Marion County Medical Center

Health Shorts

September 2007

TV Bad for Blood Sugar Control
For children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, every hour spent watching television resulted in a corresponding decrease in blood sugar control, according to a study from the Norwegian Study Group for Childhood Diabetes.

Physical inactivity increases the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, the study found no correlation between time spent using a computer and the child’s blood sugar control.

An earlier study [JAMA, April 9, 2003] found that each two-hour period spent watching television increased the risk of developing diabetes by 14 percent while each hour of brisk walking decreased the risk by 34 percent.
[SOURCE: Laurie Barclay and Charles Vega, “Time Watching Television Linked to Glucose Control in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes,” Medscape Medical News, May 30, 2007]

Inflammation Precedes Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is now believed to be a chronic inflammatory disorder involving the immune system. Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) have previously been found to be elevated in adults with type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes. And a 2004 study found high levels of CRP in infants and children before they developed type 1 diabetes.

Of 16 children in the study who later developed diabetes, 15 had two or more readings of high CRP. Since these readings were before diagnosis, they could not be explained by high blood sugar.
[SOURCE: H. Peter chase, et al, “Elevated C-Reactive Protein Levels in the Development of Type 1 Diabetes,” Diabetes, 53(10):2569-2573, 2004]

Diabetic Youth Want To Feel Normal
Several studies have found that children with diabetes are most concerned with being like other children as opposed to being singled out as different. Particularly during the teen years this desire to be normal is likely to lead to poor management of the disease.

Adolescent males may engage in risky behavior such as smoking, drinking and use of recreational drugs. Females are more likely to ignore or neglect their treatment plan.
[SOURCE: Karina Huus and Karin Enskar, “Adolescents’ Experience of Living with Diabetes,” Paediatric Nursing, April, 2007; Janet Silverstein, et al, “Care of Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes,” Diabetes Care 2005;28(1):186-212]

Most Kids Control Blood Sugar Well
When children are prescribed intensive treatment for diabetes, about two thirds are able to achieve good control of blood sugar, according to a recent study. As the authors pointed out, however, “there remains a small core of patients with multiple risk factors who continue to do poorly.”

The study found a correlation between poor blood sugar control and low socioeconomic status–but not race or ethnicity.
[SOURCE: “Most Children with Type 1 Diabetes Can Achieve Good Glycemic Control,” Reuters Health, August 31, 2006; Stuart A. Weinzimer, et al, Journal of Pediatrics, 2006;149:227-232]

Menopause Puts Damper on Sex Life
Menopause causes changes in hormones and sexual function that can put a severe strain on a woman’s sex life and marital relationship, according to a recent survey of more than a thousand American women.

About 46 percent of menopausal women reported having sex less than once a month, and most of them felt that their marital relationships were suffering as a result. Reasons cited for lack of sexual activity included vaginal dryness and atrophy that led to painful sex. A spokeswoman for the Red Hot Mamas Menopause Education Project, sponsors of the survey, said that both men and women need menopause education and better communication about sexual matters.
[SOURCE: “Menopause Hard on Couple’s Sex Lives,” Reuters Health, August 16, 2007]

Undetected Diabetes Less Likely Today
During the 1970s 48 percent of American men with diabetes were not aware they had the disease, but the rate of undetected diabetes is much lower today. According to figures from 1999 to 2002–the most recent available–only 22 percent of diabetic males were undiagnosed.

The rate of undetected diabetes among Hispanic men fell from 65 to 21 percent while that of African American males fell from 45 to 24 percent. Women were not included in the study because data on which it was based did not consistently account for diabetes associated with pregnancy.
[SOURCE: Will Dunham, “Undiagnosed Diabetes Cases in U.S. Men Fall Sharply,’ Reuters Health, August 13, 2007; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, August, 2007]

Polluted Air Raises Stroke Risk
Older persons may be at increased risk of suffering a stroke on warm days when air pollution is high, according to a Finnish study.

Looking at all stroke deaths in Helsinki from 1998 to 2004, researchers found that most deaths occurred during winter months but those during summer were most likely to occur on days when outdoor levels of fine particle pollution were high. The authors suggested that seniors should “avoid heavy outdoor exercise on high pollution days” and should try to avoid spending unnecessary time in traffic, whether in a car or walking.
[SOURCE: Miranda Hitti, “Air Pollution May Up Fatal Stroke Risk,” WebMD Health News, February 15, 2007; J. Kettunen, Stroke, March, 2007]

Folate Found To Cut Stroke Risk
In a meta-analysis of eight randomized, controlled studies, researchers found that persons taking folic acid supplements had an 18 percent reduced risk of having a first stroke. In some sub-groups who took supplements for three years or longer the risk reduction was even greater–about 25 percent.

The benefit of folic acid supplements in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease is still controversial.
[SOURCE: Mariene Busko, “Meta-Analysis Suggests Folic Acid Reduces Risk for Initial Stroke,” Medscape Medical news, June 1, 2007; Xiaobin Wang, The Lancet, June 2, 2007]

Middle-Aged Women at Risk of Stroke
American women aged 45 to 54 are more than twice as likely to suffer a stroke as men the same age, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES). Other risk factors in women of this age group included increased waist circumference and the presence of cardiovascular disease.

The study also found an overall increased prevalence of stroke for women and a decreased prevalence for men during the period from 1999 to 2004.
[SOURCE: Susan Jeffrey, “Women Face Surge in Stroke Risk at Midlife,” Medscape Medical News, June 21, 2007; Neurology, June 20, 2007]

Yeast Infections Linked to Blood Sugar
Itching, burning, soreness and a thick, white cottage cheese like vaginal discharge are common signs of a yeast infection. Yeast likes to feed on blood sugar, and women with diabetes are at risk of yeast infections–usually a sign that blood sugar is not being adequately controlled.

Over-the-counter treatments are available, but if you have diabetes and are having frequent yeast infections, you should check your blood sugar and talk to your doctor.
[SOURCE: National Diabetes Clearinghouse, “How Diabetes Affects Sexual Health,” last modified August 23, 2006]

Weight Training at Home
A comprehensive exercise routine should include both cardiovascular workouts and resistance training to maintain muscle mass and strength. If you have a home treadmill or exercise bike for cardio work, there’s no need to tie up additional space and money in a weight machine. With dumb bells of varying weights and a stability ball, you can work major muscle groups with minimal cost and use of space.
Strength training can also be performed merely using your own body through pushups, crunches and leg lifts.
[SOURCE: “Choose the Right Equipment To Get You from Fat to Fit,” fitFAQ.com, 2004-2005]

Does Your Exercise Machine Cheat?
You probably don’t want to know that your exercise machine is cheating in your favor when it gives you a calorie readout. But it’s probably true.

How many calories a person consumes during exercise varies according to weight, muscle mass, fitness level, activity and workout intensity, and the information given by machines is based on averages. Given the same activity and fitness level, for example, a 154-pound male will burn more calories than a 120-pound female.

A person who is accustomed to a certain exercise such as running will use fewer calories than a novice working out at the same intensity. If you hold on to the rails while using a treadmill or stair stepper, you are cutting back significantly on the calories you burn.
[SOURCE: “How Many Calories Did You Burn?” Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, May, 1999]

Attractive Model Not Included
Machines designed to build abdomen muscles may look tempting when you see them used by attractive young TV models who already have washboard abs. Remember, though, that the machine is for YOU to use, and the motion can become boring and repetitive.

There is no such thing as spot reduction of body fat. Strong abdomen muscles can be obtained at low cost through situps, kneeups, crunches and pushups. These muscles do not always show, however, if they are covered by a layer of fat. And for many individuals, abdominal fat may be the last to go.
[SOURCE: “Choosing the Right Equipment To Get You from Fit to Fat,” fitFAQ.com, 2004-2005; “‘A Flat, Sexy Stopmach in 5 Minutes Flat!’ (Yeah, Right!),” Tufts University Diet & Nutrition Letter, August, 1996]

Ghee–It’s Saturated Fat
Eating Indian-style food is an excellent way to fill your diet with nutritious vegetables and legumes. Most traditional recipes, however, are prepared with “ghee” or clarified butter. Unsalted butter is heated until the milk solids separate from the pure butterfat, which is then used in cooking.

Ayurvedic medical practitioners in India believe that ghee has beneficial health qualities. Many Western dietitians point out that ghee is saturated fat and recommend substituting vegetable oil, even if the flavor of the dish suffers as a result.
[SOURCE: “Ask Tufts Experts,” Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, September, 2007]

Health Shorts

September 2007

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