Fattest State In America Is Mississippi, CDC Says

Fattest State In America

Mississippi is the fattest state in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

CDC said that the prevalence of adult obesity in Mississippi was 34.9 percent during the past year, the nation's highest.

Apart from Mississippi, 11 other states had an obesity rate of 30 percent or more. They are Louisiana (33.4%), West Virginia (32.4%),  Alabama (32.0%),  Michigan (31.3%), Oklahoma (31.1%), Arkansas (30.9%), Indiana (30.8%), South Carolina (30.8%), Kentucky (30.4%), Texas (30.4%), and Missouri (30.3%).

Colorado is the slimmest state, with 20.7 percent of its residents falling into the obese category.

CDC added that the South had the highest prevalence of adult obesity (29.5 percent), followed by the Midwest (29 percent), the Northeast (25.3 percent) and the West (24.3 percent).

In 2008, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.

Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.

Mutant Mosquito Breeder Inaugurated In Brazil To Fight Dengue Fever

Mutant Mosquito

A breeder for a mutant mosquito has been inaugurated in Brazil in hopes of finding a more effective way to combat dengue fever, a disease that has already struck more than 430,000 people this year nationwide.

Brazilian authorities inaugurated the so-called "mosquito factory" on July 7, which will breed 4 million genetically modified Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes yearly.

The facility cost 1.7 million reais ($850,000) to build and was financed by the government of Bahia state with the help of the Health Ministry.

The mutant mosquitoes will be let loose in the future in a medium-sized city in order to test the real impact of the experiment based on techniques already tried out by English scientists.

The process has been tested successfully in the small city of Juazeiro in central Bahia state, where the number of  Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes dropped by 90 percent in six months, according to official estimates.

Aedes Aegypti mosquito is the vector for transmitting dengue fever, an illness that affects between 50 and 100 million people in the tropics and subtropics each year, causing fever, muscle and joint ache as well as potentially fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.

With report from the Fox News Latino

Sunscreen Rules: Simpler Label Language Leads To Correct Use

Sunscreen Rules 2012

Sunscreen makers will be required to use labels with simpler language, according to the new sunscreen rules by the  U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Here’s what the new sunscreen labels must — and must not — tell consumers:

Sunblocks: No product completely shields users from the sun. So, sunscreens won’t be labeled as “sunblock” anymore.

SPF level: A sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more means a product lowers the risk of skin cancer and aging. Not so for SPFs from 2 to 14; they only help prevent sunburn at best. Sunscreen labels will have to be clear about how much SPF they provide — and whether they actually curb a person’s risk of skin cancer and aging, or just help prevent sunburns.

Broad spectrum: To be labeled “broad spectrum,” sunscreens must provide equal protection against the sun’s two types of radiation: UVB and UVA. Both types can lead to cancer. UVA causes more wrinkles; UVB causes sunburns.

“Waterproof” and “sweatproof” claims will disappear: Sunscreens can only say how long they offer water resistant protection. And, they’ve got to back up these promises with test results.

Instant protection: Sunscreens can’t say they provide “instant protection” or protect skin for more than two hours unless the FDA approves these claims for the specific sunscreen in question.

Via The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Cat Lady Suicide More Likely Due To Risk Of Having Toxoplasmosis, Researchers Say

Cat Lady Suicide

A cat lady is more prone to attempting suicide as she can be exposed to a common parasite that can be caught from cat litter, a new study has found.

Researchers found that women infected with Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that is spread through contact with cat feces or eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables, have an increased risk of committing suicide.

University of Maryland School of Medicine psychiatrist and suicide neuroimmunology expert Dr. Teodor T. Postolache, the senior author of the study, said that it is not yet certain if the parasite causes women or cat ladies to kill themselves but he said they found "a predictive association between the infection and suicide attempts later in life that warrants additional studies."

"We plan to continue our research into this possible connection," he added.

Women infected with T. gondii were one and a half times more likely to attempt suicide compared to those who were not infected, and the risk seemed to rise with increasing levels of the T. gondii antibodies, the study says.

The study involved 45,000 women in Denmark and was published in the Archives of General Psychiatry earlier this week. It is the largest study of T. gondii and attempted suicide and the first prospective study to document suicide attempts that occurred after the infection was discovered.

The infection, which is called toxoplasmosis, has been linked to mental illness, such as schizophrenia, and changes in behavior. About one-third of the world’s population is infected with the parasite, which hides in cells in the brain and muscles, often without producing symptoms.

"T. gondii infection is a major public health problem around the world, and many people don’t realize." said Dr. Albert Reece, vice president of medical affairs at the university. "Suicide is a critically important mental health issue. About 1 million people commit suicide and another 10 million attempt suicide worldwide each year. We hope that this type of research will one day help us find ways to save many lives that now end prematurely in suicide."

Dr. Postolache’s research team at the University of Maryland was the first to report a connection between T. gondii and suicidal behavior in 2009. He is collaborating with researchers in Denmark, Germany and Sweden to confirm and investigate the mechanism leading to this association.

Dr. Postolache noted limitations to the study, such as the inability to determine the cause of the suicidal behavior.

Weight-Loss Pill Wins US FDA Backing, The First In Over A Decade

Weight-Loss Pill Belviq Approved

Belviq, a weight-loss pill, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - the first weight-loss pill to be cleared in 13 years.

Manufactured by Arena Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride) has won approval for chronic weight management
which includes reduced-calorie diet and exercise.

The weight-loss drug is indicated for adults who are overweight or  are obese and who have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure (hypertension), type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol (dyslipidemia).

"Obesity threatens the overall well being of patients and is a major public health concern," said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "The approval of this drug, used responsibly in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle, provides a treatment option for Americans who are obese or are overweight and have at least one weight-related comorbid condition."

Belviq works by activating the serotonin 2C receptor in the brain. Activation of this receptor may help a person eat less and feel full after eating smaller amounts of food.

The anti-obesity drug is contraindicated with pregnancy. It may cause serious side effects, including serotonin syndrome, particularly when taken with certain medicines that increase serotonin levels or activate serotonin receptors. These include, but are not limited to, drugs commonly used to treat depression and migraine. Belviq may also cause disturbances in attention or memory.

The most common side effects of Belviq in non-diabetic patients are headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, dry mouth, and constipation, and in diabetic patients are low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), headache, back pain, cough, and fatigue.

Brain Tapeworms Infection "Serious Health Concern"

Brain Tapeworms Life Cycle (CDC)

Brain tapeworms infections appear to be increasing in Mexico and bordering southwestern states, according to a group of Loyola University Health System researchers.

The researchers said that up to 10 percent of the population of Mexico may have brain tapeworms.

Brain tapeworms, or  Neurocysticercosis, are parasitic diseases of  the nervous system and are caused by tapeworms found in pigs called Taenia solium. A person can get infected with the parasite by eating undercooked pork. That person then can excrete tapeworm eggs. The contamination spreads through food, water or surfaces contaminated with feces. A person can become infected, for example, by drinking contaminated water or putting contaminated fingers in the mouth.

Once inside the stomach, the tapeworm egg hatches, travels through the bloodstream and ends up in the muscles, brain or eyes. The worm, which can grow to more than one-half inch long, becomes enveloped in a fluid-filled cyst. Cysts in the muscles generally don't cause symptoms. But cysts in the eyes can cause blurry vision, while cysts in the brain can cause headaches, encephalitis and seizures. Less common symptoms include confusion and difficulty with balance.

Seizures occur in up to 70 percent of patients. "They're pretty dramatic," said Dr. Jaime Belmares, assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. "Every seizure needs to be properly evaluated."

While many people never develop symptoms, neurocysticercosis nevertheless "remains a serious health concern, especially among the poor," Loyola researchers wrote in the April issue of the journal Neurological Research.

Their article, "Management of Neurocysticercosis," is among several articles in the April issue of Neurological Research that describe neurological infections in Latin America.

Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Increases With Rise In BMI - Study

Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Increases With Rise In BMI

There is a direct correlation between Body Mass Index (BMI) and the risk of having an Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), a large new study has found.

After analyzing data from 75,627 white individuals in Copenhagen, the researchers of the study concluded that there is a 26% increase in risk of IHD for every 4 kg/m2 increase in BMI. 

"These data add evidence to support a causal link between increased BMI and IHD risk, though the mechanism may ultimately be through intermediate factors like hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes," the researchers wrote.

The study was published Tuesday in the journal "PLoS Medicine."

"In light of rising obesity levels, these findings are fundamental to improving public health," said study co-author Dr. Nicholas Timpson. "Our research shows that shifting to a lifestyle that promotes a lower BMI -- even if it does nothing else -- will reduce the odds of developing the disease."

A measure of body fat, one's BMI is computed by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared; a BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 indicates obesity.

IHD, meanwhile, is a disease characterized by reduced blood supply to the heart. It is the most common cause of death in most western countries.

Pure Green Coffee Bean Extract Supplementation Leads To Weigh Loss - Study

Pure Green Coffee Bean Extract By Pure Health

Pure green coffee bean extract supplementation aids in weight management, a clinical study has found.

Published on the Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy earlier this year, the study followed 16 individuals (8 males and 8 females) aged 22–46 who supplemented pure green coffee bean extract. The subjects, who all have normal functioning thyroid glands and are non-diabetic and non-hypertensive, took the supplement for 22 weeks.

After the course of the study, the participants, who were classified as overweight before the program, averaged slightly over an 8 kg weight loss which was more than 10% of their body weight and now in the normal BMI category. There were no side effects that were reported by the subjects as well.

The researchers of the study said their limitations were the small sample size and the short washout periods between arms but explained that "we do not believe sample size to have been a problem, given the linear crossover design of the study."

Pure green coffee bean's active component called chlorogenic acid is being attributed with the subjects' weight-loss. The natural compound is believed to work by slowing down the release of glucose into the body after meals while at the same time boosting metabolism. These two mechanisms work together to inhibit the absorption of fat and eliminate weight gain.

Chlorogenic acid is not present in aromatic roasted familiar version of brown coffee since it is removed during the roasting process (which is done at over 400 degrees Fahrenheit) as the acid is extremely bitter.

The green coffee bean supplement also has lower caffeine than a cup of coffee. It has only around 20 mg of caffeine per serving compared to 100 mg per cup of coffee.

In some studies, the bean has also shown to help lower blood pressure – while still boosting metabolism.

Obesity treatment 'could use gut hormone'

Obesity treatment could use gut hormone, scientists say

A gut hormone could be used in obesity treatment in the future as it was found to be capable of suppressing appetite which may help obese patients shed weight and lower their blood pressure.

A team of scientists from the University of Copenhagen analyzed the results of 25 clinical trials involving over 6,000 patients who had been given the hormone. They found out that patients who received clinically relevant doses for at least 20 weeks lost at least 7lbs, a greater weight-loss than the control groups.

There were common side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but it did not affect the number of patients dropping out of the trials, suggesting that overall patient satisfaction with the treatment is relatively high, according to the researchers.

"I am using them on my patients and have had a lot of ­success. For some they have been dramatically successful, with one losing about four stone and having blood sugar under control for the first time ever," Dr. David Haslam, the Chairman at the National Obesity Forum, told the Daily Express.

The scientists recommended that the hormone be "considered" for obese patients suffering from diabetes, and called for further trials to test its efficacy for obese people who are not diabetic.

Known as glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, the hormone is naturally secreted from the intestine when a person eats. It has recently been introduced as a treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes for its ability to regulate blood sugar levels.

Professor Raj Padwal from the University of Alberta argued in an accompanying editorial that the "modification of diet and lifestyle remains the cornerstone of the treatment of type 2 diabetes."