Our weekly roundup of the latest developments in the world of health. Another benefit of breastfeeding (for moms), another hazard of obesity for kids, and a risk of radiation treatment in older women were in the news this week. So was a newly approved treatment for a common cause of back pain.
Stay well.
This Issue:
Breastfeeding and Diabetes Risk Extra Pounds and Broken Bones Radiation and Fracture Risks New Implant for Back Pain In the News: Breastfeeding and Diabetes Risk Breastfeeding is good for mother's health as well as babies', and researchers have found one more reason why. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that women who breastfeed lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The study by Harvard researchers looked at data from women participating in the long-term Nurses Health Study and Nurses Health Study II. After taking into consideration weight and other factors that affect diabetes risk, the researchers found that a woman's risk of type 2 diabetes dropped by 14% to 15 % for each year she breastfeeds. The researchers could not say exactly why breastfeeding protects against diabetes; they hypothesize that breastfeeding may help balance blood sugar levels, The New York Times News Service reports. It could also be that women who breastfeed are more health-conscious in other ways, too, and that their healthier lifestyle helps prevent diabetes, the researchers say.
Extra Pounds and Broken Bones
Overweight children aren't just at risk for health problems in adulthood. They may already be suffering the effects of excess weight on their bones and joints. A study presented at the Obesity Society meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, finds that overweight children have more bone fractures and joint problems than normal-weight kids. In the study, researchers looked at data on 227 overweight children and 128 normal-weight children participating in several health studies. The kids' average age was 12. Thirteen percent of the overweight kids had had at least one broken bone at some point, compared to 4% of the children who weren't overweight. The overweight children also had higher rates of muscle, bone or joint pain and restricted movement, the researchers found. They say the pain and mobility problems can lead to a vicious cycle: lack of exercise contributes to extra weight, which leads to bone and joint problems, which in turn leads to even less physical activity, The Associated Press reports. The AP quotes other researchers who say excess pounds also make it more likely a child will break bones during a fall.
Radiation and Fracture Risks
Older women treated with radiation for some cancers have a higher risk of fractures. A study published in the
Journal of the American Medical Association finds that for women 65 and older, radiation therapy for cervical, anal, and rectal cancers significantly increases the risk of pelvic fractures. The study looked at data on more than 6,400 women diagnosed with pelvic malignancies. They found that women treated with radiation for anal cancer were three times more likely to have a pelvic fracture -- usually a hip fracture -- than women who did not undergo radiation. Women who got radiation treatment for cervical or rectal cancer had a 65% higher fracture risk than women who got other treatments for those cancers, the researchers found.
The researchers say that since there are few treatment alternatives for these pelvic cancers, the benefits of radiation may still outweigh the risks for many women, The New York Times News Service reports. They say that women who have undergone radiation treatment should be aware of the increased fracture risk and closely monitored.
New Implant for Back Pain
Some back pain sufferers now have a new source of relief. The Food and Drug Administration this week approved a spinal implant to treat lumbar spinal stenosis, a condition in which nerves in the spine become compressed with age. The X-stop, a small piece of titanium that is mounted to a vertebra in the lower back, relieves pain and numbness by pushing open the tube through which the spinal nerves run, The Associated Press reports. Placing the implant requires only local anesthesia and is much less invasive and less expensive than the other surgical option for spinal stenosis, laminectomy. The FDA says about 50% of the patients who got the implant reported significant relief from symptoms. However, the implant's effectiveness appears to decrease over time, starting about a year and a half after initial placement, 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.
