Change seems to happen when good health is the focus, rather than body weight
By Deborah Kotz
Posted 8/22/07
US News& World Report
Kids heading back to enlightened schools this fall may find nutrition and exercise on the agenda even in math class. In an effort to reverse the alarming increase of obesity in children, some schools have found ways to encourage healthful lifestyle changes without emphasizing the negative—too much body weight. (A focus on losing weight has been shown to backfire, causing youngsters to turn to fad diets and develop eating disorders.) Planet Health, developed by Harvard University researchers and now used in hundreds of schools throughout the country, integrates obesity prevention lessons into the science, math, and social studies curricula, for example. Students come to appreciate the importance of reducing TV time by calculating during math class the amount of their lifetime they've spent in front of the set. In gym, they decide on goals for subbing in physical activity instead.
The program costs only about $15 per student annually, a bargain, considering the payoffs: A 2005 study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that middle-school girls who had Planet Health in their schools were half as likely to purge or use diet pills as those in schools without it. "It really focuses on the positive, and that's why we think it's protective against these dangerous behaviors," says study author Bryn Austin, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
A second program adopted by 7,000 elementary schools nationwide, the Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH), similarly puts the focus on good health habits instead of weight. In class, students use a traffic-light system to identify "go," "slow," and "whoa" foods and take breaks to do jumping jacks. In the cafeteria, fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk, and whole-grain starches are labeled with green-light tags, and pizza gets a yellow light. Gym activities are designed to keep students constantly moving. "Every kid gets a ball to dribble or a hula hoop; there's no lining up and waiting to take a turn," says Phil Nader, professor of pediatrics emeritus at the University of California—San Diego, who helped develop CATCH.
A three-year study comparing CATCH schools with others without the program found that CATCH increased the proportion of gym class spent in motion, from 40 percent to 50 percent, and reduced the consumption of fat in schools from 39 percent of total calories to 32 percent. A second study found that the program prevented the growth in number of overweight students that normally occurs from grade 3 to grade 5. CATCH students in El Paso, Texas (with one of the highest obesity rates in the nation), held the line between those grades, but in schools without the program, the share of overweight girls increased from 26 percent to 40 percent and of overweight boys from 29 percent to 39 percent.
Glen Cove Elementary School, near El Paso in Ysleta, was one of the first schools to adopt CATCH, and parents there have learned to eat better and exercise more along with their kids. "We have a day where everyone comes to fly kites and Wellness Wednesdays where family members run around for 20 minutes with their kids," says physical education teacher Ben Avalos, who brought the program to Glen Cove in 1998. "Parents also tell me their kids have gotten them to throw out the 'whoa' foods in the house." Avalos uses walking sticks, pogo sticks, and Chinese yo-yos in gym class—and nobody relaxes on the sidelines.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Eating Healthy Cuts Cancer Risk, Too
Balanced Diet Key in Reducing Risk of Many Cancers
By LEN LICHTENFELD, M.D.
ABC NEWS
Aug. 16, 2007 —
Weight, weight, weight. Sometimes that seems to be what everyone talks about these days when it comes to our health.
We are getting fatter. We will get sicker. Some of the gains we have made in life span are at risk if we don't do something about our increasing waists, and do it soon.
But did you know that overweight and obesity are tied to an increased risk of several different types of cancers, such as breast cancer in post-menopausal women, as well as cancers of the colon, endometrium (uterus), esophagus and kidney?
So, what can you do about it?
Thursday, Aug. 16, the American Cancer Society launches its Great American Eat Right Challenge to help you learn more about what you should be doing to get your diet and your weight under control, and to reduce your risk, not only of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension but of cancer as well.
Diet a Weighty Consideration for Cancer Risk
Most of us know that smoking is bad for us, and one of the main reasons is that tobacco products increase the risk of cancer, as well as other life-threatening diseases. But most of us aren't aware that being overweight or obese also significantly increases the risk of cancer.
Since most Americans today do not smoke, that makes nutrition and physical activity one of the most important things people can do for themselves to decrease their risk of cancer.
The trick, according to American Cancer Society guidelines, is to follow a healthy diet that emphasizes plant foods. In addition to maintaining a healthy body weight and exercising regularly, this dietary adjustment is a key element in a healthy lifestyle that can help prevent cancer.
The basic rules, besides emphasizing plant sources of food in our diet, include:
Eating five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.
Choosing whole grains (as spelled out on the package as the main ingredient: w-h-o-l-e g-r-a-i-n-s) instead of processed (refined) grains.
Limit consumption of processed and red meats.
If you want more information, including a great instructive video by my colleague Colleen Doyle on how to shop at the supermarket, you can go to the Great American Eat Right Challenge Web site.
There is a lot of practical information on the Web site that you may find helpful and interesting to see if you measure up to a healthy diet, or what you need to do to change your errant ways.
You can also call the American Cancer Society at 800-ACS-2345 for the same information. Our call center, staffed by knowledgeable cancer information specialists, is available 24 hours a day, every day.
The Challenge of Lifestyle Change
I can sympathize with every one of you out there, especially the older folks, who find it so difficult to get on track and lose some weight. I, too, have had a lifelong battle with being overweight and obese.
After a significant health scare, I tried to go back to a healthier diet.
After about 18 months, more or less, I have been able to lose a bit over 30 pounds. It hasn't been easy, and the reality is that it takes constant attention.
Sure, there are times when the limits come off, but for the most part, I am most successful when I follow some basic rules.
For example, I travel a lot. Airplanes are a fact of my life, sometimes many flights each week. And then, there are the meals on the road, which are difficult to control in terms of what they contain and when I get to eat them.
I avoid those airplane snacks. I carry calorie-controlled meal replacement and snack bars so I can sidestep the fried foods or fatty foods that are frequently served during meals at meetings, or what I may find at the airport (chicken Caesar salad without the croutons or dressing is becoming a too-regular habit. Occasionally, I throw in some sliced/diced fresh fruit in a cup).
I was once called "Mr. No Fun" by a server at a local waffle shop in north Georgia when I asked for an egg-white omelet, no cheese, no grits, no toast, and yes, please, some sliced tomatoes on the side.
For me, that's what it takes to get things right. That, and a lot of perseverance, since the results are slow to come.
The Great American Eat Right Challenge can arm you with information that you may find helpful in trying to make better choices.
For example, did you know that a 12-ounce beer is the equivalent of a 1½ mile walk? Or that 1 ounce of potato chips is also worth 1½ miles on your tired feet? How about the fact that two slices of thin (yes, THIN) crust pepperoni pizza is worth 5 miles?
I suspect most of us don't even walk 2 or 3 miles during the course of a day, let alone all the miles it would take to walk off the junk food we eat during the week.
How about this one: One extra large cheeseburger with sauce, one extra large french fries and one extra large soda. Want to take a guess at how many miles it will take to walk this meal off? The answer, if you're interested, is at the end of this column.
And then, there are portion sizes to consider. Do you know what a normal portion of pasta a half cup or a whole cup looks like on your plate?
My wife and I like to go to a neighborhood Italian restaurant that is part of a large national chain. Great food, good atmosphere, relatively inexpensive, fun and humongous portions. We are actually able to eat several more meals during the week from the food we take home each time we visit this place.
We have no idea how they remain profitable when they load so much on your plate, but if we ate everything they served, we would have to run more than a marathon to work it off!
I think by now you get the idea.
Small Sacrifice, Big Benefits
Some may say that eating right and being healthy means giving up everything you like. I would argue that this is not the case.
No one is perfect. It's the approach you take to your diet and your life that dictates who you are and how you feel. It also dictates whether you will be able to live your life relatively free of disease, and have the mobility to enjoy that life.
By the way, I went back to the waffle place the next day, and the server remembered me. "You're that 'no fun' guy," she said.
Well, I would dispute that I have no fun. I just make different choices most of the time.
The benefits are that my weight is down, my blood pressure is down, my cholesterol is down, my flexibility is up, and I am enjoying life just fine, thank you. And maybe because I have "no fun," I will have fun longer than I would have had otherwise.
Take a look at the Great American Eat Right Challenge Web site, and figure out what you can do for yourself and your family to eat better, stay healthier and reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases.
Make a plan, and do what works for you. I promise that you, too, can have plenty of fun getting healthy, and staying healthy.
Enjoy!
(Incidentally, the answer to the question about the number of miles it would take to walk off the extra large burger, extra large fries and extra large soda? 15 miles!)
Len Lichtenfeld is deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. You can view the full blog by clicking here.
Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures
By LEN LICHTENFELD, M.D.
ABC NEWS
Aug. 16, 2007 —
Weight, weight, weight. Sometimes that seems to be what everyone talks about these days when it comes to our health.
We are getting fatter. We will get sicker. Some of the gains we have made in life span are at risk if we don't do something about our increasing waists, and do it soon.
But did you know that overweight and obesity are tied to an increased risk of several different types of cancers, such as breast cancer in post-menopausal women, as well as cancers of the colon, endometrium (uterus), esophagus and kidney?
So, what can you do about it?
Thursday, Aug. 16, the American Cancer Society launches its Great American Eat Right Challenge to help you learn more about what you should be doing to get your diet and your weight under control, and to reduce your risk, not only of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension but of cancer as well.
Diet a Weighty Consideration for Cancer Risk
Most of us know that smoking is bad for us, and one of the main reasons is that tobacco products increase the risk of cancer, as well as other life-threatening diseases. But most of us aren't aware that being overweight or obese also significantly increases the risk of cancer.
Since most Americans today do not smoke, that makes nutrition and physical activity one of the most important things people can do for themselves to decrease their risk of cancer.
The trick, according to American Cancer Society guidelines, is to follow a healthy diet that emphasizes plant foods. In addition to maintaining a healthy body weight and exercising regularly, this dietary adjustment is a key element in a healthy lifestyle that can help prevent cancer.
The basic rules, besides emphasizing plant sources of food in our diet, include:
Eating five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.
Choosing whole grains (as spelled out on the package as the main ingredient: w-h-o-l-e g-r-a-i-n-s) instead of processed (refined) grains.
Limit consumption of processed and red meats.
If you want more information, including a great instructive video by my colleague Colleen Doyle on how to shop at the supermarket, you can go to the Great American Eat Right Challenge Web site.
There is a lot of practical information on the Web site that you may find helpful and interesting to see if you measure up to a healthy diet, or what you need to do to change your errant ways.
You can also call the American Cancer Society at 800-ACS-2345 for the same information. Our call center, staffed by knowledgeable cancer information specialists, is available 24 hours a day, every day.
The Challenge of Lifestyle Change
I can sympathize with every one of you out there, especially the older folks, who find it so difficult to get on track and lose some weight. I, too, have had a lifelong battle with being overweight and obese.
After a significant health scare, I tried to go back to a healthier diet.
After about 18 months, more or less, I have been able to lose a bit over 30 pounds. It hasn't been easy, and the reality is that it takes constant attention.
Sure, there are times when the limits come off, but for the most part, I am most successful when I follow some basic rules.
For example, I travel a lot. Airplanes are a fact of my life, sometimes many flights each week. And then, there are the meals on the road, which are difficult to control in terms of what they contain and when I get to eat them.
I avoid those airplane snacks. I carry calorie-controlled meal replacement and snack bars so I can sidestep the fried foods or fatty foods that are frequently served during meals at meetings, or what I may find at the airport (chicken Caesar salad without the croutons or dressing is becoming a too-regular habit. Occasionally, I throw in some sliced/diced fresh fruit in a cup).
I was once called "Mr. No Fun" by a server at a local waffle shop in north Georgia when I asked for an egg-white omelet, no cheese, no grits, no toast, and yes, please, some sliced tomatoes on the side.
For me, that's what it takes to get things right. That, and a lot of perseverance, since the results are slow to come.
The Great American Eat Right Challenge can arm you with information that you may find helpful in trying to make better choices.
For example, did you know that a 12-ounce beer is the equivalent of a 1½ mile walk? Or that 1 ounce of potato chips is also worth 1½ miles on your tired feet? How about the fact that two slices of thin (yes, THIN) crust pepperoni pizza is worth 5 miles?
I suspect most of us don't even walk 2 or 3 miles during the course of a day, let alone all the miles it would take to walk off the junk food we eat during the week.
How about this one: One extra large cheeseburger with sauce, one extra large french fries and one extra large soda. Want to take a guess at how many miles it will take to walk this meal off? The answer, if you're interested, is at the end of this column.
And then, there are portion sizes to consider. Do you know what a normal portion of pasta a half cup or a whole cup looks like on your plate?
My wife and I like to go to a neighborhood Italian restaurant that is part of a large national chain. Great food, good atmosphere, relatively inexpensive, fun and humongous portions. We are actually able to eat several more meals during the week from the food we take home each time we visit this place.
We have no idea how they remain profitable when they load so much on your plate, but if we ate everything they served, we would have to run more than a marathon to work it off!
I think by now you get the idea.
Small Sacrifice, Big Benefits
Some may say that eating right and being healthy means giving up everything you like. I would argue that this is not the case.
No one is perfect. It's the approach you take to your diet and your life that dictates who you are and how you feel. It also dictates whether you will be able to live your life relatively free of disease, and have the mobility to enjoy that life.
By the way, I went back to the waffle place the next day, and the server remembered me. "You're that 'no fun' guy," she said.
Well, I would dispute that I have no fun. I just make different choices most of the time.
The benefits are that my weight is down, my blood pressure is down, my cholesterol is down, my flexibility is up, and I am enjoying life just fine, thank you. And maybe because I have "no fun," I will have fun longer than I would have had otherwise.
Take a look at the Great American Eat Right Challenge Web site, and figure out what you can do for yourself and your family to eat better, stay healthier and reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases.
Make a plan, and do what works for you. I promise that you, too, can have plenty of fun getting healthy, and staying healthy.
Enjoy!
(Incidentally, the answer to the question about the number of miles it would take to walk off the extra large burger, extra large fries and extra large soda? 15 miles!)
Len Lichtenfeld is deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. You can view the full blog by clicking here.
Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures
Monday, August 20, 2007
Calorie needs can fluctuate like your weight
Lifestyle, age and diet goals all play a role in determining the right number
By Karen Collins, R.D.
Special to MSNBC.com
Updated: 8:54 a.m. ET Aug 17, 2007
Many of today’s nutrition recommendations are based on calorie needs, whether for weight control or for foods that fit in a healthy diet.
Unfortunately, most of us apparently can't identify our calorie needs. In a 2006 survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, 88 percent of respondents could not accurately estimate how many calories they should eat every day.
Calorie needs depend on weight, age, gender and activity level, as well as individual metabolic rate. The figures from the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion provide a rough estimate. Women ages 31 to 50 who exercise less than 30 minutes a day need about 1,800 calories daily, while men need about 2,200. Those under 30 can add 200 to that figure; those over 50, subtract 200.
Women ages 31 to 50 who exercise 30 minutes a day can eat about 2,000 calories daily, while men can eat about 2,400. Men under 30 can add 200 (sorry, women, no change); everybody over 50, subtract 200.
Finally, women ages 31 to 50 who are very active — 60 minutes or more daily exercise — need about 2,200 calories a day, while men need about 3,000. Women under 30 can add 200 (men, sorry, no change for you); men over 50, subtract 200.
For a more accurate estimate of recommended calories that reflects your height and weight, go to www.mypyramid.gov and click on MyPyramid Plan. Recalculate your needs with every five to 10 pound change, since calorie needs change with weight.
Strategies for a balanced diet
Recommended limits of fat consumption are based on calorie needs. If you multiply estimated calorie needs by 0.011, you will see your recommended maximum grams of saturated fat daily. (For example, if you need 2,000 calories a day, that equates to a maximum of 22 grams of saturated fat a day.) Those with high cholesterol may need to reduce saturated fat below this figure. A registered dietitian can help.
How much junk food is reasonable in a healthy diet? The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include a “discretionary calories allowance.” Discretionary calories represent the extra foods and drinks that supply calories without much nutritional value. The allowance is 132 discretionary calories a day for someone maintaining weight and eating about 1,600 calories a day, and 290 discretionary calories daily for someone who needs 2,200 calories a day.
Strategies for a balanced diet change with calorie level, too. On about 1,600 calories a day, five servings of grains (equal to five slices of bread) is enough, whereas someone needing 2,200 calories a day should eat seven servings daily. Someone who needs only 1,600 calories a day can meet fruit and vegetable recommendations with seven servings daily, but someone who needs 2,200 calories or more should aim for at least 10 per day.
Goals for losing weight
Of course, you don’t need to know your exact calorie needs to control your weight. If losing weight is your goal, you can shift the balance between the amount of calories you eat and the amount you burn through activity.
If you drop about 500 calories a day, you will lose about one pound a week. You can cut 500 calories a day from what you currently eat and drink, or cut 300 calories a day and burn an additional 200 in activity.
If you’ve been substantially overeating, you might even be able to create a 1,000-calorie total shift, which would lead you to lose two pounds a week.
It’s easy to drop 100 calories per meal with simple changes, such as eating smaller portions, replacing chips or a doughnut with fruit, choosing reduced-fat products or dropping sugar-sweetened drinks.
The same principle applies to those who want to gain weight healthfully. You don’t need to stuff yourself or eat unhealthy foods. Simply add 100 calories to each of three meals and two snacks daily by choosing slightly larger portions, using a little more olive oil in a stir-fry or salad, or adding one glass of juice or a handful of nuts.
But whether you are working to lose or gain weight, or are happy with your current weight, getting at least a rough idea of your recommended calorie needs can help you interpret food labels to make better choices for a healthful diet.
© 2007 MSNBC Interactive
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20264555/
MSN Privacy . Legal
© 2007 MSNBC.com
By Karen Collins, R.D.
Special to MSNBC.com
Updated: 8:54 a.m. ET Aug 17, 2007
Many of today’s nutrition recommendations are based on calorie needs, whether for weight control or for foods that fit in a healthy diet.
Unfortunately, most of us apparently can't identify our calorie needs. In a 2006 survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, 88 percent of respondents could not accurately estimate how many calories they should eat every day.
Calorie needs depend on weight, age, gender and activity level, as well as individual metabolic rate. The figures from the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion provide a rough estimate. Women ages 31 to 50 who exercise less than 30 minutes a day need about 1,800 calories daily, while men need about 2,200. Those under 30 can add 200 to that figure; those over 50, subtract 200.
Women ages 31 to 50 who exercise 30 minutes a day can eat about 2,000 calories daily, while men can eat about 2,400. Men under 30 can add 200 (sorry, women, no change); everybody over 50, subtract 200.
Finally, women ages 31 to 50 who are very active — 60 minutes or more daily exercise — need about 2,200 calories a day, while men need about 3,000. Women under 30 can add 200 (men, sorry, no change for you); men over 50, subtract 200.
For a more accurate estimate of recommended calories that reflects your height and weight, go to www.mypyramid.gov and click on MyPyramid Plan. Recalculate your needs with every five to 10 pound change, since calorie needs change with weight.
Strategies for a balanced diet
Recommended limits of fat consumption are based on calorie needs. If you multiply estimated calorie needs by 0.011, you will see your recommended maximum grams of saturated fat daily. (For example, if you need 2,000 calories a day, that equates to a maximum of 22 grams of saturated fat a day.) Those with high cholesterol may need to reduce saturated fat below this figure. A registered dietitian can help.
How much junk food is reasonable in a healthy diet? The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include a “discretionary calories allowance.” Discretionary calories represent the extra foods and drinks that supply calories without much nutritional value. The allowance is 132 discretionary calories a day for someone maintaining weight and eating about 1,600 calories a day, and 290 discretionary calories daily for someone who needs 2,200 calories a day.
Strategies for a balanced diet change with calorie level, too. On about 1,600 calories a day, five servings of grains (equal to five slices of bread) is enough, whereas someone needing 2,200 calories a day should eat seven servings daily. Someone who needs only 1,600 calories a day can meet fruit and vegetable recommendations with seven servings daily, but someone who needs 2,200 calories or more should aim for at least 10 per day.
Goals for losing weight
Of course, you don’t need to know your exact calorie needs to control your weight. If losing weight is your goal, you can shift the balance between the amount of calories you eat and the amount you burn through activity.
If you drop about 500 calories a day, you will lose about one pound a week. You can cut 500 calories a day from what you currently eat and drink, or cut 300 calories a day and burn an additional 200 in activity.
If you’ve been substantially overeating, you might even be able to create a 1,000-calorie total shift, which would lead you to lose two pounds a week.
It’s easy to drop 100 calories per meal with simple changes, such as eating smaller portions, replacing chips or a doughnut with fruit, choosing reduced-fat products or dropping sugar-sweetened drinks.
The same principle applies to those who want to gain weight healthfully. You don’t need to stuff yourself or eat unhealthy foods. Simply add 100 calories to each of three meals and two snacks daily by choosing slightly larger portions, using a little more olive oil in a stir-fry or salad, or adding one glass of juice or a handful of nuts.
But whether you are working to lose or gain weight, or are happy with your current weight, getting at least a rough idea of your recommended calorie needs can help you interpret food labels to make better choices for a healthful diet.
© 2007 MSNBC Interactive
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20264555/
MSN Privacy . Legal
© 2007 MSNBC.com
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Cancer panel attacks U.S. food subsidies
Reuters Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:42AM EDT
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new presidential report on cancer takes on not only tobacco companies but the food industry while calling on the federal government to "cease being a purveyor of unhealthy foods" and switch to policies that encourage Americans to eat vegetables and exercise.
The report, issued on Thursday, also urged changes in public and private insurance policies to encourage doctors to spend more time counseling patients on how to stay healthy by eating right, exercising and avoiding tobacco.
Federal, state, and local policies have actually made healthful foods more expensive and less available, have limited physical education in schools and created an environment that discourages physical activity, the report said.
"Ineffective policies, in conjunction with limited regulation of sales and marketing in the food and beverage industry, have spawned a culture that struggles to make healthy choices -- a culture in dire need of change," said the report, available on the Internet at http://pcp.cancer.gov.
Margaret Kripke of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson cancer center, a member of the President's Cancer Panel, said in a telephone interview, "What became clear to me is that we simply don't have the political will to protect the public health."
Several reports have shown that a third of all cancers are caused by tobacco use, and another one-third by obesity and inactivity.
"This country must not ignore its moral obligation to protect the health of all Americans. We can and must empower individuals to make healthy choices through appropriate policy and legislation, and the panel urges you to use the power of your office toward this life-saving goal," the panel, chaired by Howard University's Dr. LaSalle Leffall, wrote in a letter to Bush.
PURVEYOR OF UNHEALTHY FOODS
The report recommended much stricter control of the tobacco industry and urged Congress to authorize the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco.
"The report also supports increasing the federal cigarette tax, which is currently 39 cents per pack," American Cancer Society Chief Executive Officer John Seffrin said in a statement.
"The panel's recommendation runs counter to the president's public opposition to a tobacco tax increase."
The federal government also should "require the elimination of unhealthy foods from school breakfast and lunch programs" and "must cease being a purveyor of unhealthy foods that lead to disease and increased health care costs," the report said.
This includes regulation of food advertising and changing agricultural support policies, it said.
"We heavily subsidize the growth of foods (e.g., corn, soy) that in their processed forms (e.g., high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated corn and soybean oils, grain-fed cattle) are known contributors to obesity and associated chronic diseases, including cancer," the report reads.
"The people who are doing the U.S. agricultural subsidies need to connect their subsidies with the policy on public health and I don't think that has been done," Kripke said.
Yet fresh fruits and vegetables are not subsidized in the same way. "And physical education classes in school have almost disappeared," Kripke said.
The American Cancer Society predicts more than 1.4 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and that 559,650 will die.
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new presidential report on cancer takes on not only tobacco companies but the food industry while calling on the federal government to "cease being a purveyor of unhealthy foods" and switch to policies that encourage Americans to eat vegetables and exercise.
The report, issued on Thursday, also urged changes in public and private insurance policies to encourage doctors to spend more time counseling patients on how to stay healthy by eating right, exercising and avoiding tobacco.
Federal, state, and local policies have actually made healthful foods more expensive and less available, have limited physical education in schools and created an environment that discourages physical activity, the report said.
"Ineffective policies, in conjunction with limited regulation of sales and marketing in the food and beverage industry, have spawned a culture that struggles to make healthy choices -- a culture in dire need of change," said the report, available on the Internet at http://pcp.cancer.gov.
Margaret Kripke of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson cancer center, a member of the President's Cancer Panel, said in a telephone interview, "What became clear to me is that we simply don't have the political will to protect the public health."
Several reports have shown that a third of all cancers are caused by tobacco use, and another one-third by obesity and inactivity.
"This country must not ignore its moral obligation to protect the health of all Americans. We can and must empower individuals to make healthy choices through appropriate policy and legislation, and the panel urges you to use the power of your office toward this life-saving goal," the panel, chaired by Howard University's Dr. LaSalle Leffall, wrote in a letter to Bush.
PURVEYOR OF UNHEALTHY FOODS
The report recommended much stricter control of the tobacco industry and urged Congress to authorize the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco.
"The report also supports increasing the federal cigarette tax, which is currently 39 cents per pack," American Cancer Society Chief Executive Officer John Seffrin said in a statement.
"The panel's recommendation runs counter to the president's public opposition to a tobacco tax increase."
The federal government also should "require the elimination of unhealthy foods from school breakfast and lunch programs" and "must cease being a purveyor of unhealthy foods that lead to disease and increased health care costs," the report said.
This includes regulation of food advertising and changing agricultural support policies, it said.
"We heavily subsidize the growth of foods (e.g., corn, soy) that in their processed forms (e.g., high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated corn and soybean oils, grain-fed cattle) are known contributors to obesity and associated chronic diseases, including cancer," the report reads.
"The people who are doing the U.S. agricultural subsidies need to connect their subsidies with the policy on public health and I don't think that has been done," Kripke said.
Yet fresh fruits and vegetables are not subsidized in the same way. "And physical education classes in school have almost disappeared," Kripke said.
The American Cancer Society predicts more than 1.4 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and that 559,650 will die.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Preventive steps could save 100,000 lives: study
Reuters Tue Aug 7, 2007 2:02PM EDT
By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Increased use of just five preventive services would save more than 100,000 lives every year in the United States, health experts said in a report released on Tuesday.
Of the five prevention tips, the biggest impact would come if adults took a low dose of aspirin every day to prevent heart disease, a step that could save 45,000 lives a year.
The report by the Partnership for Prevention, a nonprofit health policy group, also calls for renewed efforts to help smokers quit, more colorectal cancer and breast cancer screening and annual flu shots for people over 50.
"This shows so dramatically the potential impact of prevention," said Dr. Kathleen Toomey of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which helped fund the study along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the WellPoint Foundation.
"These are really very modest, low-cost interventions that have such potentially dramatic impact on improving the health of the public," Toomey said in a telephone interview.
The study underscores the tendency in the United States to treat disease, rather than prevent it.
"Our nation has never truly invested in prevention," Toomey said.
The report uncovered racial disparities in use of preventive care. For example, Hispanic smokers are 55 percent less likely than whites to get help to quit smoking and Asian-Americans are the racial group least likely to take aspirin and get screened for breast and colorectal cancer.
ASPIRIN A DAY
Currently fewer than half of Americans take a low, daily dose of aspirin to prevent heart disease. Boosting aspirin use to 90 percent of adults would save 45,000 lives, the study found.
Bolstering efforts to get smokers to quit would have a similar impact. The study found 42,000 lives could be spared if 90 percent of smokers were advised by doctors to quit and were offered drugs and other services to help. Only 28 percent of smokers get such services now.
Another 14,000 lives would be saved if 90 percent of adults over 50 were screened regularly for colorectal cancer, and some 12,000 lives would be saved if 90 percent of people over 50 got flu shots every year. Only 37 percent of U.S. adults get an annual flu shot.
Regular breast cancer screening for all women over 40 could save another 4,000 lives. Only 67 percent of women have been screened in the past two years, the report found.
"To actually implement this and have the impact of saving 100,000 lives will really require a multi-pronged approach with public health taking the lead," Toomey said.
She said it will be important to educate individuals to take better care of themselves and of loved ones and make sure insurers and employers cover these preventive services.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0723664320070807?sp=true
By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Increased use of just five preventive services would save more than 100,000 lives every year in the United States, health experts said in a report released on Tuesday.
Of the five prevention tips, the biggest impact would come if adults took a low dose of aspirin every day to prevent heart disease, a step that could save 45,000 lives a year.
The report by the Partnership for Prevention, a nonprofit health policy group, also calls for renewed efforts to help smokers quit, more colorectal cancer and breast cancer screening and annual flu shots for people over 50.
"This shows so dramatically the potential impact of prevention," said Dr. Kathleen Toomey of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which helped fund the study along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the WellPoint Foundation.
"These are really very modest, low-cost interventions that have such potentially dramatic impact on improving the health of the public," Toomey said in a telephone interview.
The study underscores the tendency in the United States to treat disease, rather than prevent it.
"Our nation has never truly invested in prevention," Toomey said.
The report uncovered racial disparities in use of preventive care. For example, Hispanic smokers are 55 percent less likely than whites to get help to quit smoking and Asian-Americans are the racial group least likely to take aspirin and get screened for breast and colorectal cancer.
ASPIRIN A DAY
Currently fewer than half of Americans take a low, daily dose of aspirin to prevent heart disease. Boosting aspirin use to 90 percent of adults would save 45,000 lives, the study found.
Bolstering efforts to get smokers to quit would have a similar impact. The study found 42,000 lives could be spared if 90 percent of smokers were advised by doctors to quit and were offered drugs and other services to help. Only 28 percent of smokers get such services now.
Another 14,000 lives would be saved if 90 percent of adults over 50 were screened regularly for colorectal cancer, and some 12,000 lives would be saved if 90 percent of people over 50 got flu shots every year. Only 37 percent of U.S. adults get an annual flu shot.
Regular breast cancer screening for all women over 40 could save another 4,000 lives. Only 67 percent of women have been screened in the past two years, the report found.
"To actually implement this and have the impact of saving 100,000 lives will really require a multi-pronged approach with public health taking the lead," Toomey said.
She said it will be important to educate individuals to take better care of themselves and of loved ones and make sure insurers and employers cover these preventive services.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0723664320070807?sp=true
Friday, August 3, 2007
Yoga: Getting started.
Still think you have to flexible to take Yoga? Think again. The following information will give you the insight you need to get started.
With so many options, you may find it difficult to access a class that is just right for you. Luckily, we have the internet. There is a plethora of information on various styles of Yoga out there. Do a little research and find the right one for you. Or perhaps it is matter of convenience. Take a class at the studio that opened around the corner from you. Fate is a beautiful thing.
Yoga can be practiced in almost anything or anywhere. But, if you are hitting a class environment you want to wear loose, comfy stuff. Stretchy isn’t a bad idea either. Socks are up to you. Traditionally, Yoga is done barefoot. This helps keep you grounded and connected with the mat/floor. Mats can usually be rented at the studio or purchased at a variety of stores. Google is a beautiful thing.
Class time can have a broad range. I find 1- 1 ½ hours works for me. You can get a good warm up/ breathing segment to get focused and centered on your practice, then of course there is the posture series. Some styles do the same posture series every class and some don’t. And then, there is Savasana. MMMMMMM, Savasana.
Unfortunately, it translates into corpse pose but it is all about total relaxation. Letting the movements of your practice integrate and letting you mind, body and spirit find peace.
Let us not forget about props! These handy items are not mandatory but they can help with proper alignment and reduce stress and strain.
I can’t tell you how many people I know who deprive themselves of this wonderful, life changing practice because they think they have to be flexible. Join a beginner class and who knows… you may find you’re more flexible than you thought.
Submitted by Angie Jacques, NAFI/NFI Wellness Committee Member
Still think you have to flexible to take Yoga? Think again. The following information will give you the insight you need to get started.
With so many options, you may find it difficult to access a class that is just right for you. Luckily, we have the internet. There is a plethora of information on various styles of Yoga out there. Do a little research and find the right one for you. Or perhaps it is matter of convenience. Take a class at the studio that opened around the corner from you. Fate is a beautiful thing.
Yoga can be practiced in almost anything or anywhere. But, if you are hitting a class environment you want to wear loose, comfy stuff. Stretchy isn’t a bad idea either. Socks are up to you. Traditionally, Yoga is done barefoot. This helps keep you grounded and connected with the mat/floor. Mats can usually be rented at the studio or purchased at a variety of stores. Google is a beautiful thing.
Class time can have a broad range. I find 1- 1 ½ hours works for me. You can get a good warm up/ breathing segment to get focused and centered on your practice, then of course there is the posture series. Some styles do the same posture series every class and some don’t. And then, there is Savasana. MMMMMMM, Savasana.
Unfortunately, it translates into corpse pose but it is all about total relaxation. Letting the movements of your practice integrate and letting you mind, body and spirit find peace.
Let us not forget about props! These handy items are not mandatory but they can help with proper alignment and reduce stress and strain.
I can’t tell you how many people I know who deprive themselves of this wonderful, life changing practice because they think they have to be flexible. Join a beginner class and who knows… you may find you’re more flexible than you thought.
Submitted by Angie Jacques, NAFI/NFI Wellness Committee Member
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Experts issue new physical exercise guidelines
Thu Aug 2, 2007 5:24AM EDT
By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Adults should engage in moderately intense exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week or vigorous exercise at least 20 minutes three days each week, experts recommended on Wednesday.
Two leading health groups issued new guidelines on physical activity, updating influential recommendations issued in 1995 while also crafting advice tailored specifically for those 65 and older.
The guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend weight lifting and vigorous aerobic exercise while also being more specific on how many days a week people should work out.
The advice comes amid rising health problems stemming from sedentary lifestyles and obesity among Americans, as well as people in many other nations.
"I think physical inactivity is the biggest public health problem we face. I think it actually accounts for more morbidity and mortality than anything except maybe cigarette smoking," said Steven Blair of the University of South Carolina, one of the experts who crafted the recommendations.
The 1995 recommendations, issued by the American College of Sports Medicine with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had stated, "Every U.S. adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week."
The new guidelines call for healthy adults to engage in moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 30 minutes five days each week, or vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes three days a week. The guidelines also state that exercise above the recommended minimum amounts provides even greater health benefits.
Moderate-intensity aerobic activity can be a brisk walk, light jogging or other exercise that noticeably accelerates the heart rate. Vigorous-intensity exercise like jogging causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate.
The guidelines called for weightlifting exercise to work on muscular strength and endurance, with eight to 10 different exercises on two nonconsecutive days a week.
The new guidelines offered specific advice for people 65 and older, urging them to consider lifting weights, improving their strength to prevent falls, and working on flexibility exercises and balance training.
"If you want to stay out of the nursing home, probably the best approach is to be sure you're physically active and fit," Blair said.
Ailments linked to physical inactivity include cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, colon cancer and breast cancer.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0138037220070802
By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Adults should engage in moderately intense exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week or vigorous exercise at least 20 minutes three days each week, experts recommended on Wednesday.
Two leading health groups issued new guidelines on physical activity, updating influential recommendations issued in 1995 while also crafting advice tailored specifically for those 65 and older.
The guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend weight lifting and vigorous aerobic exercise while also being more specific on how many days a week people should work out.
The advice comes amid rising health problems stemming from sedentary lifestyles and obesity among Americans, as well as people in many other nations.
"I think physical inactivity is the biggest public health problem we face. I think it actually accounts for more morbidity and mortality than anything except maybe cigarette smoking," said Steven Blair of the University of South Carolina, one of the experts who crafted the recommendations.
The 1995 recommendations, issued by the American College of Sports Medicine with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had stated, "Every U.S. adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week."
The new guidelines call for healthy adults to engage in moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 30 minutes five days each week, or vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes three days a week. The guidelines also state that exercise above the recommended minimum amounts provides even greater health benefits.
Moderate-intensity aerobic activity can be a brisk walk, light jogging or other exercise that noticeably accelerates the heart rate. Vigorous-intensity exercise like jogging causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate.
The guidelines called for weightlifting exercise to work on muscular strength and endurance, with eight to 10 different exercises on two nonconsecutive days a week.
The new guidelines offered specific advice for people 65 and older, urging them to consider lifting weights, improving their strength to prevent falls, and working on flexibility exercises and balance training.
"If you want to stay out of the nursing home, probably the best approach is to be sure you're physically active and fit," Blair said.
Ailments linked to physical inactivity include cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, colon cancer and breast cancer.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0138037220070802
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