Death by Belt Size
A study indicates that kidney disease patients with larger waists also have a higher risk of death. Researchers saw it in four years of data on about 5,800 patients. At Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Illinois, Holly Kramer compared people with bigger belt sizes with thinner people:
“We noted an approximate twofold increase in mortality risk once waist circumference exceeded 38.5 inches in females or greater than 44 inches in men.’’
Dr. Kramer notes that lots of belly fat has already been found to be bad for people, raising the risks of conditions such as high blood pressure. And high blood pressure also can cause kidney failure.
The study in the American Journal of Kidney Disease was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
Learn more at hhs.gov.
Breast Cancer: Myths and Truths
Myth #1: Monthly breast self-exams save lives
Myth #2: Mammograms can only help and not harm you
Myth #3: MRI is better than mammography because it finds more cancer
Truth #4: When breast cancer shows up on a mammogram, it may have been
in your body for 6 to 10 years
Truth #5: Breast cancer mortality rates are declining
To learn more details about these and read the others on the list visit breastcancerdeadline2020.org.
Diabetes on the Rise
This national map shows the percentage of adults older than 20 who have been diagnosed with diabetes in 2008, and the smaller map is a closer look at Arizona for the same year. Learn how to NOT be a part of these maps at diabetes.org.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Diabetes Surveillance System.
State of Our Air
In the 2011 report on the state of our nation’s air by the American Lung association for “High Ozone Days” Maricopa county received a grade of “F” and Pima County’s was a “C.” For particle pollution, Maricopa’s grade was a “B” and Pima’s and “A.” Read more about these statistics at stateoftheair.org.