For Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation, Less Is More
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Multivitamins, particularly those containing iron or copper, might raise risk for death.
Swimming Against the Current: Hormonal Forces Drive Excess Body Weight
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Hormones that regulate hunger and energy storage make it hard for overweight people to lose weight.
Prenatal Folic Acid Lowers Risk for Language Delay
Women's Health Summary and Comment
The benefits of folic acid supplementation extend to language development during early childhood.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Depression? The Jury Is Still Out
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
A meta-analysis says success depends on a high percentage of EPA, but a large study using this dose finds only small effects in less severely ill patients.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
October 17, 2011
Covering:
Sublette ME et al., J Clin Psychiatry 2011 Sep 6
Lespérance F et al., J Clin Psychiatry 2011 Aug; 72:1054
Bariatric Surgery: Gastric Bypass vs. Duodenal Switch
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Duodenal switch patients lost more weight but experienced more adverse effects.
By Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH
October 11, 2011
Covering:
Søvik TT et al., Ann Intern Med 2011 Sep 6; 155:281
Livingston EH., Ann Intern Med 2011 Sep 6; 155:329
Another Helping of Flaxseed for Breast Cancer?
High levels of serum enterolactone were associated with lower risk for death during follow-up in women with hormone receptor–negative tumors.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
October 11, 2011
Covering:
Buck K et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 1; 29:3730
Patterson RE., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 1; 29:3723
Prolonged Bottle Use Is Associated with Increased Risk for Childhood Obesity
Bottle use at 24 months predicted body-mass index
A Direct Comparison of Bariatric Surgery Types Yields No Clear Winner
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Reduction in some cardiovascular risk factors was greater with duodenal switch than with gastric bypass, but so was the incidence of adverse events.
By Joel M. Gore, MD
October 5, 2011
Covering:
Søvik TT et al., Ann Intern Med 2011 Sep 6; 155:281
Obesity and Underweight Related to Deletions and Duplications of Same Genetic Region
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Severe obesity or underweight are associated with depletion or duplication on chromosome 16p11.2, in both psychiatric and general populations.
Sorting Out the Effects of Obesity on Risk for Postpartum Hemorrhage
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Risk for atonic uterine hemorrhage (but not for hemorrhage secondary to retained placenta) rose with maternal body-mass index.
A Yogurt of the Future as an Anxiety Treatment?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
In mice, a <$EMPH_O>Lactobacillus<$EMPH_C> strain reduces anxiety via vagus nerve mechanisms that affect brain GABAergic systems.
By Joel Yager, MD
September 26, 2011
Covering:
Bravo JA et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011 Aug 29
Commercial Weight-Loss Programs Are More Effective Than Advice from PCPs
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
People in a commercial program lost twice as much weight at 1 year as those who received standard care from primary care providers.
By Bruce Soloway, MD
September 22, 2011
Covering:
Jebb SA et al., Lancet 2011 Sep 8
Jolly K and Aveyard P., Lancet 2011 Sep 8
The Perils of Obesity in Black Women
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Obesity-related health risks mirror those of white women.
Counseling Can Encourage Intake of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Mean LDL-C levels fell significantly with only two counseling sessions.
Secretly Adding Pureed Vegetables to Children's Meals: A Strategy That Works
This strategy substantially increases vegetable intake and reduces energy intake, too.
By Louis M. Bell, MD
September 14, 2011
Covering:
Spill MK et al., Am J Clin Nutr 2011 Sep; 94:735
Long-Term Effects of Eating Disorders on Fertility and Pregnancy
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Free
Fertility was modestly affected by lifetime eating disorders.
Predicting Adult Obesity: Keep It Simple
Adding inflammatory or genetic risk factors to measures of child BMI, maternal BMI, and family income did not enhance prediction of adult obesity.
Do Fruits and Veggies Reduce Risk for Colorectal Cancer?
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Free
A weak inverse association was seen between CRC risk and fruit and vegetable consumption; risk reduction was greatest when intake increased from low levels.
By Douglas K. Rex, MD
August 26, 2011
Covering:
Aune D et al., Gastroenterology 2011 Jul; 141:106
Vegetarians Have Lower Risk for Symptomatic Diverticular Disease
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Results support earlier findings on the protective effects of dietary fiber intake and vegetarianism on diverticular disease.
By Douglas K. Rex, MD
August 26, 2011
Covering:
Crowe FL et al., BMJ 2011 Jul 19; 343:d4131
Switching Antipsychotics May Reduce Metabolic Problems
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Even so, monitoring for new adverse effects and the possible loss of antipsychotic effectiveness is critical.
By Joel Yager, MD
August 22, 2011
Covering:
Stroup TS et al., Am J Psychiatry 2011 Jul 18
Use Actual Body Weight for Sugammadex Dosing in Obese Patients
Emergency Medicine Summary and Comment
Dosing of sugammadex based on actual body weight is both rapid and effective for reversal of rocuronium-induced paralysis in morbidly obese patients.
Is Folic Acid a Risk Factor for CRC?
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
No type of folate, including folic acid, increased the risk for colorectal cancer.
By Douglas K. Rex, MD
August 12, 2011
Covering:
Stevens VL et al., Gastroenterology 2011 Jul; 141:98
Lee JE et al., Gastroenterology 2011 Jul; 141:16
Consumer Behavior Tracked After Mandated Calorie Labeling of Fast Foods
General Medicine Summary and Comment
The minority of customers who read the labels ordered lower-calorie lunches.
Fatal Outcomes of Eating Disorders
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
In a meta-analysis of studies with an average of 13 years of follow-up, anorexia nervosa was associated with a standardized mortality ratio of 5.86.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
August 8, 2011
Covering:
Arcelus J et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry 2011 Jul; 68:724
Media's Effect on Obesity in Kids
Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline Watch
The AAP recommends that pediatricians ask parents of children and adolescents about media use at every well-child visit.
By Martin T. Stein, MD
July 27, 2011
Covering:
American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Communications and Media., Pediatrics 2011 Jul; 128:201
