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Exercising in natural surroundings — a jog through a park, a bicycle ride along a trail — could be more beneficial than working out indoors, a new review suggests. However, access to natural areas that are public varies widely, with not everyone having the chance to exercise outdoors, the investigators noted. “The research is clear that natural settings could be an effective venue for promoting physical activity,” said lead researcher Jay Maddock, director of the Texas A&M University Center for Health & Nature. “People generally enjoy being outdoors, with parks, trails and community gardens being the most popular venues.” Currently, more than 3 of 4 adults fail to get the weekly amount of physical activity recommended in the United States, researchers said in background notes. Such exercise can prevent chronic health problems like heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and osteoporosis, researchers said. It also can enhance immune function, improve mood, aid pain control and extend life expectancy. For the study, published recently in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, researchers analyzed data from prior research regarding the benefits of outdoor exercise compared against indoor workouts. The studies revealed a mix of potential benefits from outdoor physical activity — improved mood and brain function, better social interaction, greater enjoyment of exercise and possibly even less perceived exertion. The researchers noted that the studies focused on short-term… read on > read on >

The number of pregnant women with chronic high blood pressure doubled during the past decade and a half, but treatment remains low among them, a new study found. About 3.7% of pregnant women were diagnosed with high blood pressure in 2021, up from 1.8% in 2008, researchers said. However, prescriptions handed out to pregnant women for high blood pressure remained about the same, with only 60% getting drugs that could lower their blood pressure. “While the rate of hypertension in pregnancy has doubled, the use of medication for treatment remained stable at only 60%, which we believe is likely below what it should be if patients are treated according to clinical guidelines,” said lead researcher Stephanie Leonard, an epidemiologist with Stanford University School of Medicine. For the study, published June 17 in the journal Hypertension, researchers analyzed a database of private health insurance claims for 2007 to 2021, reviewing records for 1.9 million pregnancies during that period. They found that the frequency of high blood pressure diagnosis during pregnancy continued to rise steadily over the past decade and a half. However, the researchers were surprised to find no spike in diagnoses following a 2017 guideline update that lowered the threshold for early-stage high blood pressure. “We had hoped to see some impact from the 2017 guideline, which reduced the blood pressure threshold for treatment of… read on > read on >

Nicotine pouches might be less harmful than smoking or chewing tobacco, but they still pose an addiction risk to users, a new review finds. These pouches are filled with crystallized nicotine, and are placed between the gums and lips, researchers said. They are sold in various flavors and nicotine strengths. The pouches differ from Snus, which are used the same way but contain actual tobacco instead of crystallized nicotine. “Oral nicotine pouches are rapidly increasing in popularity,” said researcher Nargiz Travis, project director for Georgetown University’s Center for the Assessment of Tobacco Regulations. “While they may present a less harmful nicotine alternative for cigarette users, there is considerable concern about them becoming a new form of nicotine dependence, especially in youth who don’t use tobacco or nicotine,” Travis said in a Georgetown news release. For the review, published June 16 in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research, researchers analyzed 45 academic and 17 industry-funded studies of nicotine pouches. About 1.5% of children and teens currently use the pouches, and under 2.5% of young people have ever tried them, researchers found. However, as many as 42% of teens and young adults have heard of them, and as many as 21% of non-tobacco-using young people were not opposed to trying them. One U.S. survey of young adults ages 18 to 34 found that among those who’d tried… read on > read on >

Opioid overdoses in pregnant women are at an all-time high in the United States, and researchers think they’ve figured out one way to counter this phenomenon. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is strongly tied to substance use disorders, which means some women who become pregnant are taking ADHD medications while receiving treatment for opioid addiction. Researchers found that women who keep taking their ADHD medications during pregnancy are more likely to adhere to addiction treatment and less likely to overdose. “Treatment of ADHD is a huge knowledge gap in obstetrics and even more so in patients with substance use disorder,” said researcher Dr. Jeannie Kelly, an associate professor of obstetrics & gynecology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “In obstetrics, a knowledge gap frequently leads to reluctance to treat because of unknown risks to the fetus,” Kelly said. “However, it’s also really important to discuss the risks of not treating, because untreated disease also can have huge implications for mom’s and baby’s health.” Overdose death rates doubled among pregnant and postpartum women in recent years, rising to about 6 deaths per 100,000 in 2021 from 3 deaths per 100,000 in 2018, researchers said in background notes. In fact, opioid OD now accounts for about 1 in 10 of all pregnancy-related deaths, researchers said. Nearly 1 in 4 people diagnosed with ADHD also has… read on > read on >

Exploring Europe, taking an African safari, going on a trip to the tropics: In many cases, vaccines are needed for travel, and that’s doubly true for children. According to pediatrician Dr. Lauren Nguyen, researching what vaccines are needed and preparing well before your family’s departure is crucial. “I tell my families that it’s best to come in about six weeks prior to international travel,” said Nguyen, who’s based in Torrance, Calif. and is affiliated with the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Care Network. Meet with your child’s pediatrician to review travel plans, figure out what vaccines are required or recommended based on your travel destination and arrange to get any shots needed. That consultation is probably best done with an in-person visit, not a phone call, Nguyen noted. Not sure what shots the country you’re visiting requires? Head to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Travelers’ Health website for up to date info for countries worldwide. “The CDC website tells you about any current outbreaks, as well as the recommended vaccines for that country,” Nguyen said in a hospital news release. Besides any special vaccines required by the country you’re visiting, make sure your child is up to date on routine shots for seasonal infections like COVID, flu and RSV. Planning ahead is crucial because many vaccines require multiple doses given weeks apart, Nguyen noted.… read on > read on >

Summertime is primetime for the great outdoors, but that can mean new hazards for your eyes, one expert warned. Simple steps can help cut the risk, said ophthalmologist Dr. Masih Ahmed, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Out in the sun This one has an easy fix: Sunglasses. According to Ahmed, strong sunlight can lead to what’s known as pterygium, growths within the eye and UV (ultraviolet) light has been linked to upped risks for early cataracts, worsened macular degeneration and even cancer of the eyelid. In a Baylor news release, he said that “when choosing the right sunglasses, make sure the lenses are 100% UV blocking, ideally wrapping around the face to avoid light protruding from the sides. UV-blocking sunglasses with full coverage over the eyes is key.” Polarized lenses can also help, since they help cut down on glare — especially useful when you’re out on the water. Sunscreen and your eyes The American Cancer Society currently recommends a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, reapplied at least every 2 hours. Wearing hats and long-sleeved shirts can also help, and seek out shade if possible. “In warm temperatures where sweating is inevitable, find a sunscreen that does not run when you sweat to avoid getting it into the eyes,” according to Ahmed. “If sunscreen gets… read on > read on >

In half of American homes containing a loaded gun, that gun is kept unsecured and ready for potential use, often with children in the home, new research shows. The finding is especially troubling given the link between gun accessibility and accidental child deaths, as well as rising rates of gun-related suicides in the United States, researchers said. “The presence of a firearm in the home has been associated with an increased risk for firearm homicide and suicide among household members,” wrote a team of researchers led by Norah Friar. She’s an investigator with the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Violence Prevention. In the research, Friar’s team used federal survey data to track rates of gun ownership and storage practices in households in eight states: Alaska, California, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio and Oklahoma. They found widely varying rates of guns being kept in the home — from 18.4% of households surveyed in California to about 39% in Oklahoma and more than half (50.6%) of homes in Alaska. In most of the eight states surveyed, more than a third of homes that contained a gun also had children living in the home. In Alaska, that number rose to more than half. Guns that are unloaded and securely locked away pose little threat to children. But that wasn’t the case in… read on > read on >

The two top officers of a telehealth company that began to distribute ADHD drugs widely during the pandemic have been charged with health care fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday. The arrests will likely worsen ongoing shortages of Adderall and another ADHD medications, Vyvanse, experts said. “There are a lot of people who are going to be struggling without consistent medication,” Margaret Sibley, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, told the New York Times. In announcing the charges, the Justice Department said the chief executive and the clinical president of the California-based telehealth company Done Global Inc. are accused of participating in a scheme to distribute Adderall and other stimulants for ADHD to patients who did not need the medications, and to bill insurers for these drugs. “These defendants exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to develop and carry out a $100 million scheme to defraud taxpayers and provide easy access to Adderall and other stimulants for no legitimate medical purpose,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a news release. Done was one of several telehealth companies that became popular during pandemic lockdowns in 2020, when the government relaxed restrictions for online prescriptions for controlled substances such as Adderall, the Times reported. In its indictment, the Justice Department claimed that Ruthia He, Done’s chief executive, and David Brody,… read on > read on >

Many younger workers feel stressed, isolated and unappreciated at their jobs, a new survey has found. The 2022 Work in America survey, conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), found that young adults are struggling in the workplace: Nearly half (48%) of workers ages 18 to 25 feel people not close to their age don’t see the value in their ideas, compared to 32% overall and 16% for workers 65 and older. Similarly, 43% of workers ages 18 to 25 feel self-conscious about their age at work, compared with 29% of all workers. About 45% of workers ages 18 to 25 say they feel lonely at work, compared to 33% of those ages 26 to 43, 22% of those 44 to 57, and 15% of those 58 to 64. Younger workers are also more likely to feel tense or stressed during the workday — 48% for those 18-25 and 51% for those 26-43, versus 42% for workers 44-57 and 30% for workers 58-64. “With more workers retiring later in life, the demographics of the workplace are changing and younger workers seem to be having the hardest time adjusting,” said Arthur Evans Jr., the APA’s chief executive officer. “At the same time, with increased remote work and the use of new technologies like AI, younger and older workers alike are facing a paradigm shift around where… read on > read on >

Taking a cutting-edge weight-loss drug could help extremely obese patients drop enough pounds to be eligible for bariatric surgery, a new study shows. Patients with extreme obesity — a BMI of 70 or more — are at higher risk of complications from surgery compared to people who weigh less. Weight loss prior to surgery can lower that risk, but up to now nothing’s been able to help patients lose enough weight to make a difference, researchers say. However, new GLP-1 agonist medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have been shown to help people quickly shed pounds. For this trial, researchers recruited 113 extremely obese patients and assigned them to either a single GLP-1 drug, more than one GLP-1 drug or a medically supervised diet and exercise program. Patients were treated an average of 73 days. People on multiple drugs had the greatest weight loss, dropping about 13% of their total body weight. A single GLP-1 drug helped people lose a little more than 8% of their body weight, while diet and exercise helped participants drop about 6% of their body weight. The findings were presented Thursday at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery’s annual meeting in San Diego. “Combining anti-obesity medications may achieve much greater pre-surgery weight loss than other methods for those with extreme obesity,” said researcher Dr. Phil Schauer, director of… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Getting Your Exercise in Nature May Bring Added Benefits

Rate of Chronic High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy Doubled in U.S. Since 2008

What Are Nicotine Pouches, and Are They Less Harmful Than Smoking?

Help for Women Battling ADHD & Opioid Addiction in Pregnancy

International Travel: Don’t Forget Your Child’s Vaccinations

Protect Your Eyes From Summer’s Dangers

Loaded, Unlocked Guns Common in American Homes, Study Finds

ADHD Patients Could Face Disrupted Access to Meds Following Fraud Case

Poll Finds Many Young Workers Feeling Stressed, Isolated

GLP-1 Meds May Help Extremely Obese Qualify for Weight-Loss Surgery