Health Matters The Rundown On Recent Findings by Missy Lay

failing grades Twenty-three U.S. states are failing to control their rising obesity numbers, according to a new national obesity report card by the University of Baltimore. The ratings are based on anything from nutrition standards in schools to the progress of states forming legislative obesity commissions. No state received an “A,” according to the report card, though Texas received a “C” for efforts to prevent both adult obesity and childhood obesity. Surprisingly, Arkansas was the only state to receive a “B,” and lead the country in obesity prevention laws, including a mandatory body mass index (BMI) for all public schoolchildren. For more information, visit the University of Baltimore’s Web site at www.ubalt.edu/experts/obesity/states.html.

radiation risk According to a recent study at Columbia University, whole-body CT scans could significantly increase a recipient’s risk of developing cancer. Columbia radiation biologist David J. Brenner reports that the radiation from a single whole-body scan is equivalent to that received by atomic bomb survivors. Brenner also mentions that the radiation from one scan is enough to produce a tumor in one out of every 1,200 people who undergo the procedure. And for those who receive annual scans, the risk increases to one in every 50 people. In spite of these findings, Brenner cautions that these studies were conducted with healthy individuals who chose to receive the CT scans, as opposed to cancer patients, for whom the risk-benefit factor is evaluated differently. For more information, visit www.fda.gov.

protein problem According to a new Scottish research study, a readily available screening test may help predict which infants are at risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The blood test, performed on mothers during the second trimester of pregnancy, measures the amount of plasma alpha-fetoprotein. When elevated during pregnancy, this protein has been shown to be a strong predictor of stillbirths and Down Syndrome. In the study, appearing in September’s New England Journal of Medicine, more than 200,000 women were tested, among which 114 cases of SIDS were reported. The risk of SIDS rose significantly when an abnormally high level of alpha-fetoprotein was measured during midpregnancy. For more information, visit www.nejm.org.

it does a body good There may be some good news for the dairy industry early next year. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has endorsed nearly a 50 percent increase in the suggested amount of daily milk servings for adults. A new “food pyramid” issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Agriculture will recommend three servings of a milk a day for teenagers through adults up to age 50. The analysis concluded that three servings a day “can reduce the risk of low bone mass and contribute important amounts of nutrients.” New research by the National Dairy Council also finds that milk and milk products may make it easier to lose extra weight and fat without cutting back on calories. For more information, visit www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines.