Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Don't Stress: High Stress Linked With Cognitive Problems After Age 45
The Washington Post: High Stress Raises Odds Of Cognitive Problems After Age 45
People 45 and older who have elevated stress levels have been found to be 37 percent more likely to have cognitive problems, including memory and thinking issues, than those who are not stressed, according to research published in the journal JAMA Network Open. (Searing, 4/10)
The New York Times: More Girls Are Being Diagnosed With Autism
Morénike Giwa Onaiwu was shocked when day care providers flagged some concerning behaviors in her daughter, Legacy. The toddler was not responding to her name. She avoided eye contact, didn’t talk much and liked playing on her own. But none of this seemed unusual to Dr. Onaiwu, a consultant and writer in Houston. “I didn’t recognize anything was amiss,” she said. “My daughter was just like me.” Legacy was diagnosed with autism in 2011, just before she turned 3. Months later, at the age of 31, Dr. Onaiwu was diagnosed as well. (Ghorayshi, 4/10)
Health News Florida: Latinos And Hispanics Are More Likely To Get Certain Leukemias, But Why?
Karen Estrada, 46, lives in Miami-Dade County with her husband and two sons. Until last year, she had a full-time job, worked out at the gym often and regularly volunteered at her children’s school. She had no clue of what was to come. "I would just feel a little bit tired — but as a mom, as a professional, you feel tired sometimes," Estrada said. "That's how I felt." After a dental procedure turned into an infection that wouldn't heal, she found out she had acute myeloid leukemia. Her life changed immediately. (Zaragovia, 4/10)
CNN: Salad Recall: Some Ready-To-Eat Salads With Chicken Or Ham May Contain Potentially Deadly Listeria
Certain brands of fresh ready-to-eat salads that include chicken or ham may also contain lettuce contaminated with listeria, a potentially deadly bacteria, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Revolution Farms of Caledonia, Michigan, voluntarily recalled lettuce produced and sold under the brand Revolution Farms on April 5, 2023, due to the potential for listeria contamination. However, lettuce from that recall was used to create ready-to-eat salads under the brand names “Fruit Ridge Farms” and “Bell’s Bistro,” according to a FSIS public health alert issued Monday. (LaMotte, 4/10)
On weight loss —
CNN: Weight Loss May Mean A Risk Of Death For Older Adults, Study Shows
As much as people may celebrate their own weight loss, it is not always healthy. A new study shows that weight loss in older adults is associated with early death and life-limiting conditions. Weight gain, on the other hand, was not associated with mortality, according to the study published Monday in JAMA Network Open. (Holcombe, 4/10)
The Wall Street Journal: The $76 Billion Diet Industry Asks: What To Do About Ozempic?
Annick Lenoir-Peek, a lawyer from Durham, N.C., has struggled with her weight since adolescence. She has tried Atkins and keto and spent thousands of dollars over decades on weight-loss efforts and programs such as Noom, Nutrisystem and WeightWatchers. Since starting Ozempic in late November, she has lost around 30 pounds. Her cholesterol and glucose levels have improved, and she can eat far fewer calories without feeling hungry, she says. She has felt few side effects and has more energy than when she tried calorie-restricted diets. Currently on a trip through Eastern Europe, she says she is doing more tours than she would have at a higher weight. (Petersen, Winkler and O'Brien, 4/10)
