Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

Just a few extra pounds during adolescence may translate into higher odds for heart disease in adulthood, a new study of young men suggests. It included about 1.7 million Swedish men who began military service at ages 18 or 19 between 1969 and 2005. They were followed for up to 46 years. During the follow-up, nearly 4,500 were diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, an uncommon heart muscle condition that can lead to heart failure. Average age at diagnosis was 45.5 years. Men who were lean as teens (body mass index, or BMI, below 20) had a low risk of cardiomyopathy. But risk steadily rose with increased weight, even among men who were on the high end of normal BMI (22.5 to 25) as teens. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on weight and height. A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese: For example, a 5-foot-10-inch man who weighs 209 pounds has a BMI of 30. There are several types of cardiomyopathy. In dilated cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes weak and can’t pump blood efficiently. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, it becomes stiff and the heart can’t fill with blood properly. Men who had a BMI of 35 and over in their teens (someone 5-foot-10 who weighs 245 or more) were eight times more likely to develop dilated cardiomyopathy than those who were lean in their… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Many American kids don’t don helmets when biking, skateboarding and riding scooters, a troubling new poll finds. Among more than 1,300 parents surveyed, 18% said their kids never wear helmets while biking, 58% said their kids don’t wear helmets while skateboarding, and 61% said their children don’t wear helmets when riding scooters, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at the University of Michigan. “Helmets are vital to preventing head injuries in case a child falls or is struck by a car,” said University of Michigan pediatrician Dr. Gary Freed. “It is very concerning that so many children ride bikes and other non-motorized wheeled vehicles without ever using helmets.” In 2015 alone, more than 426,000 children went to an emergency room with injuries from these activities. The researchers found that 93% of parents said their children give cars the right of way and 82% said their children stop at stop signs. But most said their child doesn’t use hand signals or walk their bike across crosswalks. “Our report suggests that families should take more precautions to ensure children are safe, including wearing helmets and understanding safety in the streets,” Freed said in a university news release. Most parents said their child rode their bikes on sidewalks (73%) or in parks or on trails (59%). But 42% said… read on >

The pain Sara Langill felt in her right hip didn’t concern her much, until she felt a lump as she massaged tendons near her hip flexors following a soccer game. “I felt this thing that felt like a rubbery grape,” recalls Langill, 33. Thinking it might be a hernia, she went to the doctor. Within days, Langill was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma — an advanced stage of the most serious form of skin cancer. A “typical Southern California” kid born and raised in San Diego, Langill spent hours and hours soaking up sunshine engaged in outdoor pursuits. “I’ve had more sunburns than I can count. I used to come into work on Monday, and if I wasn’t sunburned, I didn’t have a great weekend,” Langill recalls. May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and Langill is now speaking out as part of a campaign to get people to protect themselves from the sun and have their skin checked regularly. Her melanoma diagnosis came in September 2016. A biopsy found cancer in the lymph nodes near her hip, and doctors eventually tracked the cancer to a “really small mole on the outside of my right calf,” Langill said. She soon underwent surgery to remove the cancerous lymph nodes as well as the original tumor on her calf. Langill now bears a 6-inch scar down the front… read on >

Mornings spent figuring out Sudoku or finessing a crossword could spell better health for aging brains, researchers say. In a study of over 19,000 British adults aged 50 and over who were tracked for 25 years, the habit of doing word or number puzzles seemed to help keep minds nimble over time. “We’ve found that the more regularly people engage with puzzles such as crosswords and Sudoku, the sharper their performance is across a range of tasks assessing memory, attention and reasoning,” said research leader Dr. Anne Corbett, of the University of Exeter Medical School. “The improvements are particularly clear in the speed and accuracy of their performance,” she added in a university news release. “In some areas, the improvement was quite dramatic — on measures of problem-solving, people who regularly do these puzzles performed equivalent to an average of eight years younger compared to those who don’t.” Does that translate to protection against Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia? The study “can’t say” at this point, Corbett said, “but this research supports previous findings that indicate regular use of word and number puzzles helps keep our brains working better for longer.” The study was conducted online. Participants were assessed each year, and they were asked how often they did word and number puzzles. They were also given a series of tests measuring attention, reasoning… read on >

More than 20 million babies are born across the globe weighing far less than they should, and the problem isn’t limited to low-income countries, new research shows. In 2015, nearly three-quarters of infants with low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds) were born in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. But low birth weights persist in high-income countries in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, where there have been virtually no reductions in low birth weight rates since 2000. To come to those conclusions, the researchers analyzed data on 281 million births in 148 countries. In 2012, all 195 member states of the World Health Organization committed to a 30% reduction in low birth weight rates by 2025. This study found that worldwide rates of low birth weight fell from 17.5% in 2000 to 14.6% in 2015. But that 1.2% annual decline fell well short of the target annual reduction rate of 2.7%, the study authors said. The findings were published May 15 in The Lancet Global Health. The researchers called for more investment and action by all nations to speed up progress on reducing the global rate of low birth weight. “Despite clear commitments, our estimates indicate that national governments are doing too little to reduce low birth weight,” said study author Dr. Hannah Blencowe, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine,… read on >

Ounce for ounce and calorie for calorie, leafy greens and other types of vegetables are the hands-down favorites for delivering on nutrients. But many fruits should also have a place at the table. Researchers looked at the most nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables to see which provided meaningful amounts of B vitamins including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, B6 and B12, vitamins C and K, iron, fiber and protein. Most of the top spots on their ranked list of powerhouse fruits — those most strongly associated with reducing the risk of chronic diseases — were various citrus fruits with one popular berry mixed in. The Top 5 Nutrient-Dense Fruits Lemons Strawberries Oranges Limes Pink and red grapefruit As terrific as blueberries are considered, blackberries were actually the next fruit on the list, followed by white grapefruit. Now this isn’t to say that blueberries, which many studies rank very high for antioxidants and other healthful compounds, shouldn’t be on your shopping list along with raspberries. Eating fruits in a rainbow of colors gets you the widest variety of nutrients and phyto-nutrients — those hard-to-duplicate compounds that go beyond vitamins and minerals. It’s also important to pay attention to a fruit’s ripeness. Studies show that ripe fruits, including all berries, offer more antioxidants than fruits that are not quite ready. Based on that criteria, strawberries topped the list, followed… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Ringworm is a fungal infection that gets its name from the red circular rash that develops. The inside of the ring typically is clear or scaly. People who use public lockers and showers, athletes and people with weak immune systems are especially at risk. To prevent the infection, Mayo Clinic suggests: Wash your hands often. Don’t wear thick clothing in warm, humid weather. Avoid infected animals. Don’t share personal items.

(HealthDay News) — A helmet can prevent someone from a serious head injury, says the New York State Department of Health. Some states even require people, especially children, to wear helmets while biking or skateboarding. The Department of Health encourages parents to: Select a helmet that meets Consumer Product Safety Commission standards. Make sure your child wears a helmet appropriate for his or her sport. Buy a helmet that fits your child. Replace a helmet that has been involved in an accident.

Only half of Americans routinely protect themselves from the sun when outdoors, a recent American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) survey found. Those who don’t practice sun safety put themselves at increased risk for skin cancer, which is the most common cancer in the United States, despite being one of the most preventable cancers. One in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in their life, the AAD estimates. Just one serious sunburn in childhood or the teen years can nearly double a person’s risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, later in life. Because May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, the AAD is encouraging Americans to “practice safe sun.” “Exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer, and there are many simple things you can do to protect yourself from the sun,” AAD President Dr. George Hruza said in an academy news release. Seek shade when possible, especially between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the sun’s rays are strongest. Wear protective clothing, such as a lightweight, long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all skin not covered by clothing. Reapply every two hours or after swimming or sweating. “It’s also important to remember to protect parts of… read on >