Medical marijuana may bring relief to older people who have symptoms like pain, sleep disorders or anxiety due to chronic conditions i

Medical marijuana may bring relief to older people who have symptoms like pain, sleep disorders or anxiety due to chronic conditions including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, neuropathy, spinal cord damage and multiple sclerosis, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 71st Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, May 4 to 10, 2019. The study not only found medical marijuana may be safe and effective, it also found that one-third of participants reduced their use of opioids. However, the study was retrospective and relied on participants reporting whether they experienced symptom relief, so it is possible that the placebo effect may have played a role. Additional randomized, placebo-controlled studies are needed.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 80 percent of older adults have at least one chronic health condition.
"With legalization in many states, medical marijuana has become a popular treatment option among people with chronic diseases and disorders, yet there is limited research, especially in older people," said study author Laszlo Mechtler, MD, of Dent Neurologic Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "Our findings are promising and can help fuel further research into medical marijuana as an additional option for this group of people who often have chronic conditions."
The study involved 204 people with an average age of 81 who were enrolled in New York State's Medical Marijuana Program. Participants took various ratios of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to cannabidiol (CBD), the main active chemicals in medical marijuana, for an average of four months and had regular checkups. The medical marijuana was taken by mouth as a liquid extract tincture, capsule or in an electronic vaporizer.
Initially, 34 percent of participants had side effects from the medical marijuana. After an adjustment in dosage, only 21 percent reported side effects. The most common side effects were sleepiness in 13 percent of patients, balance problems in 7 percent and gastrointestinal disturbances in 7 percent. Three percent of the participants stopped taking the medical marijuana due to the side effects. Researchers said a ratio of one-to-one THC to CBD was the most common ratio among people who reported no side effects.
Researchers found that 69 percent of participants experienced some symptom relief. Of those, the most common conditions that improved were pain with 49 percent experiencing relief, sleep symptoms with 18 percent experiencing relief, neuropathy improving in 15 percent and anxiety improving in 10 percent.
Opioid pain medication was reduced in 32 percent of participants.
"Our findings show that medical marijuana is well-tolerated in people age 75 and older and may improve symptoms like chronic pain and anxiety," said Mechtler. "Future research should focus on symptoms like sleepiness and balance problems, as well as efficacy and optimal dosing."

Sleeping in on the weekend won't repay your sleep debt

Think sleeping in on the weekend can repair the damage from a week of sleepless nights?
Not so, according to University of Colorado Boulder research published today in Current Biology.
In fact, on some health measures, trying to play catch-up for a few days and then returning to poor sleep habits makes things worse.
"Our findings suggest that the common behavior of burning the candle during the week and trying to make up for it on the weekend is not an effective health strategy," said senior author Kenneth Wright, director of the Sleep and Chronobiology Lab.
Previous research has shown that insufficient sleep can boost risk of obesity and diabetes, in part by boosting the urge to snack at night and decreasing insulin sensitivity - or the ability to regulate blood sugar. Some adverse health impacts kick in after just one night of lost sleep, recent CU Boulder research has shown.
Sleeping in on the weekend can help the body recover mildly during those two days, studies suggest. But the effects don't last.
Wright and lead author Chris Depner, an assistant research professor of Integrative Physiology, wanted to determine what happens when people cycle back and forth between a sleep-deprived work week and a few days of catch-up.
They enlisted 36 healthy adults age 18 to 39 to stay for two weeks in a laboratory, where their food intake, light exposure and sleep were monitored.
After baseline testing, the volunteers were divided into groups. One was allowed plenty of time to sleep--9 hours each night for 9 nights. The second was allowed 5 hours per night over that same period. The third slept no more than 5 hours nightly for 5 days followed by a weekend when they could sleep as much as they liked before returning to 2 days of restricted sleep.
Both sleep-restricted groups snacked more at night, gained weight and saw declines in insulin sensitivity during the study period. While those in the weekend recovery group saw mild improvements (including reduced nighttime snacking) during the weekend, those benefits went away when the sleep-restricted work week resumed.
"In the end, we didn't see any benefit in any metabolic outcome in the people who got to sleep in on the weekend," said Depner.
On some measures, the weekend recovery group showed worse outcomes. For instance, in the group which had their sleep restricted the whole time, whole body insulin sensitivity declined by 13 percent. In the weekend recovery group it worsened by 9 to 27 percent, with sensitivity in the muscles and liver scoring worse than the other groups.
"It could be that the yo-yoing back and forth - changing the time we eat, changing our circadian clock and then going back to insufficient sleep is uniquely disruptive," said Wright.
Even when given the chance, people found it difficult to recover lost sleep. While they gained some ground Friday and Saturday, their body clocks shifted later Sunday night making it hard to fall asleep even though they had to get up early Monday.
In the end, the recovery group got just 66 minutes more sleep on average. Men made up more lost sleep than women.
Wright says it's possible that weekend recovery sleep could be an effective health countermeasure for people who get too little sleep a night or two per week. They hope to explore this in future studies.
For now, the takeaway is this: Consistency matters.
"This study demonstrates the importance of getting sufficient sleep on a regular schedule," said Michael Twery, Ph.D., director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR) at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. "Frequently changing sleep schedules is a form of stress associated with metabolic abnormalities."
So try to get 7 hours of sleep as many nights as possible.

Mindfulness could promote positive body image

Making people more aware of their own internal body signals, such as heartbeat or breathing rate, could promote positive body image, according to new research published in the journal Body Image.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University recruited a sample of 646 adults and found that there were statistically significant relationships between people's interoceptive awareness - the extent to which people are aware of internal signals given out by the body such as heartbeat or feelings of discomfort or hunger - and body image.
While previous studies on the subject have tended to recruit small groups of young women, this study included both men and women, aged between 18 and 76.
The study found that people who can sustain attention towards their internal body signals tended to report higher levels of positive body image. It was also found that people who trust their internal body signals are more likely to hold a positive view of their own body, and be less preoccupied with being overweight.
Lead author Jenny Todd said: "Unfortunately, experiences of negative body image are extremely common, to the extent that some academics consider this a 'normal' experience for women in Western society.
"Our research finds associations between the awareness of internal body signals and measures of body image. This could have implications for promoting positive body image, for example modifying interoceptive awareness through mindfulness-based practices.
"However the research, which was conducted with exclusively British participants, also demonstrates that the relationship between interoceptive awareness and body image is complex and requires further investigation."

Tracking food leads to losing pounds

IMAGE: People who tracked weight and food using a free app lost pounds in a new Duke study. view more 

Credit: Duke University

DURHAM, N.C. -- Without following a particular diet, overweight people who tracked daily food consumption using a free smartphone app lost a significant amount of weight in a new Duke University study.
The results were achieved using automated, free tools, rather than expensive in-person interventions, suggesting a possible low-cost route to effective weight loss.
"Free and low-cost weight loss apps have changed the ways that Americans manage their weight," said Gary Bennett, a Duke psychology professor and co-author of the paper. "However, we knew little about whether these tools worked very well on their own. We've shown that commercial smartphone apps can be a helpful way to get started with weight loss."
The new paper appears online in the open-access journal JMIR mHealth and uHealth.
The results surprised Michele Lanpher Patel, who conducted the research along with Bennett while completing her doctorate in psychology at Duke. Patel is now a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University.
"We wanted to study a lower-intensity treatment for weight loss whereby people could join from the comfort of their home," Patel said. "But we were not sure how much weight people would lose with this type of remote treatment. Merging behavioral science principles with technology turned out to be successful.
"Not everyone wants or has time for a high-intensity weight-loss treatment," Patel said. "So it's important to create alternative strategies that can accommodate these people. Digital health approaches have potential to fill this need."
The researchers used a free app where dieters can record their food intake and weight. They then divided the 105 study participants, who were between 21 and 65 years old, into three groups in a randomized controlled trial.
Participants were not instructed to follow a particular diet, but instead were given broad advice on healthy eating, and were asked to simply monitor what they ate.
The first group tracked what they ate every day for three months. A second group tracked their weight for a month, then began logging food intake as well. That group also received emails with tailored feedback, weekly lessons on nutrition and behavior change, and action plans describing how to implement the weekly lesson.
The third group recorded both their weight and food intake for all three months, using the same app as the first two groups. They also received weekly lessons, action plans and feedback. For instance, weekly nutrition lessons included tips on topics such as reducing sugary foods and portion control.
Three months after the study began, participants in all three groups had lost clinically significant amounts of weight. Those who only tracked what they ate lost about 5 pounds on average. People in the second group lost about 6 pounds on average.
The final group - those who recorded their weight and their food intake for all 12 weeks, and received weekly lessons, action plans and feedback - fared only slightly better at 3 months, losing just over 6 pounds on average.
However, participants in that group kept the weight off longer. At six months, people in the third group had lost nearly 7 pounds on average.
Compliance was key. Successful participants didn't just say they would keep a food log; they actually did it. And in all three groups, those who were most diligent in tracking each day lost the most weight. By contrast, past research has shown that people often start with a goal of recording their food intake, but fail to continue over time.
Researchers suspect two factors helped participants follow through on their weight-loss goals. First, researchers helped participants set specific goals, including tailored calorie targets, and losing 5 percent of their initial body weight. Second, the dieters received automatic in-app reminders to log their meals each day.
"We have very strong evidence that consistent tracking -- particularly of diet, but also one's weight -- is an essential element of successful weight loss," Bennett said. "Consumers should look for apps that make it easy for them to track on a consistent basis."
The study made use of a free, commercially available app called MyFitnessPal. However, similar results presumably could be achieved using another diet tracker, the researchers said.
The key is compliance. In all three groups, those who were most diligent in tracking - those who stepped on the scale or recorded what they ate on more days - lost the most weight.

Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol may not improve thinking and memory A

While drugs that lower blood pressure and cholesterol have been shown to be beneficial for heart health, a new study has found that two such drugs may not provide a similar benefit to the brain. The study, published in the February 27, 2019, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found that when older people took candesartan plus hydrochlorothiazide to lower blood pressure or rosuvastatin to lower cholesterol, or a combination of the two, the drugs did not slow decline in thinking and memory.
"Heart disease has been linked to problems with thinking and memory, so we examined whether managing heart disease with medications like blood pressure and cholesterol lowering drugs can reduce some of those cognitive problems," said study author Jackie Bosch, PhD, of the Population Health Research Institute and the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
The study involved 1,626 people with an average age of 74 who had a moderate risk of heart disease, defined as having a 1 percent chance of having a heart attack or some other heart-related event during the year. Of the group, 45 percent had high blood pressure.
Participants were given thinking and memory tests at the beginning of the study. They received physical checkups every six months and then had thinking and memory tests again at the end of the study, an average of about six years later.
Participants took either a daily pill of 16 milligrams (mg) of candesartan and 12.5 mg of hydrochlorothiazide or a daily pill of 10 mg of rosuvastatin, a combination of the two, or placebo.
Researchers found that lowering blood pressure, or cholesterol, or both, with these drugs neither reduced nor increased the rate of cognitive decline in study participants when compared to those taking placebo.
"Statin use has previously been associated with cognitive impairment, but this study demonstrated that there was none, which is an important finding for those taking statins," said Bosch.
Bosch added that taking medications for six years may not be long enough to prevent cognitive decline, so longer studies are needed.
A limitation of the study was that participants chose to participate, meaning they may have been healthier and at a lower risk of thinking and memory problems than the average population.
The study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and AstraZeneca, which sells versions of the drugs studied.

Resistance training even as little as once per week benefits older individuals

According to a recent research, resistance training improves the health of over 65-year-olds, and the benefits occur even when some people train as little as once per week. The benefits show in improvements in blood values, muscle strength and mental well-being.
"We found that individuals who were close to having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood glucose, or high levels of inflammation improved the most after our 9-month training program. Training two or three times per week didn't provide greater benefit in these individuals," says Dr. Simon Walker of the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä.
International and National agencies advocate performing resistance training at least two times per week for all ages. Also in this study for things such as maximum strength development, muscle growth and fat loss, training more times per week was advantageous.
"But for other measures that are important for older people, such as the ability to perform activities of daily living, once per week seemed sufficient. Muscle strength that is needed for carrying shopping bags, walking up and down the stairs and sitting down on a toilet can be improved with strength training," Walker says.
Training also benefits overall well-being
Overall well-being, tested through psychological measures, also improved over the 9-month training period. Similarly, there were no real differences whether individuals trained only once per week or two-three times per week. The researchers found that it was very important that people improved their psychological well-being and motivation for exercise during the study period as it was those people who continued training regularly even after the study had ended. The researchers are keen to point out that their studies show the importance of resistance training for older persons; even as little as once per week can go a long way.
"We need to remember that these individuals trained hard, and safely, when they were with us. We supervised every training session closely, making sure that they used correct technique and also ensured that they always tried to improve their training loads compared with previous training sessions." Walker added.

Plant-based meals improve insulin and incretin secretion in those with type 2 diabetes

A plant-based diet improves the secretion of insulin and incretin hormones in those with type 2 diabetes, according to new research published in Nutrients.
Researchers compared the effects of a plant-based meal to a meal containing meat on the hormone levels of a group of 20 men who have type 2 diabetes in a randomized crossover trial. The meals consisted of either a tofu-based veggie burger or a meat-based burger and contained the same amount of calories and ratio of macronutrients.
The results show that participants' postprandial secretion of insulin increased more after the plant-based meal than the meat-based meal. Secretion of incretin hormones, particularly glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1), also increased more after the vegan meal. Incretin hormones amplify the release of insulin after a meal and also help decrease blood glucose levels.
Beta-cell function parameters also improved after the vegan meal. Beta cells synthesize, store, and release insulin. Beta-cell function is typically diminished in those who have diabetes, and preserving beta cells' capacity to produce insulin is a cornerstone in the treatment of diabetes.
"With diabetes rates rising and insulin costs soaring, this study offers hope that a solution could be close at hand: the food on our plates," says study author Hana Kahleova, M.D., Ph.D., director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. "The results add to the evidence that a plant-based diet should be considered a frontline treatment for type 2 diabetes."
A previous study found that a 16-week plant-based dietary intervention improves insulin resistance and beta-cell function in overweight adults. Other studies have shown that plant-based diets are effective in managing and even reversing type 2 diabetes and that those following a plant-based diet have approximately half the risk of developing diabetes, compared with non-vegetarians.
In the United States today, more than 114 million adults have either diabetes or prediabetes.

Thirty years of fast food: Greater variety, but more salt, larger portions, and added calories C

Despite the addition of some healthful menu items, fast food is even more unhealthy for you than it was 30 years ago. An analysis of the offerings at 10 of the most popular US fast-food restaurants in 1986, 1991, and 2016, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, demonstrates that fast-food entrees, sides, and desserts increased significantly in calories and sodium and entrees and desserts in portion size over time. It also shows that while the variety of entree, sides, and dessert options soared by 226 percent, new or discontinued items tended to be less healthy than those available throughout the study period.

"Our study offers some insights on how fast food may be helping to fuel the continuing problem of obesity and related chronic conditions in the United States. Despite the vast number of choices offered at fast-food restaurants, some of which are healthier than others, the calories, portion sizes, and sodium content overall have worsened (increased) over time and remain high," said lead investigator Megan A. McCrory, PhD, Department of Health Sciences, Sargent College, Boston University, Boston, MA.

Fast-food restaurants are on the rise around the world. In the US, about 37 percent of adults (aged >20 years) consume fast foods on any given day, and that increases to 45 percent for adults aged 20-39. One meal with an entree and side provides an average of 767 kcals, or close to 40 percent of a 2,000-calorie a day diet. Add a caloric beverage, and the amount increases to 45-50 percent of a person's daily calorie intake. Dr. McCrory noted, "Given the popularity of fast food, our study highlights one of the changes in our food environment that is likely part of the reason for the increase in obesity and related chronic conditions over the past several decades, which are now among the main causes of death in the US."

Dr. McCrory and colleagues examined changes over the 30-year period from 1986 to 2016 in energy, portion size, energy density, sodium, iron, and calcium of menu items in entrees, sides, and desserts categories offered by 10 of the top fast-food restaurants (according to sales). Data were collected using The Fast Food Guide, published in 1986 and 1991, and online sources in 2016. The most significant findings were:

• Total number of entrees, desserts, and sides increased by 226 percent, or 22.9 items per year.
• Calories in all three categories increased significantly, with the largest increases in desserts (62 kcals per decade), followed by entrees (30 kcals per decade). These increases were mainly due to the increase in portion size, which was statistically significant in entrees (13 grams per decade) and desserts (24 grams per decade) categories.
• Sodium also increased significantly in all menu categories.
• At four of the 10 restaurants studied, information on calcium and iron content was available. Calcium increased significantly in entrees and desserts, while iron levels increased significantly in desserts.

The change in calcium and iron levels in some of the menu categories, in particular desserts, is a positive development since these nutrients are important for good bone mass and preventing anemia. However, the investigators stress that there are better sources that do not come with high calories and sodium. Dr. McCrory expressed a hope that the study's findings would lead to higher awareness and creative solutions. "We need to find better ways to help people consume fewer calories and sodium at fast-food restaurants. The requirement that chain restaurants display calories on their menus is a start. We would like to see more changes, such as restaurants offering smaller portions at a proportional prices," she concluded.

Latest Health Research

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Key takeaways:  Good- Blueberries, raspberries, nuts, garlic, onions, whole grains, fiber, protein, evening exercise, vigorous exercise, interval training. Bad -Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid; diet drinks, alcohol for women , sitting.

 

Medicine

You probably don't have a penicillin allergy

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 22 hours ago

Five facts about penicillin allergy You may think you have an allergy to penicillin, but you probably don't. Nine out of 10 people who believe they're allergic to the antibiotic either aren't allergic or have only some intolerance, and eight of 10 people who had an allergic reaction to penicillin 10 or more years ago will now be fine. Two McMaster University physicians have five facts about penicillin allergy published today in the *Canadian Medical Association Journal* (CMAJ). Derek Chu is a fellow in clinical immunology and allergy and David McCullagh is a fellow in infectious d... more »

Common acid reflux medications linked to increased kidney disease risk

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which include well-known brand names Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid, are among the most commonly prescribed medications in the world. Approximately 10 percent of adults in the United States take these drugs for frequent heartburn, acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Given their prevalence, researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego mined the FDA Adverse Effect Reporting System (FAERS) database for unexpected consequences of PPI consumption. In the study, published February ... more »

Statins could protect against motor neurone disease

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

High cholesterol has been found to be a possible risk factor for the development of motor neurone disease (MND), according to a large study of genetic data led in the UK by Queen Mary University of London, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health in the USA. The results suggest that cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins, could be used to prevent the onset of MND, if confirmed in clinical trials. Dr Alastair Noyce from Queen Mary University of London said: "This is the largest study to-date looking at causal risk factors for motor neurone disease and we saw that ... more »

General Health

Urban parks could make you happier

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 22 hours ago

[image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *UAB researchers found spending 20 minutes in an urban park will make someone happier -- whether they are engaging in exercise or not during the visit. view more Credit: UAB Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Occupational Therapy have published new findings that suggest spending 20 minutes in an urban park will make someone happier regardless of whether they are engaging in exercise or not during the visit. According to the study, published in *International Journal of Environmental Health Research*, urban parks have been re... more »

Live better with attainable goals

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

------------------------------ Those who set realistic goals can hope for a higher level of well-being. The key for later satisfaction is whether the life goals are seen as attainable and what they mean to the person, as psychologists from the University of Basel report in a study with over 970 participants. Wealth, community, health, meaningful work: life goals express a person's character, as they determine behavior and the compass by which people are guided. It can therefore be assumed that goals can contribute substantially to how satisfied people are in life -- or how dissatisfi... more »

Adolescent female blood donors at risk for iron deficiency and associated anemia

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago

Female adolescent blood donors are more likely to have low iron stores and iron deficiency anemia than adult female blood donors and nondonors, which could have significant negative consequences on their developing brains, a new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers suggests. Based on these findings, the authors propose a variety of measures that could help this vulnerable population. Each year, an estimated 6.8 million people in the U.S. donate blood, according to the American Red Cross, which coordinates blood drives across the country. Adolescents are increasingly contributing t... more »

Diet

Red raspberries may help with glucose control in people with pre-diabetes

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 22 hours ago

A study released today from the Illinois Institute of Technology shows the benefits of including red raspberries in the diet of individuals with pre-diabetes and insulin resistance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 34 percent of American adults, around 84.1 million in all, had prediabetes in 2015. Patients with prediabetes are at higher risk for a number of conditions - including developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease. The study, published in *Obesity*, investigated the effects of red raspberries in a... more »

Whole grains, dietary fiber be associated with lower risk of liver cancer

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 4 days ago

*Findings* In this cohort study of 125 455 participants in the United States, including 141 patients with HCC, with an average follow-up of 24.2 years, increased intake of whole grains was associated with a reduced risk of HCC. A nonsignificant inverse HCC association was observed for total bran but not for germ; increased intake of cereal fiber but not fruit or vegetable fiber was associated with a nonsignificant lower risk of HCC. *Meaning* Increased intake of whole grains and possibly cereal fiber and bran could be associated with reduced risk of HCC among US adults.

Consuming garlic and onions may lower colorectal cancer risk

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 4 days ago

Consumption of allium vegetables--which include garlic, leeks, and onions--was linked with a reduced risk of in colorectal cancer in a study of men and women in China. In the *Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology* study, 833 patients of colorectal cancer were matched to 833 healthy controls by age, sex and residence area. Demographic and dietary information were collected via face-to-face interviews using a validated food frequency questionnaire. The odds of having colorectal cancer was 79 percent lower in adults who consumed high amounts of allium vegetable compared with those... more »

Not enough evidence linking noncaloric sweeteners with adverse effects on gut microbiota

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 4 days ago

Noncaloric sweeteners may substitute sugar because they mimic its sweet taste but have a negligible impact on daily energy intake and are frequently sweeter than sucrose University of Granada [image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *All sweeteners approved in the European Union are safe and their impact on gut microbiota is negligible as long as they are consumed within the Acceptable Daily Intake. view more Credit: University Of Granada The study, carried out by the UGR professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ángel Gil and his research team, has been published in the scientific journal '*Ad... more »

Not enough protein

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago

[image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *This infographic explains the amount of protein men and women need at different life stages. view more Credit: Abbott - Research

The 'blue' in blueberries can help lower blood pressure

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago

A new study published in the *Journal of Gerontology Series A* has found that eating 200g of blueberries every day for a month can lead to an improvement in blood vessel function and a decrease in systolic blood pressure in healthy people. Researchers from King's College London studied 40 healthy volunteers for one month. They were randomly given either a drink containing 200g of blueberries, or a matched control drink daily. The team monitored chemicals in volunteers' blood and urine as well as their blood pressure and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery: a measur... more »

Eating nuts may reduce cardiovascular disease risk for people with diabetes

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago

DALLAS, February 19, 2019 - Eating more nuts, particularly tree nuts, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease among people with type 2 diabetes, according to new research in *Circulation Research*, an American Heart Association journal. Type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk for high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke, and is a widespread public health problem affecting more than 30 million Americans. Nuts are chock full of unsaturated fatty acids, phytochemicals, fiber, vitamins such as vitamin E and folate, as well as minerals including calcium, potassium an... more »

Misunderstanding food date labels linked with higher food discards

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago

A new survey examining U.S. consumer attitudes and behaviors related to food date labels found widespread confusion, leading to unnecessary discards, increased waste and food safety risks. The survey analysis was led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF), which is based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The study, published online February 13 in the journal *Waste Management*, comes at a time of heightened awareness of food waste and food safety among both consumers and policymakers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates t... more »

Diet drinks may be associated with strokes among post-menopausal women

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

Among post-menopausal women, drinking multiple diet drinks daily was associated with an increase in the risk of having a stroke caused by a blocked artery, especially small arteries, according to research published in *Stroke*, a journal of the American Heart Association. This is one of the first studies to look at the association between drinking artificially sweetened beverages and the risk of specific types of stroke in a large, racially diverse group of post-menopausal women. While this study identifies an association between diet drinks and stroke, it does not prove cause and... more »

Diet could help runners beat stomach issues

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

Research indicates that cutting out specific foods can alleviate the gastrointestinal issues some people experience when they exercise, with over two-thirds of people involved in a new study reporting an improvement. Runners in particular can be susceptible to symptoms which are similar to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Previous research has shown that a low fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide and polyol (or FODMAP) diet can help people with IBS. Led by scientists from Anglia Ruskin University and published in the *Journal of the International Society of Spor... more »

More protein and fewer calories help older people lose weight safely

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

A high-protein, low-calorie diet helps older adults with obesity lose more weight, maintain more muscle mass, improve bone quality and lose "bad" fat, according to results from a new randomized controlled trial led by Wake Forest University researcher Kristen Beavers. Four research papers based on the study results have been accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals including the *Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences* and the *American Journal of Clinical Nutrition*. The latest was published this week in the *Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism*. Geriatricians have long... more »

Link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer ignored by women most at risk

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

Middle aged women in Australia aren't getting the message about the proven link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer, at a time when more are drinking while cancer rates in their age bracket are increasing, according to a new study. More women aged between 45 and 64 years aren't aware of the potential risks, and indicate negative impacts on their weight, relationships or lifestyle would more likely result in a reduction in drinking, rather then warnings about an increased risk of cancer. "There is a low level of awareness about the established link between alcohol and breas... more »

 

Aging

Women with more social support are less likely to die

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 4 days ago

Women aged 50-79 who believed they had more social support were less likely to die during the course of the study, according to a new study led by Dr. Nancy Freeborne, adjunct professor in George Mason University's College of Health and Human Services. Published in *Menopause* this week, Freeborne and her colleagues at multiple institutions examined perceived social support and its effect on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Even after accounting for factors such as income, race, and education that could have influenced the results, the researchers still found that women... more »

Interacting with more people is shown to keep older adults more active

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago

[image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have found that older adults who spend more time interacting with a wide range of people were more likely to be physically... view more Credit: University of Texas at Austin It's been said that variety is the spice of life, and now scientists say variety in your social circle may help you live longer. Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have found that older adults who spend more time interacting with a wide range of people were more likely to be physically active and had greater emotional well-bei... more »

Increasing frailty may lead to death

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago

A new study published in *Age and Ageing* indicates that frail patients in any age group are more likely to die than those who are not frail. Worsening frailty at any age is associated with significantly poorer patient outcomes, but the relationship is unclear. Previously, studies on frailty have evaluated patients in terms of frail or not (with an intermediate category of "pre-frail" in between). This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of frailty its associated risk of mortality, readmission rate, and length of hospital stay in all adults, regardless of age, admitted as a surgi... more »

Aging and Exercise

Combining morning exercise with short walking breaks helps control blood pressure in older overweight/obese adults

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago

Thirty minutes of morning exercise lowers blood pressure for the rest of the day among older men and women who are overweight or obese. And women who take brief, frequent breaks from sitting throughout the day can enhance the blood pressure benefits of morning exercise even more, according to new research published in the American Heart Association's journal *Hypertension*. In a study of men and women, age 55 to 80, all of whom were overweight or obese, researchers wanted to find out whether the beneficial effect of morning exercise on blood pressure was negated by long periods of ... more »

Your exercise performance is a better predictor of longevity than your chronological age

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

It's often said: It's not how old you are, it's how old you feel. New research shows that physiological age is a better predictor of survival than chronological age. The study is published today in the *European Journal of Preventive Cardiology*, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). "Age is one of the most reliable risk factors for death: the older you are, the greater your risk of dying," said study author Dr Serge Harb, cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic in the United States. "But we found that physiological health is an even better predictor. If you want to li... more »

Long periods of sedentary behavior may increase cardiovascular risk in older women

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago

A new study has found that the longer older women sit or lay down during the course of a day--and the longer the individual periods of uninterrupted sitting--the greater their risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke. But reducing their sedentary time by just an hour a day appears to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 12 percent--and for heart disease alone, by a dramatic 26 percent, the research found. The study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. "This study provides furt... more »

Exercise gives older men a better brain boost

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

New research suggests that the relationship between physical and brain fitness varies in older adults by virtue of their sex. The study is published ahead of print in the * Journal of Applied Physiology*. Cardiorespiratory fitness is the measure of how much--and how well--oxygen is delivered to the muscles during exercise. Fitness level has also been associated with changes in the brain's nerve-rich tissue, called gray matter, and better cognitive function in later life. Previous studies have also found cardiorespiratory fitness to be related to how the brain functions during peri... more »

Exercise

Evening exercise will not ruin sleep and might even reduce appetite

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago

Must cook dinner. Need to pick the kids up from school. Have to catch up on my favourite TV series. Live too far from the gym. Any of these sound familiar? With growing time demands, many middle-aged adults are finding time to engage in exercise increasingly difficult. For many, even the thought of fitting exercise in after a busy day at work can be as tiring as it is unappetising. The standing belief that high-intensity exercise should be avoided in the early evening due to its effect on sleep only serves to act as another barrier to exercise at this time. However, encouraging new ... more »

Vigorous exercise, fasting, hormones improve elimination of toxic, misfolded, unnecessary proteins i

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago

The body's ability to adapt to changing conditions and shifting physiologic demands is essential to survival. To do so, each cell must be able to dispose of damaged or unnecessary proteins--a quality-control mechanism critical for cellular performance and for the health of the entire organism. Now, a study from Harvard Medical School shows that intense exercise, fasting and an array of hormones can activate cells' built-in protein disposal system and enhance their ability to purge defective, toxic or unneeded proteins. The findings, published Feb. 19 in *PNAS*, reveal a previously ... more »

High Intensity Incidental Physical Activity has great promise for health

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago

Bringing the science of high intensity interval training (HIIT) into everyday life could be the key to helping unfit, overweight people get more of the exercise they need to improve their health, according to an international research team. From washing the car to climbing stairs or carrying groceries, each of these activities is an opportunity for short sharp bursts of 'High Intensity Incidental Physical Activity', HIIPA for short. "Regular incidental activity that gets you huffing and puffing even for a few seconds has great promise for health," said Emmanuel Stamatakis, Professo... more »

Physically active women have significantly decreased risk of heart disease

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago

Women who spent less of their day in sedentary behaviors--sitting or reclining while awake--had a significantly decreased risk of heart disease, but there has been an increase in the incidence of younger women having acute heart attacks in the U.S., according to two studies in a special Go Red for Women issue of the American Heart Association's journal *Circulation*, published in February, American Heart Month.This is the third annual issue of the journal dedicated to research about women and cardiovascular health. It includes research articles and studies on topics such as how com... more »

How to make the push-up work for you

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago

If you want to improve your golf swing, softball pitch, or tennis serve, the push-up is for you. The push-up is a highly adaptable exercise that can be tailored to help individuals with specific needs, say a team of UWaterloo researchers who studied a modified push-up, called a 'push-up plus.' The push-up plus, which consists of adding a final step of actively separating the shoulder blades, is one of the most effective exercises for strengthening the serratus anterior, the muscle that connects the rib cage to the shoulder blade. A weak serratus can lead to poor control of the sho... more »

Interval training may shed more pounds than continuous moderate intensity workout

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

------------------------------ Interval training may shed more pounds than a continuous moderate intensity workout, suggests a pooled analysis of the available evidence, published online in the *British Journal of Sports Medicine*. And sprint interval training may be most effective for weight loss, the analysis indicates, although the breadth of training programmes studied makes it difficult to recommend one particular approach over another, caution the researchers. Most physical activity guidelines recommend a high volume of exercise for weight loss, equivalent to an hour or more e... more »

Push-up capacity linked with lower incidence of cardiovascular disease events among men

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

Active, middle-aged men able to complete more than 40 push-ups had a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes--including diagnoses of coronary artery disease and major events such as heart failure--during 10 years of follow-up compared with those who were able to do less than 10 push-ups during the baseline exam. "Our findings provide evidence that push-up capacity could be an easy, no-cost method to help assess cardiovascular disease risk in almost any setting. Surprisingly, push-up capacity was more strongly associated with cardiovascular disease risk tha... more »

You probably don't have a penicillin allergy

Five facts about penicillin allergy

You may think you have an allergy to penicillin, but you probably don't. Nine out of 10 people who believe they're allergic to the antibiotic either aren't allergic or have only some intolerance, and eight of 10 people who had an allergic reaction to penicillin 10 or more years ago will now be fine.
Two McMaster University physicians have five facts about penicillin allergy published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). Derek Chu is a fellow in clinical immunology and allergy and David McCullagh is a fellow in infectious disease in the Department of Medicine.
They say the five things to know about a penicillin allergy are:

• Penicillin allergy is commonly reported, but nine times out of 10, a patient can tolerate penicillin.
  About 10 per cent of people report a penicillin allergy, but 90 per cent to 95 per cent are not truly allergic. Reasons for this include mislabelling intolerances as allergies and waning of the allergy over time.
• Penicillin allergy is lost over time, with 50 per cent of people over five years, and 80 per cent over 10 years losing their allergy.
  Those who had reactions more than 10 years ago are unlikely to still be allergic and should be tested before given penicillin. If there is an strong indication for antibiotics, an allergist physician should be consulted about therapy.
• A penicillin allergy label is bad for patients and the health-care system.
  People labelled with penicillin allergy are offered more costly and less effective second-line and broad-spectrum antibiotics which have a significantly increased risk of infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C. diff).
• Patients who suspect penicillin allergy can be identified to determine if they should be seen by a specialist.
  A side effect of penicillin such as nausea should not be noted as an allergy. As well, people without a personal history of a penicillin allergy or who have tolerated penicillin in the past, do not need to avoid penicillin. Severe allergic drug reactions causing hospitalization due to widespread skin blistering, organ failure, and/or joint swelling are rare and these patients should strictly avoid penicillin until specialist evaluation. True immediate allergic reactions cause rapid-onset hives, lip and face swelling, and anaphylaxis. Patients with these kinds of reactions, or who are unsure if this type occurred or not, should be evaluated by an allergy specialist.
• Allergy referral and testing is underused, but is safe, accurate, fast and cost-effective.
  Allergy testing over one to two hours using a combination of skin and challenge testing by trained personnel has been shown to be safe and effective for children and adults close to 100 per cent of the time. Patients with a possible penicillin allergy should talk to their doctor about whether or not they need penicillin allergy testing.

Urban parks could make you happier

IMAGE: UAB researchers found spending 20 minutes in an urban park will make someone happier -- whether they are engaging in exercise or not during the visit. view more 

Credit: UAB

Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Occupational Therapy have published new findings that suggest spending 20 minutes in an urban park will make someone happier regardless of whether they are engaging in exercise or not during the visit.
According to the study, published in International Journal of Environmental Health Research, urban parks have been recognized as key neighborhood places that provide residents with opportunities to experience nature and engage in various activities. Through contact with the natural environment and engagement in health-promoting and/or social and recreational activities in parks, users experience physical and mental health benefits such as stress reduction and recovery from mental fatigue.
Principle investigator Hon K. Yuen, Ph.D., OTR/L, professor in the UAB Department of Occupational Therapy, said the original intent of the project was to validate previous research findings on the impact of park visit on emotional well-being, and evaluate the contribution of choosing to participate in physical activity in the park in relation to emotional well-being after the park visit.
"Overall, we found park visitors reported an improvement in emotional well-being after the park visit," said Yuen. "However, we did not find levels of physical activity are related to improved emotional well-being. Instead, we found time spent in the park is related to improved emotional well-being."
Co-author and chair of the department Gavin R. Jenkins, Ph.D., OTR/L, said this means that potentially all people can benefit from time in a park. If you cannot be physically active due to aging, a disability or any other limitations, the study implies a person can still gain health benefits just from a visit to a local park.
Participants of the study were adult visitors to one of the three urban parks -- Overton, Jemison and Cahaba River Walk Parks -- in Mountain Brook, Alabama. Data were collected from 98 adult park visitors; four visitors reported that they participated in this study twice. Data from the second participation were excluded, resulting in 94 unique participants participating in the study. These parks were selected for the study because they were the three main public parks in Mountain Brook and had a relatively high volume of visitors daily.
Yuen said several limitations of the study included the lack of objective data to measure emotional health and confining the study to just three urban parks in a six-month data collection period.
Although a small study, Jenkins said the significance of these findings helps reinforce the need for more urban parks and the conservation of those that already exist.
"There is increasing pressure on green space within urban settings," said Jenkins. "Planners and developers look to replace green space with residential and commercial property. The challenge facing cities is that there is an increasing evidence about the value of city parks but we continue to see the demise of theses spaces."

Red raspberries may help with glucose control in people with pre-diabetes

A study released today from the Illinois Institute of Technology shows the benefits of including red raspberries in the diet of individuals with pre-diabetes and insulin resistance.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 34 percent of American adults, around 84.1 million in all, had prediabetes in 2015. Patients with prediabetes are at higher risk for a number of conditions - including developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease.
The study, published in Obesity, investigated the effects of red raspberries in a group of people at-risk for diabetes who were overweight or obese and presented with prediabetes and insulin resistance. A metabolically healthy control group was also included in the study for reference.
Using a randomized, controlled, acute study design, 32 adults between the ages of 20-60 years had their blood tested over a 24-hour period after eating breakfast on three separate days. The three breakfast meals were similar in calories and macronutrients, but differed in the amount of frozen red raspberries - one meal contained no raspberries, one contained one cup of raspberries and one contained two cups of raspberries.
The results showed that as the amount of raspberry intake increased, individuals at risk for diabetes needed less insulin to manage their blood glucose. When two cups of red raspberries were included in the meal, glucose concentrations were lower compared to the meal with no red raspberries. The data suggests that simple inclusion of certain fruits, such as red raspberries with meals, can have glucose lowering benefits with indications of improvements in insulin responses. These effects are particularly important for people who are overweight or obese with pre-diabetes.
"People at risk for diabetes are often told to not eat fruit because of their sugar content. However, certain fruits - such as red raspberries - not only provide essential micronutrients, but also components such as anthocyanins, which give them their red color, ellagitannins and fibers that have anti-diabetic actions," said Britt Burton-Freeman, Ph.D., director, Center for Nutrition Research at Illinois Tech. "For people who are at risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other health risks, knowing what foods have protective benefits and working them into your diet now can be an important strategy for slowing or reversing progression to disease."

Whole grains, dietary fiber be associated with lower risk of liver cancer

Findings  In this cohort study of 125 455 participants in the United States, including 141 patients with HCC, with an average follow-up of 24.2 years, increased intake of whole grains was associated with a reduced risk of HCC. A nonsignificant inverse HCC association was observed for total bran but not for germ; increased intake of cereal fiber but not fruit or vegetable fiber was associated with a nonsignificant lower risk of HCC.
Meaning  Increased intake of whole grains and possibly cereal fiber and bran could be associated with reduced risk of HCC among US adults.

Consuming garlic and onions may lower colorectal cancer risk

Consumption of allium vegetables--which include garlic, leeks, and onions--was linked with a reduced risk of in colorectal cancer in a study of men and women in China.
In the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology study, 833 patients of colorectal cancer were matched to 833 healthy controls by age, sex and residence area. Demographic and dietary information were collected via face-to-face interviews using a validated food frequency questionnaire. The odds of having colorectal cancer was 79 percent lower in adults who consumed high amounts of allium vegetable compared with those who consumed low amounts.
"It is worth noting that in our research, there seems to be a trend: the greater the amount of allium vegetables, the better the protection," said senior author Dr. Zhi Li, of the First Hospital of China Medical University. "In general, the present findings shed light on the primary prevention of colorectal cancer through lifestyle intervention, which deserves further in-depth explorations."

Not enough evidence linking noncaloric sweeteners with adverse effects on gut microbiota

Noncaloric sweeteners may substitute sugar because they mimic its sweet taste but have a negligible impact on daily energy intake and are frequently sweeter than sucrose

University of Granada

IMAGE: All sweeteners approved in the European Union are safe and their impact on gut microbiota is negligible as long as they are consumed within the Acceptable Daily Intake. view more 

Credit: University Of Granada

The study, carried out by the UGR professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ángel Gil and his research team, has been published in the scientific journal 'Advances in Nutrition'
There is not enough evidence related to the effects of noncaloric sweeteners on appetite, short?term intake, and risk of suffering from cancer or diabetes, according to the conclusions of this review
Noncaloric sweeteners may substitute sugar because they mimic its sweet taste but have a negligible impact on daily energy intake and are frequently sweeter than sucrose
There is currently not enough evidence related to the effects of noncaloric sweeteners on appetite, short?term intake, and risk of suffering from cancer or diabetes, as shown by a study recently published in the scientific journal 'Advances in Nutrition'. This study has reviewed prior evidence about the effects of sweeteners on gut microbiota through experimental research and clinical trials.
According to this review, "it's necessary to carry out further research on the effects of sweeteners on the composition of human gut microbiota as well as confirming any effect that may have been proven in clinical trials on animals," says Ángel Gil, professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Granada (sUGR) and President of the Iberoamerican Nutrition Foundation (FINUT, from its abbreviation in Spanish).
On this matter, "every sweetener approved in the European Union is safe and its impact on macrobiota is negligible as long as its daily intake is under the ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake). Furthermore, low?calorie sweeteners seem to have beneficial effects since they act as true prebiotics."
Worldwide increase in sugar consumption, especially sucrose or fructose and glucose syrups, has raised concern about its possible adverse effects on human health and the development of chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. So much so that institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO) have recommended a reduction in the consumption of these free sugars.
Thus, sweeteners may substitute sugar because they mimic its sweet taste but have a negligible impact on daily energy intake and are frequently sweeter than sucrose.
Critical analysis of the evidence
The main goal of this review has been to critically discuss the evidence supporting the effects of nonnutritive sweeteners (NNSs), both synthetic sweeteners (acesulfame K, aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin, neotame, advantame, and sucralose) and natural sweeteners (NSs; thaumatin, steviol glucosides, monellin, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, and glycyrrhizin) and nutritive low?calorie sweeteners (polyols or sugar alcohols) on the composition of microbiota in the human gut.
One of the main discoveries is that "the only nonnutritive and noncaloric sweeteners that significantly alter microbiota are saccharin and sucralose, although their impact on human health is unknown and further research should be carried out in order to confirm said alteration," professor Gil explains. "The same could be said about steviol glucosides, although only for intakes greater than the ADI."
"In this sense, sweeteners based on amino acid derivatives don't exert great changes on gut microbiota due to their low concentration and because those amino acids are absorbed by the duodenum and the ileum," emphasizes the president of the FINUT. "With respect to polyol sweeteners (such as isomaltose, maltitol, lactitol, and xylitol), which are poorly absorbed or even not absorbed at all, they may have prebiotic actions and can reach the large bowel and increase the numbers of bifidobacteria in animals and humans."
Besides this study, another review has been recently published in the journal 'Food and Chemical Toxicology', carried out using only in vivo trials. Likewise, "that paper also came to the conclusion that there is no evidence of low?calorie sweeteners exerting adverse effects on gut microbiota," says Gil.
Strict safety control
Noncaloric sweeteners, like the rest of alimentary additives, are subject to a strict safety control carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the U S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other international institutions such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Thus, "the use of sweeteners, which are subject to strict controls by these organizations, is safe as long as they are consumed within the Acceptable Daily Intake," the UGR professor concludes.

Women with more social support are less likely to die

Women aged 50-79 who believed they had more social support were less likely to die during the course of the study, according to a new study led by Dr. Nancy Freeborne, adjunct professor in George Mason University's College of Health and Human Services.
Published in Menopause this week, Freeborne and her colleagues at multiple institutions examined perceived social support and its effect on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Even after accounting for factors such as income, race, and education that could have influenced the results, the researchers still found that women in this age range who reported lower levels of social support had a higher death rate during the 10 plus years of the study. In fact, they found that when women reported a very low level of social support, that predicted about a 20% greater risk of death during those same 10 plus years compared to those reporting very high levels of social support.
"Perceived functional social support, which we examined in this study, can include whether a person believes they could get emotional support, advice, or just company from others to do fun things with, which can help reduce stress," explains Freeborne. "It's a reminder that sometimes the simplest things - like reaching out to a loved one - can have the most profound impact."
While Freeborne and colleagues also anticipated seeing women with higher perceived social support having a reduction in CVD due to prior studies on men, after removing those same confounding variables, they didn't find such a relationship.
"Interestingly, prior studies that found a link between social support and CVD did not account for the effect of income, and for this study, it was the factor that most influenced that relationship," explains Freeborne.
To date, this is the largest study to explore the impact of perceived social support on CVD and mortality Freeborne and colleagues examined data on more than 90,000 postmenopausal women aged 50-79 from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. They included data that was collected over a period of 10 years, including demographics, psychosocial measures (perceived social support), health behaviors, diet, and body mass index.
The researchers suggest further study to account for perceived social support delivered via social media, the rise in CVD among women since the data collection, and to further examine age and gender differences to determine if social support has different impacts based on gender or different periods in a lifetime.
"The main take-away from our study is that in a longitudinal study of post-menopausal women, having lower social support was linked to having slightly higher mortality risk," explains Freeborne. This suggests that social support might serve as a health intervention for some persons. It is easy and cost-effective to provide others with social support."