Category Archives: Medical

Global Obesity Costs Almost As Much As War and Terrorism

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Greg Asseff

Obesity continues to be a major health concern all around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 78.6 million adults are obese in the United States – that’s over one-third of the population. It’s common knowledge that obesity is a major factor in serious health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and certain forms of cancer. What isn’t common knowledge, however, is the amount of money spent on treating obesity and the conditions it causes. It’s estimated that Americans spent $147 billion on obesity-related medical costs in 2008, and obese people spent around $1,429 more on medical care than individuals of normal weight. Now, a grim new report from McKinsey & Company shows how bad obesity costs are worldwide. According to the report, $2 trillion is being spent globally on obesity each year.

Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Nutrition, Weight Loss | 1,264 Comments

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is Real According to New Study

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Greg Asseff

Some health conditions are difficult to diagnose simply because it’s hard for a doctor to truly understand what a patient is going through. Conditions that involve pain often fall into this trap. For example, despite all the amazing advances in modern medicine, patients and doctors still often rely on a somewhat archaic pain chart in order to communicate pain severity. Because pain is so personal and subjective, the legitimacy of a person’s condition can often be called into question. Sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) fall victim to this confusion as well, often being labeled as hypochondriacs. The CDC defines chronic fatigue as “profound fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and that may be worsened by physical or mental activity.” However, many believe that the syndrome simply doesn’t exist or that it’s being overly misdiagnosed. Indeed, nobody knows what causes CFS. A new discovery may curb some skepticism, however.

Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, Mental Health, Studies | 7 Comments

Drinking Milk for Bone Health Could Actually Have Opposite Effect

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Greg Asseff

Every five years since 1980, the USDA and the HHS have jointly published the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It’s an exhaustive document detailing the foods and serving sizes that Americans should consume in order to promote health, prevent disease and maintain a healthy weight. When it comes to milk consumption, the 2010 edition states that “recommended amounts are 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products for adults.” Drinking milk in this amount is thought to promote bone health and decrease the risk of fractures due to the amount of calcium milk provides. However, health professionals don’t always agree with this notion. For example, a Harvard School of Public Health report indicates that the jury is still out on the benefits of milk. Now, a new study is not only casting doubt on milk’s bone health effects, but it’s also showing that milk could do a lot of damage.

Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Medical, News, Nutrition, Studies, Women | 53 Comments

Overdoses On Prescription Opioids Way More Common Than Illegal Drugs

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Greg Asseff

According to the Washington Post, drug overdoses have surpassed traffic fatalities as the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. In 2013, the CDC reported that drug overdose deaths had been increasing for 11 consecutive years, and the number of fatal overdoses last year was more than double what it was in 1999. While many people hear the phrase “drug overdose” and immediately assume illegal substances were involved, the truth is that the majority of drugs on which people overdose often include painkillers that were prescribed by a professional. Prescription opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to overdoses. Now, a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows just how bad the problem is: prescription opioids are involved in over two-thirds of overdoses.

Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Studies | 3,512 Comments

Medication Errors Affect Children Every 8 Minutes

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Greg Asseff

There are plenty of studies indicating that hospital mistakes are far too prevalent. So prevalent, in fact, that the rate at which hospital errors contribute to preventable death is reaching downright epidemic proportions. One study, published in the Journal of Patient Safety last year, says that between 210,000 and 440,000 preventable hospital mistakes contribute to patients’ death each year. This would make medical errors the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer in the U.S. Those numbers are pretty depressing, but a newer study published this week in Pediatrics reinforces the fact that everybody – not just professionals – can be guilty of making medical mistakes. Parents of young children are so bad at administering medicine, in fact, that medication errors have occurred over 200,000 times every year from 2002 to 2012 – that’s one every eight minutes.