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Two medical groups have declared war on sodas and energy drinks by calling for taxes on what has become the leading source of sugar in the diets of children and teens. In a new joint policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Heart Association (AHA) also recommended a host of other public policies, all aimed at cutting consumption of the unhealthy drinks. This is the first time the AAP has advocated for such a tax. “Sugary drinks make up more than half the sugar intake in kids’ diets and have no redeeming nutritional value. They are basically sugar water,” said pediatrician Dr. Natalie Muth, lead author of the policy statement. Excess sugar in kids’ diets has contributed to an epidemic of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes, said Avigdor Arad, director of the Mount Sinai PhysioLab, in New York City. It also increases the risk for tooth decay, heart disease, fatty liver disease and death among children and teens, according to the statement. “The average kid is getting about 30 pounds of sugar from sugary drinks per year, which is enough to fill a small bathtub,” said Muth, a California pediatrician and communications chair of the AAP Section on Obesity. “We’re not talking about a small problem here, or a small amount of intake from drinks. It’s a huge amount.” Evidence… read on >

Fathers-to-be who expose their pregnant partners to secondhand smoke put their babies at risk of heart defects, researchers warn. For the new study, investigators in China reviewed 125 studies that included a total of nearly 9 million prospective parents and more than 137,000 babies with congenital heart defects. All types of parental smoking were linked to an increased risk of these birth defects, the analysis found. Compared to no smoking exposure, the increased risk was 124 percent for women exposed to secondhand smoke while pregnant, 74 percent for men smoking, and 25 percent for women smoking. “Fathers are a large source of secondhand smoke for pregnant women, which appears to be even more harmful to unborn children than women smoking themselves,” said study author Jiabi Qin of Central South University in Changsha, China. “Fathers-to-be should quit smoking,” Qin said in a news release from the European Society of Cardiology. The overall risk with all types of parental smoking was greater when the analysis was restricted to Asian groups, the study authors noted. Women’s exposure to secondhand smoke was dangerous throughout pregnancy — and even before, according to the report. While those who smoked before getting pregnant had no added risk, those who smoked during pregnancy were more apt to give birth to a child with a heart defect. Specifically, smoking while pregnant was associated with… read on >

(American Heart Association News) — Tipping the scales at 233 pounds, Charles Joy realized he needed to make some changes. The 28-year-old Louisville, Kentucky, native already had tried many diet plans to varying degrees of success. In 2013, he lost more than 100 pounds through exercise and diet. But afterward, his weight slowly began to creep back up. In 2017, Joy decided to try time-restricted eating, consuming all his meals within an eight-to 10-hour window each day. The pounds melted away. Today, he weighs 183 pounds. “It’s working much better, because it’s so flexible,” Joy said. “With calorie restriction, you have to plan out everything, and I was never satisfied. Now I don’t even think about food until the afternoon.” Time-restricted eating is one variation of a hot diet trend that also includes intermittent fasting. According to Krista Varady, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago, there are several types of intermittent fasting, including one meal per day, the 5/2 method, which involves five feast days and two days with restricted calories, and alternate-day fasting. Fasting is nothing new. For a month every year, practicing Muslims celebrate Ramadan by fasting from sunrise to sunset, and it’s a part of many other major religious traditions. But is it healthy and effective to restrict eating or fast on a regular basis? It… read on >

To take calcium or not to take calcium, that is still the question. In a new study that contradicts earlier research, investigators found that adding calcium to your diet will not raise your risk of a common age-related eye disease. That disease, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness among Americans aged 65 and older. In the new research, a team from the U.S. National Eye Institute analyzed data from more than 4,700 people in the United States who were followed for an average of 10 years as part of a study on age-related eye disease. None of the participants had AMD at the start of the study. As participants got older, those with the highest intake of calcium from their diet or supplements actually had a lower risk of developing late-stage AMD than those with the lowest calcium intake, the findings showed. The study was published March 21 in JAMA Ophthalmology. “Although the findings suggest that high calcium intake may be protective, the jury is still out on whether people should alter their calcium intake to prevent the onset or progression of AMD,” said lead investigator Dr. Emily Chew. She is director of the division of epidemiology and clinical applications, and deputy clinical director at the eye institute. Chew noted that the apparent protective effect of calcium could… read on >

More American women had health insurance and access to care after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was fully in place in 2014, and poorest women benefited most, according to a new report. For the study, researchers examined U.S. National Health Interview Survey data on insurance affordability, access to care and the use of preventive services — such as flu vaccination, mammograms, and blood pressure and cholesterol screening — among women aged 19 to 64. Forty percent of low-income women were uninsured prior to the ACA (often called “Obamacare”), the study found, versus 17 percent in 2014 and 11 percent in 2016. The review found that more than 4 percent of the poorest women were more likely to have seen a doctor within a year in 2014-2017. Among all women, there were increases of between 3 percent and 7 percent for preventive screenings and vaccinations. After ACA, women in all income groups had more blood pressure checks, cholesterol screenings and flu shots, according to the study published March 21 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Before ACA, about one-third had no access to affordable insurance and care, the findings showed. “Given current debates around the ACA and women’s historical challenges obtaining health care, this research is important to highlight how women’s access and affordability of care have improved as a result of the ACA,” said… read on >

Recent research shows that eggs can be part of a healthful diet. Eggs are highly nutritious because they deliver the essential amino acids your body needs to build and repair muscle and help keep your metabolism humming. Egg yolks in particular contain many nutrients, including vitamin A, B vitamins and hard-to-get vitamin D. Whether white or brown, commercially raised or free-range, eggs have equal nutrition, because the hens all have the same mostly grain diet. However, if you can afford pasture-raised eggs, they are somewhat superior because those hens have a more diverse diet, which increases the eggs’ nutritional value. If you’ve shied away from eggs in the past, health studies have found that having one egg yolk a day doesn’t increase blood serum cholesterol in healthy adults. Of course, do talk to your doctor about limiting yolks if you have high cholesterol or diabetes. Got five minutes for a fast, hot morning meal? Here’s how to make a delicious scrambled egg breakfast. (One way to extend eggs’ goodness is to have one whole egg plus two extra whites per serving. You’ll get both more protein and volume.) Easy Egg Scramble 1 egg plus 2 egg whites Olive oil-based cooking spray 2 tablespoons of your favorite salsa or hot sauce, to taste 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley or cilantro To easily separate… read on >

Gun-related deaths among school-age children in the United States are increasing at alarming rates, researchers report. In 2017, gun violence claimed more 5- to 18-year-olds than police officers or active-duty members of the U.S. military, according to a chilling new study led by investigators from Florida Atlantic University. “It is sobering that in 2017, there were 144 police officers who died in the line of duty and about 1,000 active duty military throughout the world who died, whereas 2,462 school-age children were killed by firearms,” study senior author Dr. Charles Hennekens said in a FAU news release. He’s a professor of medicine at the university’s Schmidt College of Medicine. The nationwide study found nearly 39,000 gun-related deaths among 5-to-18-year-olds between 1999 and 2017. That included almost 6,500 deaths among kids between 5 and 14 years of age, and more than 32,400 among older teens. Significant increases began in 2009, with a wave of shootings among 5- to 14-year-olds, followed by a similar wave among teens starting in 2014. Both waves — which researchers described as epidemics — continued through 2017, the most recent year for which data are available. Gun-related deaths over the period accounted for 5.6 percent of deaths in the younger group and nearly 20 percent among older kids. Researchers also found statistically significant increases in gun-related deaths among black children aged 5-14,… read on >

Expectant moms often try to plan as many aspects of their upcoming delivery as they can. But one thing they might not consider is what type of pain relief they will choose if they need to have a C-section. Now, new research from the University of Texas suggests that while opioids can control pain, a combination of other painkillers could offer similar relief with fewer side effects and no risk of addiction. “Opioids do not need to be routinely prescribed for every woman,” said study author Dr. Jenifer Dinis. She is a clinical instructor in the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at UT Health McGovern Medical School in Houston. “We can control pain effectively with ibuprofen and acetaminophen. For those who do need opioids, we don’t need to give out as much,” Dinis said. A big concern anytime opioids are used is the potential for addiction. As many as one in four people given a long-term prescription for opioids in primary care has reported struggling with addiction, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even if people don’t use the opioid prescriptions they’re given, family members or friends may end up using those drugs. In 2016, more than 11 million Americans said they had misused opioids during the past year, the CDC said. Approximately 130 Americans die every day due… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Major Medical Groups Call for Soda Taxes

Smoking Around Expectant Moms Can Harm Babies’ Hearts

AHA News: Is the New ‘Fasting’ Diet Trend Healthy?

Extra Calcium Safe for the Aging Eye

Affordable Care Act Brought Big Benefits to Women: Study

Easy Eggs for a Nutritious Breakfast

Gun Deaths Up Sharply Among America’s Schoolkids

Is There a Safer Choice Than Opioids After a C-Section?

Easy Eggs for a Nutritious Breakfast

Gun Deaths Up Sharply Among America’s Schoolkids