Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Eating Lots Of 'Free Sugars' Linked To Heart Disease, Stroke Risk
NBC News: High Sugar Intake Linked To Risk Of Heart Disease And Stroke: Study
A study released Monday offers even more evidence of the harmful health effects of sugar. The research, published in the journal BMC Medicine, found that diets higher in free sugars — a category that includes sugar added to processed foods and sodas, as well as that found in fruit juice and syrups — raise one's risk of heart disease and stroke. (Ede-Osifo, 2/14)
AP: Study Hints Healthier School Lunch Can Reduce Obesity
A 2010 federal law that boosted nutrition standards for school meals may have begun to help slow the rise in obesity among America’s children — even teenagers who can buy their own snacks, a new study showed. The national study found a small but significant decline in the average body mass index of more than 14,000 schoolkids ages 5 to 18 whose heights and weights were tracked before and after implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. (Aleccia, 2/13)
CBS News: Heart Attack Warnings Signs In Women Can Be Subtle
When Dr. Sandra Nichols had a massive heart attack, she didn't tell anyone outside her immediate family. At the time, she was working too much, not sleeping enough and says she felt the burden of being everything to everyone. "I was embarrassed," she said. Despite her medical training, she didn't realize symptoms of congestion and shortness of breath meant a heart attack was around the corner. (O'Donnell and Hastey, 2/13)
The 19th: One Year Of A Formula Shortage With No End Yet In Sight
Amber Romero’s son, Max, has known nothing but a formula shortage. He was born in February 2022, the same month that the largest formula plant in the country closed down due to a recall. This has left Romero, a breast cancer survivor who had to rely on formula, in an impossible situation. Her son’s only food source is routinely missing — and only through perseverance, a network of friends and strangers on the Internet have they been able to piece together a steady supply as long as they have. (Carrazana, 2/13)
GMA: Experts Say The Term 'Mommy Brain' Needs A Rebrand. Here's Why
From "mom brain" to "mommy brain," "momnesia," "baby brain" and "pregnancy brain," the terms used to describe the brain fog many moms say they experience during pregnancy and after are plentiful. One of the terms, "baby brain," even made it into Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" as he described how the use of the term once caused a confrontation between his wife, Duchess Meghan, and his sister-in-law, Princess Kate. (Kindelan, 2/14)
Also —
KHN: Special Delivery: Heart-Heavy Health Policy Valentines
This year’s health policy valentine submissions were full of compassion for patients and concern over the nation’s health care system. KHN’s readers and tweeters are among the most creative news consumers, sending in poetic valentines about physician assistants, the looming Medicaid unwinding, the Affordable Care Act, the upcoming end to the covid-19 public health emergency, and more. (2/14)
