Intermittent fasting not linked to long-term weight loss, study finds
One study undermines intermittent fasting as a weight-control trick, while another study shows people with higher BMIs metabolize vitamin D differently. Meanwhile, there’s a push back on the AAP’s new childhood obesity treatment guidelines
NBC News: Intermittent fasting not linked to weight loss over 6 years, new study finds
When it comes to losing weight, how much you eat probably matters more than when you eat, according to a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association. (Bendix, 1/18)
The Mercury News: Vitamin D Study: People With Higher BMIs Have Fewer Benefits and ‘Diminished Outcomes’
Vitamin D may be metabolized differently in people with a higher body mass index, according to a new study by Boston researchers who found the vitamin’s benefits may depend on a person’s body weight. Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital concluded that people with high BMIs had a ‘blunted response’ to vitamin D supplementation – which scientists say explains differences in outcomes, such as cancer, diabetes and autoimmune diseases. (Sobey, 1/18)
USA Today: AAP Childhood Obesity Guidelines for Surgery and Treatment Review
Faith Anne Heeren vividly remembers the day she first became aware of her weight. It was the first year. Nurses came to his private school in North Carolina to practice taking vital signs, which included weighing in front of the whole class. (Rodriguez, 1/19)
ABC News: With rising popularity of new weight-loss drugs, doctors point out potential risks
The FDA in 2014 then approved a GLP-1 RA for chronic weight management. Other drugs in the class have since been approved for weight loss. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, of the nearly 35 million Americans with type 2 diabetes, more than one in 10 are estimated to be taking these medications in 2019. (Rosen, 1/19)
In other health and wellness news –
AP: Flavored cannabis marketing criticized for targeting children
For decades, health advocates chastised the tobacco industry for marketing harmful nicotine products to children, prompting more cities and states, like New York, to ban the products. flavored tobacco, including electronic cigarettes. Now that cannabis stores are proliferating across the country, the same concerns are growing over the packaging and marketing of flavored cannabis which critics say could entice children to consume products labeled “crazy mango”, “bolt lemon”. and “fishing dream”. (Calvan, 1/19)
Fox News: If you retire early, you could harm your health: new study
As they age, many Americans begin to think about the best time to retire. Yet a new study is throwing warning signs around the move – because retiring early could actually make people’s health worse. A recent article published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization suggests that early retirement may accelerate cognitive decline in late adulthood. (Sudhakar, 1/18)
Bloomberg: Conserving energy may lead to higher mortality risk, study finds
Energy conservation policies can lead to higher death rates and other public health consequences, a new study finds. Researchers estimated that about 7,710 people died prematurely in Japan each year during energy-saving campaigns following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, as the government sought to avert widespread power shortages. Most of the excess deaths occurred during the hot summer months, with older residents avoiding energy-intensive air conditioning. (Oda, 1/19)
Statistic: Leaders need to pay attention to how climate change, health and safety intersect
As CEOs and world leaders gather for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, they might be surprised to see less snow outside the window than usual on the country’s bright peaks. Record temperatures in the Alps are just one sign of the effect of climate change on planet Earth. (Kerry, 1/18)
The New York Times: New Canadian alcohol guidelines say ‘no amount’ is healthy
Canadian health authorities have revised their guidelines on alcohol consumption, warning that no amount is healthy and recommending that people reduce their consumption as much as possible. The new guidelines, released Tuesday, represent a major change from previous ones introduced in 2011, which recommended women drink no more than 10 drinks per week and men drink no more than 15. (Levenson, 1/18)
KHN: Readers and Tweeters Diagnose Greed and Chronic Pain in the US Healthcare System
KHN gives readers the opportunity to comment on a recent batch of stories. (1/19)
AP: Lesion removed from Jill Biden’s eyelid was not cancerous
A lesion removed by surgeons last week from first lady Jill Biden’s left eyelid was a non-cancerous growth, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, physician to President Joe Biden, said Wednesday. O’Connor said in a memo released by the White House that a biopsy showed the legion to be seborrheic keratosis, a “very common, completely harmless, non-cancerous growth.” (1/19)
Stat: Benefits of gender-affirming hormones for teens persist, study finds
Trans and non-binary teens who receive gender-affirming hormones experience less depression and anxiety and more life satisfaction than before treatment, new research published Wednesday in New England finds Journal of Medicine. (Gaffney, 1/18)
Stat: Is social media bad for teenage brain development?
Today’s teens and tweens have never known a world without social media. There are still plenty of open questions about how sites like TikTok and Instagram may shape their development – and stories focused on the potential negative impacts of social media tend to dominate the news. But a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics is the latest in a growing body of research that suggests young people’s relationship with social media is too complicated to simply categorize as good or bad. (Fitzgerald, 1/19)
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