Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Simply Blaming Processed Foods For Obesity Epidemic Oversimplifies Reality Of Low-Income And Middle-Class Families
The New York Times: Can Home Cooking Reverse The Obesity Epidemic?
Many nutrition experts blame processed foods for the obesity epidemic, suggesting that a return to home cooking would turn it around. But now some researchers are pushing back against that idea, arguing that it oversimplifies the obstacles that poor and middle-class families face. The case against processed foods has been growing. A flurry of studies last month provided new evidence that these foods, which are typically loaded with salt, sugar, fat and chemical additives, heighten the risk of obesity and chronic disease. (O'Connor, 6/12)
NPR: Suspected Cases Of Elder Abuse Still Underreported, Federal Auditors Say
It can be hard to quantify the problem of elder abuse. Experts believe that many cases go unreported. And Wednesday morning, their belief was confirmed by two new government studies. The research, conducted and published by the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, finds that in many cases of abuse or neglect severe enough to require medical attention, the incidents have not been reported to enforcement agencies, though that's required by law. (Jaffe, 6/12)
Reuters: Therapy In The Office: Banks Take Mental Health Fight In-House
In 'Billions', a U.S. television show set in the world of hedge funds, traders at the fictional Axe Capital regularly attend sessions with an in-house psychiatrist.In real life, finance professionals are rarely so open about seeking psychological help. On Wall Street and in the City of London, hyperambition and an 'always on' attitude are richly rewarded and people are often wary of revealing something that could be perceived as a weakness. (Cruise, 6/12)
Sacramento Bee: Why Dietary Supplements Won’t Help You Avoid Alzheimer’s
Sales of purported brain-health supplements such as fish oil and jellyfish are expected to reach $5.8 billion by 2023, but in a report released Tuesday, an AARP panel of brain experts called them a huge waste of money for healthy seniors seeking to avoid or reverse dementia. (Anderson, 6/12)
NPR: Psychology Student Says He Has A Better Idea For Science Posters
Mike Morrison hardly looks like a revolutionary. He's wearing a dark suit and has short hair. But we're about to enter a world of conformity that hasn't changed in decades — maybe even a century. And in there, his vision seems radical. "We are about to walk into a room full of 100 scientific posters, where researchers are trying to display their findings on a big poster board," says Morrison, a doctoral student in psychology at Michigan State University. (Greenfieldboyce, 6/11)
Kaiser Health News: Never Say ‘Die’: Why So Many Doctors Won’t Break Bad News
After nearly 40 years as an internist, Dr. Ron Naito knew what the sky-high results of his blood test meant. And it wasn’t good. But when he turned to his doctors last summer to confirm the dire diagnosis — stage 4 pancreatic cancer — he learned the news in a way no patient should. The first physician, a specialist Naito had known for 10 years, refused to acknowledge the results of the “off-the-scale” blood test that showed unmistakable signs of advanced cancer. “He simply didn’t want to tell me,” Naito said. (Aleccia, 6/12)
The New York Times: Pushing The Limits Of Human Endurance
Our bodies seem to adjust to prolonged, repeated physical exertion and its energy demands by burning fewer — instead of more — calories over the course of the day, even if our exertions continue at the same level, according to a surprising new study of energy expenditure conducted during a 20-week running race across the United States. The study is among the first to quantify the upper limits of human daily energy expenditure and endurance, whether someone is running across the country, competing in the Tour de France or pregnant. (Reynolds, 6/12)
WBUR: Brintellix Or Brilinta? New Prediction Model Aims To Prevent Drug Mix-Ups Caused By Similar Names
Brintellix, an antidepressant, sounded so much like Brilinta, a blood thinner, that it led to dozens of medical errors — until Brintellix was changed to Trintellix in 2016. That's the kind of mistake that a new prediction model developed by researchers at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute aims to prevent. (Goldberg, 6/10)
