Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Though Obesity Is Common, West Virginia Is The Most Obese State: Report
The Hill: These Are The Most Obese States In The US, Report Finds
Obesity is a common, chronic disease among many U.S. adults and children, but some states have higher rates than others. US News & World Report factored CDC adult obesity rates into the outlet’s annual state rankings and found that West Virginia is the most obese, with a 40.4% rate. “Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “Obesity isn’t just a cosmetic concern. It’s a medical problem that increases the risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers.” (Lynch, 5/7)
The Washington Post: Study: Sons Of Women With PCOS Up To Twice As Likely To Develop Obesity
Newly published research suggests that the sons of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are up to twice as likely to develop obesity as their peers. The study in Cell Reports Medicine used data from cohort research following 467,275 male infants born in Sweden between July 2006 and December 2015. Of those, 9,828 were born to a mother with PCOS — and 147 of those boys were eventually diagnosed with obesity. (Blakemore, 5/7)
CNN: Foods And Drinks Packaged For Kids Are Higher In Sugar And Lower In Nutrition, Study Shows
Colorful labels and cartoons on packaging might be a good indicator that a snack isn’t the most nutritious, according to a new study. Products with marketing that appealed to children were higher in sugars and lower in all other nutrients, according to the study, published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One. The study looked at nearly 6,000 packaged foods to analyze their number of marketing strategies aimed at children and their nutritional information. (Holcombe, 5/4)
In other health and wellness news —
Axios: Fibroids Play A Role In Ovarian Cancer Risk, Study Finds
Endometriosis and fibroids in both Black and white women are associated with a greater risk for ovarian cancer, a new study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology found. It is the first study to include enough Black women to confirm the association between fibroids — noncancerous tumors that develop in the uterus — and a modestly increased risk of ovarian cancer in this group, the study's authors said. (Dreher, 5/5)
Fox News: Medical Research On Cellphone Use Says Chatting For This Amount Of Time Per Week Can Raise Blood Pressure Risk
Talking on a mobile phone even for a very short time each week can raise the risk of high blood pressure — a major cause of heart attacks and strokes. That's according to new research out of Southern Medical University, as SNWS, a British news agency, has reported. Those who spent just 30 minutes a week talking — even hands-free — on their cellphones were 12% more prone to hypertension. (Mackey, 5/6)
The Washington Post: Bill Aims To Improve Air Travel For Passengers With Disabilities
Passengers with disabilities have described harrowing problems during air travel, including bungled security screenings, risky transfers onto planes, and lost and damaged wheelchairs. ... The Mobility Aids on Board Improve Lives and Empower All Act, introduced Friday, would require the Transportation Department to publicly report on the type of damage that occurs to wheelchairs and other mobility aids. It would require airline carriers to provide information to passengers to ensure a mobility aid can safely fit on a plane. (Morris, 5/5)
On Alzheimer's disease —
Fox News: AI Tool Gives Doctors Personalized Alzheimer’s Treatment Plans For Dementia Patients
More than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease — and one in three seniors dies with the disease, according to statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association. With so many different factors — genetics, lifestyle and environment — influencing a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s, many doctors are moving away from one-size-fits-all approaches and calling for more individualized treatments. (Rudy, 5/8)
The Boston Globe: Cracking An Intriguing Secret Of Centenarians: Why So Few Are Ravaged By Alzheimer’s Disease
When Herlda Senhouse looks back — way back — in time, she vividly remembers the smells — the sour tang of the beer she siphoned into bottles on her first job while still in grammar school in the early 1920s and the pervasive rotten egg odor from the paper mill near her childhood home in West Virginia. (Lazar, 5/6)
