Category Archives: Health Facts

Stomachaches in Childhood May Predict Anxiety in Adulthood

Posted on August 12, 2013 by Greg Asseff

Children who suffer from frequent stomachaches may be more likely to suffer from anxiety when they’re older, even if the stomachaches eventually subside, according to a new study conducted at Tennessee’s Vanderbilt University. About 480 children were included in the study. Roughly 330 of the kids suffered from FAPS, or functional abdominal pain syndrome, a condition in which abdominal pain is experienced despite the absence of an apparent cause. When the children underwent psychiatric evaluations about nine years later, the subjects who suffered from FAPS were up to five-times more likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Over half of the children who suffered from FAPS were later diagnosed with disorders such as phobias or social anxiety. The same was true of only 20% of the other group.

Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, Mental Health, News, Parenting, Studies | 1 Comment

CDC: Obesity Rates Down for Low-Income Preschoolers

Posted on August 7, 2013 by Greg Asseff

Obesity rates are finally on the decline, at least for children between the ages of 2 and 4, according to a new announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. The study, which focused specifically on low-income youngsters between the years of 2008 and 2011, found declining obesity numbers in 18 U.S. states as well as the Virgin Islands. Dr. Tom Frieden said that although the decline was admittedly minor at just 1% to 2%, it’s significant because it represents positive progress rather than yet another concession to rising obesity rates.

Posted in Diet, Exercise, Food, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Nutrition, Parenting, Studies, Weight Loss | Leave a comment

FDA Sets New Guidelines for “Gluten-Free” Foods

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Greg Asseff

People who prefer to avoid gluten or suffer from celiac disease will be pleased to know that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is setting new guidelines to regulate how food manufacturers label their products “gluten-free.” The new guidelines state that foods must be comprised of less than 20 parts gluten per million to be labeled “gluten-free.” Foods labeled “gluten-free” must also be free of barley, rye, wheat and any crossbred grains including the above. Derivatives of these grains must also be left out of the food product, or processed in such a way that the overall gluten concentration in the food falls short of 20 parts per million. While some argue that a gluten-free diet is universally beneficial, it’s still generally considered best for only those with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease to avoid gluten altogether.

Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Nutrition, Studies | 8 Comments

77% of Women Breast-Feed Their Babies

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Greg Asseff

More women are breast-feeding their babies today than they were just a decade ago, according to a new report from the CDC, or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the year 2000, 71% of mothers reported breast-feeding their newborn babies, and by 2010, this figure increased to 77%. The increase in breast-feeding rates for babies up to 6 months of age was even more significant. About 34% of mothers said they breast-fed their babies until they were 6 months old in 2000, while 50% said the same in 2010. Of this 50%, around 16% reported breast-feeding exclusively, while other women supplemented with formula. Finally, 27% of women said they continued to breast-feed their baby after a full year in 2010, while just 16% did in 2000.

Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Parenting, Studies, Women | 884 Comments

Live Near a Factory? Your Lymphoma Risk May be Higher

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Greg Asseff

A new study by researchers at Emory University has found that people living near factories that emit a chemical known as benzene are at greater risk for developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or NHL, a blood cancer. The study, conducted in and around Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, concluded that for each additional mile a person lived from benzene-emitting petroleum refineries and manufacturing plants, their NHL risk dropped by 0.31%. Pediatrics, Hematology and Medical Oncology professor Christopher Flowers, one of the lead researchers behind the study, said that the difference in risk for NHL between those living closest to and farthest from factories is substantial. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a term that describes several different conditions, some of which are much more aggressive than others.