The Effects of Soft Drink Consumption
A meta-analysis confirms the negative effects of soft drinks on health-related measures.
By Howard Bauchner, MD
May 23, 2007
Covering:
Vartanian LR et al., Am J Public Health 2007 Apr; 97:667-75
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Morbidly Obese Patients
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Most obese patients have NAFLD, but NASH and especially cirrhosis are less common.
By Atif Zaman, MD, MPH
May 18, 2007
Covering:
Gholam PM et al., Am J Gastroenterol 2007 Feb; 102:399-408
Is Bottled Water Replacing Fluoridated Tap Water?
General Medicine Summary and Comment
About 40% of children at an urban public health clinic never drink tap water, raising concerns about fluoride intake.
By Robert A. Dershewitz, MD, MSc
May 17, 2007
Covering:
Hobson WL et al., Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2007 May; 161:457-61
Long-Term Benefits of Dietary Sodium Reduction
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Long-term follow-up data from two prospective trials suggest that lowering sodium intake reduces risk for CV events.
By Beat J. Meyer, MD
May 16, 2007
Covering:
Cook NR et al., BMJ 2007 Apr 28; 334:885
Cappuccio FP., BMJ 2007 Apr 28; 334:859
How Should Bulimia Nervosa in Adolescents Be Treated?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
After a year, family therapy seemed as effective as the less-expensive CBT.
By Joel Yager, MD
May 7, 2007
Covering:
Schmidt U et al., Am J Psychiatry 2007 Apr; 164:591-8
Sleep-Disordered Breathing Is Common in Obese Children
Screening for sleep apnea may be indicated.
By F. Bruder Stapleton, MD
April 25, 2007
Covering:
Verhulst SL et al., Arch Dis Child 2007 Mar; 92:205-8
Vitamins and CAP Risk
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
In healthy young and middle-aged women, higher supplemental and dietary vitamin intake was not associated with lower risk for community-acquired pneumonia.
By Neil M. Ampel, MD
April 18, 2007
Covering:
Neuman MI et al., Am J Med 2007 Apr; 120:330-6
Fish Oil Supplementation Reduces Nonfatal Cardiac Events in Japan
General Medicine Summary and Comment
However, this effect may be seen only in countries where average levels of fish consumption are very high.
By Bruce Soloway, MD
April 17, 2007
Covering:
Yokoyama M et al., Lancet 2007 Mar 31; 369:1090-8
Mozaffarian D., Lancet 2007 Mar 31; 369:1062-3
Dietary Fat Intake and Risk for Postmenopausal Breast Cancer
Although data suggest that fat intake is associated with invasive breast cancer risk in some groups, other modifiable risk factors probably should be the primary points of emphasis in older women.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
April 13, 2007
Covering:
Thiébaut ACM et al., J Natl Cancer Inst 2007 Mar 21; 99:451-62
Smith-Warner SA and Stampfer MJ., J Natl Cancer Inst 2007 Mar 21; 99:418-9
Most Pounds Off with Lowest Carbs
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Free
Women on the Atkins diet lost more weight during 1 year than did women on other diets.
By Wendy S. Biggs, MD
April 12, 2007
Covering:
Gardner CD et al., JAMA 2007 Mar 7; 297:969-77
Iron Feeds the Brain as Well as the Blood
Women with iron deficiency did not perform as well as controls on cognitive tests, but they improved after iron repletion.
By Alain Joffe, MD, MPH, FAAP
April 11, 2007
Covering:
Murray-Kolb LE and Beard JL., Am J Clin Nutr 2007 Mar; 85:778-87
Fish Oil Supplement plus a Statin?
Cardiology Summary and Comment
This combination reduced the risk for major coronary events but not for sudden or coronary death, compared with a statin alone.
By JoAnne M. Foody, MD
April 11, 2007
Covering:
Yokoyama M et al. for the JELIS Investigators., Lancet 2007 Mar 31; 369:1090-8
Mozaffarian D., Lancet 2007 Mar 31; 369:1062-3
Fathers’ Influence on the Weight Concerns of Their Daughters
Dad’s own body dissatisfaction can weigh heavily on a daughter’s body image.
By Alain Joffe, MD, MPH, FAAP
April 4, 2007
Covering:
Agras WS et al., J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2007 Feb; 46:171-8
Vitamin E and Cognitive Function in Women
Neurology Summary and Comment
Negative findings with vitamin E supplements from the Women’s Health Study
By Meghan Searl, PhD
April 3, 2007
Covering:
Kang JH et al., Arch Intern Med 2006 Dec 11/25; 166:2462-8
Antipsychotic-Induced Obesity: Histamine May Be the Key
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Results from an animal study
By Jonathan Silver, MD
April 2, 2007
Covering:
Kim SF et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007 Feb 27; 104:3456-9
Meltzer HY., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007 Feb 27; 104:3019-20
Pneumoperitoneum After PEG
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Benign pneumoperitoneum is detected in many patients who receive PEG tubes, but it usually resolves spontaneously.
By David J. Bjorkman, MD, MSPH (HSA), SM (Epid.)
March 30, 2007
Covering:
Wiesen AJ et al., Gastrointest Endosc 2006 Dec; 64:886-9
Gastroesophageal Reflux After PEG
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Hiatal hernia and severe erosive esophagitis are risk factors for GER in elders with PEG feeding tubes.
By David A. Johnson, MD
March 30, 2007
Covering:
Nishiwaki S et al., Gastrointest Endosc 2006 Dec; 64:890-6
More Adolescents Are Having Bariatric Surgery
General Medicine Summary and Comment
The rate of the procedure increased threefold in just three years.
By Robert A. Dershewitz, MD, MSc
March 27, 2007
Covering:
Tsai WS et al., Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2007 Mar; 161:217-21
Psychiatric Disorders Are Prevalent in Patients Seeking Bariatric Surgery
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
More-obese bariatric-surgery candidates have higher rates of psychiatric illness.
By Joel Yager, MD
March 19, 2007
Covering:
Kalarchian MA et al., Am J Psychiatry 2007 Feb; 164:328-34
Hope for Obese Adolescents
Adjustable gastric banding is a safe and effective alternative to gastric bypass.
By William P. Kanto, Jr., MD
March 14, 2007
Covering:
Nadler EP et al., J Pediatr Surg 2007 Jan; 42:137-41
The Skinny on Four Popular Diets
Cardiology Summary and Comment
In overweight, nondiabetic, premenopausal women, the diets had only modest effects on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors, with a slight advantage for the Atkins diet over the others.
By JoAnne M. Foody, MD
March 14, 2007
Covering:
Gardner CD et al., JAMA 2007 Mar 7; 297:969-77
Garlic Strikes Out for Lipid Lowering
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Both raw and supplement forms essentially batted zeros in a well-designed, publicly funded study.
By JoAnne M. Foody, MD
March 14, 2007
Covering:
Gardner CD et al., Arch Intern Med 2007 Feb 26; 167:346-53
Charlson M and McFerren M., Arch Intern Med 2007 Feb 26; 167:325-6
Garlic Consumption and Cholesterol
General Medicine Summary and Comment
In a randomized trial, neither raw garlic nor garlic supplements had any effect on lipid levels.
By Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH
March 13, 2007
Covering:
Gardner CD et al., Arch Intern Med 2007 Feb 26; 167:346-53
Charlson M and McFerren M., Arch Intern Med 2007 Feb 26; 167:325-6
Recurrent Self-Harm: Are Omega-3 Supplements Part of the Answer?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
They seemed somewhat helpful in this small group of patients, most of whom had borderline personality disorder.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
March 12, 2007
Covering:
Hallahan B et al., Br J Psychiatry 2007 Feb; 190:118-22
Antioxidant Supplements and All-Cause Mortality
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Supplements with beta-carotene and vitamins A and E are associated with increased mortality (but fruits and vegetables are still good for you!). . .
By Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
March 8, 2007
Covering:
Bjelakovic G et al., JAMA 2007 Feb 28; 297:842-57
