher Dr. Lisa Rotenstein, medical director of population health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. That also means primary care doctors need the resources to make sure patients diagnosed with mental health conditions get the best treatment, she said. The findings — published in the February issue of the journal Health Affairs — are based on an ongoing government survey that collects information on Americans’ office-based medical care. Rotenstein’s team analyzed records from nearly 110,000 primary care visits, representing roughly 3.9…  read on >  read on >