Our weekly round up of the latest news in the world of health. This week we look at how the amount of sleep you get may affect your risk of obesity, at the growing number of diabetes patients with arthritis, and at the risks of insulin pumps for teen diabetics. We also look at new recommendations from U.S. officials on the stop-smoking aid Chantix.
Stay well.
This Issue:
Sleep and Obesity Diabetes and Arthritis Risks of Insulin Pump Health Officials Recommend Chantix In the News:
Sleep and Obesity The amount of sleep you get could affect your risk of obesity. A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that people who sleep fewer than six hours a night or more than nine hours are more likely to be obese. The study is based on door-to-door surveys of 87,000 U.S. adults. It found that about 33 percent of people who slept less than six hours a night were obese, as were 26 percent of those who got nine or more hours. About 22 percent of normal sleepers were obese. The survey also found that people who got too little or too much sleep were more likely to be smokers and drinkers compared to normal sleepers. However, the study did not take into account other factors such as depression that contribute to obesity, smoking, drinking and sleeplessness, the Associated Press reports.
Diabetes and Arthritis
Over half of U.S. adults with diabetes also have arthritis, according to a new study. The study was based on phone surveys carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of some 800,000 people. Fifty-two percent of the diabetics surveyed said they also had arthritis, with both conditions, as well as the overlap, most common in those 65 and older, the researchers found. People with both diabetes and arthritis were 30 to 40 percent more likely to be physically inactive than those who had diabetes but not arthritis, the survey found. The Associated Press quotes other experts who say the survey points to a dilemma in diabetes care -- exercise can improve blood sugar control and reduce other risks in diabetics, but arthritis can make it more difficult to exercise.
Risks of Insulin Pump
Insulin pumps can cause injuries and death in teenagers and younger children, the Food and Drug Administration says, calling for more study to address safety concerns with the pumps. The FDA also urges parents to closely monitor children with type 1 diabetes who use the pumps. An FDA review of insulin pump use in young people ages 12 to 21 found 13 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries connected to the devices between 1995 and 2006. These incidents included malfunctions, incorrect use of the pumps, improper care of the pumps, and in some cases possible suicide attempts by taking too much insulin, according to the review, which was published in the journal Pediatrics.
Health Officials Recommend Chantix
New guidelines for doctors from federal health officials recommend the drug Chantix to help smokers quit, even though it has been linked to suicidal behavior and depression. The reason, according to the guidelines by the U.S. Public Health Service, is that Chantix is the most effective at helping people stop smoking. The guidelines' authors looked at 83 studies; they found that Chantix helped 33 percent of people who took it stay off tobacco for six months after quitting, compared with a 14 percent for those who took a placebo. The guidelines so suggest doctors ask about their patients' psychiatric history before prescribing Chantix and monitor patients' mood and behavior while on it. They also mention other options and encourage combining counseling and medication. But critics note that the lead author of the guidelines has a history of ties to the pharmaceutical industry, including the company that makes Chantix, the Associated Press reports. The U.S. Public Health Service guidelines were reviewed by 90 independent experts and endorsed by 60 public health groups, the AP says.
Used with the permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. The above summaries are not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, nor are they intended to be a substitute for consultation with a physician.
