Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
One Of Most Common Parasites In Country Is Also One Of Most Neglected
The New York Times: The Parasite On The Playground
Millions of American children have been exposed to a parasite that could interfere with their breathing, liver function, eyesight and even intelligence. Yet few scientists have studied the infection in the United States, and most doctors are unaware of it. The parasites, roundworms of the genus Toxocara, live in the intestines of cats and dogs, especially strays. Microscopic eggs from Toxocara are shed in the animals’ feces, contaminating yards, playgrounds and sandboxes. (Beil, 1/16)
The New York Times: High-Fat Diet May Fuel Spread Of Prostate Cancer
Obesity is linked to prostate cancer, scientists know, but it’s not clear why. On Monday, researchers reported a surprising connection. When prostate cancers lose a particular gene, they become tiny fat factories, a team at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston reported in a paper published in Nature Genetics. (Kolata, 1/16)
The New York Times: Breast-Feeding Tied To Reduced Risk Of Diabetes
Breast-feeding may reduce a woman’s risk for Type 2 diabetes, a new study reports. Researchers followed 1,238 women, average age 24 at the start, for up to 30 years. Each delivered at least one baby, and none had diabetes before the study began. The scientists collected data on health and lifestyle at interviews and physical examinations conducted seven times over the course of the project. The study is in JAMA Internal Medicine. (Bakalar, 1/16)
The Washington Post: Companies Race To Gather A Newly Prized Currency: Our Body Measurements
The first step for a shopper buying a suit at the fast-growing menswear retailer Indochino is sharing his personal information: A salesperson armed with an iPad measures nearly everything on his body, from the distance between his belly button and rear to the circumference of his knees. The next step is getting a customized, made-to-measure suit delivered to his home within a few weeks. But his body data lives on: Company executives are hoping to build a “master data model” that would connect his measurements with his advertising, shopping and spending histories. (Harwell, 1/16)
NPR: Man Ruptures His Throat By Stifling A Big Sneeze, Prompting Doctors' Warning
Now, there is ample reason for you to cover your nose when you sneeze. It's flu season, after all, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has made it quite clear it doesn't want you spreading your germs with reckless abandon. But let's not go overboard here, people. (Dwyer, 1/16)
Kaiser Health News: If Poor Neighborhood = Poor Health, Relocation Is One Solution
When low-income Americans are concentrated in substandard homes in struggling or violent neighborhoods, it has tangible consequences for well-being. Research confirms that moving families into less segregated neighborhoods improves overall health, and some communities are giving families vouchers to relocate. Kaiser Health News correspondent Sarah Varney and PBS Newshour producer Jason Kane filed this story that begins in St. Louis. (Varney, 1/17)
The Washington Post: Calling Out Racists Is Actually Good For Your Health, According To Science. Here’s How To Do It.
Reports that an exasperated President Trump referred to Haiti, El Salvador and African nations as “shithole countries” during a meeting last week with lawmakers about immigration prompted widespread condemnation. In the days that followed, the leaders of many nations demanded that he apologize for the remarks. But what reportedly happened in that room in that moment was a high-stakes version of a dilemma faced by anyone who has heard a friend, a family member or even a stranger say something objectionable: remain silent or speak up in that moment? And if opting for the latter, how to do it? (Klein, 1/16)
San Jose Mercury News: 23andMe's Ancestry Results 'Most Confounding': New Report
Silicon Valley ancestry-testing firm 23andMe claims to have DNA from more than 2 million consumers, and its spit tests for insights into family history and health were top sellers on Amazon this past holiday season, but its ancestry test and those from three other companies produced drastically different results, a new report said. (Baron, 1/16)
Kaiser Health News: When Food Stamps Pass As Tickets To Better Health
Rebeca Gonzalez grew up eating artichokes from her grandmother’s farm in the central Mexican state of Tlaxcala. But for years after emigrating to the U.S., she did not feed them to her own kids because the spiky, fibrous vegetables were too expensive on this side of the border. When she prepared meals at her family’s home in Garden Grove, Calif., Gonzalez would also omit avocados, a staple of Mexican cuisine that is often costly here. (Perkes, 1/17)
