Less than 7 hours a night tied to 47% hike in cancer risk
Reuters Nov 18, 08 2:07 CST
(Newser)
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Sleep and exercise may play an important role in cancer risk, according to a new US study. Researchers confirmed earlier studies that exercise appears to protect against cancer—but discovered that physically active women who slept less than seven hours a night had a 47% higher risk of developing cancer. How sleep and disease are connected is unknown.
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Rate drops, though 43M still light up; 443K die yearly as result
Reuters Nov 13, 08 2:10 PM CST
(Newser)
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Smoking in the US is at its lowest since cigarettes became widespread after World War I, Reuters reports, with fewer than 20% of adults in the country lighting up—the lowest figure on record. Observers credit the gradual decline to awareness, bans on smoking in public places, and prohibitive taxation. Still, smoking is estimated to kill 443,000 people a year.
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Company teams
with CDC to improve warning system
ABC News Nov 11, 08 6:27 PM CST
(Newser)
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Google is teaming up with the CDC to track flu outbreaks around the nation and give people earlier warnings, ABC News reports. The new site (http://www.google.org/flutrends/) relies on the notion that people turn to the Web when they're sick by typing phrases such as "flu symptoms" into Google searches. By keeping track of such searches and mapping them, the system could beat official CDC warnings by up to two weeks.
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South is hardest hit,
as obesity and lack of exercise fuel surge
Reuters Oct 30, 08 4:13 PM CDT
(Newser)
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The nation's diabetes epidemic shows no signs of slowing, Reuters reports. Almost twice as many people were diagnosed with the disease between 2005 and 2007 as between 1995 and 1997. Nearly all of the new cases are Type 2, which is linked to obesity and lack of exercise. Nine of the 10 states hardest hit by the epidemic are in the South.
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Technique will ID new strains in crucial early warning system
Associated Press Oct 1, 08 1:50 CDT
(Newser)
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A new genetic test for the flu virus, which slashes the time it takes to identify new strains from 4 days to 4 hours, has been approved by the FDA. The test will play a key role in an early warning system if the US is ever struck by a deadly mutant strain of flu or an epidemic of bird flu, AP reports, and it will improve treatment during the regular flu season.
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CDC pushes vaccine for 86% of Americans
Washington Post Sep 25, 08 2:31 CDT
(Newser)
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Enough flu vaccine is now being manufactured to give shots to a record 145 million people, reports the Washington Post . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans an unprecedented campaign to ensure as many children, seniors and pregnant women as possible get shots, up to 86% of the population. The vaccine, expected to be among the most effective in years, is being recommended for children up to 18 years old.
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CDC finds 40% more cases than thought; blacks' rate alarming
New York Times Sep 12, 08 7:58 CDT
(Newser)
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A new CDC study of Americans with HIV conducted with new technology shows that the virus is spreading faster than previously thought, reports the New York Times . In 2006, more than 56,000 were newly infected with the virus that causes AIDS—40% more than anticipated. The study also showed that whites and blacks tend to contract the virus at different times in their lives.
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Peppers indeed carrier, agency finds, with Mexico farm a key player
Associated Press Aug 28, 08 1:40 PM CDT
(AP)
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today the salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 1,440 people appears to be over. A joint investigation by the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration found strong evidence that jalapeno peppers were a major carrier of the bacteria, and that serrano peppers were also a carrier.
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New test indicates 40% more infected in US each year than reported
New York Times Aug 2, 08 1:13 PM CDT
(Newser)
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A lot more people in the US have HIV than previously thought. A new CDC study suggests that the US has undercounted by about 15,000 cases a year for 15 years or so, the New York Times reports. That would add 225,000 cases to the current estimate of about 1 million. The new figures are likely to have a big impact on decisions about AIDS policy in the US and fuel criticism about prevention measures, the Times notes.
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Big increase of disease linked to obesity has 8% of US suffering, feds report
Reuters Jun 24, 08 4:39 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Almost 8% of the US population has diabetes, the government reported today. About 24 million Americans suffer from type-1 or -2 diabetes, an increase of 3 million since 2005, Reuters notes. Another 57 million Americans are pre-diabetic, a condition of insulin insensitivity that predisposes them to type-2 diabetes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
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Salmonella outbreak prompts cautionary ban on sliced garnish
Chicago Tribune Jun 9, 08 1:53 PM CDT
(Newser)
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McDonald’s is pulling sliced tomatoes from its sandwiches following a nationwide outbreak of salmonella linked to the fruit. A spokesman was quick to note that the chain has not detected the bacteria in its supplies, “but with an abundance of caution, we want to make sure our food items containing tomatoes are absolutely safe," he told the Chicago Tribune .
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Drug cuts risk of getting disease in half
HealthDay News May 16, 08 3:10 CDT
(Newser)
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The CDC is recommending that all adults age 60 and older get vaccinated against shingles, a common condition that can result in chronic plan, the Washington Post reports. Research has found that the recommended Merck vaccine reduces the occurrence of shingles by some 50% in this age group. Only those with immunodeficiency diseases should not be vaccinated, according to the CDC.
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Short, long hours of shuteye increase odds of smoking, obesity
Associated Press May 7, 08 4:54 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Irregular sleep habits increase the likelihood of obesity and smoking, the AP reports. The CDC surveyed 87,000 Americans over 2 years and found that individuals who sleep fewer than 6 hours a night or more than 9 were 5% to 10% more likely to smoke and 4% to 11% more likely to be obese than those who slept 6 to 9 hours.
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