Marion County Medical Center

Health Shorts

September 2006

Antioxidant Supplements No Help
In Preventing Pancreatic Cancer
Oxidative stress is believed to be a factor in the development of pancreatic cancer, and persons who eat large quantities of anti-oxidant-rich fruits and vegetables have a reduced risk of this and other cancers. Anti-oxidant supplements, however, were not found to be effective in reducing risk and may even increase overall mortality.

A systematic review of studies found that beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E–given alone or in combinations–had little effect in preventing gastrointestinal cancers and seemed to increase the overall risk of death. A possible exception was selenium, although the authors questioned the methodology of some of these trials.

A high-quality study found that persons taking a combination of beta-carotene and vitamin A had significantly higher risk of death than those taking placebo.
[SOURCE: Goran Bjelakovic, Dimitrinka Nikolova, Rose G. Simonetti and Christian Gluud, “Antioxidant Supplements for Prevention of Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” the Lancet, October 2, 2004]

Red Meat Implicated in Cancer Risk
Red meat and processed meats were associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, according to seven years of data from the Multiethnic Cohort Study. The study found no association between cancer risk and intake of chicken, fish, dairy products or other sources of saturated fat.

Another study examining broad dietary patterns among Canadians found that persons with a high intake of fruits and vegetables had a 49 percent reduced risk of pancreatic cancer.
[SOURCE: Andre Nkondjock, Parviz Ghadirian, Kenneth C. Johnson and Daniel Krewski, “Dietary Patterns and the Risk of Pancreatic Cancer,” the Journal of Nutrition, December, 2005]

The Smoking Risk Factor
Cigarette smoking is considered the number one risk factor for cancer of the pancreas. Smokers have a two- to three-fold increased risk, and about 30 percent of pancreatic cancer patients were smokers at the time of diagnosis.

Other risk factors include lack of exercise, obesity, a high-fat diet and exposure to dry cleaning agents, DDT, PCBs, benzidine, gasoline products and other chemicals.
[SOURCE: Theresa Pluth Yeo, “Current Problems in Cancer,” July-August, 2002]

Treating Emotional, Social Consequences
Most pancreatic cancers are discovered late and even the 20 percent of persons with tumors detected early enough for surgery have a five-year survival rate of only 17 percent. What’s most important in treatment is helping the patient and family deal with the emotional and social consequences and make treatment decisions based on maintaining a good quality of life. In some facilities, specialist nurses are assigned to support the patient and family through the cancer experience.
[SOURCE: Deborah Fitzsimmons, “Pancreatic Cancer: Optimising the Patient Experience,” Cancer Nursing Practice, December, 2003]

Metabolic Syndrome: Too Much Prosperity
Metabolic syndrome, brought on largely by too much food and too little physical activity, is prevalent in cultures with an improving standard of living. The results are abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, poor cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and an elevated risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Although a defect in certain genes may make some individuals vulnerable to insulin resistance, the condition is made worse by overeating and lack of exercise. To counter insulin resistance, doctors recommend regular exercise, weight loss and a diet low in saturated fats, moderate in total fats and high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and fiber.
[SOURCE: G.M. Reaven, Terry Kristen Strom and Barry Fox, Syndrome X: Overcoming the Silent Killer That Can Give You a Heart Attack, Simon Schuster, 2000; Reaven, “Syndrome X: 6 Years Later,” Journal of Internal Medicine, 1994; “Insulin Resistance,” stanford.edu.]

Metabolic Syndrome–Who’s at Risk?
Experts estimate that 25 percent of Americans have metabolic syndrome–a cluster of symptoms including excess abdominal fat, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol.

Among some groups, the risk is particularly high: 40 percent of persons in their 60s and 70s have metabolic syndrome compared to only 7 percent of those in their 20s. Among African Americans and Mexican Americans, metabolic syndrome is more prevalent among women than men.
[SOURCE: Michael Smith, M.D., “Do You Have Metabolic Syndrome?” WebMD feature, January 15, 2002; JAMA, January 16, 2002]

Eat Cheap, Eat Fast, Gain Weight
Look on the label, and you’ll find that many snack foods that you eat on the run–cookies, crackers, chips, granola bars–are high in trans fatty acids, which have been found to increase LDL cholesterol and promote weight gain and excess abdominal fat.

One study found that compared to calorie-dense foods such as oil, margarine and sugars, healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and lean meats cost 5,000 percent more per calorie.
[SOURCE: Clare Ulrich, “The Economics of Obesity,” Human Ecology, December, 2005]

Saturated Fats vs Trans Fats
Trans fatty acids, derived mainly from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, may have an even greater negative effect than saturated fats on a person’s cholesterol profile and risk of heart disease.

In the typical American diet, trans fats comprise only 2.6 percent of daily calories compared to 12 percent for saturated fats. Just one fast food burger and fries meal, however, would increase the trans fat content to 8 percent.
[SOURCE: “Questions/Answers on Trans Fatty Acids,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, August, 2001]

Trans Fats Affect Brain, Gall Bladder
Trans fats, known to cause an increase in harmful LDL cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes, have also been implicated in other medical problems.

A 14-year study of 46,000 adult males found a higher risk of gallstones in men eating the highest amounts of trans fats. A laboratory study found that rats eating a diet rich in trans fatty acids showed signs of brain damage affecting learning and memory.
[SOURCE: Helen Phillips, “Fears Raised Over the Safety of Trans Fats,” New Scientist, November 6, 2004; Diane Lofshult, “Those Galling Trans Fats,” IDEA Fitness Journal, September, 2005]

Metabolic Syndrome: The Consequences
Metabolic syndrome is the name doctors have for a cluster of symptoms that include obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure and an abnormal cholesterol profile. The diagnosis is useful primarily because it indicates a two-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease and a five-fold increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

While medications may be used to treat the hypertension and high cholesterol, the primary treatment involves lifestyle changes such as weight loss, exercise and a high-fiber diet.
[SOURCE: Scott M. Grundy, “Does a Diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome Have Value in Clinical Practice,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June, 2006]

Trans Fats Increase Diabetes Risk
Data collected by the Harvard School of Public Health since 1980 on more than 84,000 women found that use of trans fatty acids significantly increased the risk that these women would develop diabetes. No correlation was found between saturated fat or total fat intake and diabetes risk.

Many researchers now believe that trans fats are the most detrimental to health of all fats.
[SOURCE: Ralph LaForge, “Research,” IDEA Health & Fitness Source, January, 2002]

Ab-solutely Not a Smart Idea
It’s always fun to watch those attractive, fit young models working out so effortlessly on abdomen- and thigh-reducing machines. But resist the temptation to place a quick order.

There is no such thing as spot-reducing. If you want to get rid of fat on your belly or thighs, you have to make changes in your diet and exercise habits that result in overall weight loss. Even though you can tone abdominal muscles, the six-pack ab look appears after you lose the fat covering the muscles. To accomplish that, a treadmill or exercise bike is a better investment.
[SOURCE: “Fitness on a Budget: Low Cost Ideas for Shaping Up,” MayoClinic.com, August 18, 2006]

Don’t Buy without a Try
If you’re thinking about buying exercise equipment for your home, here are some things to consider before making a decision.

What type of machine? Don’t buy a rowing or other type of machine unless you’ve used one and know that you like that kind of activity. Treadmills and exercise bikes are sensible choices.

Will you use it? Spring garage sales are filled with exercise machines purchased with mid-winter intentions.

Where will you put it? Models that fold and store easily are preferred.

How much should you spend? High-tech features you may not need can jack up the price. You don’t need to pay what a health club spends, but generally speaking you get what you pay for in a treadmill.

[SOURCE: Paige Waehner, “Before You Buy Home Fitness Equipment,” about.com, 2006]

Subsidize Fruits and Vegetables?
Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States, and the highest rates are among the poor, who are more likely to eat lower cost foods high in fat and sugar. According to Adam Drewnoski of the University of Washington, Seattle, telling poor people to eat better is a waste of time. A better approach, says Drewnoski, would be to subsidize fruits and vegetables and distribute them free to school children and seniors.
[SOURCE: Michael McCarthy, “The Economics of Obesity,” The Lancet, December 18, 2004]

Health Shorts

September 2006

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