U.S. flu deaths have climbed to about 36,000 a year from 20,000 two decades ago, which the piece blames on an aging population, only 65 percent vaccination among the elderly, and weaker protection in the most vulnerable. Complications such as bacterial pneumonia kill.
Rachel Howell Stockton
Obesity
CDC: More Babies Being Breastfed
The CDC reports 75 percent of babies born in 2007 were breastfed, meeting the Healthy People 2010 goal, while the 6-month (43 percent) and 12-month (22 percent) rates fell short. A CDC-funded meta-analysis tied each month of breastfeeding to a 4 percent lower pediatric obesity rate.
Nutrition
Try a Family Style Approach to Meet Veggie Goals
The CDC reports that only 32.5% of adults eat two or more servings of fruit a day and 26.3% eat three or more vegetable servings, short of the Healthy 2010 targets. Food Consumer collected reader tips for eating better as a family, starting with planning meals.
Healthcare
AAP Urges Health Care Pros to Get Flu Shots
The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends requiring every health care worker to get an annual influenza vaccine, citing the $87 billion a year the flu costs the health system. CDC figures show only 37% of health workers took the swine flu shot last year and 35% took both shots.
Miscellaneous
New Survey Outlines Increase in Employee Health Contributions
A Kaiser Family Foundation and HRET survey found workers' yearly contribution for family coverage rose 14 percent, or $482, while total premiums rose 3 percent and employer contributions did not rise at all. Since 2005 worker contributions are up 47 percent against 18 percent wage growth.
Cancer
Research Sheds Light on Aggressive Breast Cancers
Breakthrough Breast Cancer researchers deleted BRCA1 from both basal and luminal cells in mice. Tumors arose in both, but only those from luminal cells carried the traits of human BRCA1 cancers, contrary to the assumption that such tumors start in basal cells.
Other Diseases
Promising Malaria Drug on the Horizon
An experimental Novartis compound, NITD609, cleared malaria in mice with a single dose and killed drug-resistant strains taken from patients in Thailand. Safety testing must come first, but the researchers hope human trials can start later this year.
Lifestyle
Mental Acuity May Increase Rate of Cognitive Decline
A Rush University Medical Center study of 1,157 Alzheimer's-free seniors found mentally stimulating activity delayed symptoms by 52 percent, but once the disease took hold decline ran 42 percent faster among the cognitively sharp. Researchers still count the delay as worthwhile.
Lifestyle
Sleep Quality Influences Food Choices in Teens
Researchers tracked three weeknights of sleep in 240 teenagers aged 16 to 19 with wrist devices. Those sleeping under eight hours took 2.2 percent more of their calories from fat than longer sleepers, with a wider gap among girls. Only a third got the recommended nine hours.
Avoiding Illness
The Flu Shot: How it Came to be, Why it Works
The piece traces flu vaccine development to the 1918 pandemic, when doctors tried bleeding patients, hydrogen peroxide IVs and injections of blister fluid, morphine, caffeine and strychnine. Only blood transfusions from recovered patients seemed to blunt the worst symptoms.
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